Faith to Moves Mountains

Mark 9:14–29 (NKJV)

14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” 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.” 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.” 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. 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.”

Introduction

A BUSINESSMAN had to travel to a small town for a meeting and invited his wife to come with him. She was excited about the trip until she learned her husband was going to be flown to the small town in a twin-engine Cessna plane. “Honey, I’ve decided not to go.” “What! Why not?” “I am not going on a little-bitty, twin-engine Cessna.” Her husband smiled and knowingly said, “Honey, your faith is too small.” She quipped, “No, the plane is too small.” The businessman really wanted his wife to go with him, so he canceled the Cessna and booked travel on a major airline. His wife went with him because, as she put it, “her faith grew because the size of the plane grew.” The object of her faith determined how much faith she decided to have.

In Mark 9:29, Jesus and His disciples encounter a man whose son is possessed by a mute spirit.

The disciples had attempted to cast out the spirit but were unsuccessful.

Jesus, upon arriving, rebukes the unclean spirit and sets the boy free.

Afterwards, the disciples privately ask Jesus why they couldn't drive out the spirit themselves.

In response, Jesus tells them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."

This verse highlights the importance of a strong and reliant prayer life and the practice of fasting when facing spiritual battles.

It serves as a powerful reminder that our dependence on God through prayer is the key to overcoming challenges and experiencing His power in our lives.

So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

I. The Power of Faith

A. Jesus' rebuke and teaching on faith

A lot of preachers feel that the disciples did not have faith. The truth is they had faith. However, they were going off the faith of what they had done previously. (2 x 2)

Each Spiritual encounter requires discerning what spirit is active and preparation for dealing with that spirit.

1. Challenging the disciples' little faith

Matthew 17:20 “And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

He was not saying that they had no faith. He was saying that this situation required a mature faith.

If you are facing a situation that seems impossible, its not that you have no faith, its that you haven’t allowed your faith to mature.

2. Mustard Seed Faith - What do you do with a seed?

You faith must have potential to grow and mature so that it can move mountains.

We have a tree in my back yard that when we first moved in was still growing. Over the 12 years we have lived there we have had to trim this tree. One time the roots of that tree began to raise the fence between us and our neighbors.

If the roots of a tree can raise a fence what can your faith develop to do?

B. The limitations of human effort

Zechariah 4:6 - The Lord's declaration that it is not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit.

There are things we can do physically that God allows us to do. But there are things that are outside of our control and outside of our abilities that ONLY God can do.

God sized problems require a God sized answer and our faith must be enough to move God’s hand.

Ephesians 6:12 - The reminder that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces.

We are dealing with situations that are unseen and must require a readiness for that situation.

Its not enough to fast. “Fasting without prayer is merely a diet. Fasting and Prayer leads to an encounter with God.”

II. The Role of Prayer

In your fast you must make time to talk with God and listen to God. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. Faith is activated when you pray OUTLOUD to a God you cannot see, but believe that He exists.

A. Prayer is a demonstration of faith

Prayer is an expression of dependence on God.

Men refuse to pray because they refuse to depend on God.

Philippians 4:6–7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The reason so many are dealing with anxiety today is because they lack a lifestyle of prayer and thanksgiving.

Prayer and supplication helps us to acknowledge God as our only source and hope.

Prayer is an act of surrender and submission to God's will

Matthew 26:39 “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, submitting to God's will above His own.

When you pray you are putting God’s will above your own and humbling accepting it.

B. Prayer is a means of spiritual connection and empowerment from the Holy Spirit.

1. Prayer is a way to draw near to God and seek His guidance

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

We are met with the promise that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.

2. Prayer is a channel for receiving God's supernatural power

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

The disciples' prayer for boldness, resulting in the place being shaken and them being filled with the Holy Spirit.

III. God wants us to activate our faith.

A. You must start with cultivating faith to moves mountains.

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

No one wants anyone to not trust them. IT is hard to be in a relationship with someone who does not believe in you. The only thing that can hinder that is one person has been untrustworthy, then that person has to regain trust. God has always been faithful.

B. Trust in God's faithfulness and supernatural power.

1. Starts with surrendering our limitations and relying on God's unlimited power

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

2. Faith has the potential to bring about supernatural results.

Matthew 21:22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Jesus' promise that whatever we ask for in prayer, believing, we will receive.

V. Conclusion