“And Jesus said to him, ‘“If you can”! All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” – Mark 9:23
We now look at the story from Mark 9:14-29 where Jesus heals a man’s son. This scene is absolutely heartbreaking. Since he was little, a boy had been tormented by a demonic spirit that caused him to be mute and often threw him into water or fire, trying to kill him. The boy’s body had to show the signs of lifelong abuse, with numerous scars and burns. Imagine being this boy’s parents – seeing him writhe on the ground in painful torment, foaming at the mouth, unable to speak, and constantly in danger of a brutal death by fire or water. It’s hard to imagine a more exhausting and frightening parenting scenario – a tormented child who cannot cry out for help or explain what they are experiencing. Since the mother is not mentioned, this may be a single-parent household with only the father to care for the boy. The evil of the demonic is on full display – tormenting a child and seeking to cause death.
Thankfully, the father has faith that Jesus can deliver and heal the boy, but he admits that his faith is weak after years of painful struggle. Faith is both an internal conviction and an external action. Internally, the father believed Jesus could heal and deliver his son. Externally, bringing the boy to Jesus was an act of faith. By faith, we connect to God, and without faith, we are disconnected from God and His power. Jesus healed this son and later went to the cross as the Son of God to defeat the demonic and suffer torment for us. Colossians 2:13-15 says,
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
In healing and delivering this boy, there was a sign pointing to Jesus’ cross and to the Kingdom of God, where all demonic sickness and suffering will end once and for all.
What are you most looking forward to in the Kingdom of God when all evil is gone forever?
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