Fighting with Purpose

Mark 9: 14- 29 "14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

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,[a] 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!”

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

I want to take a different look at this scripture. Do you know you have greatness inside you and that’s why the enemy seeks to destroy you?  It’s not you he’s after, he’s after the purpose you hold. This is why things come at you to distract you, confuse you, and take you off your God paved path for good. Just as the Bible Says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The enemy is literally coming to attempt to take away what God placed in you and that’s why he doesn’t want you to move forward in life or to walk worthy in what you’ve been called to do (Ephesians 4:1). I had you read this scripture to show how the enemy seeks to destroy us but know that Jesus came to give us life. Everything that was happening to that boy in this scripture was an attack from the evil one to take him out but realize that we have the greater One that’s in us (1 John 4:4). Regardless of what the enemy tried to do the boy’s father would NOT let him be taken out. He did whatever he could to keep him from dying. The people that come to try to distract and discourage you, the mean boss, the family that ridicules you, the people that lie on you, it’s all an attempt to make you give up so that what’s in you never comes out. You have something in you to help someone else, you have truth in you, you have love in you, you have life in you, you have destiny in you. You have a future but the devil doesn’t. The devil has already been told to the lake of fire he goes so he desires to take away everyone else’s futures but don’t let him (Revelation 20:10). Stay connected to God, stay in the Word (Bible), keep a prayer life, stay around other saints to pour back in you. You have to know the truth so that you don’t give up and don’t be deceived. The enemy may have his plan for your life but know that God has a better plan. God plans to use you for His glory. He plans to bring every promise He’s given you to past (Hebrews 10:23). He plans to give you blessings that make you rich and add no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). His plans are for good and not for evil so go with God and remember what He says (Jeremiah 29:11). You have to live this life out with knowledge and truth. When you believe what God says about you, you’ll go all the way and you’ll refuse to be stopped by opposition. So stay in your race and live life the way it’s supposed to be. You’re an overcomer and with God you can overcome anything that’s thrown at you, remember that. Also, remember what type of battle this is, Ephesians 6:12 ”For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Stay armored up, Ephesians 6:10-19. But also remember this, Ephesians 2:4-6  "4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 1:17-22, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding^[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Remember where your position was after Jesus' resurrection. There’s a reason for your stand, You’re fighting with purpose. Stay encouraged.