Just Admit It… You Can’t Do It (And That’s the Point)

"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Mark 11:23

Called to the Impossible

When God calls us, He doesn’t call us to what we can already accomplish in our own strength. He calls us to the impossible. From parting the Red Sea to starting a ministry with zero resources or standing up for Truth in a culture of compromise, whether in the Bible or in our modern lives, the pattern is the same: God calls us to what we cannot do without Him. That’s why Jesus spoke about mountains. A mountain represents something far too heavy, too vast, too immovable for human effort.

And yet, our natural response is often: “Okay Lord, I’ll get to work.” Out of love for Him, and with pure motives, we take it upon ourselves to figure out how to move the mountain. We push. We strategize. We strain under the weight of boulders, trying to prove our faith by effort. But that’s not what Jesus meant.

The Subtlety of Pride in Good Intentions

Here’s the problem: when we believe we can carry the mountain—even with the purest desire to serve God—pride has already slipped into our hearts. Pride isn’t always loud arrogance; sometimes it’s the quiet assumption that we don’t really need Him to get the job done.

But Scripture is clear: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Our best efforts will only end in exhaustion, discouragement, and failure. We weren’t designed to carry mountains.

The Power of Speaking, Not Striving

Notice what Jesus actually said: “Whoever says to this mountain…” He didn’t tell us to haul stones, climb the slope, or bulldoze the earth. He said to speak. Speaking takes almost no physical effort. Why? Because the mountain isn’t meant to move by your muscle, your strategy, or your willpower. It moves by the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s the secret. We speak in faith, but God provides the power.

Our Role: Willing Vessels

The truth is this: we are incapable of fulfilling our calling and destiny in our own power. The God who calls us is also the God who will accomplish it through us. Our role is not to engineer the miracle, but to yield ourselves as willing vessels.

This is why we desperately need what the early church experienced on the Day of Pentecost. They didn’t take Jerusalem by their cleverness or their collective effort—they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then did they have power to speak, and mountains were removed and cast into the sea - The very men who once hid in fear—discouraged and confused—became fearless proclaimers of the name of Jesus Christ despite danger and persecution. They performed mighty miracles, signs, and wonders. As a result, the Church grew rapidly and steadily.

Lay Down the Rocks

So if you know your calling today, pause. Be still. Humble yourself and admit: “I cannot remove this mountain and cast it into the sea by human effort.” Take a moment for honest self-reflection: Are you trying to fulfill your calling in your own strength? Can you truly say there is ease in the accomplishments you’ve experienced, or are you worn out from constant striving? Is your overloaded schedule really the result of God’s leading, or are you sending yourself on endless errands? Put down the rocks you’ve been carrying on your back. Here’s the truth: when the Spirit of God fills you, you won’t need to strain. You will speak, and the mountain will be removed and cast into the sea. Instantly.

Not by your might. Not by your power. But by His Spirit.

✨ Let’s stop striving and start surrendering. The mountain will move, not because of us, but because of Him.