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Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 7:18:17 AM
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Little_1
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The Healing of a Boy with an Evil Spirit (Mark 9:14-29)
14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whensoever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. 22"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
29He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
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It seems that Jesus performed 2 miracles on this ocassion:
1 He healed the demon possessed boy
2 He helped the father to believe
Q - Was it the father's belief which Jesus answered and healed the boy as a result of or was it Jesus' belief? (see verses 23). What does Jesus mean by "If you can" in verse 23?
Help appreciated.
< Message edited by Little_1 -- 7/12/2008 7:26:36 AM >
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"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
ROMANS 12:12
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 7:34:10 AM
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mvic
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Faith is inevitably accompanied by an element of doubt. Why?
When God invited us to love Him he didn't want to force us to do so. He wanted us to choose freely. That's why He allows an element of doubt to creep into our minds from time to time. Too much doubt can lead us astray. We should learn to control it.
In this case, the father of the child believed, a little. He still had doubts about Jesus' powers. But his tiny bit of belief was enough. Jesus healed his son on that small evidence alone.
On another occasion He said that if we had Faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains.
All we need do is take that very small step into Faith, and like the father in this story, ask God to help us grow in Faith.
To answer your question: Jesus of course healed the boy. Jesus had belief in Himself, being God's only Son. But the tiny amount of belief from the father was the first step needed for Jesus to heal the boy; and teach those gathered there that they too only need a minute amount of Faith to be on their way towards God and salvation.
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http://www.holyvisions.co.uk
Welcome to my Blog
MEI VITA INDICO CHRISTUS
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 8:59:25 AM
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drmark
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quote:
To answer your question: Jesus of course healed the boy. Correct - the grace of God healed the boy by the divine miracle of Jesus initiated through the father's miniscule faith. Sounds very much like salvation! The grace of God saves us by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ initiated through the miniscule faith we exercise in Him.
Regarding verse 23, I wonder if the boy's dad has come to a point of such despair that he is willing to take any improvement, not even daring to hope for a complete cure. Seems as though Jesus is redirecting dad's goals toward full healing, not merely "anything you can do" in this hopeless situation. Again, I see a parallel in salvation theology where so many seem content with taking any improvement for their lost soul, instead of fully surrendering to the grace and power of the Holy Spirit for truly abundant living! Why do we so often underestimate the ability of Christ's Love indwelling our entire being?
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 10:49:55 AM
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Liveloved
Posts: 1362
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quote:
It seems that Jesus performed 2 miracles on this ocassion:
1 He healed the demon possessed boy
2 He helped the father to believe
Q - Was it the father's belief which Jesus answered and healed the boy as a result of or was it Jesus' belief? (see verses 23). What does Jesus mean by "If you can" in verse 23?
I immediately thought of the time the leper came to Jesus. following the Sermon on the Mount. The leper says something very similar to Jesus, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Matt 8:2)
If You are willing and if You can do anything are both dependent on the one being asked. I see this as faith, small faith indeed, but faith nonetheless that does not presume to know the will of God. There is a humility in such questions and Jesus honors that humility by healing the ones in need. There is something to be learned through their example. This was, perhaps, their first meeting with Jesus. Their faith had not had time to grow, to mature.
It is Jesus Who heals but He asks us to come, to ask, to seek, and, yes, He will answer. These men believed enough to come and ask the Healer. That's what He wants from you and me, for us to seek Him in our need. He has the answer because He IS the answer. Praise the Lord!
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 1:41:29 PM
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mvic
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Two more examples if I may:
The woman who was very ill and thought: "If only I could touch the edge of His garment, I'll be healed." Her Faith was such that she felt she didn't even have to ask.
The second example is the crippled man whose friends lowered him through the roof. In that case it was the Faith of his friends (as well as his) which led to his healing. They could have said: "Don't be silly - we're not going to destroy a roof to get you in the house ..." But they did let him in through the roof, and he was healed.
These and other examples teach us to take the first step, however hesitantly, into blind Faith and believe in Him.
Sadly, today there are many who are still not prepared to take that first small step.
_____________________________
http://www.holyvisions.co.uk
Welcome to my Blog
MEI VITA INDICO CHRISTUS
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 1:57:05 PM
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semperfidelis
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Sometimes God heals in order that our faith may be increased, not because we had faith in Him.
John 11:39-44 " 39 "'Take away the stone,' he said. 'But, Lord,' said Martha, the sister of the dead man, 'by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.' 40 Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?' 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.' 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!' 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go.'"
Not the most glamorous story, but a true modern day one:
A friend of mine was in a bad mood flying back from a conference in Florida 2 years ago. It was a great conference, but it was also at this time that his girlfriend broke up with him. At 28, he was getting frustrated over that and a few other things. Anyways, he was sitting beside a boy and the boy's grandmother. The boy was complaining of a headache and there was nothing the grandmother or the boy knew to do about it. They weren't Christians, but my friend felt God telling him to pray for the boy's headache and that the boy would be healed. My friend was ticked off at God a bit and didn't want to. After procrastinating he finally asked, "Would it be alright if I prayed for you?" The boy said, "Uh, sure." "God, I ask that You would give them a safe trip home and that You would take away his headache. Amen."
A couple minutes later the boy exclaimed to his grandma, "Hey, my headache is gone! He prayed for me and my headache is gone!"
My buddy's slightly sarcastic thoughts: "Great. You healed the boy but I'm still ticked off. You can still use me even when I'm in a bad mood, my faith is low, and I don't feel like being used. There has to be some lesson and/or divine irony in here somewhere."
_____________________________
The man in the arena....
If I rise and succeed, it's because His hand has lifted me.
I may not have 3 greek letters but I have 2 latin words: SEMPER FIDELIS (no, I'm not a marine, but we like the same things)
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 2:25:18 PM
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Liveloved
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Thank you, Little_1, for I have been meditating on these scriptures today!
And some further thoughts:
Little faith, new faith, young faith says "if you can or if you're willing".
Much faith, grown faith, strong faith says "He is able". Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego told Nebuchadnezzar.
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 4:46:55 PM
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Little_1
Posts: 876
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Liveloved
......Little faith, new faith, young faith says "if you can or if you're willing".
Much faith, grown faith, strong faith says "He is able". Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego told Nebuchadnezzar.
This is interesting. Thank you Liveloved. 
_____________________________
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
ROMANS 12:12
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RE: Whose belief healed the boy? - 7/12/2008 6:02:27 PM
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SonInMe1
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Faith does not heal. God does. There were many with great faith that were not healed. Paul was not healed and it would hard to consider his faith as being small.
My position....
we are in a covenent relationship with God...a pact/agreement. Our part, is to have faith in God. When I pray, I do not pray, if it is your will Father. I pray in confidence, faith, that God will do, whaever it is He does and it is not up to me, in any way, to question wether or not, or how, God answers my prayer. My part is to pray, and ask God, and praise God, and to thank God.
God's part is...what it is. I ask. God does what He does.
A greater faith does not need proof. Thomas had a lesser faith, though faith it was, because he wanted proof. Jesus said those who follow would not have such proof but would believe anyways, a greater faith.
This kind of faith was lacking in many of the people who were around Jesus. Remeber, they did not really understand the totality of Who Jesus was. They had no New Testament to go to, to understand. The disciples didn't know truly what was happeneing until that day of Pentecost when they recieved the Holy Spirit.
We now can have this faith. We know who Jesus is. My encouragement....would be to accept this knowledge and let that knowledge grow in your hearts so you truly accept that Jesis is God, loves you and can do miraculous things. That we trust Him and follow Him and have a great faith in Him.
Malachi 3:10 is more than just about the tithe. Its about trusting God.
Matthew 6:25-33 is more than just placing everything we have in priority to our relationship with God. Its about trusting God.
Through trust our faith can be great.
_____________________________
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
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