14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John return to the rest of the disciples, they find a commotion. There is a crowd including scribes and they are arguing. When they see Jesus they seem excited because they know things will be resolved. Jesus asked what they were arguing about when a father comes out of the crowd and explains. He had brought his son to Jesus for healing because he was possessed by a spirit that made him mute and also caused him to have seizures. He had asked the disciples to cast out the spirit but they were not able to.
Jesus laments over the faithless generation. This incident serves as an illustration of the entire nation. They demand a sign and want the results of faith without having to exercise faith. Jesus has the boy brought to him and after discussing how long the boy has been suffering, the dad says “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” He brought his son to be healed and the disciples were unable to help him. What faith the father had is now failing. Jesus tells him that all things are possible for the one who believes. The father admits that he has some belief but needs help with where his faith is lacking. Jesus then healed the boy.
In what area are you battling to trust God? Your faith will as you read the Bible and see stories where God comes through for those who trust Him. Your faith will grow when you listen to testimonies of those who have trusted God and He has answered their prayers. And it will grow when you use what little faith you have and experience that God is faithful in your life.
When the disciples asked why they couldn’t cast out this demon, Jesus reminded them that their failure was primarily a lack of dependency on God exercised through prayer. When the going gets tough, the weak get on their knees and pray!
What stuck out to me is that Jesus solved a problem that no one else could solve by freeing that child from the demon. The disciples had tried and failed but Jesus could do it. That means that Jesus can solve all my problems too even the smallest of my problems.