After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn´t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Mark 9:28-29 (NIV)
The Disciples had already been using the name of Jesus. They had tried to heal this boy who had been held by an evil condition. His demons kept him from speaking and threw him into epileptic fits. But the attempts of the Disciples to heal the boy from the powers that held him were in vain. Jesus had to come and heal the boy personally.
When they were alone in private, the Disciples brought the question to Jesus. Why couldn´t they help the boy? Jesus taught them that some forms of evil can only be corrected through petition and prayer.
But what was the problem? What are we dealing with? Are we to understand that disease is actually a sign that an evil spirit has taken hold of a person? Are we to know that it is a demon that is afflicting us when we are sick? Or has medicine and science replaced our view of demons and now we can blame bacteria and viruses? What does the Spirit of the Lord teach us when we sit down to learn?
If we have decided to come to the scriptures to be taught, then how do we go about it? Do we do as the Disciples and pull up a seat at Jesus´ feet? Do we come to our Savior for our answers? Do we hear His voice each one personally as He leads us step by step closer to understanding His ways? Do we listen to actually hear His words of instruction in this given thought or moment?
Jesus goes into no deep explanation of how the evil works or what it truly looks like. Jesus does not guide us down a road of curiosity toward the nature or composition of the demons that afflict mankind. Our Savior leads us past that. He leads towards the Father and His Father´s kingdom. He ties us to the Divine. He brings us into living relationship. He brings us to petition. He asks us to communicate with God. He asks us to listen and to wait for our answers. He shows that we need to approach the Lord if we desire healing. In this He is always consistent.
Never has our Lord encouraged us to stand back and handle situations on our own. He does not throw out God´s power and authority for us to then go off and use as we would. We are brought together. We are joined in unity and in spirit. If we want to see amazing spiritual things and wonderful expressions from the Lord, then we must come to Him. Seek first the Lord. Then we shall see His mighty arm at work.
Rather than let the scripture or text give us rein to divert down paths of inquisition to lesser important spirits. Could we use the words of the Lord to teach, to draw us close, and to direct our attention to Him? Could we pull our chairs in close to our Savior? Could we listen to His words and pray that He helps us see where He is going with His instruction. Would this be just what we need so that we see His hand and His healing at work in our lives today?
Dear Jesus, let us come a little closer. Open our ears and our souls to Your instruction. Let what You speak to our hearts today bring showers of blessings. Let Your work in us and Your words draw us ever closer to the will of the Father. Let our earnestness to learn from You and hear You today bring glory to Your name. May our relationship be strengthened! May our natures be further filled by Yours! Teach us to listen and to hear You we pray!
Amen
Searching For Christ 
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