Jesus came down from His transfiguration and saw a crowd of men were arguing, He asked them what was happening: “A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but THEY COULD NOT.” “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO BELIEVES.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; HELP ME OVERCOME MY 1UNBELIEF!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” THE SPIRIT SHRIEKED, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “WHY COULDN’T WE DRIVE IT OUT?” Mark 9:14-24 1Unbelief: (Apistia):The withholding of belief; doubt; suspicion;
Why don’t we see the miraculous things happen today as often as they did after the time of the upper room experiences? So, what is the problem? “And Jesus said unto them, this kind (of unbelief) can come forth by nothing, but by PRAYER AND FASTING.” (Mark 9:29) “Very truly I tell you, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME WILL do the works I have been doing, and THEY WILL DO EVEN GREATER THINGS than these, because I am going to the Father. And I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU ASK in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. YOU MAY ASK ME FOR ANYTHING in my name, and I WILL do it. (John 14:12-14)
So, what does this mean: “…whoever BELIEVES IN ME”
- Believe in Jesus Christ as the God the Son?
- Believe that He could ACTUALLY DO all He said He could do?
- Believe that we will do even GREATER THINGS than He did?
-Bill Stockham