Life
is hard. Sometimes we get to the point that we just don’t know how we will go
on another day. It’s all too much. Maybe it’s chronic pain or an illness that
seems to have no hope for healing. Maybe it’s your finances. Maybe you’ve lost
your job and there seems no hope of ever getting hired again. Maybe it is your marriage
that is falling apart. Or it could seem like the grief of having lost a child
will never let go of the grip it has on your life and it seems you will never
laugh or smile again. Maybe it’s all these things. The worst part of it all is
that you are a Christian and you know you should trust God but it seems as if
you just don’t have enough faith.
I
have good news this morning. God understands. Jesus knows your pain and He
knows the temptation to give up is strong. There is a great story in Mark 9:14-23 “And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Jesus said to him, “All things are
possible for one who believes.” But that is the problem you say. I am
struggling to believe. Brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus knew you would
face this struggle. It is easy in the good times to have faith but when it
seems your situation is one of those that require a miracle from Jesus to
resolve the problem suddenly our faith falters.
God knows and He understands our
human frailty. Continuing in the story from Mark chapter 9 hear what the father
of the boy possessed by the unclean spirit says from verse 24, “Immediately the
father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my
unbelief!" The NIV renders the verse, "I do believe; help me overcome
my unbelief!"
Help me overcome my unbelief the man
says. I can’t tell you the countless times I have said the same thing. I
believe the Bible. I believe it is the Word of God. I believe every word in it
and I take it literally. But sometimes my belief is not as strong as I wish. God
understands our faith isn’t perfect.
Jesus goes on in the story and casts
out the spirit. The disciples are confused as they have been having success at
healing but this time they were unable to help the boy. Listen to the response
of Jesus as He answers what went wrong for them in verse 29, “He replied, "This kind can come
out only by prayer." The importance of prayer cannot be overstated. Jesus
instructs us in Matthew 21:22, “And
whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." James continues
this theme in James 5:13-15, “Is
anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing
praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church,
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And
the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him
up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Our faith and prayer work hand in
hand. And as the Body of Christ we are to pray for each other. James tells us
this in James 5:16, “Therefore,
confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be
healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
By the Blood of Christ those who
believe in Jesus by faith are cloaked in His righteousness. Those who are in
Christ have great power that is unleashed through prayer.
So let us pray with faith. Pray for
yourself and pray for each other. Your faith doesn’t have to be perfect for
Jesus says in Matthew 17:20, “…For
truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will
say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing
will be impossible for you."
Jeremiah reminds us of the power of
God in Jeremiah 32:17, “Ah, Lord
GOD! It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and
by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
Nothing is too hard for God. So let
us pray in faith for each other and for ourselves. As James said the prayer of
faith will save and it will heal. You only need the faith the size of a mustard
seed. I believe this. Do you? If so then get to praying. If not then get to
praying and ask God to help you with your unbelief. Nothing is too hard for
Him.
