The Power of Prayer: Mark 9:14-29

Read Mark 9:14-29

I was reading through Mark 9 today and came across this unique story where the disciples of Jesus were trying to cast out a demon from a demon-possessed boy.  However, they could not succeed.  The boy's father said to Jesus, “I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”  It makes me wonder if the disciples had success in the past in this ministry or did they assume when they saw Jesus cast out demons in his ministry with a command that this was enough for them to give it a go as well?  Whatever their past experience, they tried to cast out this demon and were completely unsuccessful, much to this poor father’s dismay and despair. 

It made me ponder the fact that there are often times of struggle in our lives as Christians when we attempt ministry for God, to do what we perceive as God’s good work.  Often, it is with a deep heart of compassion, seeing a need we try to make a difference the lives of others, whether it is people in our community, our brothers and sisters in the church, or even in our own lives, yet we find that we are banging our heads against the wall, there is no real progress or worse yet, none at all.  Yet there is still sickness, pain, challenges, hurt that need healing, hope or reconciliation.   In our world, our communities, our churches, our homes, our lives we find brokenness.  Brokenness in our bodies, mental health, emotions, relationships, communities in so many ways.  Sometimes are feel hopeless as I try to have an impact for Christ, and like the disciples, there seems to be no change, no healing, no power.  Do you feel hopeless and helpless as a Christian seeking to serve God in your life and community?   Jesus rebuked his disciples for their lack of belief, saying, “You unbelieving generation… how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?”

Honestly, my belief in God’s power is sometimes shallow.  Do you find that there are times in your own life when your belief in God’s power shallow?

I feel the sting of Jesus rebuke, because the fact is, there are many times I try to do things myself, or there are some situations that humanly speaking seem impossible to see change, or sometimes it is a simple is assuming that God will work in a situation but I forget to lay the situation before his throne in believing prayer and petition.  Do you feel the sting of Jesus rebuke?

However, there is so much hope in this Mark 9 passage, even in Jesus rebuke.  Why? There answer is found in Jesus response.  Jesus says, “This kind [demon] can come out only by prayer.”  The answer to seeing this boy healed and released from the power of this demon, and Jesus' challenge to the disciples work for the Lord is found in believing prayer.  Jesus is reminding the disciples that the power to do God’s work comes from God himself.  He is the power by which change is brought, where lives are changed and healed.  We often see Jesus throughout his ministry, though he had all authority to heal as God Incarnate, spending much time in prayer, living for us an example that we must replicate in our own ministries and our service for Christ which means we must have as our  foundation believing prayer (Mt.14:23; Mk 1:35; 6:46; Lk 5:16; 9:18).  The principle that is being taught here is that sustained and focused prayer before God which is essential to bringing any kind of hope, change, healing, restoration, reconciliation and more.

The fact is there are some pressures, challenges, hurts, relationship problems, healing in the body, mind, and soul, some ministry victories that will only take place and truly changed through committed believing prayer before our holy, awesome, all-powerful God!  As James, the brother of Jesus said, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective,” Js 5:16.  Obviously, James must have experienced this truth first-hand and passed in along to the church for our encouragement and edification.  Why would he say this if it wasn’t true?  Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us move ahead, pursuing righteousness and holiness whilst engaged in prayer as part of our daily routine as much as possible.  May God use us in this generation to bring him glory, starting with holding firmly to the throne of our Lord and God through Christ!  As we do, let us come before him with boldness as we are taught, “Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” Hb 4:16.  I am pumped!