“Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief!” (Mark 9:14-29).

 

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace be with you!

Today, the Lord calls us to a deeper faith, a faith that moves mountains, casts out darkness, and makes the impossible possible. As we meditate on Mark 9:14-29, let us open our hearts to the Word of God, allowing it to strengthen our faith  in our journey of discipleship, especially in this difficult time we live.

The Struggle Between Faith and Doubt

In today’s Gospel passage, we find Jesus descending from the Mount of Transfiguration and encountering a scene of chaos. A desperate father has brought his son, tormented by a spirit that seeks to destroy him. The disciples have tried but failed to cast it out. The scribes argue. The crowd watches. And in the midst of it all, there is a sense of powerlessness.

Jesus responds with a rebuke, not just to the disciples but to the entire generation:
“O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (v.19).

The issue at hand is not merely the boy’s suffering but a deeper crisis, a crisis of faith. The disciples, who had previously been given authority over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7), who have witnessed Jesus perform many miracles, are now unable to act in His absence. The father of the boy, though desperate, is filled with doubt.

Faith as the Key to Divine Power

The dialogue that ensued between Jesus and the father of the possessed boy is quite edifying. When the father pleads, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (v.22), Jesus immediately redirects the question back to him: “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (v.23).

Here, Jesus emphasizes the centrality of faith. The Greek word pisteuō, meaning “to believe,” goes beyond mere intellectual assent; it speaks of trust, surrender, and reliance on God. This faith is not about our strength but about placing ourselves entirely in the hands of Christ.

The father’s response is one of the most honest prayers ever recorded in Scripture:
“I believe; help my unbelief!” (v.24).

This is the cry of every struggling Christian, every disciple who wants to trust but wrestles with doubt. Jesus does not reject this imperfect faith. Instead, He acts upon it, commanding the unclean spirit to leave and never return.

The Power of Prayer and Fasting

Later, the disciples ask Jesus privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” (v.28).

Jesus answers, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (v.29).

The Greek word for prayer here, proseuchē, signifies an intimate, ongoing communion with God. And fasting, while not explicitly mentioned in all manuscripts, represents self-denial, discipline, and dependence on God’s power rather than human effort.

This teaches us that spiritual authority does not come from technique or formula but from a life deeply rooted in prayer and surrender to God. Faith is not a momentary surge of confidence; it is cultivated through intimacy with the Father.

A Call to Deeper Faith

Brothers and sisters, how often do we find ourselves like the disciples, facing battles we should overcome but failing due to our lack of prayer? How often are we like the father, believing, yet struggling with doubt?

Jesus does not ask for perfect faith; He asks for real, growing faith. Even when we feel weak, let us pray as this father did:

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Let us deepen our faith through prayer and fasting, drawing near to the Lord so that we may experience the fullness of His power. When we trust in Him, nothing is impossible!

May the Lord strengthen our faith today. May He cast out every spirit of doubt, fear, and discouragement. May we walk in the power of prayer, knowing that with God, all things are possible.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.