Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative, chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, and author of over 100 books, booklets & Bible studies. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 1,300 US outlets daily and in more than 130 countries.
you see many of us the problem of us
getting along with other people is our
inability to get along with ourselves
everything visible and physical is
preceded by something invisible and
spirit the consequences we are dealing
with in our lives in our homes in our
culture we are dealing with them because
there is a gap between where God is and
where we are he wants to know that you
want him and not just wanted stuff see a
lot of folk go to church to gets God
stuff but who don’t want the God who
gives it so if you’re in distress
don’t let that drive you away draw you
near when you get close and want to live
for him want to please him want to honor
him want to exalt him want to draw near
to him then heaven opens up and he lets
you find
[Music]
Mountains in the Bible are used in a
number of ways first of all there is the
physical mountain that we normally use
the word to refer to but also in the
Bible Mountain also refers to kingdoms
the kingdom of God is called a mountain
the kingdom of Satan is called a
mountain and the kingdom of men is
called a mountain it’s referring to a
rule over a sphere the word Mountain is
used of that the third way that the word
Mountain is used in the Bible as it is
used in this passage is for an
unrecoverable situation a situation that
looms so large you can’t move it by
yourself and you don’t even know anybody
who can help you move it it’s just too
big you can’t get over the hump it’s too
awesome in its problematic impact on
your life
it’s a mountain those are called
Mountain Zechariah for seven uses the
word Mountain in this way some obstacle
that looms large in your life to which
you need divine help to move in this
passage today Jesus talks about moving
mountains and it is introduced by a fig
tree Peter says to Jesus Jesus verse 20
the fig tree that you cursed yesterday
has withered today from the root up you
pronounce a curse yesterday we came out
here today and what you said yesterday
not only has happened today but it is
super happened because it is withered
not only with the fig part but it is
with
from the root up so whatever you said
has completely reversed this situation
we find in verse 12
Jesus is hungry and Jesus wants to get
something to eat he looks and he sees a
fig tree in leaf that is the leaves were
out with the leaves are out on a fig
tree that means they are fakes
the leaves are the external validation
that figs are on the tree Jesus being
hungry
goes over to the fig tree in leaf to get
figs we’re also told it was not the
season for figs so the tree is showing
fig leaf when it’s not even the season
for figs to grow so Jesus sees something
out of the norm and goes over in his
humanity because he’s hungry but when he
goes over he discovers there are leaves
with no figs there are leaves with no
figs let me put it another way there is
an external reality with no internal
reality there is external show with no
internal meaning there is the look of
things without the reality of things the
fig tree was a deception
it was trickery because there was no
figs so Jesus curses the fig tree he
says because you are a deceiving tree
I’m hungry you gave me the visible
impression you could feed me when I came
over there was nothing but a good look
but no substance and so I’m gonna curse
your external activity because of the
absence of an internal reality however
between the fig tree yesterday
and the big tree today there is a story
let’s look at the story to tatah two
days of the fig tree together it says in
verse 15 between the two victory events
Jesus comes to Jerusalem enters the
temple he dries out those who were
buying and selling in the temple
overturned the tables of the
moneychangers and the seats of those who
were selling does and he would not
permit anyone to carry merchandise
through the temple and he began to teach
them saying is it not written my house
shall be called a house of prayer for
all the nations but you have made it
robbers den follow me now on yesterday
Jesus was hungry and he went to a fig
tree that looked like it was real but
when he got up close there were no figs
there was no reality the following day
he goes to church the temple and where
he should have found folk worshiping God
where he should have found folk praying
to God where he should have found folk
living for God he found fake religion
not the real thing now it was in the
right building because it was in the
temple it had the right folk because
there was a priest but it didn’t have
spiritual reality they were shucking and
jiving in church they were playing
religion in church they had the leaves
and the leaves should have met you
should find God here you should find his
presence here you should find his power
here but when Jesus showed up all they
were doing were playing games in the
house of the Lord there was no reality
to their religion you see religion
without reality is leaf without life
religion without reality is leaf without
substance
you can look the part but when we get up
close and peer close there is no
spiritual life spiritual reality you see
between the fig tree yesterday and the
fig tree today is the temple story and
in the temple story which is Jesus’s
major point is you’re supposed to be
reality but all I see is Christian
leaves I don’t see the Spirit of God the
power of God the presence of God all
you’re doing is trying to make money all
you’re doing is having programs all
you’re doing is activity that has
absolutely nothing to do with spiritual
reality you got fake Church going on in
fact he goes on to say when he quotes
the Old Testament my house shall be
known as a house of prayer Jesus is
delusioned
by the church by Christians who are
satisfied with lieth Christianity and
not life Christianity who what leaves
but who don’t want things external
religious look without internal
religious reality and so when he talks
about that it says Peter says to him
master rabbi the tree has withered from
the root up me you cursed the tree but
in 24 hours this whole tree is gone how
could you do this in that short amount
I studied the Bible in college for four
years
I studied the Bible before you is better
than my master’s degree another four
years working on the back for the great
then I’ve been preaching all of these
years and I’m still learning new things
from this awesome inexhaustibility a
little game that’s why I’m so excited
about the twenty heavens Study Bible and
its accompanying works the Tony Evans
Bible commentary it will take all of
this training and this teaching and make
it available to you to understand you
guys and apply God’s most powerful
[Music]
Jesus it says answers now it’s
interesting it says jesus answered but
technically Peter didn’t ask a question
all Peter said was the tree is withered
from the root up well that’s not a
question that’s a statement but jesus
knew what he was getting at what Peter
was getting at is how could something
that big happen this fast that’s the
question
jesus knew what his question was tree is
fine yesterday you cursed yesterday is
gone today how can all that happen in 24
hours and that’s when Jesus now gives
him and gives you and me his secret for
moving mountains things in your life
that are too big for you to handle on
your own and for anybody else you know
to handle for you he says in verse 22
have faith in God
he says a simple statement have faith in
God you want to know how I got that tree
from yesterday to be totally transformed
today here’s my answer Peter and the
disciples have faith in God fact Jesus
says in Matthew chapter 17 verses 20 and
21 if you have the faith the grain of a
mustard seed you can say to this
mountain is the word Mountain be moved
and the mountain will be moved he says
and this comes through fasting in prayer
he says mustard seed faith can work if
it’s in the right object don’t have
faith in your faith have faith in the
right object a lot of faith in the wrong
object will go nowhere a little faith in
the right object will go a long way to
put faith in God means that you must put
faith in God’s Word God’s will and God’s
character
and when you have faith in that God now
we can discuss mountain-moving prayers
if you don’t have faith in that God then
you and asking the wrong person to move
the mountain because you’re not asking
the person whom you are to truly have
faith in he then says you must put
confidence in God his will his way his
word will you do next with your mountain
is what you do he says whoever says to
this mountain be taken up and cast into
the sea so Jesus is probably on the
Mount of Olives 15 miles down hill is
the Dead Sea he says if God is working
for you you can say that this mountain
be moved and it will relocate itself the
problem is the mountain you want to get
the mountain offer you you wanted to
relocate itself away from you he says if
there’s figs on your tree there is life
you have faith in the true God
then you can do with your mountain what
you saw me do Peter would mine I spoke
to it he talks about praying to God but
then he talks about speaking to your
Mountain prayer is when I talk this way
my mountain is what I’m experiencing out
here in my daily life
he says if there’s FIGS on the tree real
life you’re not withering if you have
faith in the real God not the God of
your own making as well as word and his
character then you can have a
conversation with your problem
because you’re melting is your problem
and when you speak to your Mountain
it says the mountain will relocate
itself
means get out of your face the mountain
will relocate itself now now this raises
a question and the question is in what
Jesus says after this and it’s a
question in everybody’s heart and mind
he says all things were which you pray
and ask believe that you have received
them and they will be granted you
whatever whenever you stand praying
forgive if you have anything against
anyone so that your father in heaven
will also forgive you in verse 24 he
makes a staggering statement whatever
you have asked for believe you have
received it in other words you haven’t
received it yet
but believe you have received it even
though you haven’t received it so you
expect it but you have received it the
difference between God’s unconditional
will and his conditional will God’s
unconditional will is what he decides to
do regardless of what anybody else does
in other words he’s going to do it
period his sovereignty has decided this
is what I’m going to do and no matter
what you do don’t do what somebody else
does that done do nothing will change
cuz this is my unconditional will that
is it’s not tied to any conditions I’m
just gonna do it because I have my
prerogative to do it the reason why God
tells us to pray is so that we can link
into his conditional will because his
unconditional will is going to happen
whether we pray or not but his
conditional will only happens if we obey
if we pray if we believe and if we have
figs on the tree that is we are we are
full of divine light operating within us
so that’s condition so many of the
things that we pray for we don’t get
because we didn’t meet the conditions
it didn’t feel fit God’s conditional
will cuz if it’s his unconditional will
it’s going to happen regardless
but if it’s his conditional will it
happens if only if certain factors are
made and that’s why in the scriptures
we’re told that we have to qualify for
certain things to happen because it’s
tied to his conditional will so how do
you know if something you’re asking for
is unconditional he’s gonna do it or not
do it anyway or conditional let me
answer that two ways number one many
times you don’t know okay
many times God is silent on whether it’s
unconditional or conditional so guess
what you do you treat it like it’s
conditional if you’re not sure then you
treat it like it’s conditional and you
do everything you’re supposed to do so
that if it is unconditional you’ve met
all the standards for God to fulfill his
if it is conditional for God to fulfill
his conditional will regarding that
situation but then there’s another
answer 1st John chapter 5 verses 14 and
15 says and we have this confidence that
if we ask anything according to his will
he hears us and if we know he hears us
we know that he will grant what we have
requested so here’s another secret to
God’s conditional will when God is
operating on a conditional will and he
wants you to qualify to move this
mountain that you are facing what he
will do is give you an inbred confidence
or a sense of assurance or a sense of
peace or a sense of for realness that
this thing is going to happen because
when God is doing something big in your
life he has to do two things at the same
time prepare the thing that he wants
done and prepare you for the thing he’s
doing both things have to collide if you
are not being prepared then you’re not
ready you’re like the children in the
wilderness because you’re not ready for
the promised land
won’t meet the conditions but he also
has to get the promised land ready so
that when you arrive there and he’s
ready to move the mountain the mountain
is already ready to obey it’s in the
hands of Almighty God of whether it’s
conditional or unconditional but what I
don’t want it to happen is I don’t want
it to be conditional and I didn’t do
what I was supposed to do but then one
more thing and it’s an important thing
he says whoever whenever you are
standing praying forgive if you have
anything against anyone so your Father
in Heaven will forgive you okay watch
this forgiveness is a condition of
moving mountains this is this is this is
in the same story forgiveness is not
necessarily reconciliation you can
forgive without being reconciled for
example suppose the person you need to
forgive has died you can’t reconcile
with it suppose the person you need to
forgive you don’t even know where they
are anymore
you can’t reconcile with them or suppose
the person you need to forgive doesn’t
want to repent doesn’t want to say I’m
sorry doesn’t want to confess then you
can’t reconcile with them forgiveness
can lead to reconciliation but
forgiveness is not the same as
reconciliation forgiveness is where you
are not seeking revenge against the
offender okay I am NOT seeking vengeance
vengeance is mine saith the Lord I will
repent you are not seeking to repay what
God is saying is you’re blocking me
moving your Mountain because what you’re
wanting for me is my forgiveness for you
well if you want my forgiveness for you
you’ve got to be willing to offer it to
somebody else
now unless you
the right view of God you’re not gonna
do that because you think I’m gonna
repay this i’ma get my Posse to repay
this cuz cuz I bet you shouldn’t have
done that to me and and imma get you for
doing that
well what you just did you didn’t have
faith in the God of the Bible so you
gotta have faith in the God of the Bible
which keeps you from needing vengeance
for yourself
not necessarily reconciliation but
vengeance for yourself see the reason
why Joseph Joseph could forgive his
brothers for sell him into slavery
putting him in a hole selling them to
the instrument life he says he forget
he’d say I forgive you and the reason I
can forgive you is you meant it for evil
but God meant it for good god is so big
he used your mess to create my miracle
that’s a unless you have that view of
God you will do the wrong thing because
you don’t have faith in God and you’ll
do the wrong thing while talking about
God yeah I’m trusting the Lord while I
get them back okay so you’ll do the
wrong thing in the name of God I’m
trying to create for me for you for us
this bigger view of God that we have
faith in that God that we are life
Christians not leaf Christians we don’t
just come to church on Sunday that we
want to make this house a house of
prayer not just the house of preaching a
house where we cry out to God and where
we see miracles happen here I want
people to come not for the preacher or
the sermon but because of the power
that’s happening lives have changed
miracles are taking place sicknesses are
healed marriages are restored sins are
overcome addictions are canceled that’s
why they come and then if they come for
that the preaching becomes extra because
they’re coming for the power of God in
this house that’s what we’re crying for
and so if you meet the qualifications
you want to be an authentic life
Christian you want to cry out to God in
prayer and in faith you’re going to
speak to the mountain and you’re going
to forgive those who need to be forgiven
whether that’s writing a letter sending
a note making a call if those people are
the boat or just acknowledging the God
that they aren’t I release them Lord I
don’t feel like releasing them I don’t
even want to release them but I do know
I want my Mountain move so because I
want my Mountain move in the name of
Jesus Christ I release them from their
offense against me i’ma let you handle
them cuz I need you to move this
mountain in my life and when we qualify
for the mountain moving work of God we
will see mountains move things that God
once moved will see them moved and we
will see God’s power in this house and
that’s what I want
we’ve got a mountain you have mountains
and if you don’t have one keep living
you don’t have a mountain something too
big for you to move just make sure that
when you face your melton you have
qualified for the conditional world God
to see that mountain move in closing
there was a husband who went to the
doctor on behalf of his wife he says God
my wife ever has a hearing problem she
can’t hear well I can be talking to her
screaming across the room and she
doesn’t hear we’ve got I said okay well
I’ll tell you what let’s set an
appointment you bring her in next week
but between now and next week I want you
to run a test said doc what’s the test
so stand 15 feet away and when she’s
cooking ask her what she’s cooking if
she doesn’t answer then go ten feet away
and ask her what she’s cooking if she
doesn’t answer go five feet away and ask
her what she’s cooking if she’s still
gotten the answer go right up to her ear
and shout in her ear what are you
cooking to see whether she answers then
because that’ll give me a measurement of
how many feet it takes before she’s
hearing he says okay I’ll do it
he went home fifteen feet away dear what
are you cooking nothing he goes ten feet
away
here what are you cooking nothing he
goes five feet away dear what are you
cooking nothing goes right up to here
dear what are you cooking she says for
the fourth time
vegetable stew
[Applause]
see the problem may just be you
[Music]
we are not only to speak to God about
the problem we are to simultaneously
speak to the mountain or the problems or
the unavoidable situation about God when
you pray about this mountain and fig
ative ly the mountain in the Bible is a
situation you don’t know how to overcome
then you need to bring the character of
God the promises of God and the power of
the word of God to that problem and you
speak to it you tell that mountain what
God says about it you tell that mountain
about the power of God you tell that
mountain what this passage of scripture
says about this particular situation if
you need healing quote to the illness
the power of God’s Word watch God show
you that he can cast mountains in the
seas when you speak to the mountain
[Music]
[Applause]
you
you