Read Mark 9:14-29
“And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”—Mark 9:18
As He descended the Mount of Transfiguration, followed by Peter, James, and John, Jesus is met by a man who brought his demon possessed son to be healed. Since Jesus wasn’t there, the man asked the other disciples but they couldn’t. So Jesus does what the disciples couldn’t do, heal the boy.
Interestingly these same disciples are recorded as having performed similar miracles in Mark 6:7-12, yet now they are powerless to help. The difference Jesus told them was the need for prayer for this more difficult, persistent kind of evil (Mark 9:29). The context doesn’t indicate a reference to prayer immediately prior to performing a miracle—we don’t see Jesus actually in prayer before He casts out the demon. Instead, Jesus fixes the disciples’ focus beyond prayer for this moment to embrace the importance of a consistent life of prayer.
The power of the enemy is ever present and on the rise. The world stands desperately in need of the power of God to heal wounds, heartaches, and turmoil in lives, families and communities. Just like this desperate father, the world comes to us, Jesus’ disciples, expecting to see a glimpse of our Master. But we can’t show them the power of Jesus Christ that makes a difference in life without the power of prayer in our lives.
That kind of impactful power comes from a life consistently committed to prayer. With that kind of prayerful living, we can do anything God would have us to accomplish.
A mentor once proclaimed, “Prayer is the most powerful, yet most neglected weapon in the Christian arsenal!” The most powerful weapon can be effective only when it is employed. Use your weapon today!
Lesson to Remember: The answer to impacting a world full of trouble is a “prayer full” life.
“…men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”—Luke 18:1
