Help Me Overcome My Unbelief

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. 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." 

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." 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. "How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. 

He replied, "Since he was a little boy. 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." 

"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!" Mark 9:17-24 

Is this an evil spirit....or just a statue in Tel Aviv, Israel?

Take a look at this story. The boy was demon possessed—and the disciples couldn’t cast out that demon. They just didn’t have the faith. Faithless. But Jesus had the power beyond their faithlessness. The father of the boy had faith. Faith to believe that Jesus could heal his son…and He did! Faith. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 NASB Faith is believing in things that we can’t see. Jesus reassuringly told that Dad and His disciples that… Anything is possible if a person believes. Anything! God is a BIG God…with Big Power…and able to answer BIG requests. IF…if…if. What if…? What if you believe? What is it you doubt that God can do? Believe. Jesus said…

The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. John 16:9 

Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, …. John 11:26

Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." John 20:29 

Like Paul, I am grateful that God has mercy on me.

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 

I believe in Jesus. Will you…do you…believe in Him?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, like that father…help me...help someone with their unbelief.

Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 17; Mark 9

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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