A Lesson in Prayer and Faith

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: September 25, 2005

A Lesson in Prayer and Faith
by Dan Trygg

“When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 ‘I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.’ 17 And Jesus answered and said, ‘You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.’ 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ 20 And He said to them, ‘Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “'Move from here to there,'” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.’" Matthew 17:14-20
“When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ 29 And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’" Mark 9:28,29
“And by faith in His name, this man whom you see and know, …the name itself has made this man strong; and the faith that is by means of Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.” Acts 3:16

While Jesus and His three disciples were up on the mountain for a prayer retreat, the other disciples were left behind. We don’t know if Jesus left them with the crowds, or if the crowds happened upon them as they were searching for Jesus. What we do know is that He came upon them in the middle of a dispute (Mk. 9:14). Apparently a man with a boy who was unable to speak, given to fits, convulsions, followed by periods of rigidity. Matthew describes the boy as “moon-smitten” or a “lunatic”, a reference to a folk belief (or observation) that such epileptic-like fits seemed to increase and/or decrease with the activity of the moon. Mark and Luke attribute the cause of the boy’s affliction as demonization. This diagnosis also would explain the uncanny timing of these episodes of convulsions that had caused the boy “many times” to fall into water, or into a fire, endangering his life. Jesus’ response clarified that it was, indeed, a demon that was the cause of this poor boy’s problem.

The dispute arose because the father of the boy had come to the disciples with his son, asking for their help, and they were unable to cast the demon out. Some scribes happened to be present, who took advantage of the failure to start some kind of argument or discussion, pulling the disciples into controversy and quarreling (I Tim. 1:3-7; 6:3-5,20,21; II Tim. 2:14,23-26; Rom. 16:17,18), instead of focusing on the problem at hand. The disciples had taken the bait and lost not only their own personal peace and focus, but also control of the encounter. Suddenly these “bystanders” had become either outright antagonists, …or they had sidled up alongside the disciples as “religious experts” offering their own advice, which conflicted with the disciples’ approach. In any case, the recognized authority of the disciples as Jesus’ representatives was quickly being stolen or eroded away. Things were going from bad to worse. Imagine the disciples’ relief when Jesus showed up!

Apparently there was still some remaining glow or brightness from the transfiguration experience the night before, because Mark notes that when the crowd saw Jesus, they were completely amazed and marveled, and they immediately began running to greet Him (9:15). Jesus’ first concern was to ask what they were discussing. The father of the boy described the condition of his son, and how he had come to the disciples for help, but they were unable to cast out the demon. Jesus stepped in to address the problem, but not before giving the disciples a strong rebuke, “O unfaithful and having-been-twisted generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring your son here to Me.” (The disciples, who had cast out “many demons” and healed “many sick people” [Mk. 6:13] before, certainly were having a bad day. How would you like to get chewed out by Jesus!?!)

Mark’s account tells us that when the demon saw Him, he threw the boy on the ground in convulsions, and the boy began foaming at the mouth and rolling about. Jesus inquired how long this had been happening (Note: Jesus did not just know this. He had to ask – Heb. 2:14-18.), whereupon the father informed Him that from childhood this spirit had afflicted the boy. The father, already disappointed once, then said, “If You can do anything, please help us!” Jesus, beginning to draw a lesson out of this scenario, said, “If You can! All things are possible to the one believing” (Mk. 9:22,23), or, “All things are capable of being done by the one trusting.” Then, seeing that a crowd was running together, Jesus quickly commanded the spirit to come out from the boy, and no longer to enter him. Crying out and convulsing him, the spirit left.

Later on, in the house, the disciples asked Jesus why they were not able to cast out the spirit. After all, as mentioned above, they had cast out other spirits on numerous occasions. At this point, there is often some misunderstanding and misinterpretation of what follows. You will note that when you put all three synoptic gospel accounts there are two separate reasons Jesus gives for their failure: (1.) the littleness of their faith (Matt. 17:19,20); and, (2.) prayerlessness (Mk. 9:29). Seeing the relationship between these two apparently separate explanations is what I hope to bring out in today’s study. A closer look shows that in all three accounts Jesus referred to the disciples as “unbelieving” or “faithless”.

There are some textual variations to deal with. Without getting into great detail, if we accept the judgment of scholars who have devoted their lives to sifting through the multitude of texts and variant readings, only Mark’s version mentions the phrase, “this kind in nothing is able to come out if not by prayer” (Mk. 9:29). The phrase “and fasting” is also thought to be a later addition. Before getting embroiled in controversy over a complex area of study, let me point out that Jesus did not stop and pray or fast, so I believe that the intent of His comment was not to be understood as a technique to be used to get a demon to leave. In fact, in no encounter recorded in the NT do we have anyone praying (or fasting and praying) to get a demon to leave. Furthermore, the main teaching of even Mark’s account is about the importance of faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to the one believing.” In response, the father said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” The word translated as “unbelief” here is the same word Jesus used when He called the disciples “faithless” (vs. 19). I think the thrust of all three passages is about the lack of faith of the disciples. Prayer is mentioned as a method for building their faith, not as a method for forcing a demon to leave.

I think what happened is revealed for us by Jesus rebuke preserved in all three accounts. The disciples had been (1.) “faithless” or “unfaithful” and (2.) “having-been-turned-away” or “distorted”. Was that simply an angry rebuke, or was it a diagnosis of the problem? The disciples had not stayed dependent upon God. They had not been keeping close. They had been operating in their own strength. That is why they failed. Like Samson of old, who did not realize that the Lord had departed from Him, and that his mighty strength was gone (Judg. 16:15-20), so also the disciples had become non-chalant in their dealings with the spirit-realm. Like Samson, who said, “I will go out as at other times…”, the disciples also had become complacent and had taken for granted that they could command the demon to leave, “as at other times”, but it did not happen. The difference between them and Jesus was that the Lord had spent most of the previous night in prayer. He was “prayed up”, as some refer to it. Hence, He was strong in the Spirit, and He was able to be firm and confident in faith.

Let’s talk for a moment about faith. What is faith? Is it belief in a body of truth? Is it an expectation that something will happen if I follow certain principles, or “take a stand” upon some truth? If that is all it is, then the disciples fit those qualifications. They had correct doctrine in this area, and they certainly were confident, based upon “many” previous encounters with the demonic, that the command they were going to give would work. It had so many times before. When it did not, they should have been humbled and retreated to seek God as to why. Instead, they got embroiled in controversy, probably about their technique. Like ancient Israel, which suffered defeat in their attack on Ai (Josh. 7), they also should have humbled themselves, sought God by prayer and fasting (here is where fasting fits in, to humble ourselves to hear from God, and to be heard by Him) until He revealed to them what the problem was.

Some would quote Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Then they apply themselves to study scripture verses which they use to propagandize and brainwash their minds into a fanatical confidence. While this may embolden some to step out, often it is with disastrous or misguided results, for the same reason the disciples failed. They were not really in communion with God. They were using scripture verses as a license, or a check, or a coupon, or a ticket to accomplish what they think God’s agenda must be, but, in reality, they may be light years away from what He wants. Interestingly, even that verse, Romans 10:17, gets at the real issue, if we were to grasp it as it is in the original language. You see, the verse is about faith coming from hearing God’s personal word (rhema). Faith is not about an idea, or a concept. It is about the personal nature of relationship with Him. Faith is about responding trustfully and obediently to what He says. Faith grows as a fruit of relationship with Him (Gal. 5:22). It comes from communion with Him (Acts 3:16). Without communion and dependence, there can be no faith that is living and real. The disciples were lacking in faith because they were lacking in communion with God. Prayer is the doorway to intimacy with God, and from there faith will rise up, as we worship, ponder and fellowship with Him.