“The Effect of Unbelief in a Person’s Life”

Mark 9

19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”

20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

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

Unbelief is a robber and a killer. It keeps us in our sin and in worldly things. In Mathew 21:32, the sinners repented but not the church leaders. If we cling to our sin and the world, then we are unbelievers.

Jesus said:

John 3

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

Israel was dying from the poison of the snakes. If they looked at other places and not at the bronze serpent, they died.

And then Jesus continues:

John 3

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If we believe, we come to the light. Sin eats our faith and cause us to get out of step with the Lord Jesus and His followers. Paul persecuted the church; but God showed him mercy because he did it out of ignorance in unbelief (1Tim 1:13). However it is different if you know the truth and are still an enemy to God’s people.

Faith, on the other hand, overcomes unbelief, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If we hear God’s speaking and obey, it is a remedy against unbelief. We read in Acts 15:9 that God purifies the heart through faith. Faith comes by hearing the word of God and accepting and obeying what He says (Romans 10:17). Faith will overcome the world.