This is what was happening in the early church, “…all the MORE BELIEVERS in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were CONSTANTLY added to their number…” Why were they constantly added? “…they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when PETER came by at least HIS SHADOW might fall on any one of them (and they were healed). Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were ALL BEING HEALED.” (Acts 5:14-16)
Believers were CONSTANTLY being added to the church, why, because miracles were CONSTANTLY being performed! What do we need to do to see these miracles take place? Jesus said, “…he who BELIEVES in Me, the works that I do HE WILL DO ALSO…” (John 14:12) Remember when Jesus was coming down from the Mount of transfiguration? His disciples were arguing with the scribes about casting out a demon. Jesus wanted to know what was going on, “Then one answered, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit…So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but THEY COULD NOT.” (Mark 9:17-18) So Jesus said to the man, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; HELP MY UNBELIEF!” (Mark 9:23-24) Then Jesus did something He would just normally do, “He rebuked the unclean spirit…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.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” (Mark 9:25-27) Then Jesus had a conversation with His disciples, “…when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:28-29) What needs to “COME OUT” our unbelief, we need to BELIEVE and get rid of our unbelief.
WE WILL DO THIS THROUGH PRAYER AND FASTING…
-Bill Stockham