Possessed from Childhood

Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10
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Scripture

The Healing of a Boy with an Evil Spirit

Mark 9

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer.

Observation

Have you ever wondered about passages like this? Demon possession of a child how can that be right? I can understand a demon possessing someone that has given his or her life over to sin and is living a life of spiritual rebellion, but a child how does that work. There is a lot that we don’t know about the principalities and powers that surround us.

I had a concerned parent tell me that their 4th grader had confided to them that he had seen a demon. He was very upset about what he saw. It had scared him. The parent of this child was already getting good counsel from a missionary couple in the school where he attended.

Evil is real. The demonic world is real. We live in a fallen world full of evil and ungodliness. We are in spiritual warfare.

Thank goodness we have a Savior that has already won the victory over Satan and all his co-workers. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.


Application

I will pray for this young man that is being harassed by the demonic. I will pray for his safety.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Lord, keep the satanic forces away from him. Give his parents wisdom in how to deal with this. Put a hedge of protection around him. You say that only by prayer can these demonic forces be dealt with and I am praying for this young man right now. You are all powerful nothing is too hard for you. Amen.


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