Devotionals

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Mark 6: 7, 13
And He [Jesus] called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and He gave then power [authority/ permission or right to act] over unclean spirits. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

Mark 9: 14, 16-18, 20, 25, 28-29
And when He [Jesus] came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them [the disciples] disputing with them. And He asked one of the scribes, “What are you discussing [arguing] with them about?” Then one in the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. “And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes [grinds] his teeth and becomes rigid [stiff as a board]. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” Then they brought him [the boy] to Him [Jesus]. And when they saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. When Jesus saw 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!” And when He [Jesus] had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind [of spirit or demonic possession] can only come out by [through] nothing but prayer and fasting.”

NOTE: This is all the more amazing because Jesus had given His disciples [apostles] the authority over unclean spirits/demons and to perform miraculous healings [which they did] just three chapters earlier; according to Mark’s gospel.

Matthew 17: 19-20a, 21
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief. “However, this kind [of spirit or demonic possession] does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Luke 9: 37-42
Now it happened the next day, when they had come down from the mountain [of transfiguration], that a great multitude met Him [Jesus]. Suddenly, a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seized 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 [giving temporary relief from the pain and torment]. So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Then Jesus said, O faithless and perverse generation, how shall I be with you and bear [put up with] you? Bring your son here.” And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed [tore at him]. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

COMMENTARY: There are a few things worth noting, namely, Luke’s version has some missing details which are vital to our understanding of the narrative. The father’s only child [his son] was suffering from a severe malady in which the author describes partial symptoms but also mentions that it departs from him [in the form of temporary relief]. Luke omits the scribes arguing with the disciples [probably over this botched healing attempt]. Jesus chided the disciples [presumably not including Peter, James and John whom Jesus took with Him up on the mount of transfiguration] about why they couldn’t perform this miracle, which He says is due to their weakness of Faith as well as lacking the spiritually powerful anecdote of fasting and prayer.

This could be an ‘epiphany’ in seeking to answer the age-old question why there aren’t more manifestations of binding demons, miraculous healings and deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, not only among believers but to those outside the body of Christ because of a lack of spiritual exercise with “faith” combining together these two vital practices in our lives. Perhaps, if we are honest with ourselves, we really don’t believe in miracles today unless such phenomenon can be authenticated/validated in some kind of scientific study or clinical trial under strict controls and protocols conducted by an independent testing organization like Underwriters Laboratory.

Notwithstanding all of this, in our hearts we truly want to believe but it is counterintuitive to our experiences in reality, power of observation, sensory perceptions and common sense. We have to temporarily reject the information sent to our brain from our objective mind and embrace all the potential of the impossible, like the boy’s father who told Jesus, “LORD, I want to believe [even though it goes against everything I know, feel and think] but help my unbelief [rationalizations, logical reasoning, suspicions and doubt] (Cp. Mark 9: 24b).

It is surprising that Matthew as well as Luke omits the most important consideration in this matter, which is, the attitude of the petitioner for God’s grace. This is the tie that binds or separates us when it pertains to the accomplishment of a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power because if both, or how ever many [but at least two people], are truly in agreement and not just going along for the sake of appearances, then whatever we ask of the Father will be done for us.
Does it not say in these following scriptures?

Matthew 18: 19
Again I say to you if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father.

1 Corinthians 2: 4
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom [eloquence], but in demonstration of the Spirit and power [Heb. “Guevara”].

1 Corinthians 4: 20
For the kingdom of God is not in the talk of the eloquent speaker [Heb. ish sefatayim ] but in power [Heb. ko’ach]. OJB

2 Timothy 3: 1-2a, 5a
But know this, that in the last days perilous times [times of stress] will come: Men will be lovers of themselves [vain, egotistical, arrogant], having a form of godliness but denying the power [Heb. ko’ach] thereof.

2 Corinthians 10: 3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [earthly/physical] but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds [ideological and spiritually wicked forces of Satan], casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ [Moshiach].

Ephesians 6: 12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 10, 2011
[email protected]

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