Help My Unbelief!

“I do believe, help my unbelief!” 

Mark 9:24

I always pray this prayer, and I should pray it more often. In this story in Mark chapter 9:17-29, one of the men in the crowd surrounding Jesus’ disciples came forward and said, “ I brought my son for You to heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit. I asked Your disciples to cast it out but they could not....Have mercy on us and help us. Do something IF You can.”

“What do you mean, IF I can?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible IF a person believes.” The father instantly replied, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!” Jesus then proceeded to rebuke the evil spirit, “Spirit of deafness and muteness, I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again.” 

Today, doctors would probably diagnose that this child’s seizures were caused by abnormal activity in the brain. There would be no talk of evil spirits, and a doctor certainly would not rebuke a spirit of any kind. He would probably prescribe Levetiracetam or another drug that can treat epilepsy. Today, we like to ignore spirits and the spirit world altogether. 

But it says in Ephesians 6:12, “We are not fighting against people of flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” I always go to a doctor when I need to go. But I never forget to pray and claim God’s Word. 

Proverbs 4:20-22 (KJV), “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” The Word of God is our best insurance not only for our bodies but also for our soul and spirit.