Are you familiar with the term ‘unbelief’? Or the phrase: “Lord I believe, help my unbelief”. You can find the whole story in the Bible accounts in Matthew 17:14, Mark 9:14 and Luke 9:37 onward. Here where the story of where it came from. A father had heard about the ministry of Jesus and his disciples. Especially that each one was able to cast out all those demons around those days, one of the main characteristics of Jesus ministry. Important for us to understand as well, because they are still around. How did Jesus and the disciples deal with them? The father in this story had a son that was lunatic, would start acting weird at certain times, throwing himself in the fire or water, foaming around his mouth, leaving a worried father. Hearing about Jesus ministry brought hope to his heart. Not long before that Jesus had sent out the 12 and the 70, two by two. Giving them power that by just using His name they could heal the sick, cleanse lepers, cast out devils and raise the dead. They would come back rejoicing especially that devils were leaving people and were subject to the name of Jesus. The father having heard about the success rate of the disciples, went to search for them. The disciples still full of confidence, again used the name of Jesus and the authority that comes with that name. Then the whole scene shifted. Was their eyes now on their own authority that they could do it? What was the reaction of the demon in the boy and therefore the boy? A fit most likely. Their trust in the name they had just used, collapsed. The question they later asked Jesus when the boy was set free, was : “Why could We not cast that devil out?” First mistake. Our eyes should be on His name and the power behind that name. Their eyes started believing that maybe this kind of demon was to powerful for them to handle when they saw the way the boy was reacting to the name of Jesus. The father now too in doubt but still had the courage and trust to meet Jesus Himself. The boy was apparently still reacting wild at least and violent at most. All Jesus asked the father: “ How long has this been?” because he had such pity on the wearisome father. No matter though, what Jesus saw right then, He was determined to relieve the boy of his suffering. Before the crowd that had apparently gathered around the disciples, could rush in, the disciples brought the boy to Jesus. Jesus called them faithless and more (like:“Men, where is your trust in the name that I gave you and that you used so many times successfully?) All Jesus asked the father was: “Do you believe? The father answered he had been trusting but was now in a moment of unbelief when he saw the disciples fail on Jesus name. He asked: “Help my unbelief” : Jesus comforting voice told the father to shift his faith in Him. Just by seeing Jesus, the boy( demon inside the boy) now really acted violently and left him on the ground. Jesus just rebuked the devil and said: “deaf and dumb spirit, come out of him” That left the boy dead or motionless. But Jesus just lifted him up and the boy was restored. He never got his eyes off what He knew He was commanded to do by God. To restore people back to health, body soul and spirit. What then is unbelief and how come it can be so strong it keeps people bound? Unbelief is simply not believing, not trusting His eternal Words that have stood the test of time. Are there different kinds of unbelief? Yes.
1/ The first kind is where people reject the truth of Jesus life, death, burial and resurrection. They don’t study it, search for that truth and rather believe what others say. Cure : Test and study Him out and make a decision on the truth
2/ The second kind of unbelief is, we are ignorant of who God is, what his personality really is. And accuse Him of stuff, He was never guilty of. We also have no clue what happened at what we call “new or spiritual birth” if we had that born again experience of accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Cure: Go back to the basics of God’s Word and find a good Bible teacher that help you find out what is your right to know.
3/ The third kind of unbelief is wrong knowledge about God and Jesus,. Being so indoctrinated by laws, bylaws, rules, statutes of the group or circle you are in ,that it buries all God really said. Just like the Pharisees did in Jesus time. What was to be the blessing of God through His word now became a terrible burden on the people, making His word ineffective. Cure: Right teaching of the pure word of God. Just start studying the Bible for what it really says.
4/The last kind of unbelief that hinders most people from receiving what God has for them is the sense knowledge belief or carnality. Believing more in what their eyes see in front of them, hear what their ears hear and think it is true. Their trust in their physical senses (which can change any moment) becomes more real then His promises (which are eternal) Cure: Get your thoughts so focused on His promises that they become more real then what you hear, see, taste , smell and touch.
Doubt your own doubts
Start believing His promises and refuse to say: “it didn’t work”
He has been longer around then you and has proven Himself over and over from the beginning of Creation. He still does.
Trust and get your eyes on His Word.
Akhrienuo
