Mark records but little of Christ's oral teaching; but we find two wonderful passages in which the Lord Jesus speaks on the theme of Prayer.

      The first was called forth by the failure of the disciples to heal the demoniac boy. The whole account is given in Mark 9:14-27. The father had brought the demon-possessed boy to the nine apostles (while the Lord, with the other three, was in the mount of the transfiguration); and he appealed to the disciples "that they should cast it out: and they were not able." This in spite of the fact that the Lord had shortly before given them "power and authority over all demons." (Luke 9:1.) Yet they failed. Why? We shall see.

      When Jesus came down and was told of this failure, He said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?" And He cast out the demon with a word. Afterward the disciples came to Him privately and said, "Why could not we cast it out?" (Matt. 17:19.) The Lord answered, "This kind can come out by nothing save by prayer."^* To get the full import of this saying it must be taken in connection with another word, spoken at the same time, and recorded in Matthew. Why could they not cast out this demon? In Matthew Jesus says, "Because of your little faith." (Matt. 17:20.) In Mark it is, "This kind can come out by nothing save by prayer." There is then a connection, an interrelation, between faith and prayer. Faith makes prayer effective (Jas. 1:6). On the other band, by prayer faith is strengthened. If they had had faith enough they could have cast out the demon; but even then only by prayer.

      Here we learn some new things. Even though the Lord had committed power to His disciples, they could not use it because of their lack of faith; and their lack of faith was in turn due to lack of prayer; as, no doubt, their lack of prayer was due to lack of faith. That explains much of the powerlessness of the church and of individual Christians today.

      This was a special case--specially difficult. That much is implied in the Lord's word: "This kind can come out by nothing save by prayer." There is a distinction between demons. Some are worse than others (Luke 11:26). This demon was exceeding vicious and defiant (Mark 9:20, 26). Only by special prayer could such a demon be cast out. No case was beyond the Lord's power. Nor was this case [33] even beyond the power of the disciples--for had He not given them power and authority over all demons? But it required faith. "Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, 'Remove hence to yonder place'; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matt. 17:20). But such faith comes by prayer--and that is more than bare asking for faith (as in Luke 17:5). In communion with God, as we draw near to His throne of grace (Heb. 4:16) and as in spirit we look upon Him in His sanctuary, to see His power and His glory (Ps. 63:2), our faith grows strong. Thus prayer increases faith; and faith leads on to prayer. Prayer and faith--what power of evil can stand against this?

      Again it is Mark who transmits to this another precious word of Christ concerning prayer.

      The barren fig tree, full of pretentious leaves, but void of fruit--so emblematic of the professing people of God then (and too often, now), had withered away under the curse of the Son of God, It was His only miracle of judgment, and executed not upon any human being (John 3:17) but upon a tree, for an example and a warning for ever.

      The disciples were amazed at this demonstration of the power of Christ's word, and called His attention to the withered tree. "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Verily I say unto you. Whosoever shall say unto this mountain., 'Be thou taken up and cast into the sea'; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11:22-24.)

      Our natural reaction to such a statement and such a promise is one of--shall we call it, unbelieving wonder--as Sarah laughed when she heard the Divine promise of a child. "Can this be true?" We need not--must not--ask that sort of question, when Jesus Christ speaks. "But are there no limitations to this?" Well, some of us preachers, who are so afraid of "fanaticism," have hedged these promises around with so many if's and but's that the Lord might as well not have made them at all. However, there are some limitations. Of course, there must be. One question often asked is whether the mountain's being cast into the sea is meant to be literal, or a figurative expression. Well, either and both--depending on the circumstances. None of the apostles, not even Christ Himself, ever made a mountain remove. There was never any occasion for such a thing. But if in line with the will and purpose of God, such a thing had needed to be done (as when Joshua asked that the sun stand still) it could and would be. But obviously the meaning of the [34] "mountain" is some great hindrance and difficulty; as says the prophet: "Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain." And that "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts" (Zech. 4:6, 7).

      The same limitation applies to the wide promise as to prayer here given. It must be according to God's will. (1 John 5:14, 15.) But that is after all no limitation. All that is right and good and truly desirable is included in the will of God. It excludes only what is harmful, evil, unwise, undesirable. (Ps. 84:11.) To pray according to God's will is to pray in faith, according to God's word and promise. That is why He says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7.) These promises are not to be nullified, but believed in and acted upon.

      That there is a limitation of these promises in the attitude and status of the one praying we surely understand. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear," said David (Ps. 66:18. See also Isa. 59:1, 2.) And therefore also, attached to this very promise is an admonition of the Lord: "And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against anyone; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:25.)

      So "prayer can do all things that God can do." "If thou canst do anything," said the father of the demoniac boy to Jesus. "If thou canst?" answered He: "All things are possible to him that believeth." And the man straightway cried out, "I believe; help thou mine unbelief." And so do we feel when we see bow great and good is the power of God to usward, and, alas, how little we have realized it, believed it, and acted upon it. [35]

[CTOP 33-35]