There’s a story in the Gospels that demonstrate the underlying root of unbelief in our lives that we can learn from. In Mark chapter 9, Jesus and the three closest disciples to Him come down from the mountain after the Transfiguration. He almost immediately was met by a man who brought his son to the other disciples to be healed. But they couldn’t do it.
In Mark 9:22, the father asks a question taht many Christian are still asking Jesus today. He said, “And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.”
Many Christians today are asking Jesus to help them, if He can. And Jesus answered him the same way he answers us today. In verse 23 He says, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
The problem many people have today is that they think taht God working in their life is up to God. No. Right here Jesus said it was up to the man. And it’s up to us as well. If we have faith, all things are possible. “All” means “all.” Nothing is impossible for God and nothing is impossible if you have faith in God.
If you would stop reading there, you’d wonder why the disciples couldn’t heal the man’s son. After all, the reason the man brought his son to them is taht they had a reputation for healing. Jesus had already given them power and authority to heal all matter of sickness and cast out unclean spirit in Matthew 10:1, which was before this event.
But when they were alone the disciples asked why they couldn’t cast out the unclean spirit and Jesus tells them it was “…because of your unbelief.” Every spiritual failure is a faith failure. Spiritual power, even if you possess all you’d ever need, does not work by unbelief. It only operates by faith. If there is no faith mixed with the power, then the power remains ineffective.
But why were the disciples in unbelief? They had been around Jesus long enough. They had been casting out plenty of unclean spirits and healing plenty of sick people. They obviously had the authority and power. So what was causing the unbelief?
If you jump down a few verses, you’ll see why.
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. — Mark 9:33-34 KJV
In the New Covenant, we are only given one supreme commandment. Everything else flows out of that. That is the commandment of love (John 13:34). Biting, devouring, and arguing over personal preeminence is the ultimate work of the flesh and carnal babyhood. It is not walking in love. And Galatians 5:6 says that “faith worth by love.” The God kind of love is the power that makes faith work and faith is what makes the power of God work.
By arguing over who would be the greatest, the disciples allowed themselves to get lifted up in pride, the same exact sin that caused Lucifer to fall. Their carnal attitude, falling into sin, broke their fellowship and stripped their faith of power, which robbed them of God’s best.
But we can learn from their mistakes and build on their foundation of faith. The Lord is with us and we’re walking in faith and love and will accomplish what the Lord has called us to do.
