“Tami, we have compassed this mountain long enough.”  

Loosely quoting Deuteronomy 1:6, a spiritual mentor said this to me, possibly because she was tired of hearing my worries, but mostly because I was not yet dwelling in the place of peace,  rest, and trust in God she knew from experience to be possible. Instead, I was fearful and lived by sight, not by faith. I had been given very specific promises, but I was living and acting and speaking like God was either not telling me the truth or that He was not powerful enough to fulfil those promises.

Living there and speaking those kinds of words was getting me no closer to the promise or to peace and rest, but it was my normal.

The children of Israel were comfortable going around the mountain. Everyone except Joshua and Caleb were born while circling the mountain. It was not a convenient, wonderful, or homey life, but it was their normal. It was home, but the promises were waiting—the milk and honey; the food; the peace and rest; and Rahab, the ancestor of Jesus, the Messiah, the hope of the world.  

God had better plans for them. He always does.

However, there seemed to be a tiny little problem. They had to get past the walls to even be able to fight. “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in” (Joshua 6:1). The people of Jericho were afraid of the people of God and had secured Jericho in the best way they knew—with really, really thick walls.

Again, God had a plan. He tore down the walls! All they did was keep quiet and walk, carry the ark (the presence of God), and praise and blow the trumpet at God’s command. Then the obstacles to their victory were annihilated. They were able to go in and fight for the God-given, God-ordained victory.

Have you been praying for a prodigal for a while? As someone who loves a prodigal, it is time to stop circling the mountain: speaking often of the past, reliving the fear, holding onto the doubt.

It could sound like this:

• “He always falls for the same lie.”
• “She will never be able to overcome the addiction.”
• “He is too deep to get out of the pit.”
• “Her dreams will never come true.”
• “God will never use someone who has done the things he has done.”

Maybe you never say these things aloud, but the thoughts roll round and round through your mind, sometimes rendering you sleepless.

However, do not allow the enemy to lie to you or to accuse your prodigal to you or through you.

Leave the mountain you know to find the peace and rest God has promised you, and look for the promises of God to come true for your prodigal.

God said in Isaiah 43:18–19, “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.”

The enemy is already afraid and has fortified his walls, but those walls are nothing for the God of heaven! God will tear down the walls, and your fight on your knees will bring about the fulfilment of the things God has promised you.

• He will no longer believe the lie.
• She will be delivered of the addiction.
• God will rescue him from the pit and set his feet on solid footing.
• Her God-given dreams will come true.
• God will bring good out of it all, and His purposes for using him for the advancing of His kingdom will be fulfilled.

Leave the mountain. Leave the past. Leave the doubt. Leave the fear.

Live in the promised land. Live in the promises. Live in the faith. Live in the freedom.

It is time to leave the mountain!