Powerful Faith

March 6, 2016 Background Scripture: Mark 9:14 – 29 Lesson Passage: Mark 9:14 – 29 One of the greatest challenges of Christianity is to appropriate faith beyond the acceptance of salvation as a gift of grace from God. In other words, how does a Christian use faith to overcome the challenges of everyday life? Our testimony is a reminder of how we stepped out on faith and trusted God to save us because we believed in the saving power of Jesus’ blood. We know that our lives changed the moment our belief and confession became a reality. So now what? The battle has been won but there are still some pesky spiritual skirmishes that won’t go away. And I know that the missing link in these is my faith. We tell ourselves that we have to learn to believe God for these situations just like we believe Him for our salvation. The text of today’s lesson will help us see that there might be more to it than we think. Prior to the situation presented in our lesson, Jesus had given his disciples power over unclean spirits to use in cities where he would come later. While in those cities, the disciples were charged with proclaiming the presence of the kingdom of God and preparing the hearts of the people for Jesus’ arrival. Their proclamations were endorsed with the miracles they performed as a result of the power Jesus had given them for the assignment. At some point after this, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and withdrew temporarily upon a mountain from the other nine disciples. While he was gone, a man approached the nine disciples for help to deliver his son from demonic possession. The scriptures indicate the disciples attempted to cast the demonic spirit out of the boy but they were unsuccessful in their efforts. The disciples were frustrated because they had cast out unclean spirits during the previous assignment which Jesus had given them. Upon the return of Jesus and the three disciples, the man approached him and informed him that he needed help and his disciples were not able to assist him. He told Jesus about the demonic possession of his son and begged him to deliver his son. Jesus requested that the boy be brought to him. When Jesus looked at the boy being tormented by the demonic spirit, he asked the father how long the spirit had possessed him. The father answered that it was since the boy was a child. Jesus assured the father that all things are possible with faith. Jesus cast the demonic spirit out of the boy. Later, the disciples asked Jesus privately why they were not able to cast the demonic spirit out. This was a great question because they had previously witnessed that demonic spirits had obeyed their command to exit people when they had commanded them in Jesus’ name to do so. Why did it not work this time? Jesus’ response is enlightening. All demonic spirits do not respond the same. Some types require more affliction of the soul of the faithful person as they pray for the power of God to manifest through them. With some demonic spirits, you have to be real. Much fasting and praying will be required to get one’s flesh out of the way so that the Spirit of God will work through the individual. Powerful faith doesn’t just show up because a person can quote a few scriptures or has good attendance in the church services. An individual’s relationship with Christ must go beyond believing and confessing. As we have seen in previous lessons, Christians are like the leavened bread that is offered before God. We still have sin in our flesh and we must die daily to it. We can appropriate powerful faith to the extent that we are willing to afflict our flesh through fasting and commune with God in sincere prayer. Jesus’ disciples learned this lesson and they are our examples. Robert C. Hudson February 24, 2016