Pray & Believe
“’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Mark 9:23
A father brought his son who was possessed by a spirit that robbed him of speech and continually threw him to the ground to the disciples. He asked them to drive out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.
Jesus said, “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” (Mark 9:19b-22).
Have you ever read that account and egotistically thought, “What do you mean, ‘If you can?’ Don’t you know whom you are asking? It’s Jesus! Can’t you see and hear? The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor (Matthew 11:5). Surely He can heal your son, too!”
I’m guilty of reading this with self-righteousness, until the Spirit turned my arrogance into awareness that I’ve prayed in a manner that matched this father’s words. I’ve prayed because I knew I should, even though I didn’t believe He could or would answer my prayer.
Jesus response to this father and to you and me is this reprimand: “’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23).
When the circumstance looks impossible, pray and believe. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24).
When the circumstance seems irreversible, pray and believe. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God” (John 11:39-40)?
Prayer Step
Ask the One that is able to do immeasurably more than you can imagine to help you overcome your unbelief (Ephesians 3:20, Mark 9:24).
Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!
Andrew Murray |
