¿Y si sí? (parte 2) | What if? (part 2) | Pastor Kris Bojorquez | Strong Church | Mesa, AZ.

Sep 14, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Impossible Things Stay Gripped in Our Hands

The weight of unresolved struggles often remains because we refuse to let go. Like parents trying to force faith on children or spouses straining to fix marriages, our efforts fail when we rely on human strength. Financial stress persists when we chase solutions through overwork rather than stewardship. Freedom comes only when we stop white-knuckling control and place burdens into God’s care. What feels impossible in our grip becomes possible in His. [01:18]

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24, ESV)

Reflection: What situation are you trying to control or “fix” through sheer effort? How might releasing it to God’s hands shift your posture from exhaustion to expectancy?

Day 2: The Glimpse of Glory Before the Descent Into Chaos

Mountaintop moments with God—revelations of His power, clarity in prayer, sacred encounters—often precede valleys of crisis. Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration, only to face a demon-possessed boy and their own inadequacy moments later. Yet the glory they saw equipped them to walk into the mess. Divine encounters aren’t escapes from reality but fuel for it. [05:48]

“And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.” (Mark 9:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: When has a “mountaintop” experience with God later sustained you in a valley? How does Christ’s unchanging glory anchor you amid chaos?

Day 3: The Two-Word Prayer That Welcomes Both Faith and Fear

“Help me” isn’t a sign of weak faith but raw honesty. The father’s plea—“I believe; help my unbelief!”—held his trust and doubts in tension. Jesus didn’t scold his conflicted heart but honored his willingness to bring both to the light. Our doubts grow dangerous only when hidden; spoken to Christ, they become spaces for His intervention. [18:48]

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel both belief and unbelief coexisting? How could voicing this tension to Jesus—without shame—deepen your reliance on Him?

Day 4: Why Good Intentions Can’t Cast Out Demons

The disciples’ failure to free the boy reveals a hard truth: familiarity with Jesus’ work isn’t the same as dependence on His power. They’d performed miracles before (Mark 6:13) but now relied on past success rather than present prayer. Spiritual authority flows not from résumés but real-time connection to the Source. [12:25]

“And he said to them, ‘This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.’” (Mark 9:29, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you leaned on past spiritual victories instead of fresh dependence? What current challenge requires you to seek God’s power anew?

Day 5: The Violent Thrash Before the Breakthrough

The boy’s final convulsion after Jesus’ command reminds us: breakthrough often comes through crisis. The enemy’s last-ditch effort to intimidate couldn’t stop the miracle. When situations worsen after we’ve prayed, it’s not abandonment—it’s the death throes of what God is dismantling. Our job is to stand firm in what He’s declared. [42:18]

“And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit… And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out.” (Mark 9:25-26, ESV)

Reflection: What “final convulsion” have you mistaken for defeat? How will you cling to Christ’s promise when opposition intensifies?

Sermon Summary

The “what if” mentality begins when impossible things leave human hands and are placed in God’s hands. Control keeps families, marriages, finances, and broken situations stuck in the natural, but surrender says, “God, work in the heart of my child,” “God, help us,” and “God, teach me to manage what You have given me.” The impossible becomes possible when God is put at the center.

Mark 9 moves from the mountain of Transfiguration into a valley of brokenness. Jesus reveals His glory before Peter, James, and John, standing with Moses and Elijah as the One who completes the Law and the Prophets. God the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” The mountain gives the disciples a glimpse of who Jesus really is, not just a teacher or miracle worker, but the glorious Son of God at the center of redemption.

The valley brings a desperate father and a suffering son. The father cannot fix what is happening to his child, and the disciples cannot cast out the spirit in their own strength. Jesus later makes clear that this kind requires prayer, because supernatural territory cannot be entered through natural ability. Knowing Jesus is not the same as living dependent on Jesus. The Holy Spirit must be at the forefront.

The father’s cry, “I believe; help my unbelief,” makes room for honesty before God. Faith and doubt can exist in the same heart, yet Jesus still does the miracle because the father brings both to Him. Belief is not a box checked one time in the past. “I believe” is active, current, and daily. Faith is a choice made moment by moment, even when doubts are loud.

Unbelief is more than a few questions. The word carries the weight of a heart that could drift away from the living God. Yet Jesus is not scared of doubts, questions, or weak faith. Jesus wants them brought into the light, not managed privately until they look better. The father does not pretend to have mountain-sized faith. He comes with what he has and asks, “Help.”

The word “help” becomes the bridge between belief and unbelief. The father asks not only for help one time, but for ongoing help along the way. Jesus does not criticize his small faith. Jesus answers his prayer. Small faith held in human hands stays small, but small faith placed in God’s hands becomes miracle-working faith. Even when things seem to get worse before they get better, Jesus has already spoken freedom.

Key Takeaways

1. Put the impossible in God’s hands Control can look responsible while still keeping everything trapped in human strength. God does not ask for people to force change in their children, spouse, or finances. God calls them to surrender the situation, become faithful stewards, and trust Him to do what they cannot do. [03:13]
2. Faith can bring doubts to Jesus The father does not hide his unbelief behind religious language. His honesty becomes the place where Jesus meets him, because he brings both faith and doubt to Christ. Doubt becomes dangerous when it pulls a heart away privately, but it becomes a prayer when it is brought to Jesus. [30:33]
3. Belief is active and daily “I believe” is not merely a memory of a decision made years ago. Faith chooses to trust God right now, in the middle of the situation, even when the answer has not appeared. Daily faith keeps coming back to Jesus instead of walking away when things remain hard. [25:47]
4. Small faith belongs in God’s hands Jesus does not shame weak faith or demand that people arrive spiritually impressive. A mustard-seed beginning can grow through seeing God’s faithfulness over time. Small faith becomes powerful not because of its size, but because it is placed in the hands of God. [45:03]
5. Jesus may work through the struggle The spirit throws the child down one last time after Jesus commands it to leave. A difficult moment after prayer does not mean that Jesus has failed or that nothing changed. Jesus’ declaration of freedom remains true even when the process looks worse before it looks better.

## [42:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:39] - The What If Mentality
[01:18] - When Impossible Things Stay in Human Hands
[03:27] - Jesus Revealed on the Mountain
[08:06] - From Glory to the Valley of Brokenness
[10:17] - Give Them Over to Jesus
[11:50] - Prayer and Dependence on the Holy Spirit
[15:14] - All Things Are Possible to Him Who Believes
[18:35] - I Believe, Help My Unbelief
[22:14] - Belief Comes With Action
[26:18] - The Danger of an Unbelieving Heart
[30:33] - Jesus Is Not Scared of Doubt
[34:55] - Help Is the Bridge
[41:05] - When Things Get Worse Before Better
[43:36] - Small Faith, Great Miracle

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 9:14-29
“And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ 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.’ 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.’” [03:27]

Hebrews 3:12
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” [27:21]

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

Observation questions

What details in Mark 9 show how long the father and son had been carrying this painful situation, and what had the father already tried before Jesus arrived?
What does the father ask Jesus for in Mark 9:22, and how does Jesus respond to the father’s words, “If you can”?
What happens to the boy after Jesus commands the spirit to leave, and how might the crowd have understood what they saw? [41:05]
What reason does Jesus give the disciples when they ask why they were unable to cast out the spirit? [12:21]

Interpretation questions

Why does the father’s statement, “I believe; help my unbelief,” show faith rather than simply failure? What does his choice to bring both belief and doubt to Jesus reveal? [20:18]
Jesus says that this kind cannot be driven out except by prayer. What does this teach believers about the difference between knowing about Jesus and depending on Jesus in difficult situations? [13:14]
Hebrews 3:12 warns about an unbelieving heart that leads away from the living God. How is honest doubt brought to Jesus different from doubt that is quietly allowed to pull someone away from God? [29:32]
Matthew 17:20 speaks of faith like a mustard seed. Why is the power of faith found not in having impressive faith, but in placing even small faith in God’s hands? [45:03]

Application questions

What situation in your family, marriage, health, finances, or future have you been trying to control in your own strength? What would it look like to place that situation in God’s hands this week? [01:18]
Is there a person in your life whom you have been trying to force, fix, or change? How could you begin praying more specifically, “God, work in their heart,” while also remaining faithful in your own responsibilities? [10:17]
When doubts about God’s goodness, timing, or power come up, do you tend to hide them, solve them alone, or bring them honestly to Jesus? What could a simple prayer of “I believe; help my unbelief” sound like in your present situation? [30:33]
What is one area where you need to choose faith again today, not merely rely on a decision or experience from the past? What daily practice could help you keep returning to Jesus? [25:47]
Where might God be inviting you to ask for help—not only for a quick answer, but for ongoing strength and faith along the way? [35:52]
Has something ever seemed to get worse after you prayed or obeyed God? How can Jesus’ authority and faithfulness help you keep trusting when the outcome does not improve as quickly as you hoped? [42:43]

Sermon Clips

53s

#littleFaithBigMiracles

“That even though he didn't have big faith, Jesus was able to do something because he brought the faith that he did have. Que aunque él no tenía gran fe, Jesús pudo hacer algo porque él trajo a él la poca fe que sí tenía. And your small faith in your hands is gonna be small faith. Tu fe pequeña en tus manos siempre va a ser fe pequeña. But your small faith in the hands of God is gonna be great miracle working faith. Tu fe pequeña en las manos de dios es una fe que causa milagros. Bring it to Jesus, tráelo a Jesús.”

61s

#faithIsADailyChoice

“Faith is a choice. La fe es una decisión. Tanto como el no tener fe en dios es una decisión. Just like not having faith in god is a decision. Faith is daily. La fe es diario. It's moment by moment, es momento tras momento. It's not something that you get one time and you have it for the rest of your life. No es algo que tienes un día y ahora lo tienes por el resto de tu vida. It's a daily decision to trust God. Es una decisión diaria para creerle a dios. He believed, él creó. But he also says, help my unbelief. Pero también dice, ayúdame en mi incredulidad.”

52s

#onlyGodCanChangeFamily

“You and I cannot do anything without the backing of the holy spirit. Tú y yo no podemos hacer nada sin el respaldo del espíritu santo. Amén. You and I cannot change our family. Tú y yo no podemos cambiar nuestra familia. We're gonna get headaches and pain trying to change our family on our own. No, solo lo único que vas a tener es dolor de cabeza y dolor en todo lado queriendo cambiar tu familia de tu propia manera. Because you can't do it, porque tú no puedes. El único que lo puede hacer es dios. Amén. The only one that could do it is god. But can you believe that god could do it? Pues la pregunta es si tú puedes creer que dios lo puede.”

57s

#cryOutForHelp

“My question to you, mi pregunta para usted, is how desperate are you to see God change your family? ¿Qué tan desesperado estás de ver a dios cambiar tu familia? You can have belief and you can have unbelief. Puedes tener creer, el creer y la incredulidad, pero, you need to shout, help. Tienes que gritar, ayúdame. Because help, because belief and unbelief without help means nothing's ever gonna change. Porque el creer y la incredulidad sin el ayúdame significa que nada va a cambiar.”

48s

#JesusWelcomesDoubt

“Jesus is not scared of your doubts. Jesús no tiene miedo de tus dudas. Jesus is not scared of your questions or your unbelief. Jesús no tiene miedo de sus preguntas o tu incredulidad, but he wants you to bring it to him. Pero él quiere que lo traigas a él, to not keep it to yourself, de no quedarte con ello. Because then your heart will drift off, and you'll get far away from the presence of God. Porque luego tu corazón se va a alejar y te vas a alejar de la presencia de dios.”

61s

#bringBothToJesus

“And guess what? Even though the father believed and needed help with his unbelief, Jesus still did the miracle. Y aunque el padre tenía el creer y la incredulidad, Jesús todavía hizo el milagro. ¿Por qué? Because he brought to Jesus. Porque trajo a los dos a Jesús. Trajo su fe y sus dudas, y dijo, dios, eso es lo que tengo. He brought his faith and his doubts and said, god, this is what I have. I may not have a lot of faith, but I know who you are. I know you could do it. I have some doubts too, but I'm a leave it here at your feet. Quizás no tengo mucha fe, pero tengo fe que tú puedes. A la vez, tengo mis dudas, pero los voy a dejar aquí a tus pies.”

32s

#putItInGodsHands

“whatever seems impossible for us, to trust that God could do something and put it in his hands. Lo que se ve imposible para nosotros, creer y confiar que Dios puede hacer algo y ponerlo en las manos de Dios. I think sometimes why the reason why things remain impossible, yo creo que a veces la razón por cual las cosas siguen siendo imposibles, es because they're still in our hands. Es porque todavía están en nuestras manos.”

45s

#JesusFrontAndCenter

“And this is what Jesus was trying to get them to understand, y eso es lo que Jesús querían que ellos entendieran, that they were trying to do it on their own strength, que andaban tratando de hacer un milagro en sus propias fuerzas. You and I cannot do anything in our own strength. Tú y yo no podemos hacer nada en nuestras propias fuerzas. We're limited to natural ability. Estamos limitados a habilidades naturales, but to be able to step into supernatural territory, we need Jesus to be at the forefront. Jesús tiene que estar al frente.”

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