Title: To the one who believes, God’s power will be given
In Mark 9:14-29, there appears the story of a father whose son is possessed by a spirit of muteness. Today, we look at this story and try to find the message God wants to deliver to us.
- A believer receives power to dream potential
In this story, the father of the spirit possessed son must have visited doctors and advisers to heal his son. However, all did not work, and this father has become hopeless. He heard news about Jesus Christ and all of a sudden; it gave him a heart of potential and new hope. So, he brought his son to Jesus (Mark 9:17).
Jesus makes us to have a hope again; Jesus gives His believers the strength to hope for new potential again. In Mark 5:24-34, there appears a woman who had been suffered with hemorrhage for 12 years. She had visited many doctors, resulted her losing all the money she had, helpless and hopeless. However, when she heard about Jesus, all of a sudden, she started having a hope that if she touches the edge of Jesus’ cloak, she would be released from the sickness. With this weakened heart and body, she came to Jesus and without introducing herself, she touched Jesus’ cloak. Jesus immediately noticed it, and asked who touched His cloak. The disciples said that as they were surrounded by crowd, it is impossible not to be pushed or not to be touched while moving, how come Jesus asks who touched Him. So, it wasn’t only this woman who might have touched Jesus physically. However, this woman was the only one who received the power of healing from Jesus (Mark 5:34).
The common thing between these two people is they had no hope, but when hearing about Jesus, He became their hope. Jesus became the only hope and all the hope they have.
- A believer receives the power of determination
Let’s go back to the story of the father whose son is demon possessed. He brought his son to Jesus. When Jesus came down from the mountain, he said “if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Jesus rebuked him saying “if You can! All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:22-23)
What is really important is how this father reacted to Jesus’ rebuke. He immediately determined to confess that he had no faith but now he believes. Then, Jesus cast the demon out from the boy (Mark 9:24-25).
To the one who believes to fellow Jesus, Jesus said “Deny yourself and take your own cross (Matthew 16:24).” To the one who wishes to become rich, Jesus said “Give to others first, then you will be given (Luke 6:38)”. And to the one who wishes to become the greatest, Jesus said “Humble yourself and become a servant for others (Matthew 23:11-12)”.
What we want to be and what we need to be are different. Can you respond to Jesus with “I do believe?” Remember when there is a confession “I do believe”, God started doing His work. So, if we do what Jesus told us to do by faith, I believe that God will bless us and make us more than what we want to be.
Spiritually speaking, we are like slaves taken to Babylon, there is no freedom to go out, no freedom to go to church, no freedom to worship God during this pendamic. However, God already proclaimed to us the Word of Jehovah Shammah that God will be with us not only in the temple but where we live and where we conduct our daily life. And God already taught us the pattern of eternal kingdom.
- A believer receives the power of endurance
Mark 9:24-25 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”
Spiritually speaking, there is a big gap between v24 and v25. In v24, the father of a boy confessed he believes. The baton is now tossed back to Jesus.
It is up to Jesus what He is going to do to this father and the boy. This is the moment of waiting for the answer of Jesus Christ and enduring to see the work of Jesus Christ. This father must have waited eagerly for Jesus to say, “Yes, your son is healed.” Rev Abraham Park taught us that in this time between v24 and v25, there needs three things: Firstly, our expectancy should get stronger as time goes by. Secondly, our faith that God will certainly do His work should get firmer. And finally, our doubts should get melt away without any trails left behind.
Conclusion:
A believer has these powers receives satisfaction
Finally, Jesus commanded the spirit to come out from the boy and never return to him. However, the spirit inside the boy did the last resistance and threw the boy into terrible convulsions which people thought the boy is dead. But when Jesus took him by His hand, he got up and go home with his father. This father finally found pleasure and life to live (Mark 9:25-27).
This is the conclusion of Christianity and the conclusion of our faith. We will be given what we prayed for and what we hoped for. So, when you are in the situation that every door is closed, do not lose your heart but find Jesus and take Him as your hope by faith (Isaiah 40:28-31). Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. We may be living in the time when youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble badly. But please believe that we will mount up with wings like eagles and will overcome all the difficulties that are in front of us, as long as wait for the Lord.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 