Mark 9:21-29 (NKJV) 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.
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.”
V21 “So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.” What happened that the child was possessed by a demon? Some possibilities: 1) parents practiced occultic powers of some sort to heal the child from some illness, or 2) had hands laid on the child for protection or some other excuse which can transfer demonic authority. Since the Bible does not reveal the cause, it is only conjecture.
V22 “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.” The goal of the devil is to kill and destroy (John 10:7-10). Often those who are children of the devil (Jeremiah 23:1 and Isaiah 56:9-12) do the same. It is a character trait of a sin nature. Compare Galatians 5:19-21. Note the word “if.” Sometimes stress of seeing your loved one suffer leads us to make foolish statements. Jesus points that issue out to this father.
V23 “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” This is how Jesus worded the true issue perfectly.
V24 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” The father understood and corrected himself quickly. O, that we would do the same. Jesus knows how to deal with each person as an individual in just the perfect way. This is a wise prayer by this father to the Messiah, Jesus. Would that all would pray this way.
V25 “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!” He didn’t want to perform a show. He wanted people to believe that He is Messiah. Just words but it must be obeyed. Jesus did not name this unclean spirit for it didn’t need any recognition.
V26 “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.” The word cried means he screamed loudly in protest, but his protest was in vain. God is sovereign. To show his contempt of Jesus, the unclean spirit caused one more convulsion.
Matthew Henry comments: “Note, Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. Satan may go out himself, and yet recover possession; but if Christ cast him out, he will keep him out. 2. How the unclean spirit took it; he grew yet more outrageous, he cried, and rent him sore, gave him such a twitch at parting, that he was as one dead; so loth was he to quit his hold, so exasperated at the superior power of Christ, so malicious to the child, and so desirous was he to kill him. Many said, He is dead. Thus the toss that a soul is in at the breaking of Satan’s power in it may perhaps be frightful for the present, but opens the door to lasting comfort.”
V27 “But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” No words, just action, and the child stood up delivered. The greatest deliverance is the deliverance from our sin and from God’s wrath. Compare John 3:36 and Romans 5:9.
V28 “And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” Perhaps they asked this question for embarrassment or because they finally had some privacy with our Lord Jesus.
V29 “So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” There are some unclean spirits who are so rebellious that one must pray and fast. This would be especially helpful if the whole church would fast one meal to pray for deliverance. Demon possession is somewhat rare, but it exists often hidden from the public. Do not attempt to ever lay hands on one you think is possessed, for Jesus never did. Do not attempt something like this without two or three fellow believers. Do not assume every convulsion/seizer is a demonic manifestation. A seizure is a medical condition, perhaps life-threatening.
We learn:
- About Jesus’s power and authority.
- About prayer.
- About deliverance.
- About the evil actions of the devil’s crowd.
Questions:
- How is your prayer life?
- How is your faith?