Today, as we enter day 4 of praying for our children and grandchildren, we will bring our unbelief to the Lord. If the battle is the Lord’s – our eyes are on him! Let’s learn to bring our fear to Jesus and let him build us up in our faith.
Today, we return to Mark 9 to discover the truth about trusting Jesus in helping our children. We have already studied this passage, but today we will look at it from the perspective of the father of the afflicted boy.
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. ”
Jesus has the power to set our children free from sin, Satan and situations that are so overwhelming that other people give up on the idea of your child ever being set free. The case of the boy with the deaf and dumb spirit seemed impossible. The disciples, who were anointed and appointed by Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick couldn’t even figure out how to deal with the oppression. The boy’s situation seemed utterly hopeless. But when other people gave up, the boy’s father found Jesus.
What was the first thing Jesus asked the man? “How long has he been like this?” Even though it was a condition since childhood, Jesus’ power was strong enough to heal. In this case, we also see the importance of asking questions when faced with a seemingly hopeless situation. Jesus got to the bottom of this quickly.
The Father just wanted pity – something to be done. But, when he asked Jesus, “If you can,” Jesus was amused at the least. “If you can?! Anything is possible for him who believes!”
After this, we hear the man exclaim – “I do! But help me overcome my unbelief!”
Prayer point for the day: Help my unbelief! What unbelief do you struggle with concerning your children or grandchildren? Today, as you bring your child to Jesus, bring your doubt and fears first. Has unbelief kept you from believing God for a breakthrough for your child?
How can you grow in faith? Faith is a fruit of the Spirit. God gives us faith. Faith is not a “work.” Faith activates our work. Faith is being persuaded that God is who he says he is. This is important, because when you consider how powerful God is and that nothing is impossible with him, and then you consider the nature of his love, you can know that he cares for your children more than you do. He is able to do immeasurable more than we can ask or imagine. We also know that God’s will is that none should perish. Let’s read Matthew 18:12-14.
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
So, if it’s in God’s will that none should perish, and his heart is to leave the 99 to go after the 1, when you pray for your children to know God – you are praying in his will! You are agreeing with God! He has all power and will to accomplish what you are praying for.
It’s so important to be honest with God, if there is unbelief. It’s better to be honest that you struggle with unbelief and discouragment and submit yourself humbly to Jesus, asking him to help your unbelief than it is pretend you have it all together and don’t need any special prayers for yourself. God already knows what is in your heart. Pretending or ignoring the issue won’t give you better prayer results. Being honest is the first step to freedom and going deeper in your relationship with God. Cast all your cares upon him, because he cares for you. When we repent of our unbelief and our fears, then we can spend more time agreeing with God’s will on the behalf of our children.
Let’s spend time repenting for unbelief and asking the Lord to fill us with his Spirit.
Lord, I come to you and ask you to forgive me for my unbelief. I have worried more and prayed less. Please remove this block to prayer and faith in my heart.
I ask you to forgive me for fear. I have lived in fear instead of faith. I have worried and played out scenarios in my heart that are troublesome and upsetting. This fear has affected how I live with others and has stolen my joy and peace. Lord, please fill me with the truth of your love to drive out this fear. I renounce fear in Jesus’ mighty name and choose to live in the truth of God’s love. Perfect me with your love, Lord. Keep my mind and heart set on Jesus and on your heart for me, my family and our world.
I thank you that Jesus died that I might live! I thank you for forgiving my sin of unbelief. I renounce unbelief and doubt, in Jesus name. I pray that you will unleash faith into my heart and mind, so I can effectively pray for my loved ones.
Lord, your ways are higher than my ways. Your power is greater than I even can conceive. Today, I pray Ephesians 3:15-21 over my heart and mind.
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him (you Lord) who is (are) able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his (your) power that is at work within us, to him (you) be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Further prayer instructions.
After praying this Ephesians 3 prayer for yourself, pray it for your loved ones. Change out the bold personalized pronouns and use the names of your loved ones, instead. This prayer is a prayer you can pray daily to see a transformation the people the Lord has you interceding for.
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