Jan 12
MARK 9:23-25
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘IF I CAN?’ JESUS ASKED. ‘ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF A PERSON BELIEVES.’ THE FATHER INSTANTLY CRIED OUT, ‘I DO BELIEVE, BUT HELP ME OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF!’ 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!’”
In these verses and many others, we see that believing is fundamental for seeing breakthrough in life. Here, I love the father’s honest response to Jesus and can identify with his struggle. I know that I should believe without doubting (Mark 11:23) and that faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20), but I often find myself struggling to come up with the faith I need! The father in this story asked Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief, and as we look at his example, we should feel free to ask for more faith, too!
Recently, the same longing in my heart — for an increase in faith — led me to a story in the Bible about a man who needed Jesus to heal his daughter. He told Jesus that he knew that all it took was a simple word from Jesus, and she would be healed. The girl’s father knew this because he recognized and believed in Jesus’ authority. Jesus’ response was that this man had the greatest faith in the whole country of Israel (Matthew 8:8-10)! The more we know and experience Jesus, and the more we begin to understand that all authority over heaven and earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18) and that through Him we, too, have power over evil (Luke 10:19), we will begin to pray bold prayers full of faith!
Think of it this way — if you were the president’s son or daughter, wouldn’t you walk with a certain measure of confidence? We often fail to recognize that through accepting Jesus, we have been adopted into the family of God and that His son overcame this world so that we could too! He gave us full access, through prayer, to God’s throne room (the place where a king would reside and receive his people’s requests), and He allows us to carry His spirit within us! Let that sink in today as you pray, ask Him to help you believe wherever you may doubt, and let new faith sprout in your heart! Let faith be a part of your healing and your hope.
Prayer:
“Almighty God, give me greater faith through the full understanding of Jesus and who I am in Him. Thank You for being willing to help me through Your spirit when I feel doubtful and when I don’t have enough faith. Let my faith become larger than my fear, my doubt, and my stress as I learn to trust You.”
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