Frustrated In Trying To Understand Faith

[Open7]

In matthew 17:14-22 Jesus heals a boy with a demon, and says to his disciples that they have little faith because they could not heal the boy.

I just don’t feel I understand faith in this sense. I have prayed for people with what I felt was a mustard seed size amount of faith, and the healing doesn’t come, this has happened many times. So it seems my faith must be even smaller than a mustard seed, or not even exist at all?

I know God is not going to heal someone every time, but the amount of times I have tried and also seen others do the same, and I see nothing happen.

So when Jesus says you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and I see nothing happen, I just don’t know what else to do.

Can anyone help?

[Michael37]

5 minutes ago, Open7 said:

In matthew 17:14-22 Jesus heals a boy with a demon, and says to his disciples that they have little faith because they could not heal the boy.

I just don’t feel I understand faith in this sense. I have prayed for people with what I felt was a mustard seed size amount of faith, and the healing doesn’t come, this has happened many times. So it seems my faith must be even smaller than a mustard seed, or not even exist at all?

I know God is not going to heal someone every time, but the amount of times I have tried and also seen others do the same, and I see nothing happen.

So when Jesus says you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and I see nothing happen, I just don’t know what else to do.

Can anyone help?

Yeah, mustard seed faith works if God wants it to work, if not don't beat yourself up.

Some things are beyond our control, so we yield to God's Plan and Purpose in acknowledgement of our inability to achieve things in our own strength. It tests our faith for sure, and I have seen congregations go to great lengths in prayer and fasting to get healings of terminally ill Christians, some even daring to prophesy that they will be healed and stay alive in this life, only to have them get worse and die . . . but then, for the Christian death is a healing.

Best passage on the subject, imo:

  Rom 8:18-30  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.  (19)  For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  (20)  For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  (21)  that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.  (22)  For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.  (23)  Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.  (24)  For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?  (25)  But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.  (26)  In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.  (27)  He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.  (28)  We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.  (29)  For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  (30)  Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

[Open7]

33 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Yeah, mustard seed faith works if God wants it to work, if not don't beat yourself up.

Some things are beyond our control, so we yield to God's Plan and Purpose in acknowledgement of our inability to achieve things in our own strength. It tests our faith for sure, and I have seen congregations go to great lengths in prayer and fasting to get healings of terminally ill Christians, some even daring to prophesy that they will be healed and stay alive in this life, only to have them get worse and die . . . but then, for the Christian death is a healing.

Best passage on the subject, imo:

  Rom 8:18-30  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.  (19)  For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  (20)  For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  (21)  that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.  (22)  For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.  (23)  Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.  (24)  For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?  (25)  But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.  (26)  In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.  (27)  He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.  (28)  We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.  (29)  For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  (30)  Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

Thanks so much for this.

But one of my issues with these verses in matthew 17:14-22, is that Jesus seems to rebuke them for having little faith, as in, there’s things they are not getting, hence the lack of healing the boy, which makes me think there are things that I’m not getting when I pray for healing for someone, meaning it’s on me, it’s an issue on my end

[Justin Adams]

1 hour ago, Open7 said:

Can anyone help?

Sure. The ripples of our actions have un-knowable consequences. Just move ahead in faith and trust is all we can do in many situations. Keep believing and keep acting.

[kwikphilly]

5 hours ago, Open7 said:

Thanks so much for this.

But one of my issues with these verses in matthew 17:14-22, is that Jesus seems to rebuke them for having little faith, as in, there’s things they are not getting, hence the lack of healing the boy, which makes me think there are things that I’m not getting when I pray for healing for someone, meaning it’s on me, it’s an issue on my end

Blessings

   I think you may have hit the nail on the head....it is not on YOU,nor was it on the Apostles that prayed without fasting!

You see,that FAITH,that Saving,Healing,Resurrecting Faith ( tiny as a mustard seed) is all on JESUS and the Power of Holy Spirit,thats not WHAT we Believe but WHO......if youve prayed someones healing then you must know they are HEALED,as a matter of fact were healed 2000 yrs ago when He Said"It is Finished"....we only await the manifestation of that Healing     in physical life or in death,it is DONE! Praise Jesus!                                          With love-in Christ<kwik

[other one]

6 hours ago, Open7 said:

In matthew 17:14-22 Jesus heals a boy with a demon, and says to his disciples that they have little faith because they could not heal the boy.

I just don’t feel I understand faith in this sense. I have prayed for people with what I felt was a mustard seed size amount of faith, and the healing doesn’t come, this has happened many times. So it seems my faith must be even smaller than a mustard seed, or not even exist at all?

I know God is not going to heal someone every time, but the amount of times I have tried and also seen others do the same, and I see nothing happen.

So when Jesus says you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and I see nothing happen, I just don’t know what else to do.

Can anyone help?

I can tell you from both scripture Mark 9:29. and personal experience that not all Demons are the same.

For some, one must be seriously connected with the Holy Spirit to manage.   Fasting and prayers strengthens that connection.

We as ourselves really have no authority or power in the spirit realm to order demons around,  It is the Holy Spirit within us that does the work.    I might add that from experience is one has any unconfessed sin in their lives sometimes the demons will laugh at you in your face.   That is a terrifying experience.

I say all that to make a point that for one to really understand any single subject of God's word, one really must be familiar with all of it.         As for me personally over my 75 years, most all the questions I have had are answered in other parts of scripture.

Question is what might be little faith?   Consider one's relationship with the Holy Spirit;  remember in that scripture you are speaking of is prior to Pentecost where they were indwelt with the Holly Spirit.  If we are not indwelt with the Holy Spirit we should not be messing with the Demonic World.   If one needs to do that the Holy Spirit will guide you into it.   Otherwise just leave it alone.

 

[Anne2]

9 hours ago, Open7 said:

In matthew 17:14-22 Jesus heals a boy with a demon, and says to his disciples that they have little faith because they could not heal the boy.

I just don’t feel I understand faith in this sense. I have prayed for people with what I felt was a mustard seed size amount of faith, and the healing doesn’t come, this has happened many times. So it seems my faith must be even smaller than a mustard seed, or not even exist at all?

I know God is not going to heal someone every time, but the amount of times I have tried and also seen others do the same, and I see nothing happen.

So when Jesus says you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and I see nothing happen, I just don’t know what else to do.

Can anyone help?

This is not to say that healings etc are not for today, However....In the Gospel remember that many things were done for proof to the circumcision that Jesus was the promised christ. A prophet like moses. Look at all the miracles God did through Moses, as it was for specific purposes. Do not beat yourself up for this.

[Space_Karen]

Faith is only one necessary component.

To receive the gift of healing, one would typically need to be a dedicated full time doctor or healer. Who spent years studying human biology, psychology and medicine. 

A person can pray to God that they do well in their test for school. But if they do not study on their own, God will usually not simply give them all the answers.

 

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

15 hours ago, Open7 said:

In matthew 17:14-22 Jesus heals a boy with a demon, and says to his disciples that they have little faith because they could not heal the boy.

I just don’t feel I understand faith in this sense. I have prayed for people with what I felt was a mustard seed size amount of faith, and the healing doesn’t come, this has happened many times. So it seems my faith must be even smaller than a mustard seed, or not even exist at all?

I know God is not going to heal someone every time, but the amount of times I have tried and also seen others do the same, and I see nothing happen.

So when Jesus says you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, and I see nothing happen, I just don’t know what else to do.

Can anyone help?

This is difficult.  We know that it is not always God's will to heal someone.  There are many great people of faith throughout church history that suffered physical issues.  Even the great Apostle Paul who healed others couldn't heal himself.  We don't know why God heals some and not others.  We DO know that no one is alone and God is with those who struggle. I also believe that the mustard seed of faith is in reference to the OBJECT of our faith ( Jesus ), not the amount of our faith.  

[Open7]

Thanks for all your help everyone. I know God is not always going to heal people in the moment, but in this scene in Matthew 17, I’m not really sure what it is teaching us.

The disciples said to Jesus ‘why could we not cast it out?’ And Jesus said because of their little faith, so their faith must have been smaller than a mustard seed. We can say God doesn’t always heal someone for his reasons, but in this case we see he wanted to because Jesus did it. Meaning, healing was blocked from the disciples, implying there’s something not right on their end. And by this point they have been around Jesus a while now, seeing many amazing things, yet of all people on planet earth, even they didn’t have the right faith?!

I know there is treasure in these verses but I just can’t find it yet