A distraught father had brought his son to Jesus to be delivered from an evil spirit.  As the boy was brought to Jesus, the evil spirit “threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.”  (Mark 9:20)

  Jesus asked a typical question any doctor would ask:
(NASB) Mark 9:21 “…‘How long has this been happening to him?’  And he (father) said, ‘From childhood.
22 ‘It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do any thing, take pity on us and help us!”

A father’s doubt
Jesus quickly pointed out the father’s doubt and unbelief in Jesus ability to help!
(NASB) Mark 9:23 “And Jesus said to him, ‘If You can?’…”

Jesus then immediately promised the father:
(NASB) Mark 9:23 “…All things are possible to him who believes.’”

Jesus’ promise is also true today…for His power is still at work for all who turn to Him by faith in Him…“…All things are possible to him who believes.’”

A father’s honesty
The father then immediately responds:
(NASB) Mark 9:24 “…‘I do believe; help my unbelief.”

Honesty is refreshing to hear!  Are you being honest with the living God?  Is your cry to God the same as that father’s?  “…‘I do believe; help my unbelief.”

Jesus then delivered that father’s son from the evil spirit:
(NASB) Mark 9:25-27 “When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.’
26 After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead!’
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.”

Did you notice?  Jesus never talked to the son only the father.  Jesus did not make conversation with the unclean spirit only commanded it to come out and never return.

Jesus never doubted His power to deliver the boy from an unclean spirit.  Jesus spoke only truth to the father.  And He is the same today as He was then!