Faith, Doubt And Unbelief

TEXT: Mark 9:20-27

"So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.He replied, “Since he was a little boy.

The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

HANDS OF FAITH

Without faith, the Bible says, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6a). It is therefore an essential ingredient in our relationship with God as beievers. Faith is the hands we use to receive from God. Anyone that comes to God must believe that he is God and that he is a rewarder of those that seek him diligently (Heb 11:6b). If you trust God completely and believe he is able to do what he says, then you have faith. The Lord will strengthen your hands of faith in Jesus name.

THE ABC OF FAITH:

A - Assurance of what God says

B - Believing without doubting

C - Confidence in God doing what

he says and receiving it

before seeing it.

JUST A LITTLE FAITH

The great news is that just a little faith is enough to receive from God. Although, great faith delivers great miracles, but just a little faith goes a long way. "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matt 17:20). Just a little faith, according to Jesus, can move mountains and deliver things we think are impossible. The faith you need to move that mountain in your life, receive it today in Jesus name.

DARTS OF DOUBT AND UNBELIEF

Many believers do not lack faith. The truth is that we have faith, but Satan throws darts of doubt and unbelief to entangle our faith. Doubts and unbelief are like interferences that cause network failures mibile devices, disruoting our communication with God. The father of the convulsing boy in the text for today almost allowed doubt and unbelief to rob the child of his healing. Follow the drama of their dialogue:

JESUS: “How long has this been happening?”

BOY'S FATHER: “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

JESUS: “What do you mean, ‘If I can’? Anything is possible if a person believes.”

BOYS FATHER: (cries out instantly in desperation), “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

THE SEED OF DOUBT - "IF YOU CAN"

The failure of the disciples to heal the child cast doubts in the mind of the father and he said to Jesus, "Have mercy on us. Help us IF YOU CAN."

Jesus instantly retorted as he recognised Satan's manipulation of the father's faith: "What do you mean, IF I CAN"?

The father of the boy realizing his error cried out desperately, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief."

LORD, HELP MY UNBELIEF

With doubts and unbelief cleared, Jesus commanded the demon out of the child and handed him over to the father healed. We find ourselves many times in the same situation as the father of the demon possessed child. It is not that we don't have faith, but we allow Satan to disrupt our faith. We need to cry out desperately for mercy and God's help to overcome Satan's fiery darts of doubt and unbelief. Lord, help thou my unbelief. Faith comes by hearing the word of God and the testimonies of other believers, so load your mind with God's word. The Lord will continually increase our faith in Jesus name.

PRAYER:

Father, I believe your word, but have mercy upon me and help me overcome doubts and unbelief in my life in Jesus name.

PRAYER:

I look on to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith.

God bless you. Shalom.