Introduction
There are so many myths about prayer mountain that many people have believed today.
And it is really affecting many people’s views of how God works.
There are many great articles that have been written on prayers by many men of prayer, but none of them has ever suggested that a location can affect our answers to prayers.
And, I believe that one of the reasons why Christ went to the mountains apart to pray is to avoid distraction from the multitudes and the crowd.
And, I personally do not like to pray where there is noise, loud, and music, I want a place that is quiet, and free from distraction. I like a place where I can be fully focused on my prayers.
Moreover, If you live in Nigeria, especially South West of the country, you come to realize that there are many prayer mountains where people go to make petitions to God.
And many people that visit these places believe that there is a special thing about visiting those prayer mountains.
Common Arguments for Prayer Mountain
1. God asked Moses to come up to the mountain, set him apart for 40 days to fellowship with him, and give him the commandment to the nation of Israel.
2. Christ went to the mountain apart to pray many times in the Bible.
3. Christ and his disciples often go to mountains to pray, and also Matthew Chapter 5 shows how much he likes to resort to praying.
In Matthew chapter 5, we see the sermon on the mount by Christ.
But then many people believe wrongly about prayer mountain, and these wrong ideas about mountain prayers are being perpetuated by many so-called false prophets in the name of miracles and healing.
Common Myths of Prayer Mountain
1. It is the only place God answers Prayers.
I have heard pastors say that, if you come to my mountain, all of your prayers will be answered. But then, if you are a student of the Bible, you will come to understand that that is not true.
An example is the case of Jonah.
Jonah prayed in the belly of the Whale, and God heard his voice, and give an answer to his prayers.
Therefore, to say that going to a prayer mountain is the only way you can get an answer to your prayers is to ignore many people in the Bible that prayed in their homes and got an answer to their prayers.
Cornelius prayed in his house, and God heard his prayers, and the list goes on.
I believe that many sincere believers have been deceived by these so-called prophets and pastors who will not encourage them to develop a private personal prayer life, but a public display of show to the public.
Christ encourages praying in secret, and then God who hears in secret will reward you openly. God answers prayers anywhere you pray, and not only until you climbed some mountains.
2. Everyone that goes there gets their requests.
This is another myth of seeking and going to mountains to pray.
People will go to the mountains and never get their requests answered.
God is not a magician, he is God.
God answers according to his will if you pray in accordance with his will.
So, if you want to pray, regardless of where you pray, you should always ask for the will of God in your requests.
1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Many people have been in the mountains for years who never get their request, what do you say about that?
This wrong notion of mandatory mountain prayers is common in the Christ Apostolic Church denomination in Nigeria.
The invented mountain praying limited God to a specific location, but you need to understand that God cannot be limited.
He is very present help. He is everywhere.
David explained the omnipresence of God in these beautiful verses.
Psalm 139:7-12 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Going to a particular place for prayers to be answered is the idolization of a place, and God is not interested
3. God Chooses those Mountains
God does not choose any mountains for prayers to be answered, God desires that man pray everywhere.
1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Woman at the well, the Samaritan woman said that it is said that Jerusalem is a place of worship.
Do you know why? It is because the nation of Israel is the only nation that worships the one true God.
Other nations worshiped idols and the real and living God.
Therefore, Christ said, Jerusalem will no longer be a place of worship, but that they that worship will worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:21-24 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Since every believer has the Spirit of God in him, they will be able to worship God on a personal level.
4. Tough Life’s Problems are Solved on Prayer Mountain
This is a fallacy because many of life’s problems were being solved on the knees of fervent prayer warriors.
There is much tough life battle that was never won on the prayer mountain but in a secret place of prayer.
Many promoters of a praying mountain will always come with fancy words and advertisements that will make people think that they have to go there.
The secret to finding a solution to our difficult situation is to call upon the Lord in sincerity and truth.
2Chronicle 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Conclusion
Therefore, we need to be careful of those that will bring these myths to us, and try to sell us mountain praying.
Apart from trying to avoid distraction, and also seclusion from the crowd, therefore nothing special about praying on the mountain.
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