(Read Mark 9:14-29 and Matthew 17:14-23)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” One day Jesus took His inner circle (Peter, James and John) up to a high mountain and there they had a supernatural experience commonly referred to as the “Transfiguration.” They returned to the other disciples and found them surrounded by a large crowd. Some teachers of religious law argued with the disciples and Jesus asked, “What’s all this arguing about?” One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” Jesus said to the disciples who were posed with the situation, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” It is clear that Jesus expected His disciples to be able to do what He was doing. He expected them to operate in the same level of faith that He was operating in. So, Jesus did not chastise the Father for not having enough faith for the deliverance of his son. No, Jesus chastised His disciples for not having enough faith to deliver the boy.
When the boy was brought to Jesus the father said, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” Jesus retorted, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’? Anything is possible for him who believes.” To this the father replied, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” We can all identify with this man. We have all had issues we needed God to resolve and we all know what it is like to waver in our faith. This man had faith, but it was not consistent. He doubted, his faith wavered, and he drifted in-and-out of unbelief. Now, those that look at this story through the lens of faith will say that the man does not qualify for the breakthrough. He did not provide the faith and his wavering should disqualify him. However, if you look at this story through the lens of grace you will see how Jesus expected His disciples to provide the faith. When they did not, He was ready to. The man’s faith was inconsistent, but Jesus’ faith was steady. Jesus looked at the boy and spoke to the spirit in him, saying, “I command you, deaf and dumb spirit, come out of this boy, and never go into him again!” The spirit gave a loud shriek and after a dreadful convulsion left him. The boy lay there like a corpse. The bystanders thought he was dead, but Jesus helped him to his feet and he and his father went home free. When everything died down the disciples humbly asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Jesus told them that it was because of their unbelief. This word “unbelief” is also translated “lack of faith.” Their failure was a faith failure more than anything else. Jesus went on to explain that if they had even as much as a mustard seed’s amount of faith, they could speak to any obstacle (mountain) and the obstacle would have to move. The last statement in our text is very powerful. Jesus wrapped it up by saying, “and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
So what does this mean to you today? There is a lot here, but let’s glean a few golden nuggets as we look at this story through two lens:
Through the lens of faith:
1. Jesus expects us to operate like Him in the earth (John 14:12).
2. Doubt, fear, and unbelief cancel faith. But faith also cancels doubt, fear, and unbelief.
3. Faith sees no impossibilities. There is absolutely nothing God is incapable of doing and He has delegated His supernatural authority to overcome impossibilities to us.
Through the lens of grace:
1. There are times when we don’t have the faith and God, motivated by love, steps in and provides us the breakthrough anyway!
2. We are not perfect and while the Word instructs us to live, walk, pray, fight, and overcome by faith, there are many times when we simply need grace, because our faith is too weak.
3. We serve a God who loves us enough to see past our imperfections in order to bless us in spite of our failures. That’s grace!
Closing Confession: Father, You released Kingdom Dominion to mankind. Adam lost that authority, but Jesus died that we might regain it. Jesus restored the Kingdom to mankind and I declare that I walk in Kingdom Dominion today, through the vehicle of faith. My faith cancels every fear, doubt, and unbelief. I speak the language of faith. I speak to every obstacle, in faith, and know that it will move. I speak to every hindrance, in faith, and know that it will dissipate. I see no impossibilities, because I look at my life through the lens of faith. However, on those occasions where my faith is weak and I waver, I thank You for Your overwhelming grace. Your grace steps in where my faith falters. You are much better to me than my faith warrants and for that I will always give You the glory, honor and praise! You are a God of grace and I surely need it. Like the father in the story i say, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
