THE POWER OF LITTLE FAITH
Mark 9:17-27
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: Bad to Worse
1. Maria Smith & her husband were on their way home when he was pulled over for speeding. As the patrolman returned his driver's license, her husband, hoping for leniency, asked, "Officer, did you notice that yesterday was my birthday?"
2. "As a matter of fact, I did," the officer replied, "because that's when your license expired!"
B. CROP DUSTER FAITH
1. Oct. 18-19, 2025 was the “Wings Over Houston Airshow.” All kinds of aircraft perform for the crowds.
2. There’s Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy Blue Angels in breathtaking flight patterns - upside down, right side up, and sideways. But at that same airshow are planes that are basically crop-dusters.
3. The different planes, pilots, and abilities reminds of people with different kinds of faith. Some have Thunderbird faith (fast, high, precise) while other’s faith fits in the crop duster category - not flashy, flying low, covering the same ground a lot, and some mornings, it’s tough to get the old engine cranked up.
4. Everyone has been given the measure of faith; some have extraordinary faith, while many have “average” faith. But don’t underestimate the power of average faith!
C. TEXT MARK 9:17-27
17 “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 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
D. THESIS This message, “The Power of Little Faith” describes the plight of a father heart-broken about his son.
I. THINGS THAT LIMIT FAITH
A. WHAT IS THE PROPORTION OF YOUR FAITH?
1. Everyone has been given the measure of faith. We all have faith, but our faith waxes and wanes; increases and decreases.
2. Things that Cause Little Faith:
a. Trials
b. Discouragement
c. Out of touch with God
d. Bad circumstances.
B. LITTLE FAITH RECOGNIZED
1. In Mt. 6:30, "Little Faith" is described as those who doubt God's ability to provide for their needs. “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field...will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
2. In Mt. 8:26, when Jesus was asleep in the boat and calmed the storm, He said to His disciples, "O you of little faith, why are you so afraid?" They had let fear caused by the storm dominate them.
3. In Mt. 14:31, Peter walked on the water. When he doubted and sank, Jesus said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
4. Here in Mark 9:24, the boy's father recognized that he had struggling or inadequate faith and cried out, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
5. INADEQUACY. Two cows were grazing in the pasture when they saw a milk truck pass. On the side of the truck were the words, "Pasteurized, homogenized, standardized, Vitamin A added." One cow sighed and looked to the other, "Makes you feel kind of inadequate, doesn't it?" (John Maxwell, The Winning Attitude).
II. GREATER FAITH IS POSSIBLE
A. FAITH CAN GROW
1. Paul told the Thessalonians, "Your faith grows exceedingly” 2 Thess. 1:3.
2. WHY IS FAITH SO IMPORTANT?
a. Romans 4:5; Abraham's faith was "credited to Him as righteousness."
b. Romans 12:3, 6; "think of yourself…according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith."
c. Romans 11:20; 2 Corinthians 1:24; "We stand by faith."
d. Ephesians 3:17; "Christ dwells in our hearts through faith."
e. Jude 3; "Contend for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints."
3. Hebrews 11:1 Amplified reads, "NOW FAITH is the assurance of the things hope[d] for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].”
B. GREATER FAITH IS DESIRABLE / HAS WONDERFUL BENEFITS
1. Gives divine vision to see past trials; Hebrews 11:1; “1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
2. Unlocks the doors to God's power. God's power is activated by faith; "As is your faith, be it unto you."
3. Shields us from fiery darts. Ephesians 6:16.
4. Is our victory over the world. 1 John 5:4.
5. In general, Hebrews 11:6; "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
III. HOW TO INCREASE YOUR FAITH
There are at least Six Ways to increase your faith:
A. THE WORD OF GOD
1. Romans 10:17; "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
2. Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
B. EXERCISE THE FAITH YOU HAVE (Exercise builds up your muscles)
1. We nurture our faith by acting it out – DOING, SAYING, & THINKING it. This increases our faith.
2. Take Peter for an example:
a. Peter cast in his nets when the Lord told him to after he had fished all night and hadn't caught anything. Obedience.
b. Peter walked on the water, but then sank.
c. Then came the day of Pentecost when Peter was filled with faith, preached, and 3000 were saved.
3. You will fall on your face at times. Think how many hoops Pro basketball players missed before they got good. It's the same with our faith.
C. TRIALS
1. The Lord allows us to face trials because they help us grow. Trials introduce a level of uncertainty to our lives – which causes us to either walk away from God or trust in Him regardless of evidence.
2. The trying of our faith purifies it. James 1:3; 1 Peter 1:7.
D. TESTIMONIES
1. The testimonies of other people encourage us. There are great Christians whose lives can inspire us; George Mueller, Hudson Taylor, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth, etc.
2. Other people's testimonies are important because, if God did it for them, He'll do it for you!
E. PRAYER (Praying Through)
1. Communion with God strengthens faith. “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matt. 17:19-21 NKJV.
2. The reference to a “mustard seed” is surely a reference to small faith which, if used resourcefully, can still move mountains!
F. OBEDIENCE TO GOD
1. "Faith without works (obedience) is dead" James 2:17, 20, 26. Faith cannot be increasing if we’re not walking in obedience to God. Acts 5:32 says, “God has given [the Holy Spirit] to those who obey Him.”
2. Illustration. A woman was showing a massive piece of family silver. She apologized as she took it from the china cabinet. "I'm so dreadfully sorry that this silver is so terribly tarnished!" she said. "I can't keep it bright unless I use it!" That is as true of faith as it is of silver. (Knights, Master Book, p. 193; "How to keep faith bright.")
IV. THE POWER OF LITTLE FAITH
SEE WHAT THE DEMON POSSESSED BOY’S FATHER DID THAT CHANGED HIS FEEBLE FAITH INTO OVERCOMING FAITH!
A. HE BROUGHT HIS SON TO JESUS
1. He was there at the bottom of the mountain because he had heard about Jesus and believed Jesus could heal his son.
2. The first step in changing your situation is to come to Jesus!
B. HE MADE A DECLARATION BY FAITH
1. We are not only to believe in our hearts, but to confess with our mouths. There is a mystery that surrounds “confession.” I don’t accept all of the teaching by the “confess & possess” crowd (also called “blab & grab”), but there is a kernel of truth there.
2. If you keep telling yourself something you’ll eventually come to believe it. It’s true of doubt and it’s true of faith. We should speak about ourselves what God says, and it will strengthen our faith.
C. HE ASKED JESUS TO STRENGTHEN HIS FAITH
1. He said, Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” And because he prayed that prayer, the Lord completed his faith and healed his son.
2. Praise God! Feeble faith proved to be powerful as it joined hands with the Savior! The same thing can happen to you with your need! HE RECEIVED BACK HIS SON WHOLE BECAUSE LITTLE FAITH IS POWERFUL!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Stephen Elmer was staying up late one night working on a business proposal when he burned his thumb very badly. He put butter on it, then he tried ice; but the throbbing didn’t subside. Finally, as a last resort, it occurred to him to pray. He remembered that Jesus said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." And so he started trying to work up enough faith so that he could say yes, that he believed God would heal his thumb.
2. He read healing scriptures and finally believed the Lord would heal him. "Lord, please heal this burn," he said out loud; and INSTANTANEOUSLY the pain ceased and his thumb was healed. He was awestruck.
3. It was a glorious couple of minutes. Then he thought, "I wonder if the pain will come back,” and IMMEDIATELY the throbbing pain returned. "Oh, no," I said. "I was healed, and I know I was healed; and no one is going to take that healing away from me. I believe it, and I claim it, in Jesus name, so be it!" As quickly as before, the pain was gone, and this time for good. The next morning there was no sign he had ever been burned. [Stephen B. Elmer]
B. ALTAR CALL
