Getting The Faith To Move Mountains

Luke 9:37-45

Mark 16:17-18 promises, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Many Christians become discouraged when they read these verses and realize they have never seen these things accomplished. Numerous groups have arisen claiming to have such powers because of the concern.

Sadly, many people are so eager to find some sign they blindly accept spurious claims and false teaching in an effort to attain these powers. Even more conservative and seemingly scriptural groups fall into the trap. By examining what Jesus says in this passage, and what is taught elsewhere, we can receive considerable insight.

“And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child. And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him. And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.” (Luke 9:37-40)

The father had brought his son to the other apostles and disciples for healing, because he believed in the power of God. The apostles had already been sent out to heal, and seen the power God had given in their lives, yet they were unable to cast out he demon. Now the father has come to Jesus as his last hope, and he was not sure that help was available. Mark 9:22 states his request. “…but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.”

Jesus answer to the father is very revealing. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24)

The positive thinking movement has distorted this idea, fastening only on the natural ability to believe. Sadly, much “Christian” theology has adopted the same focus. The father recognized his own inability to believe and asked for faith. He was right to do so, because as Ephesians 2:8 declares, even the faith to be saved comes from God, not ourselves. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Many who make professions are not saved because they were depending on mere human rather than Godly faith. It is one reason so many fall away.

“And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.” (Luke 9:41-42)

When some one comes to Christ for healing, Satan will make one last effort to stop them. Some preachers have banned small children from their services for fear a crying child or a ringing phone could prevent the Holy Spirit from doing his work. The Holy Spirit is God, and much more powerful than anything else. Nothing the demonic spirits can use can stop the power of God. If a crying baby or a ringing phone can prevent a person accepting Christ, it was not God drawing him.

“But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.” (Luke 9:43-45)

Jesus took the opportunity to warn again of his impending death, but the disciples hesitated to ask what he meant, focusing instead on their inability to cast out the demon when they had been able to do so before.

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:19-21)

The problem was the absence of faith, not how small it was. Jesus speaks of the mustard seed as the smallest of seeds, yet so little would be enough. The disciples had cast out demons before and believed they could again. Unfortunately, their faith was in their power, rather than in God. The kind of faith to accomplish these kinds of things comes from developing a proper relationship with God through prayer and fasting. There is no pride in such a relationship.

Much of the popular teaching about both prayer and fasting today is in fact contrary to scripture. The scripture provides specific instruction about both. I would like to address just a few passages to point some important aspects about fasting.

The first thing we find about scriptural fasting is that it is a personal affair. Matthew 6:16-18 warns that it is not to be public. “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” Literally, Jesus warns that when it becomes a public affair, God will not honor it. They have already got their reward.

Fasting is never to be used to get our way. The way fasting is often used, it is either a bribe to get God to give a person his way, or a hunger strike to try to force him to give in. Isaiah 58:1-11 describes how God feels about most fasting and tells us what he will accept. Isaiah 58:4 forbids fasting to get God to do what we want. “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” Such fasting is solely to please our own desires and God rejects it as sinful in intent.

Too often the concept of fasting is viewed as causing our selves suffering to get God’s attention. Isaiah 58:8 describes that as the common human perception. “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?” Such a fast is man's idea.

Fasting properly is not about going without, but about learning to walk with God so sin is no longer a major factor in our lives. Isaiah 58:6 describes it this way. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” Fasting is not an end in itself, and I Corinthians 7:5 warns that improperly done, prayer and fasting can lead to more sin.