He said to them, ’This kind [of unclean spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’ —Mark 9:29
His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
We’ve been learning that relationship with you is the key to everything … But today we see a specific aspect of that relationship … concentrating more and more on you. And that seems to go along with what you said in John 5:19, you only did what you saw the Father doing. But you were able to concentrate on watching what Father was doing and yet it is never recorded that you were “staring off into space.” You were able to “multi-task?” with at least two things getting full attention … the person in front of you, and what Father wants. That is the challenge. I find that if I focus on one, I lose focus on the other. And if I try to multi task on several things at once, as productivity gurus counsel, I find that concentration on you is squeezed out of my mind.
You have free will. You get to choose, which will take priority. Sometimes intense circumstances will high jack your mind. I understand. But keep on practicing keeping a focus on me and what Father recommends in all the circumstances that come your way. You won’t get it perfect until you get here with us. But it’s the main thing you can do until then. Concentrate on me and what Father wants … And then when you hear it or see it … Then just do it. It’s the best way to live. It’s what I did for those 33 years.
The verse in Mark indicates more than just watching watching and listening during the day. Fasting and Prayer.
Yes, separate times apart for fasting and prayer without distractions will charge your batteries and make you stronger at focusing on me when those distraction opportunities come along.
Once again, you get to choose … how well charged your batteries are and how well you can keep your focus in the middle of intense circumstances will depend to a large extent on the time we spend together apart and on purpose. The Fasting and Praying that I referred to in Mk 9:29 had gone on in the days and weeks prior to that event. I didn’t pray and fast for a specific issue when it came up … Rather I just stayed “prayed up” with regular times away for just that purpose … and so can you.
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