Loading... THE GREATNESS OF YOUR FAITH IS TIED TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD - Mark 9:29
Thursday, August 31st, 2006Mark 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Jesus had been upon a mountain with Peter, James and John. While he was up on the mountain, a man brought his son to Jesus’ disciples and asked them to help his son by casting out the demon that was in his son. Jesus’ disciples had seen the power of Jesus and they believed that they too could cast out this demon for the glory of God. Nonetheless, their efforts to cast out this demon failed. When Jesus returned, this man then asked Jesus to heal his son. Jesus cast out the demon that was in this man’s son.
The disciples came to Jesus and inquired of HIM as to what was wrong with their faith as to why they could not cast the demon out. Jesus replied that this demon only could come out by prayer and fasting. Jesus was teaching HIS disciples that it is important to have a close relationship with God. This close relationship comes when one spends time learning to hear God’s voice through prayer. This close relationship does not occur just because you desire it, but instead, it requires great effort and personal sacrifice by abstaining from things that please the flesh in order to learn to desire the things of God.
By spending time in prayer and by fasting, your relationship with God increases. The closer your relationship is with God, the better your understanding of God’s will. When you understand God’s will, you understand how to ask God according to HIS will to do the impossible through you. These disciples may have been walking with Jesus and may have seen the power of God, yet they did not understand the true source of Jesus’ power. They had seen Jesus go and pray with HIS Father, but the disciples had not yet learned to have a personal relationship with God where they were seeking to do HIS will.
Just because you go to church three times a week does not mean that you have the tools necessary to have great faith. Great faith starts with your relationship with God. Your relationship with God takes effort on your part to develop. Your relationship with God will not grow by chance but will require that you set aside time to seek God and to obey those things that HE tells you to do. Jesus’ disciples had asked Jesus how they were supposed to pray and while Jesus had given them the instructions on how to pray, it appears that they had not yet taken that knowledge and applied it to their daily lives.
By faith God can do the impossible through you. Faith does not just occur in your life just because you think it would be great for you to do the impossible. Your faith is closely connected to your relationship with God. Your relationship with God is closely connected to your time in the Bible, the time on your knees, and your time abstaining from worldly pleasures in order to draw closer to God. If you desire to be used of God more, then you must first learn to demonstrate to God that you desire a closer relationship with HIM.
When you take the time to draw nearer to God and to hear HIS still small voice, then you will be in the position to understand HIS will for your life and you will then have the power to step forth in HIS name and walk according to HIS purpose for your life. Because you are walking according to HIS will, HIS power will be with you and HE will be magnified through you as people see God working through you. If you desire to increase your faith, you must first learn to seek a closer relationship with HIM.