by Jay McMullan
© 2011

A Father's Faith?
Part 4

In Mark 9:17-29 we are told of a father who brings his son to Jesus. Obviously, the man has heard that Jesus, the great healer is in town and he has hope that his seemingly epileptic son can be cured, if only he can get him to Jesus!

After getting Jesus’ attention, the father explains the boy’s symptoms and tells Jesus that he took his son to see the disciples but they could not heal the boy. Jesus, almost as if he were aggravated, got on to the people for their lack of faith. How true that is of our generation too! Jesus then called for the boy. As the young boy was marched into Jesus’ presence, the evil spirit which was causing his spells and sickness, began to tear at the boy and finally threw him to the ground. Jesus calmly asked the father how long this had been going on. Not only was the boy epileptic, the evil spirit would also throw him into water to drown him or into fire to destroy him. I have always been amazed that as much as demons crave and desire and must have a host body, they will do all they can to destroy that host.

After the father told Jesus what was going on with his son, he made a statement not unlike what the majority of Christians make when they pray. I could write volumes on prayer and indeed, an innumerable number of volumes have been written on prayer and there would still be more left to be said. Bear in mind that this father, in his approach to Jesus, was praying. It is the same thing we do when we go before the Lord in prayer. The only difference was that Jesus was here bodily at the time. He is not here bodily but the Holy Spirit is. Here is what the father said, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” (Mark 9:22). The man knew that there was hope if he could get to Jesus. I believe the man knew that Jesus had the power to heal, “If He would.”

I remember talking to my brother in the hospital as he lay dying. We were talking about whether or not God could heal him and my brother made this statement, “I believe He can if He just would.” My brother and I both knew God was powerful enough and big enough to heal him but we did not know what God’s will was. This is the same situation the father of this young boy found himself in. It is a high probability that you also find yourself in this exact same situation!

Even though Jesus could heal the boy, He didn’t. Look what He said, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Verse 23). I believe Jesus is saying that very same thing to you and me when we say that we believe He can if He only will! If we will take the Word of God, we can learn valuable lessons from God and not have to repeat them. The father got serious with Jesus and cried out! The Greek word for “cried” implies that the father shrieked out to the Lord, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

The father did what we all need to do, he went to Jesus when he needed more faith! You see, we all have “the measure of faith.” Without it, none of us could be saved. God has given us all a little bit.

Romans 12

3God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

So, if we all have a measure and so did that father but it wasn’t enough for his son to be healed, what does the Bible say about how we get more faith?

Romans 10 (New King James Version)

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Now, let me show you something exciting. The Bible IS the word of God. The word of God is Jesus. Don’t believe me? Read John 1:1. The words in the Bible are just as sure as Jesus sitting there talking to this father. The father was as honest as he knew how to be. He said he did believe but he wanted the Lord to help him in his unbelief. All of us are in the same boat as this man. Not only can we believe that God is all powerful and able to heal us, save us, bring us prosperity or the many other promises in His word but we can know what His will is in most cases. Sure, there may be some obscure situations that we are not sure what God’s will is in an area and we will talk about that later. But as far as this young man’s healing, it was God’s will to heal him and Jesus did heal the boy!

When we pray and ask God for something, we should go before Him knowing what His will is. If you don’t, you cannot pray in faith. Please read the last sentence over and over until you get it. Let me even repeat it, “When we pray and ask God for something, we should go before Him knowing what His will is.” If you do not know what His will is, you cannot ask in faith!

John 8
   
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Wow! Do you see it? “If you abide.” The Greek word for abide is “meno”. It can be translated abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, or tarry. A disciple is simply a “learner” or someone that has sat at the foot of someone else and learned. So now it should start getting more clear for you. If, you get into the word, the Bible (Jesus), and you are a learner, you are going to not only, learn the truth, but you are going to “know” or understand that truth and in turn, that truth will absolutely (shall) make you free!

The word “shall” is the strongest word in the English language. If a king were to tell a servant that he “shall” do something and that servant did not do it, he would be under penalty of the law which could include imprisonment and even death. Jesus said that as we learn and understand the truth of His word, that truth of His word “shall,” forcibly, make us free. When you know what God’s will is concerning a situation for which you are praying you can have absolute peace and faith knowing that it is God’s will. If you will get into God’s word, you will see that it is absolutely His will to save you. It is absolutely His will to heal you and there are many more promises He gives us in His word! Getting into God’s word is like finding buried treasure!

Now, let me encourage you, before you pray, go to God’s word and see what His will is. Have your children strayed from the Lord? You will find scriptures that say that, not only shall you be saved if you believe, but also your whole house. We are also told that if we raise our children to know the Lord that they will come back to that when they get older! Do you need physical healing? Find scriptures that deal with healing and then and only then pray.

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