“From Desperation to Deliverance: The Power of Persistent Faith”

 The Book of Mark

Encountering The Miracles and Mission of Jesus Christ

Good morning Eastern Shore Baptist Church. I hope that all of you had a tremendous 4th of July holiday. Naturally, it is great to be back in the house of the Lord. I’ve got to be honest with you this morning, I have really been looking forward to opening God’s Word with all of you this morning. It is always a treat to be here with you, worshipping with all of you, praying with you, and seeking God together. 

Most of you have never heard the name George Muller. Muller was a Christian evangelist in the 19th century and the founder of Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol, England. Muller had not just committed his life to Christ, he had also committed his life to the orphans. The orphanage started small, housing only 30 kids at its beginning. Over the years, the need rose and Muller expanded the orphanage to house upwards of 10,000 children. 

One night, Muller faced a desperate situation. The orphanage had run out of food, and there was no money to buy more. The children were hungry, and it seemed there was no solution in sight. Despite the dire circumstances, Müller’s faith remained unshaken. He gathered the children and the staff, and they prayed for God’s provision. The next morning, something miraculous happened. As they sat down to an empty table, a baker knocked on the door. He explained that he had been unable to sleep the previous night, feeling compelled to bake bread for the orphanage. He had brought enough bread to feed all the children. Shortly after, a milkman whose cart had broken down right outside the orphanage offered his entire supply of fresh milk, ensuring the children had enough to drink. 

People from far and wide began to hear about how God had provided for Muller, his partners, the ministry and most importantly the children. Their needs would continued to be met by the community for many years. 

Today’s Message:

“From Desperation to Deliverance: The Power of Persistent Faith”

Talk about “from desperation to deliverance” and it all started with a bad situation collided with a faithful prayer. In fact that is the title of the message this morning. “From Desperation to Deliverance: The Power of Persistent Faith”. 

What about you friend? When is the last time your back was against the wall? When was the last time you had run out of answers? When was the last time you were truly desperate? What did you do? Where did you go? To whom did you run? Where did you find your answers?

We have all been there haven’t we? Desperate! Maybe you are there this morning. I remember talking to a church member a few months ago. His wife had just given birth to their second child. She was a stay at home mom. He was the breadwinner. 

“Pastor, my job just let me go”, he told me.

“What am I going to do?”

“Are you a man of faith”, I asked him.

“Yes sir”, he replied back to me. 

“What do men of faith do when desperate times call for desperate measures”, I asked him.

He paused for a moment and then he responded with one word. One simple word. 

“Pray!”

That’s right my brother I told him. You pray and God will answer. 

Just two weeks ago I talked to a precious sister, another member of our church. 

“Pastor, they’ve given him 8 to 16 months to live. Gracious, what will we do”, she asked. 

What do you think I told her? That’s right. Pray. Pray and God will answer your request. He knows you. He is aware of you. He loves you. He is indeed a good good Father. 

Not longer after my friend lost his job, he was delivered a better one. 

Days after that conversation with that sweet sister, I received another message from her. The cancer medication that was given to her husband that was supposed to make him sick actually didn’t. It appeared to be working. 

You see friends, God always answers His children when they pray. Now He may not answer the way you want Him to answer but He answers nevertheless. 

How do I know this to be true? Simple. Go to God’s Word. 

Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Psalm 34:17 (ESV)

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

Today’s Thought:

Prayer Defeats The Devil and Deliver Us From Death!

Do me a favor this morning, fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought”. Prayer defeats the devil and delivers us from death. It’s true you know. Prayer does defeat the Devil. How did Jesus defeat Satan in the desert? Through Scripture and prayer. How did Jesus remain resolute in the garden before His death? Prayer. How did Jesus do the impossible and raise Lazarus from the dead? Prayer. You got it now. Prayer is the answer. It’s the key to having an affective Christian life. 

Today’s Quote:

“Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.”

Rev. E.M. Bounds from “The Necessity of Prayer”

E.M. Bounds, a theologian during the days of the Civil War, wrote dozens of books on prayer. He surmised that the answer to the conflict between the North and the South found its answer in seeking God’s face through prayer. In one of his books entitled “The Necessity of Prayer” he wrote “Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.” 

Oh friends, if you are not doing spiritual battle without the weapon of prayer, you are setting yourself up for defeat, disaster and discouragement. 

This morning, we are going to be reading from Mark 9:14-29. Before we read from God’s Word, let’s discover the context and background of the passage. 

Background and Context:

If you remember, just last week we discussed the transfiguration of Christ. Peter, James and John were with Jesus and there they were met by Moses and Elijah. It was an exciting event that yet again affirmed Jesus’ divine nature. Peter and the others wanted to remain on the mountain. They wanted to make for Jesus, Moses and Elijah some tents. Jesus reminded the men of His mission. So, after a bit of back and forth, they finally come down from the mountain. Imagine what Peter, James and John must have been feeling. So close to heaven they could almost touch it. Now, they are descending back into the troubles of the world. 

The moment that they come down the mountain, they are met with the harsh realities and desperations of the world. They walked into a scene of chaos and confusion. A large crowd had gathered, and there was a heated argument going on between the other disciples and some teachers of the law.

In the midst of this commotion, a desperate father approached Jesus. His son was suffering terribly, possessed by an evil spirit that caused seizures and had been tormenting him since childhood. The father had brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, hoping they could help, but they were unable to cast out the spirit. You can imagine the father’s frustration and hopelessness. So, I don’t want to give away all the details but that is where we are this morning. We are in the middle of men arguing, a boy dying from demon possession, the failure of Jesus’ disciples, and the desperation and doubt of a father. Friends put yourself there. What would you do if it were your boy? What length would you go to see your son healed? 

Before we go to God’s Word this morning, I do want to remind all of us that…

Statement of Faith:

We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and authoritative. We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word gives life. It provides peace in trouble and protection in tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect.  

Today’s Scripture:

Mark 9:14-29 ESV

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. [15] And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. [16] And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" [17] And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. [18] And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." [19] And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." [20] And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. [21] And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. [22] And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." [23] And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." [26] And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead." [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. [28] And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" [29] And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

Pastor:

“This Is The Word of The Lord.”

Congregation:

“Praise His Name. Praise His Holy Name!”

Jesus’ Dominion Over Darkness and Death!

I. Satan’s Power vs. 14-19

So, this clearly is a tough situation. Difficult. Down right discouraging. Jesus certainly has dominion over darkness and death. Clearly. But how do we see Jesus’ actions rebuke the evil one? We will talk about that in just a moment but before we get there, let’s look at Satan’s power. 

Satan is all over this story. He is all over this world. Remember what the apostle John states in 1 John 5:19, 

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” Satan is in control of this world which is why we so much brokenness and death. He may control this world but God has dominion over Satan. No, his name is not actually mentioned, but his presence is seen. We just read verses 14 through 19. Pretend for a moment that you are a detective. You have your magnifying glass and you are looking for Satan’s fingerprints in this situation. You are looking deep into the story, pouring over all the details. It seems Satan’s presence is clear and obvious. If you are like me, you are drawn to the lines declaring the boy as filled with an unclean spirit. The boy is mute. He has seizures, foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, he becomes rigid. The spirit also tries to drown the boy or worse, burn him alive. In the second point I am going to reveal a hidden sign that the Devil is in the presence of Christ, this father, and the disciples. 

First of all, what is this unclean spirit? An unclean spirit is a demonic presence that is under the control of Satan. Satan is an unclean spirit but not every unclean spirit is Satan. I believe that if this boy was dealing with Satan, his name would have been mentioned by Christ. It is not, therefore it is safe to assume that this is another demon, nameless this time. We last met a demon by the name of Legion a few chapters back. I believe that this is also not Legion, otherwise his name would have been stated. So, we know that an unclean spirit is under the dominion of Satan’s darkness, controlled by him. Think of this spirit as a foot soldier of Satan. This spirit is conscious, intelligent, evil, corrupt, and murderous. This unclean spirit is powerful. This is true. Powerful enough to kill, harm, injure, and destroy. Many times in Scripture, illness is associated with unclean spirits and demonic forces. Now let me just drop a parenthetical note here. Just because you are ill does not mean that you are under attack from Satan or unclean spirits. Sickness sadly is a result of a fallen creation, marred by sin. 

Still, sickness is often a weapon that Satan uses. When I pray for people who are sick, which happens often, I am quick to ask God to bar Satan and his forces from their lives. I ask the Lord to protect our family from the evil schemes and fiery arrows of the Devil. It is impossible for me to know what is a result of this fallen world and what may be a spiritual attack. I did a deep dive in Scripture last week and I discovered that all sorts of illnesses were attributed to wicked evil spirits. Illnesses like…

-deformities

-mental illness 

-blindness

-deafness

-muteness 

-epilepsy

I will also tell you that in most of these cases, these illnesses were brought on by dabbling or full on participation in spiritually dark activities. 

• astrology

• magic

• divination (divination is like tarot cards, ouija boards, palm readings)

• communicating with the dead

• purposefully teaching heresy

• false prophecy or false teaching

• sorcery

• practicing witchcraft

All of these activities opened the door for Satan or one of his comrades to step into the physical realm of an individual, wreaking havoc and leaving destruction in its wake. 

Remember friends, this boy, the boy that we are talking about this morning, was possessed. He was not being attacked. Spiritual attack and spiritual possession are very different. Satanic possession, also known as demonic possession, is when an evil spirit takes control of a person’s body and mind. This is a rare and extreme condition. The possessed person may exhibit behaviors and symptoms that are beyond their control, such as violent outbursts, speaking in strange languages, and displaying supernatural strength.

On the other hand, Satanic attacks are more common and can happen to anyone, including believers. A Satanic attack is when Satan or his demons try to influence our thoughts, emotions, and circumstances to lead us away from God. These attacks can come in various forms, such as:

• Temptation: Trying to lure us into sin.

• Discouragement: Making us feel hopeless or unworthy.

• Deception: Feeding us lies about ourselves, others, or God.

• Distraction: Pulling us away from our relationship with God through busyness or other interests.

• Oppression: Bringing about feelings of heaviness or spiritual darkness.

Satanic attacks can be subtle or intense, but they do not involve the complete control of a person’s body and mind. Instead, they are efforts to weaken our faith and lead us astray.

This boy, like I said, was possessed. To be possessed means to be invited. Just as the Holy Spirit possesses us when we invite Him into our lives, so to must Satan be invited. This boy, somehow, someway, opened himself up to demonic possession and it destroyed him. 

Here is the good news about Satan’s power…Satan’s authority, it ends at the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan has no dominion, no rule, no ability beyond Christ. Not only is Satan subject to Christ, but Jesus gives each and every one of us tools to rally from his attacks:

Prayer

His Word

Our Faith

The Church

The Amor of God

Remember brothers and sisters, Jesus has already won the victory over Satan. By staying close to Christ, we can face any spiritual challenge with confidence and strength. 

Jesus’ Dominion Over Darkness and Death!

I. Satan’s Power vs. 14-19

II. Man’s Problem vs. 24 

So, our first point this morning was Satan’s power. Our second point this morning is man’s problem. 

So, let’s go back to being a detective. Remember when I asked you to pretend like you were investigating Satan’s presence in the story. Can you spot him? Did he show up? You dust for his fingerprints. You look for his influence. You were drawn to the obvious. You saw the boy who was thrown into the fire, nearly drown, mute. That is the obvious signs that his forces of evil were present. 

I think that you may have missed an important clue that Satan and his demon friends were influencing the scene. It actually starts back at the start of the story, specifically back in verse 14. We see another clue in verse 24. Let me read these passages again for you this morning. 

Mark 9:14 ESV

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.

Mark 9:24 ESV

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Let me set the scene for you again. Jesus and the disciples have just come off of having a literal mountain top experience with God. The disciples are on a Holy Spirit high. They descend the mountain only to be greeted by trouble. Peter, James, John and Jesus are not greeted with applause. No way. They are witness to an argument that has broken out. The followers of Christ are arguing with the crowd of people who are following Christ and the scribes. Jesus has been gone for a matter of hours and in that time all hades has broken loose among the people. By the way, these are religious people. These are church going, synagogue going people. These are people of faith. What are they arguing about? The subject of the argument is that the disciples have failed. They have not been able to heal a child stricken with a demonic possession. Meanwhile, during this fight, everyone has lost sight of what was really important. They have completely forgotten about the boy and they are focusing on the failure. When Jesus comes down the mountain, the father of the boy is desperate to reorient everyone’s attention to the problem at hand. 

Brothers and sisters, one of the primary tale tailed signs of Satan’s movement is petty arguments breaking out among religious people. One of the sure fire signals that Satan is on the move is when God’s people lose sight of important matters and they start arguing over the trivial. After all, what does it matter how the disciples failed. What matters is discovering the solution to this boy’s problem. 

Arguments. Sign number one of man’s problem. 

There is another sign. The second sign is unbelief. "I believe; help my unbelief!" Satan has unique ways of planting doubt in our spirits doesn’t he? Most of us have been walking with Christ for a long long while. We have seen Christ move in our lives. We have seen Him save us over and over again. Still, there will be a certain situation that will cause us to question God’s goodwill towards us. Certain situations that seem to cancel out our faith in him. 

Arguments. Unbelief. Sure signs that Satan is on the move. Do arguments seems to follow you around? Are you always embroiled in conflict, embarrassed by drama? Could it be that Satan is using you as a tool for his good, for his gain? Are you struggling with doubt, discouragement, unbelief? Are you like this father in the story? Can you admit that you believe but finding yourself begging God to help your unbelief?

I’ll tell you what, you’re not alone. Jesus called a certain individual, a certain man, the greatest man to have ever lived. Do you know his name?

That’s right…John the Baptist. 

John the Baptist had the Spirit of God in utero. He leapt in his mother’s womb at the presence of Christ. As an adult, he was bold, brazen even for God. He was a called man. He was different. A magnanimous preacher, a powerful communicator of the Gospel. He baptized Jesus. “Look, there is the Lamb of God” he claimed. John the Baptist was on of the first people to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. He heard the audible voice of the Father at the baptism of Jesus. You would think that John the Baptist would never struggle with doubt. He would never battle with unbelief. 

But he did. 

John had been imprisoned. He was sentenced to die. He was going to be beheaded. In those final moments of his life, the greatest man to have ever lived struggled with doubt and unbelief. In Luke 7, from prison John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask, once and for all, if He truly is the Messiah. Listen to Jesus’ response. 

Luke 7:22 ESV

And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.

Jesus give John some good advice. John, look around. Look at God moving. Remember what you know and do not give credit or credence to what you are feeling. Believe in what you know, not what you feel. 

That is good advice for us today. 

So man’s problems are two fold this morning. Satan is on the move and you can see his movement through arguments and unbelief. How do you battle that? Remember and recall God’s faithfulness. Don’t give Satan even a smidge of room to plant a seed of unbelief. Come to the Lord with a broken and contrite spirit, ready to receive His goodness. Remember what Psalm 51:17 declares. 

Psalm 51:17 ESV

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Jesus’ Dominion Over Darkness and Death!

I. Satan’s Power vs. 14-19

II. Man’s Problem vs. 24 

III. Jesus’ Prayer vs. 25

So, you know the rest of the story. Jesus steps into this man’s situation and does the impossible. Fill in this last blank for me this morning. Jesus’ prayer! Brothers and sisters, do you believe that Jesus can still do the impossible? 

I sure do. 

I believe that Jesus can do the impossible. Ive seen it. Ive seen God restore broken marriages. I’ve seen Christ bring the prodigal home. Ive seen God release people from alcoholism, addiction, homosexuality, drug abuse, and so much more. Ive seen God heal people with terminal diseases. Time and time again Ive seen God do the absolute impossible. 

Mark 9:25-29 ESV

And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." [26] And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead." [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. [28] And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" [29] And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

Oh friends there is power in prayer. God does the impossible when we pray. 

I was a mere two years old when the “Miracle on Ice” took place. 

In the 1980 Winter Olympics, the U.S. hockey team, comprised mostly of college students, was considered a huge underdog to win gold. They were given no shot of defeating the much more advanced and experienced Soviet team. Herb Brooks, the US team’s coach, turned to prayer. He led the team to seek strength, guidance, and courage through hitting their knees and asking God to give them aid and help. This act of faith was a vital part of their preparation, giving them a sense of peace and focus. Prayer drew the team together. Prayer inspired them to do something that was seemingly impossible. 

Despite their inexperience, the U.S. team played with incredible heart and determination. They held off the Soviet team and won 4-3 in what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” This victory was more than just a sports achievement; it symbolized hope and perseverance. Many believed their prayers and faith played a crucial role in their success.

I love what Paul states in Ephesians 6:18. 

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers…”

Jesus tells the disciples that only prayer could remove the evil. Why did He say that? The answer is probably more simple than you might think. Prayer is an act of humility and dependence. Two things that the disciples often lacked. Sometimes it is two things that Stuart Davidson lacks. You see, the disciples tried to remove the evil entity under their own strength, under their own power…and they failed. 

Brothers and sisters, I will close with this. Pray. Pray often. Pray daily. There is power in prayer. If you are feeling defeated, pray. If you are feeling broken, pray. If you are feeling under attack, pray. 

There is power in prayer. 

Remember, all things are possible for anyone who believes. All things are possible for anyone who prays. 

All Things Are Possible For Anyone Who Believes!\

Closing Prayer:

Let’s bow our heads and pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and for the powerful reminder today of the importance of prayer and dependence on You. We see through the story in Mark 9 that with You, all things are possible, and we are grateful for Your grace and power at work in our lives.

Lord, we come before You now, inviting Your Holy Spirit to move among us. If there are any here today who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, I pray that You would stir their hearts. May they feel Your love and hear Your call to receive the gift of salvation. If that’s you today, I invite you to come forward or raise your hand where you are. Jesus is ready to welcome you into His family.

For those who have made that decision but have not yet been baptized, we encourage you to take that next step of faith. Baptism is a beautiful declaration of your new life in Christ. 

If you feel led to join our church family, we welcome you with open arms. We are a community striving to grow together in faith, and we would love to have you with us on this journey.

Lastly, if there are any burdens, sins, or struggles weighing on your heart, know that this altar is open. You can also confess and seek God’s forgiveness right where you are. God’s grace is sufficient, and His arms are always open to receive you.

Father, we thank You for hearing our prayers. Strengthen our faith, help our unbelief, and guide us in Your ways. May we always seek You in prayer, trusting in Your mighty power.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.