Jesus The Healer - He Had Compassion On Them lesson # 7

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. “

The word fulfilled is: Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.  The work was finished at the cross when Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter.  Is there a reason for you to hang onto your sicknesses?

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The prophetic utterance of Psalm 103 is powerful.  Speak to your soul to bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits.  Forgiveness of sin, healing of diseases, redeeming life from destruction, crowning with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfying your mouth with good things should be the expectation of your heart from your loving God.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is the substance and faith is the evidence.  It is the substance of the confident expectation of your heart; it is the body of evidence that says it belongs to you before the natural manifestation comes.

Matthew 9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  36  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  37  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  38 “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

Jesus went about healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  Jesus was moved with compassion for them.  Jesus compassion turned into a prayer directive.  Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  We surrender as labors to do the works of Christ.

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  14  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Jesus heard about His forerunner’s death and was trying to get away for respite care, and the crowd followed Him. Jesus Himself was moved with compassion and healed their sick.

Luke 7:12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.  13  When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."  14  Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  15  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

When the Lord saw her, He was moved with compassion.  Faithful God’s heart revealed! 

Luke 13:10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  11  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  12  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  13  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." 

Jesus called the woman to Himself.   He spoke and laid hands on her and immediately…  The religious folks of the day found fault with the goodness of God.

Luke 13:15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  16  "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound; think of it; for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  17  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

The heart of the Father is to loosen those who are bound; Jesus proved it by His actions.  The Father’s heart is toward you!

John 5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.  3  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  4  For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  5  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.  6  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"  7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." 

Jesus came to Bethesda and found a man who had been sick 38 years; Jesus had an imperative question to ask the sick man.  “Do you want to be made well?”

John 5:8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."  9  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.  10  The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."  11  He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"  12  Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"  13  But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.  14  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."  15  The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.  16  For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

Jesus speaks.  “Rise, take up your bed… See, you have been made well, Sin no more...” 

John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  2  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

The multitude followed Him because of the signs…

Mark 1:39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 

Lord if You are willing….  What says Jesus?

Mark 1:41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  42  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  43  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,  44  and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him.  Jesus spoke, “I am willing…”

Hebrews 4:15 KJV For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus is touched with the feeling of your infirmities; come to Him boldly in the time of need!

Hebrews 2:16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Jesus is uniquely qualified to come to your aid; it is His heart’s desire to minister to you!

Jesus is the faithful God

God is good all the time!

Jesus The Healer -The Girl ~ The Woman lesson # 6

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.“

What an awesome verse that connects the prophetic word of Isaiah with our lives.  Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sickness.  Now, you do not have to bear it?

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I would that every believer would meditate upon this passage.  Oh, that the level of expectation would be set by this living word from God.  The inhibitor can be that we are unaware of the benefits God has for us.  The command is, forget not all His benefits.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Living by faith is what every new testament saint of God is called to do. Faith is living in confident expectation and certainty that we have it even before it is manifested in the seen.

Mark 5:22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet  23  and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Jairus a ruler of the synagogue, heard of Jesus.  Jairus had set his heart!  If Jesus will lay His hands on my daughter she will be healed.  How we set our heart is so important!  Jesus went with him…  Can you receive?  Jesus is with you; He supports your declaration!

Mark 5:25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  27  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  28 For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 

The interruption!  Jesus is on His way to Jairus’s house and a certain woman… The woman heard about Jesus coming and she set her heart.  “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”  Her declaration turned into an immediately… learning to love God’s immediately. 

Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  31  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  32  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Jesus immediately knew healing virtue went through Him.  Her faith was connected to the setting of her heart, and the timing of her healing was connected to it.  “Daughter, your faith has made you well.”  What are the words of your mouth; what is it you declare?

Mark 5:35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 

“Do not be afraid; only believe.”  Jesus counteracted the words of death with words of faith.

Mark 5:38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  39  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping."  40  And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.

Jesus the master spoke, but not all received His word.  Jesus put those who ridiculed out!  He took in with Him those who were in faith.

Mark 5:41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  42  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.  43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

Jesus spoke to the little girl to arise.  Are you ever awestruck by the way Jesus operates?  Another Immediately!  The girl arose and walked.  Jesus is amazing!

Luke 8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  41  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house,  42  for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 

Jairus’s daughter is 12 years old.  This passage adds she was the only child he had.

Luke 8:43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  45  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" 

This woman had been afflicted with the issue of blood for twelve years.  This woman was full of pursuit of Jesus, He knew someone had reached out and touched Him.  Some cry out for Jesus to touch them; however, this woman had determined in her heart that she would touch Him!

Luke 8:46 But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  47  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  48  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." 

How do you make Jesus your pursuit?  This woman laid aside all other things and had a singleness of mind to touch Jesus.  Notice it this case it was not what Jesus did.  Power went out from Jesus because of her pursuit.  Jesus brought what this woman had done out into the open.  Note she declared to Him in the presence of all the people.  Jesus calls her daughter and assures her it was her faith that made her well.  “Go in peace.”

Luke 8:49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher."  50  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  51  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." 

1^st the disruption of the woman with the issue of blood.  Now the bad news coming from his own home.  Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the teacher.  Jesus had a word… “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.”

Luke 8:53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  54  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  55  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Jesus put the unbelief outside.  The Master took the girl by the hand and He spoke to her.  “Little girl, arise”.  She arose immediately; praise the Lord!

Matthew 14:34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

I believe the testimony of the woman with the issue of blood had spread.  Many begged that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Jesus is the faithful God

God is good all the time!

Jesus The Healer - He Took Them Aside # 5

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. “

The word fulfilled is: Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.  The work was finished at the cross when Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter.  Is there a reason for you to hang onto your sicknesses?

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The prophetic utterance of Psalm 103 is powerful.  Speak to your soul to bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits.  Forgiveness of sin, healing of diseases, redeeming life from destruction, crowning with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfying your mouth with good things should be the expectation of your heart from your loving God.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is the substance and faith is the evidence.  It is the substance of the confident expectation of your heart; it is the body of evidence that says it belongs to you before the natural manifestation comes.

Ezekiel 3:10 Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.

We are called to set our heart on the words that God speaks; hear with our ears.  Emotions, intellect, life circumstance can get in the way of hearing; hear the word without the earthly filters.  If we set our heart to hear in purity the word of God will produce the intended purpose of God.

Mark 7:32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.  33  And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.  34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 

Remember last week when Jesus came to an atmosphere of unbelief He could do no mighty works.  Jesus took this man aside from the multitude.  Jesus stuck his finger in his ears, and He spit and touched it to the man’s tongue.  Does Jesus want to move outside our box of understanding?  Will we allow Him to do so?  If God does not do it the way we thought are we offended?

Mark 7:35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.  36  Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.  37  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed.  Have you noticed the suddenly and immediately of the work of Jesus?  Awesome Savior indeed.

Mark 8:22  Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  23  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  24 And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." 

Jesus lead this blind man by the hand out of town.  Sometimes a change in the atmosphere is so important.  Jesus spit in this man’s eyes; unorthodox prescription indeed.  Jesus asked him if he saw anything… I see men like trees walking.

Mark 8:25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

Jesus put His hands on the blind man again and made him look up.  Note the first look for the blind man was around; Jesus called him to look up!  Look up child of God.  The man’s sight was restored and saw everyone clearly!

Matthew 9:18  While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  19  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  20  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  21 For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." 

Next week we are going to center on these healings in Mark and Luke; today I ask you to pay attention to the pursuit of the ruler and the woman toward Jesus.

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.  23  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,  24  He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.  25  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

The woman with the issue of blood pursued Jesus in faith.  The father pursued Jesus in faith.  Note that Jesus kicked out the noisy crowd of unbelievers.  Jesus took the dead girl by the hand, and the girl arose.  Note Jesus did not see the circumstance the way the wailing crowd did.  The crowd seen it as death; Jesus said she is not dead.  He seen in the spirit believed it and responded to what He seen in the spirit.  More on this next week.

Luke 5:17  Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  18  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  19  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." 

This is the third time we visit this healing; Matthew and Mark being the first two.  Repeated truth in the word is so important.  When Jesus saw their faith.  People moving toward Jesus in faith never left disappointed!  Jesus declared to the paralyzed man your sins are forgiven you.

Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 

The hearts of the Pharisees were not right; Jesus perceived their thoughts and dealt with them.

Luke 5:23 “Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  24 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

Don’t allow your heart to be moved away from faith because of the scribes and Pharisee types in your life.  The authority of Jesus is just as great to heal as it is to forgive sin.  This healing is the proof.  If He can forgive sin He can heal; if He can heal He can forgive sin.

James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Jesus may not want to spit in your eye or put spit on your tongue; however, He certainly calls us to obedience to the simplicity of the word.  When you get sick do you call the elders of the church or do you call the doctor.  Let me say quickly, I’m not against doctors; however, should we not give the word of God preeminence.  Call for the elders of the church, and let them pray, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise up.  And if they have committed sins, it will be forgiven.  Receive the word of God into your heart and let it change the way you live.

Jesus is the faithful God

God is good all the time!

Jesus The Healer - Dealing With Unbelief lesson # 4

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. “

Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses; Jesus bore it so we don’t have to.  What an awesome Savior.  There truly is no other like Him; turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

This is the God that I serve.  Forget not all His benefits; put His benefits in mind.  Nurture the truth that He forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases.  Jesus is the One who redeems your life from destruction.  Jesus is the one who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies.  Jesus is the one who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  Faithful God indeed; don’t forget is the command.  Our generation has been so far removed from the promise many are not sure if God does anything like this.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is substance; faith is evidence!  Faith is the substance of our confident expectation of the benefits He has promised.  Faith is the body of evidence we have received what has not yet manifested in the seen world.

Matthew 13:57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Jesus was limited because of their unbelief.  Now He did not do many mighty works there.  It was directly related to their unbelief.

Mark 6:4 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

This is Mark’s telling of the same incident; Jesus marveled because of their unbelief.  The atmosphere set with unbelief limits the working and demonstration of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 17:14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.  16 “So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."  17 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." 

The man brought his son to the disciples and they could not cure him.  Jesus response to the inability of the disciples was “O faithless and perverse generation…”  “Bring him here to Me.”

Matthew 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.  19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"  20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy; he was cured from that very hour.  The disciples asked Jesus privately “Why could we not cast it out?”   The answer goes to the heart of the issue.  “Because of your unbelief; … if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  The disciples had already cast out devils and healed the sick, what was different.  This boy had a demonic manifestation that allows unbelief to come to the disciples.  In fasting and prayer, the unbelief is removed and faith stands operative.  When faith is coupled with unbelief the faith is nullified. Jesus did not say the demon was too strong; Jesus pointed to unbelief mixed in with faith, turned faith to faithlessness.

Mark 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  18 “And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  19  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 

Note that Jesus had the expectation that the disciple should have been able to cast out the evil spirit.  Jesus was not pleased with the disciple’s inability to cast out the evil spirit.

Mark 9:20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.  22 “And often he 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."  23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 

Mark adds a flavor to the event between the boy’s father and Jesus.  So awesome! The man brought the boy to Jesus and the evil spirit convulsed him and fell to the ground wallowing and foaming at the mouth.  This demonstration was enough to move the disciples to unbelief; however, Jesus was not moved.  Jesus asked the father how long had this been happening to him.  The Father had come in faith to the disciples but the faith is now wavering because the disciples could not do it.  He said to Jesus “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Jesus always speaks the word that brings the seeker to faith. Listen to the WORD… “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  … WORD

Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” cried out the father.  Jesus spoke to the deaf and dumb spirit and commanded it to come out.  So many lessons to learn from the Master.  Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  Look at our Savoir healing and delivering.  Jesus heard the cry of the father, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  The dad set his heart to believe!  Set your heart…

Mark 9:28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

Prayer and fasting are the prescriptions to move doubt and unbelief.  It will make us effective in ministering.  Prayer and fasting do not move God; prayer and fasting clean our receptors from unbelief.  Like cleaning lenses to improve eyesight so fasting and prayer improve spiritual perception.  Faith is the evidence of what we see in the spiritual realm.  God wanted to heal the boy the entire time; this should never be in doubt. The disciples were moved to unbelief by the demonstrative circumstances around them. Has it ever reflected in your life that way?

Luke 9:37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 39 “And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 

Now it is Luke’s turn to share this deliverance with us.  This man’s pursuit did not stop with the disciples; he pursued the Master.  Anyone pursuing Jesus never left disappointed.

Luke 9:40 “So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  41 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."  42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

The rebuke to the disciples was strong indeed.  ‘O faithless and perverse generation.”  If our faith is mixed with unbelief we simply have been moved to faithlessness, God has the cure.  A lifestyle of prayer and fasting will keep one ready for the onslaught of unexpected circumstances

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Some have not seen the value of praying in the Holy Spirit.  Jude clearly teaches us we can build up ourselves on our most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

The bible defined way of praying in the spirit is here, by praying in the unknown tongue.  Paul said he would pray both ways.  In the unknown tongue, the spirit is praying and pray with the understanding.  He went further and said he would sing with the spirit and sing with the understanding.  Further still, Paul said he was glad he spoke in tongues more than them all.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Nurturing the faith that God has given you is by giving ear to the living word of God.  The word will make the circumstance look small compared to the greatness of your God.  Praying in the spirit, meditating on the word, and fasting can clean the receptors to make manifest from the realm of the spirit into the natural realm.

Jesus is the faithful God

God is good all the time!