Peter, James and John had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. When they came down, they found the other disciples arguing with the teachers of the Law. Jesus inquires about the discussion. A father s.jpg forward and tells Jesus about his son, who was demon-possessed. He had brought him to the disciples, but they could not cast the demon out of the boy. Jesus rebukes the crowd for their unbelief. Corporate agreement is vital to the operation of faith. Remember when Jesus returned to His hometown, He was limited as to what He could do by the unbelief of the people.

Jesus requests the father to bring the boy to him. The demon throws a little fit, trying to show his power. Jesus asked the father how long the boy had been like this. I think this can also be interpreted to mean -- how long have you been putting up with this? As a believer, you have power and authority, not just over demonic forces, but you also have power to invoke change in your life. The question is -- how long are you going to put up with life less than what God intended you to have? A friend once told me -- if you tolerate it, you deserve it. When you have the power, the authority, and the ability to produce change in your life and don't act on it, the consequence is nobody's fault but your own. We read the Bible. We listen to preachers declaring the truth about the power and authority that we have as believers but fail to act on it. Why? The same reason the demon could not be cast out of the boy -- unbelief.

The father of the boy told Jesus the story of how bad things were. He asked Jesus to help, if He could. Jesus not only answered his question but also told him why the demon had been in his son for so long. "If you can," Jesus said. "All things are possible for him who believes."

It wasn't a question of the availability of power but a question of the father's ability to believe. It was not a question of Jesus' faith to act, but of the father's faith to receive. The father recognized the problem, changed his mind-set from doubting to believing. The demon's right to be in the boy was removed, and Jesus commanded him to come out.

Later the disciples asked why they could not cast the demon out. Mark records, "This kind comes out only by prayer and fasting." Matthew records, "Because you have so little faith." These answers seem different, but they are actually the same. Fasting is not about moving God closer to you -- it is about moving you closer to God. Fasting is all about intimacy with the Father, learning the heart of the Father towards you. When you know His heart, you will believe, and all things are possible for him who believes.

Harold Martin is pastor of Lake Marion Christian Fellowship in Santee.

Local pastors are encouraged to send column submissions to: Wendy Jeffcoat Crider, features editor, The Times and Democrat, P.O. Box 1766, Orangeburg, SC 29116, or by e-mail at wjeffcoat@timesanddemocrat.com. Submissions are due Tuesdays at noon. Based on response, a different pastor will be featured each week.

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