The healing of unbelief.

Then the disciples came to Jesus, asked in particular: Why could not we cast him out?
And he said to them: Because of the smallness of your fé.Pois verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will be impossible passará.Nada. [But this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting]. Matthew 17.19-21
When the disciples saw Jesus cast out the evil spirit of epilepsy, which "could not cure him," asked the Master why they failed. He had given them "power and authority over all demons, and to perform healing." They had often exercised that power, and joyfully told him the demons as if submeteriam.E behold him now, while he was on the Mount, they fracassado.Havia had undoubtedly been proven that there was nothing in the will of God or the nature of the case that could make it impossible for the liberation of homem.Bastou an order of Jesus, and the evil spirit from foi.A their question - "Why we could not? _ is evident that the disciples wanted and tried to do the same. They probably used the name of the Master and commanded the spirit to leave. His efforts were in vain, and before the crowd, were shamed. " Why could not we? "
Christ's answer was right and clear: "Because of the littleness of your faith." The reason for the success and failure of Christ's disciples was not because Jesus had a special power which the disciples had acesso.Não, this was not why. He often taught them about the existence of a power - the power of faith - which, both in the realm of darkness and the Kingdom of God, all must prostrate themselves.
In the spiritual world failure has only one question: unbelief. Faith is the only condition under which all Divine power can enter the man and wrought through him. It is the susceptibility to the world invisible. The will of man surrendered and shaped by the will of God. The power to expel demons they had not received theirs as a gift or permanent possession. The power was in Christ, to be received, stored and used only by faith, living faith N "Himself. Since it had been filled with authentic N" Him as Lord and winner in the spiritual world, and since had been full of Faith N "and he received authority to expel demons in your name faith would give them the victory." Because of the smallness of your faith "was, for all times, the explanation and reproach to the Master's impotence and failure of his church .
But this lack of faith may also have a question. The disciples could have asked: "Why could not believe? Our faith drove out demons before. Why did we fail to believe now?" The Master said to them before they do the question: "But this variety not only through prayer and fasting ". Faith is the simplest and most sublime exercise of spiritual life, through which our spirit in perfect harmony with the Spirit of God is strengthened to perform its most sublime activity. Faith can only exist feeding of what is divine, of God Himself.
It is the reverent worship to God, hoping N "him and for him, with a deep silence of soul that surrenders to God proves that the capacity to know and trust the will of God will be developed. It is when we read His Word in the blessed book, presenting it before D "him, asking him to enliven us with your voice alive and loving, that His power will come in fullness to believe and receive it as the specific word of God to us. It is by prayer, in living contact with God, that faith, the power to trust in God (and for that confidence to accept everything he says, accept every opportunity that He offers to grow our faith), will strengthen us. Many Christians can not formulate any concept or feel the need to spend time with God. But what the Master says, the experience of his people have confirmed: men of great faith are men of much prayer.
This brings us back to the lesson we learned when Jesus, before saying to believe we receive what we ask, said: "Have faith in God." It is God, the living God, in whom our faith must be deeply rooted and strong. Then she'll be great to remove mountains and cast out demons. "If ye have faith, nothing will be impossible."
Oh, if we hand over to do the work that God has for us in this world, in communion with the mountains and demons that need to be released and expelled quickly understood the need that exists in much faith and much prayer, as the only soil in which faith can be cultivated.
And prayer needs fasting for its full knowledge. This is the second lesson. Prayer is the hand that holds the invisible and fasting is the hand that forgets and throws the visible. Nothing stops the man most closely connected with the world of the senses than their need for food and your enjoyment. It was with the fruit, pleasant to the eyes, that man was tried in Paradise. It was the bread that would be done on the stones that Jesus, when hungry, was tried in the desert. He was by fasting won victory. The body and the spirit of the Scriptures say you have fear, because there are many Christians for whom this food for the Glory of God has not yet become a spiritual reality. And the first thought suggested by Jesus' words about fasting and prayer is that only through a life of moderation and temperance and self denial is that the heart will be strengthened to pray a lot.
But there is also the literal sense. Pain and anxiety can not eat. The joy of celebrating their festivals with food and drink. There may be time to lust when he feels like the body with its appetites, even if they are legitimate, still hinders the spirit in its battle against the power of darkness, and feel the need to subdue him. We are creatures of feeling. Our mind is helped by what comes to us embedded in a concrete manner. Fasting helps to express, to deepen, to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, to sacrifice ourselves for what we seek for the kingdom of God. And one who accepted the fasting and sacrifice of the Son knows about, accept and reward with spiritual power the soul that is also ready to surrender everything for Christ and His Kingdom.
And there is a wider application. Prayer is the search for God and the invisible. Fasting is the release of all that is visible and transitory. While most Christians think that everything is not decisive forbidden and sinful mind is perfectly legitimate, and seeks to retain what is possible in this world, their properties, literature, the pleasures, the soul is truly dedicated to the soldier who carries only the it is necessary for battle. Leaving aside every weight and sin which so closely surrounds it, afraid to get involved with the affairs of this life, he tries to live a life of a Nazarite, especially as someone apart for the Lord and his work. Without such voluntary separation, even the things that are legal, nobody will get power in prayer: this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Disciples of Jesus, they asked the Master to teach them to pray, come now and accept His teachings!
He tells us that prayer is the path to faith, strong faith, which can cast out demons. He tells us: "If ye have faith, nothing will be impossible." That will encourage this glorious promise to pray much. Not worth paying the price for premium? We will not open up everything to follow Jesus on the path that opens for us here? We will not, if need be, fast?
We will not do anything for that neither body nor the world around us prevents you from doing the great work of our lives - taking communion with God in prayer - that we become people of faith, which he can use in His work of saving the world?
"Lord, teach us to pray."
O Lord Jesus! How many times you have to scold us for our unbelief? How should foreign to Thee our terrible inability to trust our Father and His promises! What Your rebuke, "because of the smallness of our faith," shut up deep in our hearts and reveal to us how much we are guilty of sin and suffering around us. And then teach us, Blessed Lord, that there is a place where faith can be learned and achieved - in prayer and fasting that leads us to a living and eternal communion with Thee and the Father
O Saviour! Thou art the Author and Finisher of our faith. Teach us what it means to let You live in us by the Holy Spirit. Lord! our efforts and prayers for grace to believe have been so useless. And we know why.
We seek strength in ourselves and not in Thee Holy Jesus! Finally, teach us the mystery of Thy life in us and as you, by your Spirit helps us live a life of faith, giving us the assurance that our faith will not fail. Oh, so that our faith is only part of this wonderful prayer life that You give to those who wait thy training for the ministry of intercession, not only in words and thoughts, but in the Holy Anointing that you give, the baptism of the Spirit of your own life. And teach us how fasting and prayer, we grow in faith that everything is possible. Amen
"With Christ in the school of prayer."
Andrew Murray.
Rewritten by: Marcos Biazoli.