By THE SPIRIT, Mark wrote in chapter 9:
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
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.”
This particular passage is very enlightening if we will only consider what is being said. The disciples were expected to heal this man’s son but they were unable to fulfill the request. We are told elsewhere that the disciples of Jesus went out and healed people of infirmities but this young boy required something beyond their current anointing.
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.”
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.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
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.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
The world constantly sows words of unbelief, scarcity, “incurable” diseases, projected famine, and overpopulation. They would have us believe that FATHER is no longer accessible, even to the point HE no longer exists in some people’s minds. They begin trusting in man’s sensual wisdom until a catastrophe happens then they shake their fist at GOD asking “Where were you?”. They have sown seeds of unbelief for years then expect FATHER to show up at their convenience while they have not pursued any kind of relationship with HIM at all. By HIS Divine Intent of Love FATHER has given us the necessary path to a fulfilled life yet many choose otherwise.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
Jesus had not yet gone to the cross when He chastised the disciples for their lack of faith. Healing by HIS Word existed from the moment FATHER created mankind and HE does not hold back HIS healing power from us awaiting some event or date. We must no longer settle for less when it comes to FATHER working in our lives but instead truly believe that “All things are possible” to him that believes. How do we remove unbelief? By prayer and intimate communication with FATHER. Let us pursue HIS Presence with the greatest of commitment and let nothing prevent us from this critical pursuit. Let us dwell on HIS Word in the areas of our weakness and become strong IN HIM.
The disciples asked why they could not cast out the dumb spirit thus they had an expectation to be successful in doing so. Jesus gave them the key to healing the sick and casting out spirits- only by prayer and fasting. Let us take this instruction to heart ourselves for FATHER has not changed and is still known as JEHOVAH RAPHA. FATHER spoke in Exodus chapter 15:
26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will permit none of the diseases on you which I have permitted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”