Title: Unlimiting God’s Power in Our Lives
Theme: Show that many times God measures our faith by what He does.
Text: Mark 9:2-29, Read 14 - 29
Introduction – Disciples sent out
Disciples Sent Out
Mark 6:7-13 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. (8) He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff; no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts; (9) but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. (10) Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. (11) "And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" (12) So they went out and preached that people should repent. (13) And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
In Mark chapter 6 we are told that Jesus gathered the 12 disciples together and sent them out 2 X 2. Jesus gave them power over unclean spirits and power to heal. This was an exciting time for the disciples. They had often seen Jesus heal and cast out demons now they were participators.
Our Promise as Believers
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mount of Transfiguration
We come to Mark 9 we find a different story. Jesus took James, Peter and John up into the mountain. Here they had a true God encounter as they saw Jesus in all His glory.
While they were on the mountain top the disciples were down at the bottom of the mountain. A desperate father had brought his demon possessed son to the other disciples. This proved too much for them. They could do nothing with the boy.
When Jesus arrived they were in this big debate with the scribes. Jesus asked what was going on. No one answered. The scribes said nothing and the disciples just kept quiet. Finally the desperate father spoke up.
The Young Boy – Mark 9
(14) And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. (15) Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. (16) And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" (17) Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. (18) "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
This had to ring in the ears of the disciples. They had seen many things happen but they could do nothing with the boy.
Look at Jesus’ answer
(19) He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
Jesus promptly se the boy free.
Alone with the Disciples
Later on as they were alone with the disciples
(28) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" (29) So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
I am so thankful that Jesus acknowledges that there are some things that some things are more challenging than others. Sometimes we get the impression that things are so easy if we just have more faith yet Jesus says here that some things only happen through prayer and fasting.
Prayer
This event revealed what the disciples were not doing. They were not praying. This is where problems begin. Having a weak prayer life, we can name it and claim all we won’t but we must have a relationship of prayer.
I can tell you even more not only prayer alone but prayer as a corporate body. This is so important.
Fasting
Jesus also recommended fasting. “Fasting involves setting aside normal routines and focusing on God and His answer for your situation. It entails sacrifice. It means that business as usual is insufficient for the situtaiton.” Richard Blackaby in Unlimiting God pp 107
The Disciples had given up
Going back to the scene you could imagine that as Jesus came down from the mountain that the disciples ran to Him. Sharing the story of how hard they had tried. This seemed to be impossible. They gave up themselves.
There is no situation like a hopeless situation when God’s people give up on someone.
Maybe the conversation went like this. “Wow! Satan really has a stronghold on that boy’s life! You just can’t help people who don’t want to help themselves.”
Yet notice the contrast here look how Jesus responded. Mark 9
(20) Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. (21) So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. (22) "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." (23) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (24) Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (25) When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" (26) Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." (27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Notice what Jesus pointed to. The problem was not with God but with the man’s faith. He had some faith but not at the level so that God would work a miracle in this boys life.
Notice the father didn’t make any excuses. He didn’t talk about the doctors he had sent his boy to or even the failure of the disciples. He just said, “Lord, help my unbelief”
Could it be that the limits of our faith have been costing others around us?
We have given up because we have seen no results. We limit our selves. We give up on people because they have not responded. We give up on family because they just don’t seem to get it. Maybe it is us who needs to get it.
Have we put limits on our lives for others and for our self?
For our own struggles that we have wrestled with. Maybe even the lifestyle of someone else.
A few clues that we are limiting God
1. We have given up on someone after many years of prayer
2. There is “fear and anexity”, in the challenges we face.
Conclusion - More Pots
In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we are told the story of a widow woman who approached Elisha about her financial woes. Her husband had died. All she had left was her son. She was in deep debt.
Elisha asked her what she had. She said, “a bottle of oil”. He said go gather many pots as she could find. Close the door and then pour the oil in the pots.
Miraculously God filled the pots with oil which was to be sold to pay of debt and the rest to live off of.
But notice, the oil stopped when the pots ran out. The more pots the more oil. She limited the amount by the number of pots she gathered.
Matthew 16:17-19 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (18) "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
With these promises the church should be turning this world upside down. Yet our problem is we don’t see that it may take more faith. More prayer and fasting.
Question: Are you willing to do just a little more? Are you willing to get a little further? Are you willing to give up something to see God change the life of a loved one, a friend, or even you?
