Mark 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 “And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” 19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 “And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 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.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
You would think the church and those close to Jesus would have the answers and the power…not always so. Their prayerlessness and not fasting and worldliness robbed the disciples of the power they had been given over demons and evil.
The answer is always Jesus. The demon cast the boy into the fire into deep waters …he had seizures and suicidal tendencies and uncontrollable and unpredictable violent attacks. A good description of the insanity of late stage addiction and the frantic desperate search of the father for help for his son.
Like that father we come to God with our desperate prayers, knowing that God is supposed to be able to cure evil, but not fully believing that in this case He will or He can. As that father we must also cry with our tears – I believe, but help my unbelief! Help me when I don’t believe God’s sovereignty and I still meddle in what God is doing in my loved ones life. Remove my discouragement and despair when I “know” God has the situation in hand.
You see God has stated He wants none lost. I think we can rely on Gods desires and come into line with Thy will be done on earth….just as heaven is a picture of Gods will and peace. We pray Thy will be done on earth…and then never hang around long enough to find out what that will is or don’t ask to be shown it and don’t seek it.
God is making children of mankind. There are no grand children in Gods kingdom. He must introduce himself to each of us and give each of us the chance to cry ABBA, father. Ro 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” As parents we put our flesh in between the process whereby Gods Spirit is calling to the spirit in our children and loved ones. When God asked Moses to deliver His people He asked him first to put that right arm into his coat over his heart. The leprosy was to show Moses, what Moses was in Gods sight, and then God used him. Ex 4:6 Then the Lord said to him again, Put your hand inside your clothing. And he put his hand inside his robe: and when he took it out it was like the hand of a leper, as white as snow.
Do not insert your flesh and desires into Gods plan to deliver your children from Egypt but take the example of Moses. It was Moses temper and frustration that cost him crossing Jordan and that did not help Israel.
Moses is best known for his intercession for Gods people. His love for them was equal to Gods love for them and His wrestling in prayer for them made God cry out “Leave me alone” Ex 32:9 And the LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 And now leave Me alone, so that My wrath may become hot against them and so that I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.11 And Moses prayed to the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why does Your wrath become hot against Your people whom You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
It is one thing for God to take hold of a man it is another thing for a man to take hold of God in prayer. Like two parents of a rebellious child they went back and forth and disowning Israel, “Your children which you brought in to the desert.” Ex 32:14 And the LORD was moved to pity as to the evil which He spoke of doing to His people.
Living in Gods presence for the lives of those you love and are responsible for will transform you and you will come out of Gods presence with a face that shines with His glory. It may not change them but it will change you. I promise you that. Have you like Paul, been willing to trade your salvation for theirs, or like Moses told God (Ex 32:32 And now will You forgive their sin! And if not, I pray You, blot me out of Your book which You have written) to take your life but save them. Have you instead in self-pity cried to God, and said “why me?”
God still answers prayer and 10 minutes talking to Him about an addict will be more valuable than 10 hours lecturing an addict about God. When God chose to have a city repent he sent Jonah and the whole city Ninevah did repent…100% success. When God met Saul on the road – I don’t think Saul was a seeker, or had too may choices once God blinded him and spoke to him personally. Rahab came to believe in God as a hooker in Jericho – no bible – no ministers – no church. She was taught about God from her customers who traveled through and told of the Red Sea opening for Israel and their God. Why do we believe God cannot and will not reach our children?
So let us quit the physical attempts at a spiritual solution and approach the throne of the first heartbroken Father and share His heart and desires for your loved ones.
