Prayer and Unbelief

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 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.” 19 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.” 20 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. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 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.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 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.” 26 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.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Mark 9:14-29 

What should you do when you don’t have the ability (or think you don’t) to do your Father’s will? Earlier in his ministry, Jesus appointed his disciples to preach, heal, and cast out demons (Mark 6:7). Jesus gave them the required power, and they worked successfully until they met the demon-possessed boy. Jesus, Peter, James, and John come down from a spiritual high to a valley to find the disciples unable to cast out a demon that is tormenting a young boy.

Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith, asks the dad a few questions, and (successfully) commands the demon to leave. Later, the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast the out demon. In every other case they were successful, but not this time. Jesus replies that this kind only comes out by prayer.

This is reasonable, but who prayed in the account? We assume Jesus prayed but neither Mark, Matthew, or Luke mentions it. When we cry out to God to ask him to do what we cannot, this is prayer. The only moment that can be considered prayer in Mark’s account is the request of the father. Jesus told the boy’s father that he can do anything for one who believes.

“I do believe; help my unbelief!”

This desperate dad came to Jesus in despair with faith mixed with doubt. Do the same. Come to Jesus with all your fears, failures, and impossible situations. Ask him to help your unbelief.