I Still Believe

Mark 9:20-24 – “So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us if you can.” “What do you mean if I can?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

I. How Long?

Why would an omniscient God ask a question He already knows the answer to?

Jesus never says or does anything unintentionally.

The question is an invitation, not an investigation.

Jesus acknowledges our suffering to show that before He heals, He listens.

Hebrews 4:15- “This High Priest of ours understands our weakness, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin.”

Matthew 6:8- “… For your Father knows exactly what you need before you ask.”

1st Peter 5:7- “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

We were created for 2 reasons: 1.) To worship God and 2.) To have relationship with God.

True ministry is about developing a faith in Jesus that is rooted in compassion, relationship, and God’s word.

II. We Ask The Same Question

How many times have we asked God, “How long?”

Mark 5:25-26- “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.”

Mark 5:22-23 – “Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

How many times have we watched God move in other people’s lives while asking “How long before you move in mine?”

Genesis 22:1-2 & 5 – “The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God said it would.” “Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.”

III. The Struggle With Unbelief

Psalm 145:13- “… The Lord always keeps his promises, he is gracious in all he does.”

Romans 8:28 (ESV)- “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

It’s not struggling to believe God can. It’s struggling to believe God will.

Why do we question the will of God?

Isaiah 55:8-9 – “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are above the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

We question the will of God because we don’t understand it.

Uncertainty is the child of disappointment.

God’s silence is not His absence, but rather His preparation.

Our faith must rest on who God has proven Himself to be, not the idea we have made Him up to be in our minds.

Doubt isn’t necessarily the disbelief in God’s abilities, but rather the fear our desires don’t align with His will.

What do we do when God’s answer is no, not yet, or not the way you want?