By: Robert Serreyn

Question? Please explain WHY Jesus’s disciples COULD NOT cast out the demon in Matthew 17:19, Mark 9:18, and Luke 9:40?

Matthew 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

Mark 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Luke 9:40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

Answer:

I believe the answer is simply that Jesus WANTED his disciples to ALWAYS remember that it was by HIS POWER not by theirs that they were able to cast out demons, heal the sick etc.

Jesus told them WHY they could not cast out the demon in V20, it was Because of their Unbelief, they failed to realize ( or believe) that ONLY THROUGH Christ could they have power to do anything in his name.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Just as the Lord REMINDED his disciples in V21 the same is true for us christians of today, we are to “TAKE ALL THINGS” to the Lord in prayer to recieve his Guidance, and Power.

One thing to remember as the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:10…

But by the grace of God I am what I am.

It is possible that the disciples FORGOT that it was NOT THEM that had power over the Forces of Darkness – Ephesians 6:12… but ONLY BY the power of Christ BESTOWED upon them THROUGH prayer could they have victory.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

IN CONCLUSION:

Let’s not make the SAME MISTAKE as the disciples did (thinking that they had the power to do this or that) but let’s ALWAYS REMEMBER the words of the Apostle Paul…

“But by the grace of God I am what I am”. In other words NOT BY MY POWER but ONLY BY HIS POWER can I do all things.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.

The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.

-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8

-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24

-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9

“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH