Cry Out In Prayer

Mark 9:22-24 “…But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” ~CSB

When I was under the vice of my addiction to alcohol I remember when I realized I was losing control. I had one day that I would not drink and that was Sunday.  That day I would be in church and later I would be around my Pastor, my mother-in-law, and others for family dinner that evening.  Sunday was off limits for drinking. 

But the time eventually came when I couldn’t even stop that.  I would save me a ‘stash’ of alcohol in the house so when we got back home from dinner, I would sip on something before I went to bed.  This was when I realized, I could not control my alcohol consumption for the whole week. Seven days in a row, drinking something.

This was a time in my life when I thought that I would never be able to let go of the alcohol addiction.  I would live my days dying a slow death, poisoning my body. Even though I was a ‘church goer’ and ‘worship participator’ I didn’t believe or even allow myself to think about what God could do for me. I didn’t believe and I didn’t pray.

​The text above tells the story of a man who brought his son to Jesus to be healed.  His son had been possessed by a demon “…from childhood…”(9:21) The man says to Jesus, “…if you can do anything…” See right here, it appears the man is exhausted so much with his son’s circumstances that he may have given up on hope. So much so that he lost faith that even the Son of God could heal him.  After all, the text does say that the disciples could not heal the young man.

How often do we as ‘church going’ Christians, put God on the back burner and put our problems out front, giving our troubles the most time and attention?  Instead of realizing that it is not under our power that the miracle will take place. No, it is ‘where’ we realize the true power of change and healing will come from and ‘when’ we direct that focus, in prayer, toward that source.

The day I realized, holding a bottle of liquor in my hands, that I could not fight my battle in my own power, was the day the Holy Spirit sent prayers in praise to God that I was ready to be saved. It was my admittance that I wasn’t strong enough to pray, I wasn’t strong enough to let go of my vice and I wasn’t strong enough in my faith, that I had to ask for that strength.  And because I couldn’t do it, the gift of the Spirit did it for me and my life was changed!

The text says that Jesus told the man, “…If I can? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” The man’s spirit led him to confess and cry out, “I do believe…” and he admitted that he was not strong enough to ask for help, “…help my unbelief!”

It is time to cry out during your times of struggle! Cry out when the devil tells you that you are done! Cry out to God Who is bigger than your problems, bigger than your fears and bigger than your sickness!  He was bigger than the demon in the boy and He is even bigger than the demons in your life. Cry out to the Father and trust him.  He will make a way out of no way.

May God continue to bless and keep you on your journey in Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Blessings,
​Billy

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