“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?”

Numbers 30; Numbers 31; Mark 9
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Scripture

Mark 9

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

Observation

Sometimes I think that when we pray we pray and say something to the Lord similar to what this father said to Jesus. He was saying to Jesus, “Heal my son if You can?” to which Jesus responded back to him with a gentle rebuke and a huge promise.

Do you need to be reminded this morning that there is nothing happening in your life right now that Jesus cannot help you overcome. The word “anything” pretty much covers everything ... everything that might be going on right now at your house and I know that it covers everything that is happening at my house. Here are a couple of other places where this same fact or promise is repeated in scripture:

For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Isa. 59:1

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Jeremiah 32:17

Application

I will pray with boldness because I am a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and nothing is too hard for Him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, only You can do all things with the same ease and there is not one thing that is easier or more difficult for You to do because You are God. The seemingly impossible situations in my life are all easy for You to work out. Help me turn all of these situations over to You. Help my unbelief. Direct my thoughts today and help my thoughts be pleasing to You. Guide me through this day and help me be completely obedient to You. Keep me from sin. "O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!

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