Mar 9:21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “from childhood.
Mar 9:22 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.”
Mar 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Mar 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Today I was just thinking about the importance of having strong faith and trusting God in the times that we are in with the Coronavirus, police brutality, protests, questions about children going back to school, Church attendance, wearing masks and so many other things. How many of us know that these things can weigh heavily on our heart at times?
In the midst of all that is going on, we have three things that will enable us to overcome any obstacle that comes our way. The Word of God (John 6:63, Heb 4:12) The power of prayer! (Luke 18:1, 1 Thess 5:17 and Eph 6:18) and faith! (Mark 11:22, Heb 11:1, and Heb 11:6)
The LORD wanted me to share with you today that everything we hope and trust God for, comes from our belief that God is able to make all grace abound toward us! In other words we should never lose hope. We must have faith and believe that all things are possible in the LORD to them that believe!
Some of the most profound scriptures that we can read about as it relates to faith and believing God is when the scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him as righteousness!” The scripture reminds us that Abraham believed God three times in scriptures so that we don’t forget it!
Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
The scripture also says when Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den for his faith, he believed God and no manner of hurt came upon him.
Dan 6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
There is also a story in the book about the Prophet Jonah who preached to a city full of wicked people in a city called Nineveh, and when Jonah preached to them, they believed God and repented, and God relented from destroying them.
Jon 3:4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
Jon 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
I want you to know that your faith and believing God for the impossible can do great things when you trust God by faith. The Bible says in Mar 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
So the question is do you really believe? Do you believe that God can eradicate COVID-19 and Coronavirus? Do you believe that by Jesus stripes you are healed? Do you believe that God can make all grace abound toward you and your family, finances, ministry, or marriage? Do you believe the Bible that you read? Do you believe the vision and mission of the church that you have been called to?
The LORD showed me that there are people even in churches today that struggle to believe the Word of God at times! Some people don’t even believe the mission and vision of the church in which they sit under! My God! Why would we show up and support something for which we do not believe? God wants us to recheck and reevaluate our belief system!
In the book of Luke 18, Jesus told a parable about prayer and at the end he said something so profound!
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Read verse 8 again. “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Heb 3:12 says “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”
In our foundation scripture of Mark 9 we find an interesting story. When Jesus comes on the scene, he sees the disciples surrounded by a large crowd of people as well as the scribes or religious leaders who are disputing with them. I like what the Bible says next in Mar 9: 15-16.
Mar 9:15 Immediately, when they saw Him (Jesus), all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.
Mar 9:16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
Jesus came on the scene and immediately stands up for his Disciples! I like that! True leaders stand up for the people of God! Then a man steps forward to say that he brought his son to the Disciples who has a dumb spirit, or a mute spirit in some translations. In other words he had a demonic spirit on him that caused him to seize up, be thrown to the ground, and foam at the mouth. How many of us know that he needed some serious prayer and deliverance? Let’s read!
Mar 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
Mar 9:18 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.”
So all the commotion was about the Disciples not being about to cast out the demon and to heal the young man. Believe it or not, people who know you walk with Jesus have an expectation of power and healing to be manifested just because you are walking with Jesus! So Jesus then says something so profound!
Mar 9:19 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.”
Did you hear that? Jesus called them a faithless generation! My prayer today is that we will not be a faithless generation or a faithless people. I know Corona virus is bad, I know the situation with your finances is bad. I know the situation with racism is bad, I know your marriage or ministry situation looks bad, but please don’t lose faith in God!
Unfortunately, the same spirit that prevailed in that day is the same spirit we have today. People are so faithless! You ask them about COVID-19, all you hear is fear. You ask them about racism, all you hear is fear. How many of us know that the truth will make you free? I mean, “Is God able to heal? Is God about to deliver? Is God able to make a way out of no way?” Yes he is! I don’t care what it looks like seems like or appears to be! We must believe!
As they bring the boy to Jesus, the spirit begins to convulse the young man!
Mar 9:20 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.
Mar 9:21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
Jesus asks the Father of the boy, “How long has this been going on?” His father then says from childhood. Can you imagine that many people under the sound of my voice have been dealing with spiritual, physical, mental, financial and personal issues all their life with no hope? I mean we have been dealing with racism and mess in our country for years, but there is hope in Jesus!
The Father then shares with Jesus that the demonic spirit even tries to kill the young man. He then asks Jesus mercifully with tears to have compassion and to heal him!
Mar 9:22 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.”
People of God, what is so profound is that Jesus puts the ball back in the man’s court by saying in Mar 9:23, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Did you hear that? All things are possible to he or she that believes! Jesus didn’t lay hands, he didn’t bind or loose, he didn’t decree or declare, he first made a profound statement that all of us need to heed! He said all things are possible to them that believe!
I want to ask you a question, “Do you really believe?”
Mar 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
The Bible says that immediately the Father cried out with tears and said, LORD, I believe! Help my unbelief!” The Bible says in Mar 9:25, that Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, called it by name and said come out of him and enter him no more!
Mar 9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, you dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
The man’s faith and heartfelt belief enabled Jesus to cast out the demon! This is a powerful story. A story that many people reading have been through in some form or fashion. There are situations and circumstances in our lives that appear to be out of control, but our faith and belief in the true and living God, will open the windows of heaven, and we will see miracles in the name of Jesus if we just believe!
My prayer is that we will never stop believing and trusting God for the impossible! Yet, the question remains, do you really believe?
God Bless,
Pastor Quinn