Only by Prayer
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 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.”
19 “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.”
20 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.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “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.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 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.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”
This is an interesting story.
To start I want to say, this story should not be looked at as a stand alone story. It is important to connect it to the previous story. So in last weeks lesson Jesus takes a couple disciples and goes up in the mountain to pray. So he spends the night in prayer, that is where and when the transfiguration takes place. They have just come down from the mountain to this scene of the crowd arguing with the remaining disciples.
Anything interesting to you?
Have you ever been to a bible conference and had a beautiful experience with God and returned home to all the normal stresses and it seemed different some how. Or maybe been away and had a wonderful retreat, sometime in prayer and returned to stress of work, or stress of the home, and felt like you would just like to return to the beauty of your time with God.
I think that is part of what is happening here in verse 19. Jesus had just had this incredible experience of being in fellowship with heaven. He had spent time with God. It was incredible and he comes down off the mountain to people arguing and verbally attacking his disciples, because they couldn't heal this boy.
Then in verse 23 we see a bit of Jesus sarcasm. "If you can?" He repeats. I confess that I am continually amazed at the things Chris can do. Throughout our marriage I have often asked, "Do you really know how to do that?" Needless to say, his reaction has gone from enjoying the prospect of surprising me with his gifts, to now thirty + years into our marriage, he will just shake his head and continue on the task. I can see Jesus, having just walked down from a mountain top experience, has to be a bit cheeky about the questions, "if you can?"
The mans response is incredible.
We repeat this phrase a lot. "Lord help my unbelief." I find it interesting that in this translation it says, "help me OVERCOME..."
Overcome is a powerful word. What do you hear when you add OVERCOME to this sentence.
Don't you want to OVERCOME your unbelief, your doubt, your...?
When they are alone, the disciples ask Jesus a question. How does Jesus respond?
This is where the two stories must be connected. The disciples were taught by Jesus how to cast out demons. We also know they had cast out many demons. So is this about what the disciples didn't do or what Jesus had done?
Mountain top experiences are vitally important in the Christian walk. There are demons in our lives that are difficult even seemingly impossible to defeat, without mountain top time with God. We can't just live on a mountain, and because of that I have heard people argue that these experiences, and "retreats" are just emotion filled times that are not necessary and even harmful, but here we see they are NEEDED! They are needed to cast out demons.
I know that each of us pray daily. I am confident in saying that. I am also confident in saying that Jesus prayed daily. Yet he still took the time to climb a mountain and spend the whole night in prayer and conversation with God and the angels, with heaven. This time was extra special, different kind of prayer time. A devoted time of prayer, in a beautiful place. This time was more important that sleep. More important than time with his disciples. This time was important to His ministry and to him!
Perhaps we don't have retreats enough. I know when Chris and I went to the 1Project each year it was incredible! We would find ourselves READY when each February would role around. We couldn't wait to go again. It was a couple days of sitting up on a mountain talking and praying with God. Learning, fellowshipping, and recommitting to Him. It was incredible. This weekend is actually the weekend when it would take place. I miss them so much.
When this pandemic is over, I would like to propose we have a kitchen class retreat! A weekend where we get away, and spend the entire weekend, fellowshipping, learning and praying together!
In this world, we all need time to getaway and pray. I challenge you this week, to find sometime, even if it is in the middle of the night to getaway and pray. Find a closet, or a corner, or a porch, and spend sometime in prayer. If we are going to cast out demons we NEED it!
Happy Sabbath Kitchen Class! Please remember Alex in your prayers this week and Diana!
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