Mark 9:17-18

Mark 9:17-18: “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.””

Have you ever felt powerless to accomplish the work Jesus has called you to do? If so, then you know exactly how the disciples felt. Don’t become discouraged. Instead, recognize that  the Christian life cannot be lived in our own strength. We must live in continual dependence upon God.

After Jesus was transfigured, He descended the mountain with Peter, James, and John and was immediately confronted with a demon-possessed boy whom the other disciples had been unable to deliver. After speaking with the boy’s father, Jesus cast out the demon. Later, His disciples came to Him privately and asked why they had been unable to cast it out. Jesus answered, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Do you begin your day in prayer? Not just with a routine prayer, but with a prayer of surrender and dependence, asking God to empower you through His Holy Spirit for whatever He has called you to do? Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will and reminds us that apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). Don’t leave your home without first seeking the Lord’s strength and guidance.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege we have to be your vessels.  Empower us through Your Holy Spirit to faithfully carry out every task You have prepared for us. Help us to depend on You rather than on our own strength, and may Christ be glorified in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.