If You Can

“If You Can”


[Mark 9:22-24] “It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can? All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe, help my unbelief.’


Unbelief is a sin and it has ravaged far too many disciples. When the world comes to our door step for ministry we are often powerless to help because we have grown up in an unbelieving generation. Oh how we need that to change right this very moment.
Will we as a church be like the disciples when a ministry opportunity presented itself before them and the Bible tells us they “could not do it.” What message does that send to this world when you and I cannot do the ministry people need because of our lack of faith? Jesus called that generation of disciples an “unbelieving generation.” That word means unfaithful, faithless, and disbelieving.
I see this same attitude prevailing in the hearts of God’s children all the time. We have intellectual faith but when faced with real life issues that require the miraculous intervention of God we are too often found spiritually bankrupt of the faith needed to help others and ourselves. As a result, many needs go unmet and many miracles never make it this side of Heaven because of the sin of unbelief. Why are our hearts so filled with doubt when God has proven over and over again that He can be trusted? He is just as faithful today as He has ever been. [I Thess 5:24]
The father who loved his son and wanted to see that boy delivered from the demon that sought to destroy him did the right thing. He brought the boy to the disciples in hopes that they could do the same miracles Jesus did. What he found was a group of spiritually impotent men who were without true faith of their own. When Jesus showed up the father turned to him for help but listen to what he says, “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Did you catch that? If you can do anything. I think that encapsulates the mind set of more of us than we could care to admit. We know God has the power to help in theory but we are not convinced or persuaded He will come through for us in our situation or empower us to minister to those who need nothing short of a miracle.
What kind of praying is “if you can do anything?” Do we really know who we are talking to? This same Jesus healed the leper in [Matt 8:1-3], healed Peter’s mother in law in [Matt 8:14-15], cast out demons in others in [Matt 8:16], cast out other demons in [Matt 8:28-34], and healed a paralytic in [Matt 9:2-8]. That is only about a chapter and a half of one of the gospels. John really says what we need to be reminded of best in [Jn 21:25] “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” We serve a faithful Christ who is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns you and those around you today.
Jesus responded to the father by saying, “If you can? All things are possible to him who believes.” That’s it. If all things are possible to the one who believes then it also must be true that all things are impossible for the one who doubts and is faithless. There is plague of faithlessness and unbelief in the church today. We are quick to make excuses why this can’t happen and to explain away the need for miracles as we put our confidence in our own abilities. Does Jesus really mean ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE to the person who believes? The father in our story sure thought so because his prayer was for the Lord to help his unbelief. What ensued after that heartfelt prayer? A miracle!
Do you want to be a part of miraculous ministry or live in a day of miracle famine? Do you really believe all things are possible to the one who believes? Do you believe God can call a pastor to Humboldt, SAS? They have come to our feet for help and what we believe will determine in large part whether they see a miracle or if we can do nothing to help them. Do you believe God wants this church to grow through conversions? If you do, when the lost come asking spiritual questions will you have faith to share Christ and trust Him for their salvation no matter how nervous you are? Do you believe that God can make miracle provision for ministry expansion? Your answer could help usher in the most exciting days in the history of this church.
Our faith response to Christ must not be “if you can” but rather be “since you can, I believe.” I believe that we are about to see abounding miracles in souls saved, the kingdom advanced here in Paradise, in Humboldt, and around the world. I believe that having 200 in Sunday School is not only possible on a high attendance Sunday but will be reality on every given Sunday sooner than we think. I believe that we will pay cash for a new parsonage as well as any other additions this church will ever make. I believe that God set us in this community to help broken, desperate people who have no one else to turn to like we have seen in the aftermath of the fires that destroyed homes. They came for help and in partnership with Nehemiah’s Vision we will rebuild their homes. We will not be an unbelieving generation but a BELIEVING generation and we will pass on the legacy of faith to our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren should the Lord tarry. I beg of you to believe with me for the greatest days in the life of this church. Oh God, please help our unbelief and deliver us from it forever.