Seen In Suffering, Seen In Service

Today we’re going to read a story where Jesus sees a dad and a son who are both hurting. It’s going to lead us to some time in extended prayer together. So, in preparation for that time, I want to invite all of us to bow our heads and ask God to speak to each one of our hearts in any way He wants today.

Would you take a moment, bow your head, and say personally from your heart to God, “God, please speak to me however You want today”? I invite you to do that now.

Oh God, with all we have going on in each of our lives, I pray that over the next few minutes every single one of us would feel in a fresh way that we are seen by You. I pray that You would speak to each one of us supernaturally through Your Word. And we pray for humility to respond in prayer however You lead us a few minutes from now. In Jesus’s name, amen.

All right, let’s start by reading this story. We’ll begin in Mark 9:14.

The Bible says, when they came to the disciples—and “they” is referring to Jesus and three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John—when they came to the rest of the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. Immediately all the crowd, when they saw Jesus, were greatly amazed and ran up to Him and greeted Him.

And He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 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.”

And He answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me.”

And they brought the boy to Him. When the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

When He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

And He said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

So there’s a lot here. Let me summarize this story by showing you the bad news and the good news, because both apply to all of our stories.

If you’re taking notes, first, here’s the bad news:

There is a demonic adversary who wants to destroy you and people around you.

That is the bad news.

So think with me about the condition of the son in this story. We don’t know his exact age—he could be a preteen, maybe an early teenager. He has a spirit in him that Jesus later calls an unclean spirit. In Matthew and Luke’s accounts, they call it a demon.

This is an evil, unclean, demonic spirit that makes this boy mute—unable to speak intelligibly. Luke 9:39 says the spirit makes him cry out uncontrollably.

Later we read that this is a mute and deaf spirit. It seizes him, throws him to the ground, and causes violent convulsions. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.

This has been happening since childhood—for years.

The spirit throws him into fire and into water to destroy him.

So here’s the picture: this evil spirit is working to destroy this boy spiritually, mentally, physically, and relationally.

Now, to be clear, the Bible is not teaching that every mental or physical struggle is caused by a demon. That is not true.

But this story shows us what the Bible clearly teaches: Satan’s desire is destruction at every level.

Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

That is the bad news.

So what’s the good news?

Jesus has come with divine authority over the devil, and He is able to deliver and restore all who trust in Him.

The demonic adversary does not have equal authority. Jesus has all authority.

This is not dualism—it is domination.

Jesus commands the spirit, and it obeys. The boy is restored—spiritually, mentally, physically, and relationally.

And don’t miss this: right before this, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain in glory. Yet He comes down into human suffering to heal a hurting boy.

That is the good news.

So what does this mean for your life?

First takeaway:

Jesus sees you in all your suffering—spiritual, mental, physical, and relational.

He sees your relationships, your pain, your anxiety, your struggles, your sin, your doubt.

He sees it all.

And He invites you to look to Him for help.

Second takeaway:

Jesus sees you in your care for others who are suffering.

The father didn’t say, “Help my son.” He said, “Help us.”

He was hurting too.

Jesus sees that.

So if you’re caring for someone—family, spouse, child, friend—Jesus sees you.

And He invites you:

Look to Him for strength.
Look to Him for peace.
Look to Him for wisdom.
Look to Him for help.

And how do we do that?

Through prayer.

“I believe; help my unbelief.”

Keep praying. Don’t lose heart.

So in light of this, I want to lead us into a time of prayer.

Not just to hear this—but to respond.

Let’s come to Jesus, ask for His help, and trust Him for the healing only He can bring.

So I’m going to invite us to pray over the next few minutes.

This may feel a bit abrupt for those of you in other locations, but I’m going to turn things over to the leaders at those locations right now to guide you in prayer in whatever way is most helpful there, just as we’re going to do the same here.

For those of you in other locations, go ahead.

I want to invite you to pray in response to God’s Word, however He leads you.