It Takes Faith And Prayer

It Takes Faith and Prayer

Pastor Frank Zerbel

© 2005 FORGIVEN! Community Church

Mark 9:14-29

I can remember one Saturday afternoon in the 60’s as I was outside with the push mower cutting the grass for my father when two men carrying a box down our driveway caught my attention. They sat it down outside the front door and unpacked our first color TV.

It had a beautiful solid wood cabinet and a 21” screen. I couldn’t believe my eyes, but here it was and my father was so proud. Before we could turn it on my dad went up on the roof with one of the delivery men to put up a new antenna, while the other man made the connections inside.

It didn’t take long and we had our first picture to adjust the color to. What we saw shocked us and held our attention for what seemed like hours. Even the delivery men kept their eyes on the screen.

There before us in full color, was the Watts riot. Less than 12 miles from where we were sitting the city was on fire. As we watched we saw homes and business’ burning to the ground, we saw fireman being shoot and lose their lives as they rushed in to put out the flames.

What a thing to remember about my first color TV.

Two weeks latter I was with my father as he drove through those streets where so many lost their lives and so many more, mostly innocents were still homeless or trying to recover what ever they could from the burned out shells that was left of their lives.

What I remember of those riots was the many reasons the media, politicians, and even residence gave for these chain of events that hurt so many. But it all boiled down to poverty.

A few young men and women of the thousands that lived there took it upon themselves to make known their rage to the City of Los Angles about the conditions they had to endure. And it all spiraled out of control faster than anyone could imagine.

They didn’t take into account the prayers of the faithful; they got tired of waiting for progress of the local officials working unceasingly to better their lot in life.

Six months later the media hailed the event as the catalyst, as the City poured money into the area and new construction was in full swing.

Not mentioned were the innocent residents who got caught in the crossfire. Families now without a father or a mother, kids orphaned, people permanently crippled, families financially ruined. What about the heroes in uniform hurt or even killed trying to protect?

What happened was these people got impatient and took upon themselves what God had in the works.

To many times we empower ourselves into action. We let the deceiver tell us that we can handle it, we puff up our chests and march out to change the world on our terms. And than it all spirals out of control and many times people not involved get hurt.

We have to realize that the real power to conquer life’s hardships is with the Power of Christ’s name and prayer.

In our lesson today, we see Jesus coming back from His trip up the mountain and His transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James and John were coming back into town:

Mark 9:14-19 (NIV)

The Healing of a Boy With an Evil Spirit

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

Why couldn’t the disciples drive out the evil spirit? In Mark 6:13 we read that they drove out demons while on their mission to the villages. I believe this story is to show that the battle with Satan is a difficult, ongoing struggle.

It very will could be the same thing that happens to us as we grow comfortable in our religion. The more we count on what we did yesterday, the more we become proud of our abilities, the less we focus on who gave us that power in the first place, and the less power we posses. I believe that the disciples at this point relied on what they thought was in them and not the authority given in the name of Christ.