Emmanuel, The Mountain-Moving God With Goodness

Matthew 1:21-23; Mark 11:22-24

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:21-23). The coming of Christ was a fulfilment of prophecy. As He comes into our lives there is a fulfilment of the promised salvation, healing, signs, and wonders. “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:22-23). The head may be wondering but the heart must firmly believe that ours is a mountain-moving God. As you connect with Emmanuel and He becomes your Lord, whatsoever you say according to His promise will come to pass.

1.  THE PENITENT’S MOUNTAIN OF INIQUITY REPENTED, FORSAKEN, FORGIVEN

                Luke 19:7-10; Psalm 40:12; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Peter 3:9

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). The Psalmist described the enormity of our iniquities. “For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” (Psalm 40:12). The iniquities we have committed are so many that we could not possibly change ourselves. Our sins and iniquities are like the waters of the sea or the ocean. It takes God by His love and compassion to come and take away our sins just as He dried the Red Sea before the Israelites. If Moses had commanded the Israelites to empty the Red Sea, the Egyptians would have met them at the bank of the river and destroyed them all. It takes the grace and mercy of God to deliver us from the magnitude of our sins and give us the power to live in the newness of life. The leopard cannot change the colour of its skin, so we are incapable of removing the mountain of iniquity by our own strength. As we repent and turn our backs on the mountain of iniquity, we receive salvation and cleansing from God. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). Our sins multiply until they become as much as the hair on our heads, yet God does not strike us dead every time we sin because He has all eternity to lay the punishment on the unrepentant but at this time, He is longsuffering to everyone as He is not willing that anyone perishes. As you repent sincerely with the understanding that God can forgive you in one word, you will have the mountain of iniquity rolled away immediately.

        2.       THE PEOPLE’S MOUNTAIN OF INFIRMITY RELIEVED, FREELY, FULLY

                Luke 13:11-16; Matthew 8:1-3; Mark 5:25-30,3; John 5:5-9,14

There are times when people feel very unwell but they cannot fully explain the cause of their infirmity. Other times people get totally incapacitated instantly without recognizing that the infirmity had been building up in them. However, God takes away all infirmity whether they are known or not. God also takes away the genetic and hereditary infirmities we carry in our bodies without knowing about them. “And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” (Luke 13:11-13). The spirit does not respond to the care given to the natural body. It is only through the miraculous power of Emmanuel that the spirit of infirmity is taken away. Spirits do not easily give up their residences, so the woman was bound for eighteen years but Jesus saw and healed her fully and freely. The woman had accepted her condition and did not get help from the rulers of the synagogue but Jesus called her to himself and loosed her from the spirit of infirmity. When Christ heals, He heals perfectly without further need for maintenance. The Lord has come to deliver everyone and the mountain of infirmity will be relieved.

3.         THE PERSONAL MOUNTAIN OF IMPOSSIBILITY REMOVED, FINALLY, FOREVER

Luke 1:37-38,45; Matthew 19:25-26; 17:19-20; Mark 9:21-27

When you come to Christ, you will realize that nothing is impossible for the believer. “And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.” (Mark 9:21-27). The evil spirit tormenting this child was very wicked as he would begin to agitate when the child is close to dangerous situations such as a pool of water or fire, to destroy the child. The father of the child recognized the impossibility in his family but he was set free by Emmanuel. His statement to Christ, “but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us” suggests that he was measuring the strength of Christ on the length of the problem. Jesus turned the responsibility of believing to him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” confirming that he had to believe to see that mountain of impossibility removed. If you believe, your deliverance is guaranteed.