Pray, Believe, Live

Help my unbelief

Mark 9:17–29 “And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Mark 9:24–29 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.””

Nothing is more critical to your FAITH than a life of Prayer

The Lies that Silence our Prayers

God does not hear my prayers.

1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.””

God is punishing me for my sin and failure.

The whole book of Job dispels this myth. Job didn’t do anything wrong!

When you allow this myth to enter your prayers you give in to a performance mentality…you begin to believe Grace is something you earn.

I’m not praying hard enough.

Prayer is not about getting God’s attention…its about repositioning our heart, ears, and eyes to experience the presence of God.

My prayers aren’t good enough.

Prayer is not about good or bad, it’s about surrounding yourself with the presence of Jesus.

Pentecostals often over-complicate prayer…lots of words we have to say…sometimes the best thing to do is pray the prayers God has given us (the Psalms, Lord’s prayer, even prayers from other saints before us). Then let the prayers do the work.