Theme: Stronger Than Mountain  Part 1.

Text : Isaiah 40:28-31

Prov 9;9. If you give instruction to a wise man he will be yet wiser.
Psalm 42;7. Deep Calleth to deep.
1 Cor 8;2. The one who thinks he knows does not know as much as he should know. Those are not ignorant but we can know more.
Prov 24;5. A wise man is strong, but a man of knowledge increases strength. We are already strong, but if we increase our knowledge we will increase our strength. And we need strength more than ever before.
To be stronger than our enemies we need to add knowledge to our wisdom.
A mountain is an obstruction to a desired goal.
External Mountain
For example the Red Sea, the wall of Jericho, Goliath was an obstruction to David’s throne.
Sam 17;8.
Internal Mountain
Heb 12;15. Root of bitterness
2 Cor 10;3-6. Stronghold of the enemy. Evil imaginations, evil thoughts, incomplete obedience.
Exodus 2;11-12. Uncontrolled anger.
Numbers 20;1-13.
Roving eyes. Judges 14;1. Judges 16;1. Samson.
Inability to control achievements, impatience. Unforgiving spirit. Telling half truths.
7 ways to deal with a Mountain
1. Turn back from the mountain.
2. Go round it. Sometimes they are very big  and broad at the base
3. Climb it.
4. Blast it.
5. Bore a whole through it.
6. Sit on it.
7. Fly over it.
Turning back.
Another word for Turing back is backsliding.
It is possible to backslide.
2 pet 2;20-22. Dust can return to above it. Galatians 5;4. It is possible to fall from grace. 1 Sam 16;14. Former prophet can end up to be demon possessed. 1 Sam 10;1-11. Saul once prophesied.
Many dangers in backsliding.
There is no doubt that we are saved by grace.
Nobody can snatch you john from the hand of God John 20:29  But you can withdraw. Example is Demas . Romans 11;29.the gift and calling of God are without repentance.. it is about the giver and the caller not the gifts and the calling. The gifts can remain but the giver can depart. Judges 16;18-21-22.
Roms 10;38. If any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
The one who gave the gift, said in Luke 9;62. Any man having lay his hand on the plough and looking back is not fit for the kingdom of God.
The Horrors of Backsliding.
1. Horrors of darkness. Colossians 1;12-13. Translated out of darkness to light. 1 pet 2-9. Called out of darkness into Gods marvelous light. Matt 25;30. Darkness is reserved for the fruitless servant. It is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Judges 16; 18-21. Naturally the enemy should have broken the hands of Samson. But instead his eyes were plucked out.
2. Horrors of being an ex-champion. With his eyes gone, no more vision, no more dreams. Prov 29;18. Where there is no vision people perish or cast off restrain. Being an ex-champion can drive one crazy. It is better to die than to backslide. A backslider sooner or later will dance for the devil. A backslider will cause other gods to say where is ur God . Judges 16;23-24.
3. Danger of a fearful future. Hebrews 10;26-27. If we sin willfully after we have been saved, there is no more sacrifice but a fearful judgement and indignation. Danger of the name that was once in the book of life being blotted out. Rev 3;5.
4. The horror of loosing the crown. Rev 3;11. Hold fast what you have. ‘And come quickly’. Non of us knows when the Lord will come. 1 Cor 10;12. He who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he falls. Prov 16;18. Pride comes before destruction. Mark 14. 27-31. You have not arrived until you cross the finish line there is a possibility of backsliding. 1 per 1;3-5. We can be kept by the power of God.
Note: Backsliding does not mean you are back to doing what you used to do do. If you are not progressing spiritually you are a backslider.
Backsliding also means lack of spiritual progress.

Pride is a killer. It goes before destruction.
To Go Round The Mountain
Numbers 14;28-34.
Going round the mountain is not an option. When the Israelites refused to go into the promised land, God allowed them to go around, until they were dead. It is like pretending the mountain is no longer there.
1 Sam 3;11-18. 1 Cor 313-15. Every man’s work will be tried by fire. If we have a mountain in our  lives let us deal with it today. 2 kings 20;12-19. Mark 1;23-26. The fact that you are regular in church does not mean you do not have issues with darkness. Mark 10;46-52. He knew Jesus but darkness kept him in bondage for 40 years. The longer you keep the problem the bigger it gets. 2 Sam 21;15-17. Don’t make excuses for your lapses. 1 Sam 15;1-30. Don’t make excuses, Excuses belong to failures. The only man who made excuses was the one that did nothing. Pride comes in a subtle way. When you pray for others and God answers . Num 20;1-12.
The sorrows of going round in circles are many. John 5;2-9. Settle the issues of your internal mountain today. John 9-40-41. Going round you keep living with it. Ps 100;2. Serve God with gladness. When your joy is robbed it leads to weakness. Is 57;61
James 1;15.
Climbing The Mountain

Exodus 24;12. The Lord invited Moses to come up to Him. He did not tell Moses to turn back, go round the mountain. The invitation was to come up. The opposite of climbing the mountain is staying in the valley. Staying in the valley is a terrible option.
The valley Matthew 17;14-20 has some terrible characteristics. In the valley below the mount of transfiguration, there was a crowd gathered.
The valley is a place for demonic activities. It is the place of failure. It is a place of unbelief. Matthew 17;4-20.
If there is a member of your church under demonic oppression and there is no deliverance , then one should ask, am i in the valley. Exodus 17;8-10. The valley is the place of attack.
The valley is a place of backsliding, merry making, corruption, divine anger and turning to other gods. Exodus 32;1-10. While Moses was up in the mountain the people he left behind did all the above.
The valley is a place of fear, threats form the enemy, discouragement, and even social thoughts. 1 kings 19;1-4. Reflects the story of Elijah during his valley experience.
1 John 4;18. The valley is a place of torment.
Judges 6;33. It is a place where enemies gather.
The valley is the place where the enemies set their traps. Judges 16;4. Samson found Delilah in the valley of Sorech.
Isaiah 7;18-19. The valley is the place where flies gather. Flies represent demons.
There is a link between the valley an death. Psalm 23;4.
People in the valley drink the water that the people on the mountain have washed in.

Advantages of the mountain top.
There are scenes of glory reserved for only the club of mountain climbers. Matthew 17;1-2. The transfiguration happened in the mountain top. Jesus went to the mountain top with his inner circle.
It is Deut 34;1 on the mountain top that you catch a glimpse of the promised land.
You hear the small still voice on the mountain top. 1 kings 19;12-13.
2 Cor 12;2-4. You hear divine secrets.
The mountain top places you naturally beyond the reach of the enemy. 1 kings 1;9. The enemies came to arrest Elijah but they found him sitting on a hill.
The mountain top is closer to divine heaven. Psalm 121;1-2.
The mountain top is a place where worship is accepted. Exodus 3;11-12.
The mountain top is where prayers are answered by fire. Offerings accepted by God. 1 Kings 18;36-39. It is where enemies are vanquished. 1 kings 18;40
What is involved in climbing.
1. Focus. Psalm 121;1-2. Heb 12;2. Col 3;1-2.
2. Climbing is hard work. You cannot climb if you are lazy. No effort is required to backslide. 2 kings 7;1-11.
3. Climbing involves traveling light. You cannot climb Heb 12;1 with unnecessary baggages. You must come out of the flesh. Romans 8;6-7. The lust of the flesh is not for mountain climber. 1 Cor 15;47-50. You may need to drop some associates. Drop any thing 1 Cor 15;33 that will block your climbing. Choose your friend wisely.
4. Rugged determination. Phil 3;12-14.
5. Self sacrifice. 1 Cor 9;25-27.
Thanks God Bless you all.