Do You Have Enough Faith?

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out? “He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.“ Mark 9:28-29

In the story of Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy, the disciples are confused about why they could not drive out the demons. We are unsure if it was a lack of faith on the part of the disciples that caused their efforts to fail or if they didn’t have the authority to perform the miracle at the time. But I understand their frustration.

Have you ever prayed for something good and not received it? We know God’s plan is always for us to have healing and overcome evil with good. So why do we pray for precisely that and then see nothing change? Is our faith lacking?

I have prayed for the same healing for many years now, and I question why God has not healed me of my pain. Does He not want to see me free from this burden? Is my faith lacking for this healing? Why hasn’t God fixed this yet!? There are many reasons God might not do everything we want Him to do. I must remember God wants what is best for me. I gain faith by relying upon Him in times of trouble. Also, God’s timing differs from mine. If He fixed all our problems right away, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to grow.

Jesus tells the disciples, “This kind can come out only by prayer.“ Did you know every time we pray, we unleash the power of Jesus Christ? What if we stopped praying? What if we did not need to depend upon God? Our tragedy is not in our lack of healing but in our lack of faith to believe He has already healed us. Every prayer we offer up, every second we lean on God, every step we take in submission to His will, actively heal us. The demons are leaving us and fleeing with every breath we use to utter the name of Jesus Christ. “This kind“ of healing requires effective prayer. Prayers that are 100% dependent upon God and allow Him to unleash His power in us, in His time, and for His glory. There is no rush to finish the work of the Lord, and He is perfecting our healing in His perfect timing.

If you have ever been frustrated with unanswered prayer and have questioned your faith, this is the time to press into prayer even more. It can be hard when we feel unheard. But God always hears our prayers. (Jeremiah 29:12-13) He even hears the unspoken prayers, the thoughts, the desires, the truths we don’t have the guts to utter in prayer.(Romans 8:26-27) When you feel the least amount of faith, is the time to pray even more fervently. God is drawing you out of your unbelief with every breath you pray. Keep talking to God, He is listening.

Heavenly Father,Thank you for always hearing me. Keep me always in rememberance of your promises and of answered prayers. In Jesus‘ name. Amen.

Relevant Bible Verses

Jeremiah 29:12-13 – Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Romans 8:26-27 – In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Reflect and Respond

Take a few minutes and list out several of your answered prayers. Now, thank God for those answered prayers as you continue to pray for those things you have not yet recognized God’s answers.

How do answered prayers strengthen you to pray for even greater things?

Respond in prayer by praying for something you have been waiting on for a long time and ask God to strengthen your faith in the waiting.