Around Your Mountain

Around Your Mountain

Psalms 23:3 NASB The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want….
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths (circles) of righteousness For His name's sake.


The Israelites went around the mountain of Seir (Esau) circling it for a long time. They were caught in a cycle having a huge mountain in front of them and were not able to overcome it.

Deuteronomy 2:1-3 MKJV Then we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea, as Jehovah spoke to me. And we went around Mount Seir many days. 2 And Jehovah spoke to me, saying, 3 You have gone around this mountain long enough. Turn northward.


Many times we find ourselves circling a huge mountain over and over and we cannot seem to find the way out of that cycle.
Have you ever thought… “this is the end of that problem” and then the problem begins again?


The Israelites were circling Mount Seir, which mountain are you circling over and over?


What kind of mountain is Seir?

The Israelites were circling Mount Seir. Seir is the land where Esau, Jacob’s brother had lived. It is in the country of Edom.

Malachi 1:3 NASB but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness."


The sons of Israel (Jacob) were circling the Mountain of their older brother Esau. The land of Esau is a picture of a place in our life where huge range of mountains reign in our minds and hearts.


Jacob wanted his brother's blessings and inheritance. He was willing to deceive and lie to have what his older brother had. I believe Jacob represents the generation that wants the worldly blessings of their brother Esau the hunter.

You see, God’s household includes both sheep and goats, wheat and tear until a day arrives and the Lord Himself will separate them. Jacob represents those sheep who are not satisfied with who they are or what they have, but want what their fallen brothers have.


Jeremiah asked the Lord a question that God’s children ask as they see the wicked prosper.

Jeremiah 12:1-2 NASB Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? 2 You have planted them, they have also taken root; They grow, they have even produced fruit. You are near to their lips But far from their mind.

Habakkuk asked the same thing…

Habakkuk 1:13 NASB Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?


It seems somewhat unjust to see the wicked prosper and at ease, while God’s chosen people face so many problems.


Jacob knew he was the chosen son. His mother knew that while she was pregnant. Yet, he kept looking at his brother, wanting what he had. Jacob had no idea how he was going to be the son of the blessing, so he tried by his own works, and with the help of his mother, to get his blessings ahead of time.

Doesn’t that remind us of Abraham and Sarah who received a word about a son and hurried to get him by their own hands – only he was not the son of the blessing.


Blessings come as we wait upon the Lord. Our own works will only produce false fruits that will later need to be removed.


Esau is a range of mountains that offer what the world has. They offer Esau’s inheritance of the dew of heaven, fatness of the earth, abundance, position, pride, success (Gen 27:28-29). These are mountains filled with all the goodness and riches the world has to offer us. It is a desirable inheritance of land and fields, flocks, houses, money, riches, being the first, success, power, might, and strength.


Jacob whose name was changed to Israel reflects to us who we are and our generation.
Jacob was not loved by his natural father. The Bible says Isaac loved Esau (Gen 25:28). Jacob probably felt rejected, wanted to be loved, to be acknowledged, accepted. Jacob probably struggled with rejection all his life and wanted to be like his older brother so he could please his father. When the opportunity came, he hesitated, but he took it.


Jacob did not like who he was, his position, his inheritance, and his portion. He did not understand he was the son of the promise. He had no idea his inheritance was greater than his brother’s. His blessing was to be the seed of Abraham and receive the Lord as his inheritance. Can we pay for eternal life?


Esau is a mountain of bitterness and offense. It is a mountain of frustration and great disappointments, jealousy, bearing grudge and feeling of "why not me? why did he get it and I didn't?". It is a place of anger that leads to hatred. This is who Esau was:

Genesis 27:41 NASB So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."


Esau is a mountain of immediate satisfaction of our desires. Our bitterness and jealousy of what others have can lead us to give away what we had already obtained by faith - an eternal inheritance- for anything that will satisfy our immediate desire. Esau had lost his birth rights because of the lust of his eyes and his hunger.


What are you hungry for? What do you desire that others have and you do not?

Esau is a mountain that leads us to live a life of war and struggle. A life of fighting our own battles and using our sharp weapons – (our tongue as a sword). It is living a life of defending ourselves, justifying, blaming, judging, pointing a finger, criticizing, complaining, and coming against anyone who offends us. It is restless life. It is a life of constantly trying to break the yoke and lift up the burdens by our own power and through fighting, but without finding rest.

Genesis 27:40 NASB "By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck."


Esau is a mountain that leads us to fornication and defilement of God's temple as a result of bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15-17 MKJV looking diligently lest any fail of the grace of God, or lest any root of bitterness springing up disturb you, and by it many are defiled, 16 (lest there be any fornicator, or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he did not find any place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears).


It is a life of making wrong decisions and selling our rights and our inheritance for the lust of our flesh. We substitute God's inheritance to us with an imitation of peace, imitation of rest, of truth, of riches, and treasures. We give up our blessings for a shadow that can never satisfy.


Bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander and evil behavior grieves the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30-31 NASB Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.


Are you still lusting after what the world has?

The Lord wants to separate us from our brother Esau. He wants to set us free and set our eyes on Him. He wants His bride to treasure her inheritance (Jesus), but she still wants what her fallen brother has. She is not satisfied with the inheritance she cannot see but has received.


The Lord would say to you "lay it all down, you don't need to lust after your old brother’s inheritance, because I AM your inheritance, I am your desire. I AM your possession, and everything you need is in Me".


However, Jacob was not willing to give up this huge mountain that stood ahead of him. Four hundred years later, Jacob’s children were facing the same mountain again. They kept circling it over and over and had no idea why they need to do that. They did not know how to overcome it. They had no idea they needed to give up their own treasures, lay own their weapons and shields, and keep the Lord as their inheritance.


We keep going around our own mountains and getting nowhere. We focus on fulfilling our desires and needs in the world and not in the Lord.


How large is your Mountain and how long have you been walking around it?

There are times when we find ourselves camping beside a huge mountain.

The Israelites camped beside the mountain for too long.

Deuteronomy 1:6-9 NASB "The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 'Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country ……”


We might be camping by our mountain without moving forward. We feel stuck and nothing is happening. However, in such a place the Lord allows us to FACE our mountain. He allows us to see it and how much it blocks our vision. He shows us how comfortable it might seem to be “protected” by this mountain from the wind and the storms.


In such a place the Lord reveals to us our mountain and teaches us about it. Then the Lord waits to see what we choose to do by this mountain.

* Do we see it and ask the Lord to remove it?
* Do we move to the next mountain and camp there for a while, and never confront these mountains in our life.

What mountains are you circling over and over?
Which cycles and patterns are you struggling with and they are not possessed yet?
Beside which mountain are you camping?
Can you identify it?
What do you do when the Lord tries to teach you about your mountain?


The Lord asks us to ponder the circle of our feet because He wants to establish all our ways.

Proverbs 4:25-27 MKJV Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. 26 Ponder the path (circle) of your feet, and all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot from evil.



The Lord sees all our paths (Hebrew says: circles).

Proverbs 5:20-21 NASB For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? 21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths (circles).


If you have circled the mountains of Esau too long, it is time to find the exit out and return (repent) to the Lord’s cycles of righteousness.

1. Are you lusting after what the world has?
2. Are you content with who you are, what you have and where you are?
3. Have you sold your inheritance for lusting after flesh desires?
4. Are you struggling to be someone, to be accepted, heard, known?
5. Do you like the weaknesses that seem to you like a thorn in the flesh, but the Lord wants you weak to keep you humble?
6. Are you jealous, envious, bitter, judging, blaming, justifying, slandering, being harsh, complaining, seeking immediate satisfaction, restless, angry, struggling, striving, defending yourself, fighting your own battles, frustrated, disappointed, offended or rejected?

Do not let your beginning with the world systems and way of thinking also be your end. Follow the Lord’s circles and let your beginning with the Lord be your end. Decide it is time to move on and let go of your mountains. Ask the Lord to help you find the Way and remove your mountain. It begins with renewing your mind and healing your heart.


Simon wanted to receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of God with money, but Peter told him to repent of his wickedness. Simon was jealous and bitter of what the disciples had. He reminds us of Jacob who bought the birthright with lentils. His heart was not right before God.

Acts 8:20-23 NASB But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 "For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."



The mountains we circle or camp by can be surrounded with an army of horses (flesh) and chariots (strength), blocking us from moving forward.
They seem huge and impossible to win but remember, Jericho’s walls fell by the hand of God.

God says, do not fear when you see yourself surrounded with armies, because those who are with you are more than those who are with them. While you are facing your mountain God will surround you with His armies. He will surround you with horses and chariots of fire all around. He will set you free.

2 Kings 6:15-16 NASB Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."


The Lord wants us to surround Him, be in Him and guard our posts with the spiritual weapons He has given us. Weapons of praise, thanksgiving, prayer, silence, giving, blessings, encouraging, loving …)

2 Kings 11:7-8 NASB "Two parts of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king. 8 "Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."


The Lord wants us to walk on a straight path. He levels the path (circle) of the righteous.

Isaiah 26:7 AMP The way of the [consistently] righteous (those living in moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relationship of their lives) is level and straight; You, O [Lord], Who are upright, direct aright and make level the path (circle) of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous.


Your foot will not slip if you walk in God's paths (circles).

Psalms 17:5 MKJV My steps have been held in Your paths (circles), so that my footsteps have not slipped. (will not slip)



God bless you


Elana