Has your faith ever failed? Mine did on a specific occasion I still remember. I was praying for healing for someone in their home. The situation loomed bigger and bigger in my mind so that I ended up praying myself out of faith! It was humbling and, honestly, embarrassing.
Perhaps that’s part of the circumstance in Mark 9:
A dad went to Jesus’ disciples begging them to cast the evil spirit out of his son. (Anytime a person seems bent on self-destruction, be sure a demonic spirit is involved). The disciples could not cast it out, so the beleaguered dad went to Jesus. He said, “I spoke to your disciples, asking that they cast it out. But they couldn’t.” (feel how the dad felt: hopeless, helpless disappointment)
Here’s the Tree of Life version and Revised Geneva Translation, vs 20-29
20 They brought the boy to Yeshua (Jesus). When the spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion. The boy fell to the ground and began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 Yeshua asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
“Since he was a child,” the man answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion and help us!”
23 “‘If You can’?” Yeshua said to him. “All things are possible for one who believes!”
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!”
25 When Yeshua saw that a crowd was gathering fast, He rebuked the unclean spirit, telling it, “I command you, deaf and mute spirit, come out of him and do not ever enter him again!”
26 After howling and shaking the boy wildly, it came out. The boy became so much like a corpse that many were saying, “He’s dead!” 27 But Yeshua took him by the hand and lifted him, and the boy stood up.
28 After Yeshua came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him in private, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting.”[f]
Many of you may remember that during Jesus’ earthly ministry, he witnessed unbelief SO often (even among the disciples, whom he rebuked as not acceptable).
Unbelief can NULLIFY faith. So what happened is instructive to us in 4 ways: (ie. read these slowly)
- The Winning Focus of faith is the Lord Jesus Christ — “Christus Victor”
- Prayer coupled with fasting can serve to intensify our focus
- The result of God’s power being made visible is Extraordinary (miraculous)!
- And the RESULT (and Purpose) of miracle is the Glory of God – helping people believe!
It is a fact that still holds true today, people sometimes come to know Jesus through the genuine, extraordinary (miraculous) power of God at work – oftentimes through the lives of Jesus followers alive and giving testimony today! iOi
Skye
For 5 easy ways to share your faith, go here: www.iOutreachinc.org >Resources> 5 easy ways For a copy of extraordinary “Miracles I have Seen” email [email protected]
