January 24, 2012

“Impossible”

Blessings Folk!

Have you ever done what you felt the Lord told you to do...only to see no “results”?

You are not alone.

Read this encounter…

Matthew 17

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, 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.
 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

A man had a problem.
His son was vexed...don’t you love that word?...he was called a “lunatic”...literally it means he was “moon-struck”.

He came to the Lord and cried out for mercy.

Then came the statement…” I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.”

I’m certain that the disciples were thrilled with that statement.

They had apparently tried to bring relief.
They had tried to do what Jesus had told them...cast out demons.

But, they failed...and all knew.
Jesus’ response is not what would be expected.

“O faithless and perverse generation”...true enough…
“How long shall I be with you?”...time was running short, there was no time to waste…
“How long shall I suffer you”… how long shall I endure?

Jesus sinned not in these statements though they sound harsh.

Jesus then summoned the boy.
Jesus rebuked the devil.
The devil...demon...departed out of the boy.
The child was cured that very hour.

We learn some things.
A demon caused the problem.
Such is true today.
Jesus rebuked the demon, it left.
Such is true today.

Much of what we call “medical problems” are not such - they are demons having their way with humans.

The disciples waited until they were “apart with Jesus”...alone with Him...to enquire what had occurred - pride thing.

Why could they not cast out the demon?

Because of their unbelief.
Because of the littleness of their faith.
Such is true today.

Jesus then tells us the power of faith.
If we had the faith as a grain of a mustard seed...very, very small seed...then we could move mountains.
If we had that small element of faith...then nothing would be impossible unto you.

Again, nothing would be impossible.

Most believers live lives of the “impossible”.
There is little faith.

Oh, there is much work...much busy-ness...much endeavor...much of man.
But little faith.

Let us not be such.

May we be people of the “impossible”.

Oh, why did the disciples fail?

• little faith
• “this kind”...there is an apparent hierarchy within the demonic realm. This kind of demon does not go out but by prayer and fasting.

We must be ready in season and out of season.
Apparently, they were not.
Jesus did not say “wait...I’ll go fast and pray for three days and be back”...He was prepared.

May we be prepared by abiding in Him.

Blessings!