Give Me This Mountain | Ryan Leak | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Give Me This Mountain

Social Dallas • Jul 26, 2026 • 42 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Drawing from the story of 85-year-old Caleb in Joshua 14, Ryan Leak challenges believers to face life's giant obstacles with confident trust rather than asking God to simply remove them. True spiritual growth occurs when we recognize that God is for us, with us, and living within us through His Holy Spirit. By choosing a faith-filled perspective, maintaining an open posture of praise during seasons of waiting, and persisting through challenges, believers can step boldly into everything God has promised.

Themes

Faith and CouragePerspective in TrialsEndurance in WaitingGod's Indwelling PowerOvercoming Obstacles

Pastor's Points

1.

Choose your perspective

2.

Choose your posture

3.

Choose your persistence

Key Points

1.
Choose your perspective: View challenges through faith rather than letting negative opinions or cultural doom and gloom dictate your focus.
2.
Choose your posture: Maintain an open posture of praise and trust while waiting on God's timing, rather than becoming bitter or closed off.
3.
Choose your persistence: Refuse to give up or settle for comfort, knowing that climbing a mountain builds spiritual character and resilience.
4.
Silencing negative voices and doubters around you is necessary before you can clearly hear and trust God's promises.
5.
Having a "different spirit" means choosing faith over despair, even when facing giant obstacles that cause others to shrink back.
6.
God does not always remove mountains because facing and climbing them through His power transforms us into overcomers.
7.
Waiting on God tests who you truly are, but trusting Him grants steady strength to remain surefooted on steep paths.
8.
True Christian confidence comes from knowing that God is for you, with you, and living within you by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Sermon Moments

“Give me this mountain. Give me that smoke. I want the hard stuff... this is a brother who is looking for a fight.”

“Before you could ever get to a place in your life where you could say, "Give me this mountain," you might have to quiet the people around you.”

“You don't always get to choose your circumstances, but you always get to choose your perspective.”

“It does not require God to point out giants. It requires God to face them.”

“Who you decide to be when you're waiting is the test of who you really are.”

“You don't get to choose your circumstances, but you do get to choose your praise.”

“A removed mountain doesn't make you better. A climbed one does.”

“The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is for you, with you, and lives within you.”

This Week

Quiet negative opinions and noisy influences in your life by intentionally limiting time in negative group chats or social media.

Replace complaining about difficult circumstances with a conscious choice to speak words of faith and praise.

Identify a mountain or difficult situation in your life that you have been trying to avoid, and pray for strength to face it directly.

Practice an open posture of worship during seasons of unanswered prayer, choosing trust over bitterness.

Refuse to use age, past mistakes, or personal limitations as excuses for why God cannot use you today.

Meditate on the truth that God's Holy Spirit dwells inside you whenever you feel overwhelmed by fear or anxiety.

Encourage someone in a hard season by sharing a faith-filled perspective rather than rehearsing cultural "doom and gloom."

Remember This

Believers can face life's greatest mountains with confidence because God is for them, with them, and living within them by the power of His Holy Spirit.

A Challenge for You

Walk out of this place with the confidence that Caleb had at 85 years old, knowing God is not done in your city or your life, and be willing to say, "God, would You give me this mountain?"

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.