Bible Study Article
What Do You Mean "IF"?
What Does "If" Mean?
Is there ever a time when you question "IF" God is going to work in your life?
Do you ever feel like you don’t know what to do but you cry out to God anyway? Just such a situation happened in the Bible for a man whose son was possessed by a demon. Read Mark 9:14-27 below then follow along with the observations.
The Healing of a Boy with an Evil Spirit
14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
22"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil[1] spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."
27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
Notice that in verse 22 the boy’s father answers Jesus with, "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.” But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
Verse 22 Notice Jesus' reply: "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
In the New International Version of the Bible Jesus says: "If I can?”
The Amplified Bible reads: And Jesus said, “[You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!”The New Living Translation reads: What do you mean, `If I can?'" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
Jesus rebuked the father for his unbelief. That’s why the father immediately - and hurriedly replied, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
He was standing there next to God Himself. The father recognized his error. He quickly corrected it. "I do believe ..."
What Caused this Quick Transformation?
I imagine that Jesus caught the father's attention and looked him in the eye as the two of them were bent over watching the boy roll around on the ground. Jesus (with a penetrating laser-like calm intensity) said, ”What do you mean, `If I can?'"
The man was stunned. He caught himself. He took his eye (mind’s eye) off his son as he stood face to face with God.
He transfixed on Jesus, knowing deliverance was at hand. He had no more doubt, no reason to fear. Then he confessed his belief. "I do believe ..."
All it took was for the father to focus on Jesus and his faith was transformed. (See Hebrews 12:2)
Help With Un-Belief
We know God is all-powerful when we keep our focus on Him. We see His power in our lives when we confess our faith in Him.
In Chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews God warned us about the sin of unbelief. He told us to come into the throne room with boldness (Hebrews 4:16).
Unbelief was a big problem for the Israelites after they left Egypt. It was the reason why they had to wander around in the desert for forty years. It is why a whole generation had to die off before they could go into the Promised Land.
In Mark 9:23 Jesus told the man, "Everything is possible for him who believes."
In the next verse the boy’s father asked Jesus for help with his unbelief. He says, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" God is always there to help us with our unbelief? All we have to do is ask. If we ask, He will answer. If we seek, we will find Him. If we knock, the door will be opened (Luke 11:10).
Our faith in God can be renewed by His word. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17 KJV). Read the word; ask God for His God-kind of faith.
The Tears
Verse 24 Look in the King James Version of the Bible. You will notice that verse 24 reads: And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
See the words with tears. Those same tears we had at the point of salvation. They are also the same tears we get when we are in our prayer closet and the Holy Spirit’s presence is so heavy. That's the emotion and tears we get with the close presence of God. They are cleansing tears. Those are transforming tears that happen when God grabs us and shakes up our faith within us.
How do we come to God? Do we ask with doubt "If you can?" Or do we come to God, truly turning it over to Him and expecting an answer to our prayer? If we come with unbelief then we need to do like the boy’s father did and proclaim “Yes, I do believe!” “Yes, I will see an answer. Yes, God does hear my prayer and He answers prayer.”
Jesus looked into the father’s soul through his eyes just like the Holy Spirit is looking into our souls through our hearts and confronting us with our unbelief. Do we hear Him asking us, "What do you mean, 'If'?"
Before Jesus drove the demon from the boy, Jesus drove unbelief from the father.
Proclaim with me right now, “Yes, I do believe! Yes, Father, I believe. I trust in your goodness. I trust in your grace. I believe.” Shout it to the heavens. Let God know that you believe. Confess it. Say it and let it get down deep into your soul and hold onto it tight. Do not let it go. And when you feel it slipping – start confessing it all over again.
Praise you Father. Hallelujah!
Seven Points for Keeping Your Focus on God
- Believe in Him that God Sent (John 6:29)
- Faith - Salvation (Mark 16:16)
- Firmly Relying Trust (Mark 4:39-40 AMP)
- Pray Always – Don’t Give Up (Luke 18:1)
- Pray without Ceasing (1 Thel. 5:17)
- Pray with Thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6)
- Bless the Lord at All Times (Psalm 34:1)
- Praise & Worship (Psalm 8:2; 18:3)
- Study and Mediate on His Word (Acts 17:11)
- Put His Word in Your Heart (Jeremiah 31:33; Psalm 40:8)
- Keep His Word Before You Day and Night (Joshua 1:8)
- Take Every Thought Captive (2 Cor. 10:5)
- Think on That Which is Good (Phil 4:8)
- Speak What God Says (Jerm. 1:17-19)
- Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue (Prov. 18:21)
- Do What God Says to Do
- Obey God’s Commands (1 John 3:21-24)
- Let the Word (written, revealed and spoken) be a Lamp unto Your Feet (Psalm 119:105)
Are you asking God “IF” He can handle your situation?
Or
Are you focused on Him and preparing for His move in your life?
Study God's Word
John 17:17 NIV
“Sanctify them by the truth,
Your word is truth.”
Jeremiah 23:29 AMP
Is not My word like fire
[that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?
says the Lord,
and like a hammer
that breaks in pieces the rock
[of most stubborn resistance]?2 Timothy 3:15 NLT
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful to teach us what is true and
to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
It straightens us out and
teaches us to do what is right.