Healing a Demoniac Boy
The healing of the demoniac boy happened after the Transfiguration of Jesus. This is where Jesus went up on a mountain and appeared with Moses and Elijah. The disciples, Peter, James and John had witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus. The disciples who stayed at the base of the mountain had encountered a problem casting out a demon. Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. When His disciples asked Him why they could not cast out the demon, He said to them “This kind can come out only through prayer.”
Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:37-42
When Jesus came down from the mountain there were a multitude waiting for Him. There came a certain man, kneeling down to Jesus and saying. “Lord, has mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.” This man had taken his son to the disciples and they could not cure him. (Matthew 17:15)
The answer Jesus gave was “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer or endure you?” Jesus was say they were without trust in the LORD and turn aside from the right path. (Matthew 17:17). Jesus then told the man to bring the child to Him.
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him (convulsed him); and he fell on the ground, and wallowed or rolled foaming. (Mark 9:20).
Jesus asked the father, how long this had happened to him. And the father told Jesus since the boy was a child. Often it had cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.
Jesus said unto him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help you mine unbelief or mine lack of faith. (Mark 9:23-24).
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, “Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.” (Mark 9:25-27).
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:28-29).
What Can Be Learned From This Lesson?
Having faith in our lives can be the most important solution we can have. The disciples didn’t have faith enough to pray when they could not cast out the demon out of the boy. Jesus had been with them teaching them for a long time. What happened to their faith when Jesus was not with them?
There may be times in our lives we cannot see or hear Jesus. That is the times we need Him the most. That is when we need to get down on our knees and pray. Fasting is going without eating only concentrating on what needs to be done. How do we turn from what we are doing and get back to Jesus?
The Bible speaks about fasting on many occasions such as: Observed on occasions of public calamities (2Samuel 1:12), Approaching danger (Esther 4:16), Ordination of ministers (Acts 13:3 & 14:23), Accompanied by prayer (Daniel 9:3), and Confession of sin (1Samuel 7:6 & Nehemiah 9:1-2).
The instances of Fasting can be seen: During the sickness of the child born to King David by Bath-Sheba (2Samuel 12:16-22), While interceding in prayer for his friends (Psalm 35:13), By Paul, at the time of his conversion (Acts 9:9), Of the disciples, at the time of the consecration of Barnabas and Saul (Ac 13:2-3), Of the consecration of the elders (Acts 14:23).
Children should not go without eating for a fast in less there is catastrophe event that has happened. Prayer is the best way to go. You should always have your main focus on the LORD not on self.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Healing a Demoniac Boy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2085,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Healing a Demoniac Boy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2085,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Healing a Demoniac Boy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2085, (accessed).
