In Mark 9:14-29, Christ's disciples encounter a boy who has been plagued with demons. As a result, the boy was blind and mute.
He frequently was thrown to the ground in violent fits. He would foam and the mouth and grind his teeth down. The demons would even cause him to fall into water and fire in an attempt to kill him.
The boy's father brought him to the disciples for healing. Yet, the disciples could not help. The demons remained and the boy's afflictions continued.
Jesus heard the commotion and asked what was happening. The boy's father explained the situation to Jesus. After a short conversation, Christ healed the boy and removed the evil spirits.
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Later, when they were alone, the disciples asked Jesus why they were not able to heal the boy. I imagine, as pastors, we can relate to the disciples' question.
We all have evil within our churches. Believers continue to deal with the effects of indwelling sin and the desires of the flesh. Meanwhile, Satan's rule over the present world works to woo believers into temptation.
Although every pastor experiences some "ministerial victories" from time to time, it is disconcerting to watch the couple which he has invested so many hours continue with divorce proceedings. It is painful to see a young boy go to prison while recalling all of the hours that have been invested in discipling him and keeping him off of the streets.
"What went wrong," the pastor asks himself.
When the disciples asked the same question, Jesus remarked, "This kind can only be healed by prayer."
Prayer submits to the source of all power: Christ alone. That's why we typically end our prayers with the words, "In Jesus' name."
However, just because we say the words, does not mean we have submitted to Christ's authority. I think that was what Jesus was communicating to the disciples.
Effective, life-transforming ministry never comes through the power of man, but through the power of God. Man is simply a conduit through which God works.
Prayer—robust prayer—is a tool by which we keep the conduit free of obstruction and full of faith.
E.M. Bounds once wrote, "Prayer puts God's work in His hands—and keeps it there."
Now, here is the interesting part of the conversation between Jesus and the boy's father. When the man says to Jesus, "If you can heal my son ..." Jesus questions the man's faith.
"If?" Jesus asks. "Where is your faith?" He probes.
The man says, "I believe, help my unbelief."
This is where every believer in every church lives his or her life. They believe, but need the power of Christ to help their unbelief. Only the praying pastor can be of help to such a soul.
Truly, you have no ministry if your ministry has no prayer. 
After serving in campus ministry at the University of Central Arkansas and coordinating student conferences for the Department of Church Ministries from 2000-2005, Scott Attebery pastored Wyatt Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas. After seven years of pastoring, Scott was selected as the Executive Director of DiscipleGuide Church Reources, a department of the Baptist Missionary Association of America. You can read his blog at ScottAttebery.com.
For the original article, visit pastors.com.
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Dr. Mark Rutland's
National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)
The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!
FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.
Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.
