The Berean

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"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11
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Matthew 17:17-21 - Unlocking Faith's Power:
Overcoming Enemies with Spiritual Discipline

(17) And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him hither to me. (18) And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon went out of him: and the boy was cured from that hour. (19) Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out? (20) And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (21) `But this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting.'

Mark 9:23-29

(23) And Jesus said unto him, If thou canst! All things are possible to him that believeth. (24) Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (25) And when Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. (26) And having cried out, and torn him much, he came out: and `the boy' became as one dead; insomuch that the more part said, He is dead. (27) But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. (28) And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, `How is it' that we could not cast it out? (29) And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer.


This miracle teaches that it takes the power of faith to overcome the enemy (Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:19, 23-24). Why had the nine disciples failed? They had been careless in their personal spiritual walks and had neglected prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29). The authority that Jesus had given them was effective only if exercised by faith, but faith must be cultivated through spiritual discipline and devotion. The apostle Paul uses Abraham as an example of this:

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). (Romans 4:20-22, The Amplified Bible)

Half of the healings Christ performed happened due to the prayer of loved ones and friends. The father of the demon-possessed boy remains a monument of faith, timid yet true, through his love for his boy. His pleading, "Have compassion on us, and help us," was highly honored by Jesus.

The key to the exercise of such faith is not its quantity, but the God to whom it is directed; therefore, even the smallest faith—"like a mustard seed"—will see spectacular results (Luke 17:5-6; Matthew 17:20). Jesus says in Mark 9:23, "All things are possible to him who believes." Faith acts as an open door into a relationship with God and as a shield that protects God's people when they are under spiritual attack.

— Martin G. Collins

To learn more, see:
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcising a Young Boy (Part One)



 

Topics:

Exercise of Faith

Neglected Prayer and Fasting




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