You Cannot Start Moving Mountains Untill You Have Been To Mount Calvary

Nagaland has long been recognized as one of the “Christian states” of India. We take pride in our religious-centered practices, our church-centered society, and our Christian heritage. But beneath this reputation lies a sobering truth, many of our people who identify as Christians have not truly been born again. And without a genuine new birth in Christ, without a personal encounter with Jesus, no amount of Christian tradition or religious activity can qualify anyone for heaven.

Sadly, this is why so many in Nagaland live a defeated Christian life. Outwardly, they claim to have faith, but inwardly they lack the power and authority that comes from knowing the true Word of God. Being born into a Christian family does not make someone a child of God. Salvation is not inherited, it is received by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross.

The Setback of Religious Traditions

One of the greatest challenges we face in Nagaland is the lack of solid biblical teaching. Many churches are dominated by denominational traditions rather than the clear, verse-by-verse teaching of God’s Word. As a result, countless people grow up knowing church practices but never experiencing the transforming truth of the gospel.

Too many so-called Christians think they are standing in faith during times of sickness, poverty, or crisis. They pray, they perform rituals, and they make promises to God. Yet tragedies still happen, sickness grows worse, and problems remain unresolved. Was it because they were insincere? No. Many of them were sincere, but sincerity alone cannot move God. The real issue is that their faith was not anchored in God’s Word, it was rooted in fear, in what others taught, or in religious bargaining with God.

How often do we hear people pray: God, if you heal me, I will serve you. If you make this problem go away, I will give you more. If you help me now, I will stop doing this or that. While these words may sound heartfelt, they are not biblical faith. They are attempts to barter with God an approach based on wrong teachings that are not of God.

God Has Already Done the Work

Here is the truth: God has already accomplished everything we need for life and godliness through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Healing, deliverance, provision, forgiveness, and victory are not things we need to “earn” from God through works or bargaining. They are part of the package of salvation. The problem is not that God has withheld them, the problem is that many do not understand or believe what has already been given in Christ.

Too many people in Nagaland are climbing the ladder of religion without involving Jesus. But Jesus Himself declared: Apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5). No one can reach the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Yet, many are still trying to move mountains without first kneeling at the foot of Calvary.

It must be Jesus first and then everything else flows from Him. Sickness, poverty, curses, and every form of bondage must bow to the name of Jesus, not to our rituals or good works. God is already satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son. Our role is to accept what Christ has done, place our faith in Him, and freely receive the blessings that flow from His finished work.

Where Real Faith Begins

This does not mean that once we accept Jesus, faith is no longer required. In fact, real faith, the God-kind of faith begins at Calvary. It begins when we surrender our lives and confess Jesus as Lord. At that moment, we step into a new identity as children of God. We receive His authority, His Spirit, and His promises.

From there, faith grows as we understand what Christ has given us. Jesus declared, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. (Matthew 28:18). And this authority, God has entrusted to His children. Everything, sickness, disease, poverty, and spiritual mountains, has been placed under the feet of Christ, and through Him, under our authority as believers.

The Real Question

So the pressing question for Nagaland is this: Are we still bartering with God for His promises through our works, or are we resting in what Jesus has already accomplished for us? Are we depending on our religious heritage, or have we truly been to Mount Calvary?

Because at the end of the day, the issue is not how long you’ve been in church, how many prayers you’ve said, or whether your family has been Christian for generations. The real issue is this: Have you personally encountered the Cross? Have you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior? Have you put your trust not in works, but in the finished work of Christ?

That is where real Christianity begins. That is where real faith begins. And that is where a victorious life in Christ is found.