All Things Are Possible

Mark 9:14-29 All Things Are Possible 

Introduction

 There are times where you sense God’s presence in a strong and unforgettable way and then there are those times where you wonder where God’s presence is. If you have done much ministering in the name of Jesus you may have encountered times where God’s power seems to flow through with ease and then you had times where there seemed to be no power or authority at all.

Key verse Jesus – v 23 “All things are possible for one who believes”

V. 24 I believe, help my unbelief

This is a passage on faith 

2 Cor 5:7 we walk by faith not by sight

Gal 2:20 life I live l live by faith 

Heb 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God 

This scene of the demon possessed boy hits them as they have just come off of the mountain top.

What’s your level of faith, how strong

Your faith determines in part your effectiveness in prayer, and the opportunity to experience God’s activity 

Juxtaposition

Mt – 

This is in a valley

Mt – glory

Valley suffering

Mt – God dominated scene

Demoniac 

Mt - Father is pleased

Father literally tortured

Mt – perfect son

Perverted son

Mt Holy wonder

Unholy terror 

V 14 They – Peter, James John and Jesus 

V 15 Crowd greatly amazed – only Mark uses this word

Absolutely awestruck 

12 yr olds at a Justin Bieber concert 

Why – his reputation, they have heard, and now he is there with them. 

V 16 He asked – what are you arguing about? Disciples don’t answer, scribes don’t answer,

No one wants to answer due to embarrassment 

But the day does speak 

Based on the context, they probably were arguing over the disciples’ inability to cast out the demon and heal the man’s son. The religious teachers were probably saying, “Since you can’t deliver this man’s son in the authority of your Jesus then that proves that the authority of Jesus isn’t real. You guys are fakes. You are guys are telling people this Jesus is the Messiah and deliverer, but He is not here to help and you are unable to help this man’s son.” This was an opportunity for them to question and challenge the authority of Christ.

V 17 dad speaks 

V 25 cant hear either 

An “evil spirit” is a wicked supernatural being sometimes called an unclean spirit, impure spirit, deceiving spirit, lying spirit, demonic spirit or demons. Evil spirits work against God and His people. They are a part of the kingdom of darkness and fully support Satan’s agenda. Their intention is to inflict physical harm, moral perversion, mental confusion, and spiritual depravity. They fully embrace Satan’s mission of killing, stealing, and destroying anything created by God that might give God glory. They are a significant part of the spiritual battles you face every day. These evil spirits have been actively doing Satan’s work since the Fall. They do not usually make their presence known, choosing rather to operate covertly by disguising themselves as something more acceptable. When they possess someone they usually take the form of some emotional or mental disorder. Listen carefully, I’m not saying that all emotional and mental disorders are the result of an evil spirit. All physical, emotional, and mental disorders are a result of the Fall, when sin enter the human race and created broken people. If you were to remove all the evil spirits from the world, you would still have physical, emotional, and mental disorders because of the sinful nature we are born with. In most cases the cause is psychological or physiological, but in some cases it is demonic. What I’m saying is that evil spirits will often mimic these various disorders to stay hidden and mistreated. In this case, modern medicine or treatment could not have helped.[

The Gospels make a definite distinction between demon possession and physical illness. In this particular case there seems to be a blurring of this distinction. The symptoms described by the father imply epilepsy, especially a grand mal seizure. This “evil spirit” was possessing the man’s son and trying to hide it under the disguise of epilepsy. The “evil spirit” was mimicking epilepsy. Let me be clear by repeating myself, the Bible is not saying that anyone who has the signs or symptoms of epilepsy is possessed by an evil spirit. What the Bible is saying is in this case the boy’s problem was an “evil spirit.”

V 18 it seizes him, throws him down and foams and grinds teeth

Luke uses word that means “mauls” him 

Matt uses word that mean lunatic, insane

Mark – seizes – throws him down – to break, shatter, to crack into fragments 

Repeated concussive blows to child’s head

Being thrown to the ground repeatedly 

V 18 disciples unable to cast it out

Recall Mark 6:7 gave them authority over unclean spirits

Mark 6:13 they cast out many demons 

They’ve done it before, but now suddenly they can’t

V 19 O faithless generation 

Luke -faithless and twisted generation

Jesus is exasperated

How did you get off track?

How did you get perverted to be no so ineffective? 

What has changed in your faith?

Is it less than it ought to be from what it once was 

V 19-20 how long am I to bear with you? 

They are not functioning in the authority he had given them 

Jesus is disappointed 

V 19 bring him to me – when the Spirit saw Jesus, the spirit overtook the boy

Look what Jesus does at that moment 

ASKS- how long has he been this way?

He asks because He is not just a problem solver, but a person with feeling, 

He relates – he has time for you, He cares for you 

HE is a relational God 

Wants to walk, talk, and interact with you 

V 21 From childhood – cast into fire to destroy him 

We know nothing about is mother 

V 22 but if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us 

No real faith – “if you can” he is not sure Jesus can

V 23 Jesus is taken back “If I can??” seriously, I created the world, everything is uder my command

“all things are possible for anyone who believes”

Do you have to believe that Jesus can do it?

That he can heal you, your loved one?

That he can heal and help your marriage

That he can resolve that situation at work.

That he can break that addiction 

That he can provide all that you need 

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO THEM TO WHO BELIEVE

There’s no fine print – why are you creating the fine print –“but what about or what if…?”

Do everything we can to believe he will honor His word 

What means makes all things possible – “believes”

What you believe about Him, you and your situation determines what you receive 

V 24 – I believe, help my unbelief 

How much faith does it take for God to fulfill “all things”

Matt – 17:19-20 why couldn’t we cast it out? 

To little faith 

Grain of a mustard seed 

 V 25 - Don’t enter Him again

Can demon come back? 

Matt 12:43-45 sprit returns with 7 more spirits

Heart must be filled with Christ. 

V 26 – Not sure he was dead, just appeared to be

Gets up completely healed

V 28 why could we not? 

3 Applications

1. Bring Your Children To Jesus 

Pray for your children, and grandchildren 

Lead them to Jesus 

2. Believing God can do something and having faith God will are not the same

“I believe God can” that’s not faith

“I believe God will” 

Did the 9 disciples (who had cast our demons) believe they could cast out that demon

V 18 “ask them to cast it our and they tried but couldn’t do it 

What they thought was faith wasn’t faith at all 

Do you have faith to know that He will. 

There’s a faith to believe for salvation

Serving gift of faith

Supernatural faith 1 Cor 12 gift of supernatural belief

3. Time in God’s presence increases and strengthens our faith

Faith comes by hearing the word of God 

Mark 9:28 why could t we cast it out?

Only takes a tiny bit

But they were faithless and twisted

They believed they had the authority but didn’t have the faith to believe it would come out. 

They weren’t apparently praying enough

Only comes out by prayer 

Your experience of Gods power working in your life is directly proportionate to the time your are spending in God’s [presence in prayer and worship 

They seemed to have forgotten where the authority and power comes from over the kingdom of darkness. Jesus reminded them they must have a strong connection and fellowship with God through prayer and faith to experience His spiritual authority flowing through their lives.

 The Bible does mention epilepsy or seizers as a condition separate from demon possession. Matthew 4:24 says, “So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them” (emphasis added). Here epilepsy is listed with other physical ailments, indicating that epilepsy is a medical condition that can cause symptoms similar to demonic possession. Jesus healed epileptics, and He also cast out demons. The two conditions were not synonymous.

What do you desire most?

If you want God’s power, you have you commit to pray 

Prayerlessness leaves us with a weak and twisted faith 

KEEP YOURSELF PRAYED UP

KEEP FAITH BUILT UP

KEEP 

Mark 9:14-29 All Things Are Possible 

 There are times where you sense God’s presence in a strong and unforgettable way and then there are those times where you wonder where God’s presence is. If you have done much ministering in the name of Jesus you may have encountered times where God’s power seems to flow through with ease and then you had times where there seemed to be no power or authority at all.

Key verse Jesus – v 23 “All things are possible for one who believes”

V. 24 I believe, help my unbelief

This is a passage on faith 

2 Cor 5:7 we walk by faith not by sight

Gal 2:20 life I live l live by faith 

Heb 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God 

This scene of the demon possessed boy hits them as they have just come off of the mountain top.

What’s your level of faith, how strong

Your faith determines in part your effectiveness in prayer, and the opportunity to experience God’s activity 

Juxtaposition

Mt – 

This is in a valley

Mt – glory

Valley suffering

Mt – God dominated scene

Demoniac 

Mt - Father is pleased

Father literally tortured

Mt – perfect son

Perverted son

Mt Holy wonder

Unholy terror 

V 14 They – Peter, James John and Jesus 

V 15 Crowd greatly amazed – only Mark uses this word

Absolutely awestruck 

12 yr olds at a Justin Bieber concert 

Why – his reputation, they have heard, and now he is there with them. 

V 16 He asked – what are you arguing about? Disciples don’t answer, scribes don’t answer,

No one wants to answer due to embarrassment 

But the day does speak 

Based on the context, they probably were arguing over the disciples’ inability to cast out the demon and heal the man’s son. The religious teachers were probably saying, “Since you can’t deliver this man’s son in the authority of your Jesus then that proves that the authority of Jesus isn’t real. You guys are fakes. You are guys are telling people this Jesus is the Messiah and deliverer, but He is not here to help and you are unable to help this man’s son.” This was an opportunity for them to question and challenge the authority of Christ.

V 17 dad speaks 

V 25 cant hear either 

An “evil spirit” is a wicked supernatural being sometimes called an unclean spirit, impure spirit, deceiving spirit, lying spirit, demonic spirit or demons. Evil spirits work against God and His people. They are a part of the kingdom of darkness and fully support Satan’s agenda. Their intention is to inflict physical harm, moral perversion, mental confusion, and spiritual depravity. They fully embrace Satan’s mission of killing, stealing, and destroying anything created by God that might give God glory. They are a significant part of the spiritual battles you face every day. These evil spirits have been actively doing Satan’s work since the Fall. They do not usually make their presence known, choosing rather to operate covertly by disguising themselves as something more acceptable. When they possess someone they usually take the form of some emotional or mental disorder. Listen carefully, I’m not saying that all emotional and mental disorders are the result of an evil spirit. All physical, emotional, and mental disorders are a result of the Fall, when sin enter the human race and created broken people. If you were to remove all the evil spirits from the world, you would still have physical, emotional, and mental disorders because of the sinful nature we are born with. In most cases the cause is psychological or physiological, but in some cases it is demonic. What I’m saying is that evil spirits will often mimic these various disorders to stay hidden and mistreated. In this case, modern medicine or treatment could not have helped.[

The Gospels make a definite distinction between demon possession and physical illness. In this particular case there seems to be a blurring of this distinction. The symptoms described by the father imply epilepsy, especially a grand mal seizure. This “evil spirit” was possessing the man’s son and trying to hide it under the disguise of epilepsy. The “evil spirit” was mimicking epilepsy. Let me be clear by repeating myself, the Bible is not saying that anyone who has the signs or symptoms of epilepsy is possessed by an evil spirit. What the Bible is saying is in this case the boy’s problem was an “evil spirit.”

V 18 it seizes him, throws him down and foams and grinds teeth

Luke uses word that means “mauls” him 

Matt uses word that mean lunatic, insane

Mark – seizes – throws him down – to break, shatter, to crack into fragments 

Repeated concussive blows to child’s head

Being thrown to the ground repeatedly 

V 18 disciples unable to cast it out

Recall Mark 6:7 gave them authority over unclean spirits

Mark 6:13 they cast out many demons 

They’ve done it before, but now suddenly they can’t

V 19 O faithless generation 

Luke -faithless and twisted generation

Jesus is exasperated

How did you get off track?

How did you get perverted to be no so ineffective? 

What has changed in your faith?

Is it less than it ought to be from what it once was 

V 19-20 how long am I to bear with you? 

They are not functioning in the authority he had given them 

Jesus is disappointed 

V 19 bring him to me – when the Spirit saw Jesus, the spirit overtook the boy

Look what Jesus does at that moment 

ASKS- how long has he been this way?

He asks because He is not just a problem solver, but a person with feeling, 

He relates – he has time for you, He cares for you 

HE is a relational God 

Wants to walk, talk, and interact with you 

V 21 From childhood – cast into fire to destroy him 

We know nothing about is mother 

V 22 but if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us 

No real faith – “if you can” he is not sure Jesus can

V 23 Jesus is taken back “If I can??” seriously, I created the world, everything is uder my command

“all things are possible for anyone who believes”

Do you have to believe that Jesus can do it?

That he can heal you, your loved one?

That he can heal and help your marriage

That he can resolve that situation at work.

That he can break that addiction 

That he can provide all that you need 

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO THEM TO WHO BELIEVE

There’s no fine print – why are you creating the fine print –“but what about or what if…?”

Do everything we can to believe he will honor His word 

What means makes all things possible – “believes”

What you believe about Him, you and your situation determines what you receive 

V 24 – I believe, help my unbelief 

How much faith does it take for God to fulfill “all things”

Matt – 17:19-20 why couldn’t we cast it out? 

To little faith 

Grain of a mustard seed 

 V 25 - Don’t enter Him again

Can demon come back? 

Matt 12:43-45 sprit returns with 7 more spirits

Heart must be filled with Christ. 

V 26 – Not sure he was dead, just appeared to be

Gets up completely healed

V 28 why could we not? 

3 Applications

1. Bring Your Children To Jesus 

Pray for your children, and grandchildren 

Lead them to Jesus 

2. Believing God can do something and having faith God will are not the same

“I believe God can” that’s not faith

“I believe God will” 

Did the 9 disciples (who had cast our demons) believe they could cast out that demon

V 18 “ask them to cast it our and they tried but couldn’t do it 

What they thought was faith wasn’t faith at all 

Do you have faith to know that He will. 

There’s a faith to believe for salvation

Serving gift of faith

Supernatural faith 1 Cor 12 gift of supernatural belief

3. Time in God’s presence increases and strengthens our faith

Faith comes by hearing the word of God 

Mark 9:28 why could t we cast it out?

Only takes a tiny bit

But they were faithless and twisted

They believed they had the authority but didn’t have the faith to believe it would come out. 

They weren’t apparently praying enough

Only comes out by prayer 

Your experience of Gods power working in your life is directly proportionate to the time your are spending in God’s [presence in prayer and worship 

They seemed to have forgotten where the authority and power comes from over the kingdom of darkness. Jesus reminded them they must have a strong connection and fellowship with God through prayer and faith to experience His spiritual authority flowing through their lives.

 The Bible does mention epilepsy or seizers as a condition separate from demon possession. Matthew 4:24 says, “So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them” (emphasis added). Here epilepsy is listed with other physical ailments, indicating that epilepsy is a medical condition that can cause symptoms similar to demonic possession. Jesus healed epileptics, and He also cast out demons. The two conditions were not synonymous.

What do you desire most?

If you want God’s power, you have you commit to pray 

Prayerlessness leaves us with a weak and twisted faith 

KEEP YOURSELF PRAYED UP

KEEP FAITH BUILT UP

KEEP