Transforming Unbelief Through Fasting and Prayer

There's a demonic spirit, an evil spirit inside of him that at times seizes him, grabs him, tries to toss him into fire. It tries to toss him and drown him in water. It's all consuming for this father. He feels totally, completely helpless to be able to deal with this thing. He has no answer. He has no answer. That is often how people in our world feel. That maybe you feel this way. Where there is a realm of darkness that you have encountered and you feel helpless. You feel, I don't know to break through. I don't know what to do. Or maybe you've tried every single thing you know and nothing's working. This is where this father's at. Everything he knows is being all consumed by this demonic spirit that is in his son. If you're a parent in the room, you know what it would feel like to be watching that, to see that, to experience that, and to feel you have no answers. No answers at all. [01:05:43] (81 seconds)


One of my favorite things about this passage here is the constant reminder of what the stories and rumors of Jesus do to people who are in need. He has no answer, this father. He has no way out aside from he hears. He hears a story. He hears rumors of a man who's walking around making the lame walk the blind see and is casting out demons. That was actually one of the most shocking things about the ministry of Jesus for the time is that Jesus walked into scenarios and had authority over demonic spirits. These would be things that nobody had answers for at that time. If a demon got in, nobody could do anything about it. They didn't have real good ways of dealing with that. There were some Jewish exorcists at the time that would wander around, but they didn't have deep, solid answers for these things aside from the rumors and stories of Jesus. [01:07:03] (73 seconds)


Can we all relate to Jesus and to being a person that rather than being consumed would shine? That rather than being overwhelmed would shine? Because like this man, like this father, whether you're in this moment or not, all around us this year, all around us in Vernon, there are people who feel absolutely consumed by the works of the devil. And they have no answer. name is Jesus. And that's what we're going to find in this story. Look at this. Now, Jesus has an interesting response here as he looks at this. And he says this. He replied to them, you unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me. Why? Jesus looks at this moment, and he begins to touch on something that I think is really key to this year. The really key to our lives as a believer. Notice what he says. He replied to them. So he's talking probably focused on his disciples, focused on the people around them. And he says, you unbelieving generation, you unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long [01:09:28] (86 seconds)


As we go through this passage, you're going to notice something's going to begin to pull out of the woodwork as we deal with this moment, deal with darkness. Jesus is very focused on what do you believe. He's very focused on what do you believe. He's very focused on the disciples, what do they believe. He's very focused on the Father, what do you believe. And he's very hard on this thing called unbelief. We're going to see that in a second, more and more as we go through this. See, darkness doesn't just consume people's lives through circumstance. Darkness also wants to not only manipulate, make something seem so big that you can't get past it, but it also wants to so consume the heart of the person that they would never actually believe there's an answer. [01:10:46] (67 seconds)


That they would never get to a place of believing that change, breakthrough, transformation could ever actually happen. And that feeling can become, just like the circumstance, it kind of pairs with it. It can become all -consuming. Where, in a sense, spiritually, it's like our eyes become blind to the one who actually opened the blind eyes. Our ears become deaf to the one who opened deaf ears. And our mouth becomes silent to the one who made the mute speak. It's like rather than being able to run forward with Jesus into new realms and new days, that voice of the enemy, as we see darkness, can consume us. Our mind, to where we begin to let go of trust and faith in the God who does wonders. [01:11:49] (55 seconds)


And yet, in the midst of it, I actually had to pray. I had to pray to the point where I felt, in a sense, felt that fear break through so that I could go back into the place of rest and trust in the Lord. But that's what the enemy does. He doesn't just put in, an obstacle in front. He doesn't just put a sickness or a disease or a family crisis, whatever it could be. He doesn't just do that. He also brings with it the all -consuming feelings that would drive you into unbelief. That drive you and remove your trust and faith in Jesus and what he says in his word and what he wants to do and what he can do in the midst of what you face. This is where, this is why Jesus is hard on it. It's not about people and it's not about a rebuke. What it is about is what has, allowed to... [01:14:28] (46 seconds)

consume the heart of the people around him, and especially the disciples who have been with him. It's begun to press down. It's begun to consume. And rather than being able to see, it's like their eyes have become blind, unable to see. Jesus knows this. He sees this, and he goes after this. But check out the next verse. Verse 19, he says this. Verse 20, so they brought the boy to him. When he saw the spirit, when the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground and rolled Jesus asked his father. From childhood, he said. And many times it has thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. I'm just going to stop there. For a second. If you can do anything. [01:15:14] (62 seconds)


Jesus can help. I'm reminded of the story of a leper that came to Jesus. I believe it was the first time Jesus cleansed leprosy. And he just finished the Sermon on the Mount. And he's coming down that mountain. And he's coming down that mountain. And he's coming down the mountain again. Similar idea. Coming down the mountain. And then he is met with what's happening in the valley. And so he's coming down the mountain. And in the midst of this crowd, this leper runs to the feet of Jesus. And he says these words. If you are willing, you can make me clean. It's this question on the heart of God. This question on what is Jesus willing to do. And as we go into breakthrough, I would actually, and we go into a new year, that can often be. The question that hits us. Is God willing? Does God want? Where is his heart? Where is his mind in the situation that I face? What is he wanting to do? Maybe you're at that place. Maybe you've asked these questions. [01:15:57] (58 seconds)


Over and over and over again. You can pull up those stories anytime on your phone. Anytime you sit and question the heart of God toward you. You can go read about it in here. What's Jesus like? What did Jesus do? What did Jesus say? How did Jesus treat the people that came to him? How would Jesus treat me? It's so easy. It's right here. It's available. We can read about it. We can see it. And we can know it. But notice what Jesus says to this. This man as he says. Have compassion on us. And help us. Verse 23. Here's what Jesus says. Jesus said to him. If you can. In question mark. Everything is possible for the one who believes. Every. Like. Let's just sit on that for just a moment. As we head into this new year. [01:18:02] (58 seconds)


Can we sit on that? For a moment. What did Jesus just say? If you can. Have compassion on us Jesus. Help us. Help us. And then Jesus says. If you Whatever you're facing. Whatever's going on. Whatever's coming at you. Whatever's all consuming for this man. This father. And he's all consumed. And he's actually not just all consumed. But he himself and the crowd and the disciples. Everybody is blinded by unbelief. They're blinded by eyes they can't see. Why? Because that's the strategy of the devil. The strategy of the devil isn't just to attack. It's also to. It's to defeat your heart and faith. It's to defeat your trust. That's what he wants to do. And if he can go far enough. He can lead you into a place of complete ineffectiveness. That's the goal. Because if he can get you to be like either doubtful, untrusting, angry at God. All these things. That road takes you to the place where that light doesn't shine you. [01:19:47] (84 seconds)