“If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” Mark 9:23
Dear Ones:
Christianity is a very active religion. There is nothing passive about it. This is not to say that there is not peace, and a “rest” of faith, for the Lord does lead us beside still waters, there to restore our souls. But with regard to believing God for that which He would have us trust Him for, there is no place for any hesitation, or reserve. The revelation of God in creation, and through the Scriptures, is such that He warrants our total trust, and this, all the time. Is this possible? To such a question, we would respond with Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “…Now unto Him that is able to do the exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Eph. 3:20) How then are we to believe, how much, how long, and with what expectation?
The story is told in the gospels of a father, who had a son, who was demon possessed. The demon sought to destroy the boy. The father brought the son to the disciples of Christ, but they could not deal with the demon. The father then came face to face with the Lord Jesus, and appealed to Him by saying, “…if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” (Mark 9:22) Jesus, knowing the heart of this father, knew that there was something that needed to be done in the father’s heart if the boy would be healed. The father had exhibited a certain faith in Christ, by seeking Him out. To bring this father to the faith that he needed for the healing of his son, the Lord placed before him a “bridge” that the father had to cross. It was a bridge of impossibility, for the Lord told the father, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” The father realized that he had not this faith to cross such a bridge, to believe God for the impossible. In the sincerity, and honesty, of his own heart, he would cry out with tears: “Lord, I BELIEVE; help thou mine unbelief.” (v.23) Here is a man who is brought to a bridge of faith that he sees he cannot pass over. What does he do? He calls upon the Lord who alone can strengthen his heart to believe in the power of God, without hesitation or reserve. The result was that the Lord healed the child.
What about the Christian, or disciple of Christ? What is he to believe, and to what extent? In the matter of the forgiveness of sins, and cleansing, will the disciple believe God for true and total cleansing by the precious blood of Christ? Will he also believe God for the fullness of the Spirit, the strengthening by the Spirit, and His certain leading in the life? Is it not the WILL of God for the believer to be cleansed, and kept clean, walking in the light as Christ is in the light? And is it not the WILL of God for the believer to be consistently filled with the Spirit, that the testimony of the living Christ in his heart should be revealed, and manifested? What then is the key to such faith? We discover the answer in the experience of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus.
We see that this father had certainly heard of Jesus. It is possible that had even seen some of His miracles. And yet, even though there was the pressing need of his son, there was some hesitancy in staking all on Christ as His Messiah. When confronted with a need in his heart, that only God could meet, he would cry out to God for the faith that he needed. Was it given? Yes. Are we called upon to believe God in the same manner, as this loving father of the child? Yes. Will we be given the same quality of faith if we trust God for it?
Dear Father, give us the faith in Thee, that is without hesitation or reserve, according to your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad