And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” (Mark 9:14-16; Luke 9:37; Matthew 17:14)
Then one of the crowd [a man*] answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, [for he is an epileptic and suffers severely*] who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” (Mark 9:17-19; Matthew 17:14-17*; Luke 9:38-41*) The disciples still hadn't reached the point of having enough faith in God to do the things Christ had told them they should be able to do. Remember Jesus, He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Luke 9:1-2) He did not take this power or authority from them, so what was their problem? Their lack of faith.
We have the same problem as the disciples, which is why often times we're unable to overcome many of the difficulties we deal with in life, and accomplish many of the wonderful things God desires for us and will enable us to do. When God created mankind, He said, Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28) We're not pitiful little beings! We are the only thing in creation, created in God's image, having power and authority. What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:4, 6, 9)
Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:20-24) What a beautiful picture! Jesus meets us where we are, and helps us get to the place where God wants us to be. This father's problem, just like the disciples and many of us, was his lack of faith and belief in the power of God. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” We should all pray this prayer, that we believe in God, but whatever is hindering us to be totally convinced, for God to help us overcome it.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him [and the child was cured from that very hour*]. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. (Mark 9:25-27; Matthew 17:18; Luke 9:42) Jesus didn't just heal the young man, but he restored him to complete health. And He desires to do the same for us, not just "heal" our unbelief, but restore us into a right relationship with God. (Psalm 80) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Mark 9:28; Matthew 17:19) So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20; see THE GOSPEL: Parable of the Mustard Seed & Leaven)
However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29) We want to be able to do all that God created us to do, then we have to spend quality time with Him, in prayer and fasting. This is also a form of deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. We have to follow the example of Christ Jesus, who often times went by himself to pray to God the Father to Give us this day our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3) That daily bread isn't necessarily physical food, but spiritual food, so that we may grow in spiritual maturity. (Hebrews 5:12-14) As we "feed" on God's Word through studying and prayer, we will come to the realization that ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) At times we may have to push away the physical food, so that we can become full with the spiritual food, the Word of God. Then as we grow spiritually, so will our faith grow, to the point that you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you!
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