Mark wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 9:
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.
15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.
16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
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.”
People will debate the Scriptures with us until observable fruit is produced which testifies of the power in The Word. This was the case when the disciples could not cast out the demonic spirit afflicting the boy. It was clear that the disciples attempted to heal the boy by casting out the spirit but failed. This failure promoted the dispute with the multitude. The disciples were not yet prepared to take on this spirit.
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!”
Belief, or unbelief, was the issue with the disciples. There must have been doubt by what their sense knowledge was telling them. Sense knowledge will challenge our belief in the preeminence of the Spiritual. Consider what happened when the boy was brought before Jesus. He immediately convulsed, fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth in order to get Jesus to consider his sense knowledge. However, Jesus was not moved by what He saw and heard. He knew that FATHER’S Word and Its inherent power and authority were sufficient to cast out the demon and heal the boy.
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.”
Unbelief was the issue with the disciples and Jesus gave them the solution to their problem- prayer (knowing our relationship with FATHER and the power and authority which comes with that relationship) and fasting (denying sense knowledge to have its way). These writings are meant to move us all closer to FATHER and remove unbelief from our midst. Belief in FATHER’S Word is meant to become first nature in us. It should immediately rise up when confronted with adversity of any kind. If it doesn’t , then we still have work to do in order to overcome our unbelief. We still need to change by the cleansing and purifying of The Word. We must focus on our communion with FATHER and HIS unfathomable Love. When we are fully mature Sons and Daughters, we will not be moved by any spirit and we will set the captives free and heal all who are oppressed by the devil. The disputing will cease.