His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). He said to them, ’This kind [of unclean spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’ —Mark 9:29
The disciples had seen Him do it, the casting out of spirits. They had the method down and couldn’t understand why when they did the same things He did and said the same words, nothing happened.
It is a common failing of man to concentrate on the methods. There are innumerable books on the “how” of Christian ministry. Experts on the subject are not always effective. It is no good to look at “successful” churches and ministries and try to duplicate what was done there. We need to look elsewhere.
It’s all about Jesus. Without a relationship with Him and a continuing concentration on Him, ministry is not possible. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). But we are not mounting ourselves, we are mounting Him. We mount up by grabbing hold of His power and His concerns and holding on tight. He can do it. He will do it and, if we will grab hold, He will take us on a ride while it is being done.
Concentrate on Him and be blessed.
Nick
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