If you can believe

"And often he (the deaf and dumb spirit) has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Mark 9:22-23, NKJV

This is an excerpt from the record of what was perhaps the most difficult case of demonization which the disciples encountered during their time with Jesus, before His death and resurrection. Of course, this particular unclean spirit posed no difficulty for Jesus, but even He acknowledged to His disciples that there was something additional needed in casting out "this kind," which "can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting" (verse 29). This could lead to an intriguing study on the reality of demons, their wicked work and - praise God - our authority in Jesus' name to break their power, but what I want to focus on today are the two little highlighted phrases.

You see, the father of the child tormented by this demon spirit came to Jesus' disciples and since it proved no ordinary case, they were not able to cast the demon out at that time. When Jesus comes along and interrupts the fracas (the scribes are now disputing with the disciples), the anxious and desperate father asks Him, "But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

There is a direct link between his question and Jesus' response:
"If you can believe, all things are possible..."

It is the same with us today in every situation. We sometimes go to God with an attitude of "God if You can..." or "God if You care about me enough..." or "God if I earned enough worthy points..." We either question His ability or His willingness based on some condition, but God wants us to know that there is no limit to what He is able to do. It really is up to us. He will work in accordance with what we believe He is able to do. This sheer force of faith in God makes all things possible for a BELIEVER.

It's no wonder that we are reminded in Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." There we see it again. There is no ability deficit in Him. But He works according to the power that works in us.

Is there the power of faith, in God's ability and in His word (will), working in you?

Make sure of this and with God, nothing, no request in agreement with His will, shall be impossible for you.

That father of the demonized child recognized his need for faith and cried out to the Lord Jesus, and he took a perfectly healthy, hearing and speaking child home with him that day.