In Mark 11:20–26, we’re given a strong reminder of the authority of faith, the need of prayer, and the vital connection between forgiveness and our relationship with God. This moment in Jesus’ ministry is each symbolic and practical. It reveals the spiritual power accessible to us through faith, while also difficult us to look at the condition of our hearts, especially in regard to prayer and forgiveness.
The Withered Fig Tree Offers a Visual Lesson
“As they passed by within the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.” – Mark 11:20
The fig tree that Jesus cursed just the day before is now dead from the roots up. This wasn’t merely a couple of tree, it was a living parable. The fig tree, often utilized in Scripture as a logo for Israel (see Hosea 9:10, Jeremiah 24:1–10), had the looks of life and fruitfulness but produced nothing of value. Jesus’ motion is a sobering warning against fruitless religiosity. A life stuffed with outward appearance, but lacking inward faith and obedience, will ultimately wither.
A number of days ago, I walked around my lawn and sprayed for weeds. I even walked across the road to the township owned property and took care of the weeds which were growing up on the curb and the sides of the sidewalk. I need to say, it was quite gratifying to see them wilted and withered the day after I sprayed.
Peter was shocked when he saw the condition of the tree that Jesus had cursed: “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you just cursed has withered” (v. 21). It’s as if he didn’t expect Jesus’ words to have such a direct and tangible effect. But Jesus doesn’t give attention to the miracle itself; He redirects the disciples to something deeper, specifically, the type of faith that makes the inconceivable possible.
“Have Faith in God”
This is the guts of the lesson Jesus was teaching. Jesus said, “Have faith in God” (v. 22). That may sound easy, but this command reaches into every corner of our lives. True faith isn’t in our ability to consider strongly enough, or within the mechanics of prayer itself; it’s rooted within the character and power of God. To place confidence in God is to trust in His goodness, His timing, His wisdom, and His sovereignty.
Jesus then spoke a daring truth: “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the ocean,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart but believes… it should be done for him” (v. 23).
Mountains in Scripture often represent large, immovable obstacles. Jesus wasn’t encouraging a spectacle of magic, but a posture of religion that doesn’t cower before seemingly inconceivable circumstances. Whether it is a broken relationship, an illness, a financial crisis, or a spiritual stronghold, Jesus tells us to talk in faith, consider, and trust that God can move what we cannot.
Believing Prayer
Jesus continues, “Whatever you ask in prayer, consider that you could have received it, and it should be yours” (v. 24). This verse has been widely quoted and sometimes misunderstood. It isn’t a blank check for selfish desires. The type of prayer Jesus is referring to is one which is saturated in God’s will and rooted in His guarantees. This type of believing prayer flows from intimacy with the Father, trust in His character, and alignment with His purposes.
Notice the wording: consider that you could have received it. That’s past tense. It calls for a faith so confident in God’s faithfulness that you just act as if the reply is already on its way, even before it arrives. It’s like planting a seed with certainty that the harvest will come.
God may not all the time answer in the best way we expect, but faith believes that He will answer, and that His answer is all the time right.
Forgiveness and Faith Go Hand in Hand
Then Jesus adds a condition that many overlook: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you could have anything against anyone, in order that your Father also who’s in heaven may forgive you” (v. 25).
Faith and forgiveness will not be separate issues. Jesus made a degree to attach our relationship with God to our relationship with others. We cannot harbor bitterness or grudges and expect unhindered communication with our Father. Unforgiveness creates a blockage in our spiritual life. It keeps us tied to pain, pride, and resentment.
If you might be standing before God in prayer but holding onto unforgiveness in your heart, Jesus says, let it go. Release it. Forgive the one that has hurt or offended you. Not because the opposite person deserves it, but because you have been forgiven.
Jesus isn’t saying that God’s forgiveness is earned by ours, but that our willingness to forgive is evidence that we truly understand and have received God’s grace ourselves.
The Life of Faith
So, how can we apply this teaching to our on a regular basis walk with Christ? There are two spiritual practices that actually get my attention on this passage, and possibly they catch your eye as well. As I contemplate the words Jesus spoke, I see the complementary challenges to PRAY BOLDLY and FORGIVE FREELY. These challenges work well together and produce healthy fruit in our spiritual lives.
PRAY BOLDLY – God honors prayers which are stuffed with faith and aligned with His heart. Don’t be afraid to ask Him for giant things. Bring your burdens, intercede for others, ask for healing, and pray for transformation. Believe He hears and responds.
FORGIVE FREELY – Is there someone it’s worthwhile to forgive today? Don’t let bitterness steal your joy or hinder your prayers. Release them to God. Forgiveness may not change the past, nevertheless it changes your heart.
I fully recognize that you might be facing something today that feels too big, too stuck, or too broken. But remember Jesus’ words: “Have faith in God.” He is ready. He is faithful. And after we come to Him in believing prayer, with hearts stuffed with grace and forgiveness, we step into the type of faith that changes every part.
So stand today, not in fear or doubt, but in faith. Speak to the mountain, and trust your Father to do what only He can do.
Which struggle is greater for you? Faith or forgiveness?
Faith within the Power of God
“So that your faith won’t rest within the wisdom of men but in the ability of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:5)
We live in a world that always celebrates human wisdom. Some of the bestselling books are within the self-help genre. Some of the most well-liked thought leaders are online influencers who preach a false gospel of man-centered theology. Their message tells us that if you ought to succeed, it’s essential to trust your intellect, trust your strategy, or trust your personal influence. But Paul, writing to the Corinthians, offers a really different foundation for all times and faith. He encourages us not to position our faith within the wisdom of men, but in the ability of God.
Paul didn’t attempt to impress the Corinthians with eloquent speech or human reasoning. For some reason, he was actually a little bit intimidated by them and nervous around them (1 Corinthians 2:3). Even still, he deliberately avoided using persuasive techniques that may draw attention to himself slightly than to Christ. Why? Because he didn’t want their faith to be built on the shifting sands of human opinion or personality. He wanted it to rest solely on the unshakable power of God.
This verse challenges us to ask: Where is our faith anchored? Are we trusting in clever arguments, popular voices, or our own ability to reason through life’s challenges? Or are we counting on the ability of God, the identical power that raised Jesus from the dead and is at work in us today?
Human wisdom changes. What’s praised today is questioned tomorrow. But the ability of God never fades. His strength, His truth, and His guarantees remain constant. When our faith rests in Him, we’re rooted in something everlasting.
This also reminds us that the gospel itself isn’t about human achievement but divine intervention. We aren’t saved by understanding every part perfectly. We’re saved by trusting the One who holds all power, Jesus.
If walking in faith has been a challenge for you, please examine the character of your faith a little bit closer. Maybe your faith has been resting in what other people say. Maybe your faith has been resting in what you may determine on your personal. But biblical faith trusts God for what He says and what He alone can divinely accomplish. Trust Him. He is faithful, and He won’t ever fail.
The Call to Persistent Forgiveness
“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times within the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ it’s essential to forgive him.” (Luke 17:3–4)
When Jesus taught His disciples in regards to the nature of real forgiveness, He gave them a command that stretches the boundaries of human patience. Jesus called them to practice persistent, repeated forgiveness.
Jesus began with a robust word of warning: “Pay attention to yourselves!” That’s significant. Before we attempt to correct another person, Jesus reminds us to first examine our own hearts. Pride, bitterness, and resentment can easily take root if we’re not careful.
Jesus then spoke about confronting sin and lengthening grace. “If your brother sins, rebuke him.” This isn’t an invite to harsh criticism or judgment, but a loving call to accountability. We don’t ignore sin in others, especially inside the body of Christ. We speak truth, but we accomplish that with the goal of restoration, not condemnation.
But the guts of this passage is the novel call to forgive, repeatedly, again and again. “If he sins against you seven times within the day…and says, ‘I repent,’ it’s essential to forgive him.” In Jewish tradition, forgiving someone 3 times was considered generous. But Jesus goes further and offers the instance of forgiving someone seven times in sooner or later! And in Matthew 18, He extends it to seventy-seven times. The point isn’t the number. It’s the posture of the guts.
Forgiveness isn’t about keeping rating; it’s about keeping grace flowing and operating in a posture of mercy.
This type of forgiveness reflects the guts of God. How often have we returned to Him, time and again, asking for His mercy? And every time, He compassionately receives us. Jesus wasn’t asking us to do anything He hasn’t already done for us.
Forgiveness doesn’t all the time mean trust is straight away restored, or that consequences disappear, nevertheless it does mean releasing the offense and selecting to not let bitterness take root. Forgiveness is an act of obedience, even when our feelings haven’t caught up yet.
Is there someone it’s worthwhile to forgive, again? Someone who has allow you to down, but is searching for restoration? Ask God for the grace to reflect His mercy, and keep in mind that persistent forgiveness is the mark of a heart that understands the gospel. We forgive, because we’ve been forgiven.
When sincere faith in Jesus meets generous, gospel-saturated forgiveness, mountains really are moved. It’s a miraculous thing to witness, and only the Lord Himself could encourage such a thing.
© John Stange, 2025 Originally published on Bible Study Headquarters. Used with permission.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/ Priscilla Du Preez
John Stange is the Lead Pastor at Core Creek Community Church and a professor at Cairn University where he leads the Digital Media and Communication program. He also leads a web based community called Platform Launchers where he helps people construct message-based online platforms.
John has authored over 30 books and presently hosts several podcasts on the LifeAudio podcast network. His shows have been downloaded thousands and thousands of times by listeners throughout the world.
You can learn more about John’s ministry, books, and podcasts at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com.
