14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
There are a couple of amazing things in here we can discover. Jesus had just come down from the mountain after the transfiguration. A man brought his son to the disciples who could not drive the spirit out even though they had been able to do so before. The man asks Jesus to heal his son if He can. So many times I have asked for things but my faith was small and weak. I honestly did not expect God to answer my prayers. If I do not get an answer right away do I just give up? Stop praying? This passage makes it clear that sometimes you have to pray harder. Maybe you are up against something that is not your average demon. Look to the one who can and put your faith and belief in Him. Oh yeah and don’t forget to pray. Hard.
Jesus makes the connection that faith and belief play a large part in prayers being answered. Do we believe Him or don’t we? The father in this account answers the way many of us would - including me, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” I have seen many miracles and when I don’t I have to ask myself, “is my heart in the right place? Is this a humble or selfish request? Is God saying no because He has a better plan or something that I cannot see? Is He saying wait?”
Here in this passage Jesus says, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” In other places the bible says with faith you can do anything with the faith of a mustard seed. Mustard seeds are small so I think that sometimes if we believe small, we will see small. The hardest thing to get over is understanding that God wants the best for us and wants to give it to us. Lord help us overcome our unbelief!
Response question: What are your thoughts on miracles?
Denise
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