An Outreach Resource Ministry
A Ministry for the Millennium
(Mark 9:14-29)
The Christian life is "a land of hills and valleys" (Deut. 11:11). In one day, a disciple can move from the glory of heaven to the attacks of hell. When our Lord and His three friends returned to the other nine disciples, they found them involved in a duel problem. They were unable to deliver a boy from demonic control and the scribes were debating with them and perhaps even taunting them because of their failure. As always, it was Jesus who stepped in to solve the problem.
The boy was both deaf and dumb (Mark 9:17, 25), and the demon was doing his best to destroy him. Imagine what it would be like for that father to try to care for the boy and protect him! Jesus had given His disciples authority to cast out demons (9:7, 13), and yet their ministry to the boy was ineffective. No wonder the Lord was grieved with them! How often He must be grieved with us when we fail to exercise our faith in Jesus and use the spiritual resources He has graciously given to His people.
Since the disciples had failed, the desperate father was not even sure that Jesus could succeed; hence his statement, "If you can do anything" (9:22). However, the father was honest enough to admit his own unbelief and asked the Lord to help him and his son. Jesus did cast out the demon and restore the boy to his father.
The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy (9: 19, 23-24). Why had the nine disciples failed? Because they had been careless in their personal spiritual walk and had neglected prayer and fasting (9:29). The authority that Jesus had given them was effective only if exercised by faith, but faith must be cultivated through spiritual discipline and devotion. It may be that the absence of their Lord, or His taking the three disciples with Him and leaving them behind, had dampened their spiritual fervor and diminished their faith. Not only did their failure embarrass them, but it also robbed the Lord of glory and gave the enemy an opportunity to criticize. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that glorifies God.
Are you glorifying God through your faith walk with Him? Or, have you been careless in praying daily and neglecting your spiritual walk with Jesus Christ?
"Be Blessed!
Pastor Thelma Gilbert
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God..." (1 John 4:7)
Pastor Thelma Gilbert
For more information write or call us at:
Pastoral Resource Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 7232, Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone (860) 243-2168 - Fax: (860) 242-1838
email: prministrie@snet.net
