Mark 9:16-25 (NLT)
16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. 17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out
the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” 19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
What a powerful story! After reading it, I began to imagine Jesus walking down the mountain after spending time with His Father. His clothes had become whiter than any bleach could ever make them. The people were amazed when they saw him coming. As He continues to get closer, He begins to see the commotion in the crowd.
I love how the father of the possessed boy had the boldness to take his battle to Jesus. Not only did he take it to Jesus, he did it right in the middle of all the distractions and commotion. He tells Jesus about the struggle, the affliction and even his disappointment in how everything up to this point had been powerless over this affliction in his son’s life.
How can we not marvel at the power of Jesus? The demons truly tremble and shudder at the sound of His name and this demon was no different. When he saw Jesus, he threw the child to the ground. I believe this demon was assuming his proper place. He was preparing to become a footstool under Jesus’ feet! Time after time in the Bible when demons are confronted by Jesus they hit the ground, taking those they possess with them. There is a battle, convulsions, foaming, and in the end the demons have no choice but to leave God’s children alone. They have and will lie flat on the ground, becoming a footstool for King Jesus to rest His feet on!
This demon possessed this man’s son since he was a child. Reading this, I began to think about how today really isn’t much different. So many people have faced or were confronted with some type of childhood “demon”. Perhaps not an actual demon, but rather something or someone that caused us great harm, like an abusive relationship, an illness or a great loss that continues to throw us around. Perhaps, like in this story, nothing or no one has been able to help. This man didn’t just go to church or to his pastor; he went to the apostles. I imagine this dad walking into town, passing tens or perhaps hundreds of people running the other way, with legs that ten minutes ago didn’t work, shouting with lips that previously couldn’t speak. I don’t know about you, but I would be incredibly disappointed and likely begin to doubt too.
I began to wonder if the doubt would have been in the power to heal, or perhaps the doubt wasn’t in in the power at all. This father told Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief”. I couldn’t help but think back on some of the really rough times in my life. In those moments, I have sometimes found myself like this dad, saying “Father, I know you can (I believe) but are you willing? (Help me overcome my unbelief).” After going through countless challenges, struggles and life’s storms there is one thing that I am certain of: God loves our genuine and honest answers. We can’t hide our thoughts, because He already knows them. Since we can’t hide anything from Him the question then becomes are we going to tell Him? I believe an honest answer of doubt is always better than a lie of certainty.
Love rejoices in the truth! This man spoke the truth and he told Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief”. He gave an honest answer! In other words, I am discouraged. I am afraid. Nothing up to this point has worked, Jesus. I have been to pastors. I have been to doctors. I believe you can, but I am really not counting on it. I want to know, I want to believe, help me Jesus!
This is exactly what Jesus did! I believe He healed this boy not to show that He could. I believe Jesus healed him to show this father that He was willing. He has the authority over all things! The Bible says that everything is created by Him, for Him, and through Him. The beautiful thing about God creating EVERYTHING is that He has to prove NOTHING. He holds the patent on “everything in existence”. Everything He does, He does it because He loves us, not because He has to. His love is constant, unfailing, and never changing. He will and always be who He is, the blessings, healings, and answered prayers along the way are His affectionate hugs to help us with believing it.
Father,
Thank You for loving us enough to give us Your son Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for Your unfailing love. Thank You for every answered prayer, every healing, and every blessing that You have provided. Thank You for all of the blessings that are still to come. Thank You for taking the time to know us and for caring enough about us to ask us questions. Thank You for always being faithful and unwavering, even in those moments when we are not. Help us to believe in every way and in every circumstance. Lord, we pray that through our belief in You, the “any things” we are believing for will come to pass. We love You Lord! Amen
16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. 17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out
the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” 19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
What a powerful story! After reading it, I began to imagine Jesus walking down the mountain after spending time with His Father. His clothes had become whiter than any bleach could ever make them. The people were amazed when they saw him coming. As He continues to get closer, He begins to see the commotion in the crowd.
I love how the father of the possessed boy had the boldness to take his battle to Jesus. Not only did he take it to Jesus, he did it right in the middle of all the distractions and commotion. He tells Jesus about the struggle, the affliction and even his disappointment in how everything up to this point had been powerless over this affliction in his son’s life.
How can we not marvel at the power of Jesus? The demons truly tremble and shudder at the sound of His name and this demon was no different. When he saw Jesus, he threw the child to the ground. I believe this demon was assuming his proper place. He was preparing to become a footstool under Jesus’ feet! Time after time in the Bible when demons are confronted by Jesus they hit the ground, taking those they possess with them. There is a battle, convulsions, foaming, and in the end the demons have no choice but to leave God’s children alone. They have and will lie flat on the ground, becoming a footstool for King Jesus to rest His feet on!
This demon possessed this man’s son since he was a child. Reading this, I began to think about how today really isn’t much different. So many people have faced or were confronted with some type of childhood “demon”. Perhaps not an actual demon, but rather something or someone that caused us great harm, like an abusive relationship, an illness or a great loss that continues to throw us around. Perhaps, like in this story, nothing or no one has been able to help. This man didn’t just go to church or to his pastor; he went to the apostles. I imagine this dad walking into town, passing tens or perhaps hundreds of people running the other way, with legs that ten minutes ago didn’t work, shouting with lips that previously couldn’t speak. I don’t know about you, but I would be incredibly disappointed and likely begin to doubt too.
I began to wonder if the doubt would have been in the power to heal, or perhaps the doubt wasn’t in in the power at all. This father told Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief”. I couldn’t help but think back on some of the really rough times in my life. In those moments, I have sometimes found myself like this dad, saying “Father, I know you can (I believe) but are you willing? (Help me overcome my unbelief).” After going through countless challenges, struggles and life’s storms there is one thing that I am certain of: God loves our genuine and honest answers. We can’t hide our thoughts, because He already knows them. Since we can’t hide anything from Him the question then becomes are we going to tell Him? I believe an honest answer of doubt is always better than a lie of certainty.
Love rejoices in the truth! This man spoke the truth and he told Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief”. He gave an honest answer! In other words, I am discouraged. I am afraid. Nothing up to this point has worked, Jesus. I have been to pastors. I have been to doctors. I believe you can, but I am really not counting on it. I want to know, I want to believe, help me Jesus!
This is exactly what Jesus did! I believe He healed this boy not to show that He could. I believe Jesus healed him to show this father that He was willing. He has the authority over all things! The Bible says that everything is created by Him, for Him, and through Him. The beautiful thing about God creating EVERYTHING is that He has to prove NOTHING. He holds the patent on “everything in existence”. Everything He does, He does it because He loves us, not because He has to. His love is constant, unfailing, and never changing. He will and always be who He is, the blessings, healings, and answered prayers along the way are His affectionate hugs to help us with believing it.
Father,
Thank You for loving us enough to give us Your son Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for Your unfailing love. Thank You for every answered prayer, every healing, and every blessing that You have provided. Thank You for all of the blessings that are still to come. Thank You for taking the time to know us and for caring enough about us to ask us questions. Thank You for always being faithful and unwavering, even in those moments when we are not. Help us to believe in every way and in every circumstance. Lord, we pray that through our belief in You, the “any things” we are believing for will come to pass. We love You Lord! Amen