Learning to Pray...Day 4...

Growing Faith, Increasing Power

I don't know too many people, male or female, that are not the least bit interested in having MORE POWER...whether it's "horses under the hood" or being able to tell others "when to jump and how high" ...we all seem to be searching for more power.

But when we pray, we often feel powerless...and today we are going to look at why. I would ask you to consider the following passage, and though it is rather long, it's most powerful in its conclusion. In Mark 9:14-29 we read:

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  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.”  “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.” 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. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”“From childhood,” he answered. “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. "If you can’?”said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  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.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.  After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (my emphasis)

Jesus had given his disciples the power to heal and had sent them out before to heal in His name; but here, with the religious rulers taunting them and a large crowd looking on in dismay, they were powerless to do what Jesus had taught them and instructed them to do. Jesus could surely see the pain and suffering in the face of the father, pleading for Jesus to make his son whole and demon-free. But even in his desire to see his son healed, he said to Jesus, "IF YOU CAN?'...to which Jesus responded, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO BELIEVES!

And then, as only Jesus could do, he used the power given to Him as the Son of God, He cast His eyes toward Heaven, and though no word left His lips, I am quite sure that He prayed for God the Father to heal this young boy. Then in a loud voice for all to hear, He rebuked the demon, called him out and cast him forever away from this young lad. Taking him by the hand, he gave back to the father the son that had been lost for so long. But it is the next portion of this Scripture that brings us to our lesson today...when Jesus explained that casting out this kind of demon takes PRAYER.

What demons are you dealing with today? Are Satanic forces at work in your life and no matter how hard you try, you cannot pull down the strongholds that leave you powerless and ineffective for the Kingdom? Is your church just running in place, at a loss of how to fulfill the Great Commission? For too many of us in the church, we are much more concerned with activities rather than immersion in prayer...and it is that lack of prayer and our lack of faith that leads to our lack of POWER! It has been said, "Much Prayer, Much POWER! Little prayer, little power."

Here's the bottom line...God gives power to those who believe; who demonstrate their faith by their necessity to pray...and in prayer they believe and are TOTALLY DEPENDENT on the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. The outcome or answer to their prayers does not alter or change their faith should they not be happy with the results...THEIR FAITH IS IN THE FATHER AND HE ALWAYS GIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS WILL.

Prayer is our way to show our TOTAL dependence on God. It is saying, "Lord, this is more than I can handle and I am powerless and totally dependent on you. I can't but I believe YOU can; so I put my faith in you and I believe you will."  The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is impossible to please God without FAITH...and it is our faith that tells us we can TRUST our God.

Faith and prayer are so intertwined that the more we pray, the more we trust we have. And the more trust and faith we have, the more we are infused with the power of God's Holy Spirit...and it is that power and our faith that will help us to overcome the evil one in this world...

 Prayer + Faith = POWER for the child of God! Don't leave home without it....

Powered by Prayer, Faithful forever,

WPQ