Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23 NKJV)

The remarkable account in Mark chapter 9 tells the story of a father who was desperate for his son’s healing. His little boy had been afflicted by a deaf and dumb spirit; several times, he would suffer convulsions and the evil spirit would cast him into fire and water to destroy him.

This was a complicated case because not only did the child suffer convulsions, but his condition was also caused by a deaf and dumb spirit. This meant the boy was deaf and dumb or would go deaf and dumb every time the evil spirit took over him.

The Bible also tells us he had suffered from the condition since he was a child. Imagine the emotional turmoil the boy’s father and his family must have gone through until they heard about Jesus. The man went to Jesus’ disciples, but they couldn’t cast the devil out.

Then, he met Jesus and cried out to Him, “...if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22). Now, it’s very important that you notice Jesus’ response. He said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).

The Master turned the whole thing around and said, “The power of God can do anything, so it’s not a question of what I can do; it’s what you can believe.” The man probably saw Jesus as a good miracle worker, and that was why he spoke the way he did. That’s the way some people think today, and it’s wrong. Understand that it’s not what the minister can do.

The question is, how much can you believe? Maybe there’s a condition in your body right now, and you’re saying, “Oh! I wish somebody would pray for me.” No. Jesus said that if you believe, all things are possible to you. You can change that situation. It’s a question of how much you can believe and what your faith can receive.

Understand that if your situation is going to change, it’s going to be by your faith. It’s not another person’s faith or the minister’s faith, but your faith that will change that situation. Jesus didn’t say, “If thou can believe, all things are possible to God.” He said all things are possible to YOU when you believe. No matter what you’re going through today, you can change it if you can believe. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The lack of understanding of this truth is the reason some people pray like this when they face difficulties in their lives:

“I know my God is going to do it; I know He will not fail me.” Though that sounds wonderful, it’s wrong and it will not work. It’s not God’s responsibility to effect the change you desire; it’s your responsibility. I would to God that all of God’s children would understand that Christianity is not a life that we live with the expectation that God will help us out. God has already done everything necessary for you to live a healthy, prosperous, joyful, and fulfilled life. What you need is the application of your faith.

If there’s something in your body that you don’t like, don’t stay with it; change it! And you do this by voicing and acting your faith. Get to God’s Word that tells you of your divine health and healing in Christ Jesus, and then voice it and act that way. Even when it seems like nothing happened, keep acting your faith; it’s only a matter of time before the change will be evident for all to see because faith always works!