A father fell at the feet of Jesus, desperate to find someone who could cast the demon out of his son. This dad previously asked the disciples to help, but they could do nothing. With great power and compassion, Jesus instantly healed the boy and rebuked the demon.
The disciples came to Jesus privately after this mighty miracle, asking Jesus why they couldn’t drive the demon out of the boy. Jesus didn’t beat around the bush: “Because of your unbelief” (Matt. 17:20). Jesus didn’t point to their lack of ability, gifting, power, calling, or effort as the roadblock. It was a lack of dependency on Almighty God through faith.
As Jesus expounds on his reply, He reveals, “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). Jesus is not addressing the size of their faith with this analogy. He is emphasizing the object of their faith.
Some people display a great amount of faith in the wrong object. But those who have even a little faith in the right object are far more powerful than those with great faith in the wrong object. Jesus taught that even a little kernel of faith in Almighty God, the most powerful being in all of existence, is enough to move mountains.
Jesus’ final sentence sheds more light on why they had no power over this demon: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21). The disciples tried to cast the demon out through relying on their abilities instead of relying on God through prayer. They relied on themselves (the wrong object of faith) instead of Almighty God.
As a pastor, I’ve talked with many desperate people over the years: people whose marriages were falling apart, people who battled addictions, people who were burdened over their wayward children, people who faced tremendous crises, people who recently lost someone very close to them, and people who needed direction in their lives.
The best thing that I can do for each of these people is to pray for them. We can’t accomplish anything on our own, apart from God’s power. But when we step forward by faith through prayer and fasting, we can watch God move mountains for us! You see, prayer takes unsolvable problems before the Almighty God, who can solve any problem in His perfect way and timing.
That’s why we partner with you in prayer, dear friends. That’s why we put such an emphasis on the prayer ministry of SWRC. That’s why we keep proclaiming, “God is still on the throne and prayer changes things!”
We are here to pray for you and your prayer requests. What mountains might God move through prayer today?
Ways to send us your prayer requests:
Post to our Prayer Wall
Email us: pr****@**rc.com
Call us: 800-652-1144
Join us monthly on Facebook for a livestream moment of prayer with Pastor Josh Davis. Don’t forget to RSVP!
