SELF-CONFIDENCE

Why is it that the disciples could not cast out this demon when Jesus had so clearly given them the power to heal every sickness and to exorcize demons (Matthew 10:1,8)? If they’d been successfully healing people and casting out demons prior to this episode (and they were), why would they suddenly have such little faith that it couldn’t even be compared to a minuscule mustard seed? You would think their faith would be sky high from so much success. But it would seem the disciples were viewing the power God had given them as a magical power, rather than a spiritual gift. Perhaps they were relying on themselves (over-confident) and taking the credit themselves instead of acknowledging that it is God alone who has the power to heal and to cast out demons - that it was God healing people through them. Maybe they were viewing their gift as a magic wand; and the moment that wand didn’t work, they thought it was broken. It doesn’t take much faith or confidence to wave a magic wand that has always worked before.

Like so many Christians today, the disciples, at this time, had a misunderstanding of true faith.

A parallel might be found in Matthew chapter 14 in which Peter, with his eyes focused on Christ, was able to miraculously walk on water, but the moment he took his eyes off Christ, he began to sink. Likewise, even if you have the gift of healing, or the gift of prophesy, the gift of giving, of teaching, etc., and you take your eyes off Christ, you will lose focus and start relying on your own strength. It is at this point that you become vulnerable to doubts and begin to sink. What always worked before is no longer working; your wand is broken. You forget that your gift must be used through your faith and not merely on its own. "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal through human effort?" (Galatians 3:3)

We also see, in Matthew 17:18, that when the disciples’ faith wavered (when they relied on their own strength and took their eyes off the Lord), Jesus made up for their lack of faith: "Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment." As Christ said to the Apostle Paul, "My power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) When Peter saw the wind and waves about him as he walked on the ocean’s surface, fear rose up within him and he forgot who it was he was walking towards. But when he turned his eyes back to Christ, he stopped sinking and was able to walk on water again. "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ " (Matthew 14:31) When fears overwhelm, you must refuse to focus on the wind and the waves; keep your eyes steadfast on Christ.

So, you see, having “little faith” is allowing fear to suffocate within us what we know to be truth; allowing fear to fill our hearts with doubt. It is very possible for a Christian to come to a place where he renounces his faith and never returns. Christians can become atheists; their faith can die. The famous evangelist, Charles Templeton, is one such example. You must hold onto your faith like a lifeline! If you choose to keep on believing, your faith will remain full and breathing. But if you choose to doubt, your faith (belief) will whittle away to nothing.

We must take note of verse 21, which says: "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." Sometimes it may be necessary to refocus our spiritual walk with Christ through time spent in prayer and fasting. This gets rid of the magic wand/genie in a bottle mind frame and brings us back to a proper attitude: total reliance on our Creator; the only one who is able to perform miracles. If it always worked before but doesn’t work now, examine your heart. Have you taken your eyes off Christ? Are you sinking like Peter? Prayer and fasting will bring everything to light so that you can be fruitful once again.

Matthew 17:20 - " 'I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.' " Always keep in mind that for us to move a mountain in faith, it must be God’s will for us to do so. Unless God has led us to move a particular mountain, we will push and shove and huff and puff in vain. Not every mountain is meant to be moved. We also mustn’t think mountain moving is reserved for overly righteous, overly intelligent, and overly famous Christians. No matter who you are, where you come from, where you work, what your intelligence is, or what your life experience is - whether your faith be great or small (even as small as a mustard seed), you can be the catalyst in miracles within your family, amongst your friends, in your community, in your city, or even the whole world. A brand new Christian with no experience at all (faith as small as a mustard seed) has the same power within him (the Holy Spirit) as does the veteran Christian who has lead thousands to Christ.

Mountain moving isn’t instantaneous either. It may take fifty years to move a mountain. It may only take five years. The point is that a mountain can be moved if 1) God has commissioned it to be moved, and 2) we never let go of our faith. Like any seed, if you nurture and water your faith (study the Word, pray, exercize your spiritual gifts, etc.) it will grow and grow and bear much fruit.

Faith the size of a mustard seed has the potential to grow into a full-sized tree - a lifetime of fidelity and service to Christ.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

(c) 2010 - Bekah Ferguson

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Permissions: By all means, you are welcome to reproduce and distribute my articles in excerpts or complete format as long as you don't change any of the wording. If you do reproduce any part of my articles, please include the following information: by Bekah Ferguson, Ontario, Canada. www.bekahferguson.com

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