Increasing Faith

Scripture: And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." Mark 9:29

Observation: The disciples have failed to cast out a demon. Jesus has to step in and do it for teem. Later, when alone with Jesus, they ask him why they could not do it. Jesus replies that some things only can be done by prayer. I have always taken is to be a spiritual principle of dependence. That we do not have the power and we need to ask God for help. So in the moment of spiritual need, we ought to stop and pray.
However, the context of the story shows Jesus frustrated with the faithlessness of this generation, including the disciples. It seems the issue might not just be that the disciples are trying to do spiritual work with physical effort, but that they lack the faith to do it. That maybe Jesus is calling them not only to pray in the moment to insure dependence, but he is calling them to a lifetime of prayer to increase faith. Some manuscripts add the words, "and fasting" to the end of the sentence, which is not something you could stop and go do in the moment, but has to be a habit and lifestyle.

Application: I think I am practicing the pausing to pray for spiritual power. But I am not practicing the ongoing prayer to increase faith. These times of devotion give me part of that. My faith is increased each time I meet with God in his word. But I want to grow in my faith. I have battles and tests ahead of me, and the only way I will overcome is through faith, faith that has grown through prayer.

Prayer: God, help my faith grow. Give me eyes to see what is coming and how faith will play a role in the victory. Show me how to pray for the faith to overcome.