Can You Believe It?
Opening Prayer
Mighty God, open my mind to understand how powerful Your Spirit is within me.
Read MARK 9:14–29
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.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Are you facing any tough situations? Welcome Jesus into your difficult situations as the Lord of all power.Today we join the nine disciples who did not get invited up to the mountain. They have been struggling with some tough problems. Not only has a case of demon possession turned up, but the religious leaders from Jerusalem have come to provoke an argument. The nine disciples must have been fed up and perplexed at their lack of success and then getting told off. They had cast out demons before; they expected to deal with this one. Jesus had expected them to deal with it too.
See how Jesus acts (25). He delivers an individual from the power of Satan. That is what he does for us and for others. He is Lord. He has complete power, yet he is totally submissive to the Father and is walking towards his own death, trusting God.
Why couldn’t the disciples cast out the demon? Jesus said they needed to pray. Not just a “please, God, will you do this?” prayer. They needed to trust God as they had trusted him previously when Jesus sent them out in pairs (Luke 10:1). The boy’s father understood this and he asked for help to trust God in a way he had never done before (24).
Apply
Submit yourself to God and his power. Trust that God longs to work powerfully through you. Dare to believe.
Closing prayer
God, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (24).
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