And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 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." 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." 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. So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 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." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 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!" 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." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:14-27

This deliverance occurred right after Christ had come down the mountain from His Transfiguration experience. While He was gone for this glorious experience, the disciples (nine of them) that remained behind had experienced great failure in casting out a demon from a young boy. This had given the scribes reason for criticism of both the disciples and Christ and the scribes were being noisy about the failure when Christ arrived on the scene. But the failure of the disciples was countered by the success of Christ which shut the mouths of the critical scribes.

Coming upon the scene of this failure was a great contrast for Christ from what He had just experienced in the Transfiguration on the mount. There He had been receiving from the Father honor and glory (2 Peter 1:17); here his disciples, those to whom had been entrusted in his absence, had been representing Him, were experiencing, shame, defeat, and dishonor" (Trench). But Christ adjusted quickly and well to the change of situation and performed as faithfully in this time of humiliation as He had earlier in the time of honor during the Transfiguration. In spite of all the honors of the mountain transfiguration experience, Christ still cared about the need of those in the valley. As Matthew Henry said, "Christ's glories do not make him unmindful of us and of our wants and miseries." The Transfiguration did not distance Christ from human need. In fact, "the mission in the mountain was for the valley need" (Lockyer). Times of spiritual blessing are so we can bless others who have great need. Peter wanted to build three tabernacles and stay in the mount. But that was not the purpose of the transfiguration experience. When God endows us with blessing, it is not for us to bask selfishly in the luxury of the blessing; but for us to use the blessing to benefit others. Blessings are for service to others, not for selfish personal gain.

Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "Great is Your Faith" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 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." 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." 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. So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 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." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 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!" 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." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:14-27

This deliverance occurred right after Christ had come down the mountain from His Transfiguration experience. While He was gone for this glorious experience, the disciples (nine of them) that remained behind had experienced great failure in casting out a demon from a young boy. This had given the scribes reason for criticism of both the disciples and Christ and the scribes were being noisy about the failure when Christ arrived on the scene. But the failure of the disciples was countered by the success of Christ which shut the mouths of the critical scribes.

Coming upon the scene of this failure was a great contrast for Christ from what He had just experienced in the Transfiguration on the mount. There He had been receiving from the Father honor and glory (2 Peter 1:17); here his disciples, those to whom had been entrusted in his absence, had been representing Him, were experiencing, shame, defeat, and dishonor" (Trench). But Christ adjusted quickly and well to the change of situation and performed as faithfully in this time of humiliation as He had earlier in the time of honor during the Transfiguration. In spite of all the honors of the mountain transfiguration experience, Christ still cared about the need of those in the valley. As Matthew Henry said, "Christ's glories do not make him unmindful of us and of our wants and miseries." The Transfiguration did not distance Christ from human need. In fact, "the mission in the mountain was for the valley need" (Lockyer). Times of spiritual blessing are so we can bless others who have great need. Peter wanted to build three tabernacles and stay in the mount. But that was not the purpose of the transfiguration experience. When God endows us with blessing, it is not for us to bask selfishly in the luxury of the blessing; but for us to use the blessing to benefit others. Blessings are for service to others, not for selfish personal gain.

Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "Great is Your Faith" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28)

This miracle reaches over the borders of Israel to touch the lives of people from other nations. While Christ spent most of His time ministering to the Jews yet, in His compassion He ministered to the Gentiles also. He is called "a light to lighten the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32). The identity of the woman in our texts, is spoken of as being "of Canaan" (Matthew 15:22), "a Greek" (Mark 7:26), and "a Syrophenician by nation."

The land in which this miracle was performed was in the "coasts of Tyre and Sidon" (Matthew 15:21). This was the same land in which Elijah stayed with a widow for some time during a famine in Israel and where he performed the miracles of providing meal in the barrel and raising the widow's son from the dead (1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25,26).

Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "Great is Your Faith" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28)

This miracle reaches over the borders of Israel to touch the lives of people from other nations. While Christ spent most of His time ministering to the Jews yet, in His compassion He ministered to the Gentiles also. He is called "a light to lighten the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32). The identity of the woman in our texts, is spoken of as being "of Canaan" (Matthew 15:22), "a Greek" (Mark 7:26), and "a Syrophenician by nation."

The land in which this miracle was performed was in the "coasts of Tyre and Sidon" (Matthew 15:21). This was the same land in which Elijah stayed with a widow for some time during a famine in Israel and where he performed the miracles of providing meal in the barrel and raising the widow's son from the dead (1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25,26).

Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "Great is Your Faith" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

The best thing the woman ever did regarding her problem was to seek Jesus Christ for help. "When she had heard of Jesus, [she] came" (Mark 5:27). The literal rendering is "having heard of the things concerning Jesus" she came to Him. Hearing about Jesus Christ is the most important news this world needs to hear. Everyday the news media has new headlines and makes a great deal over their news. What the world needs to hear the most is about Christ. If you do not hear about Him, you will go to hell for eternity! He is the One Who can solve the greatest problems mankind has. #TransformingLives, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA.

The best thing the woman ever did regarding her problem was to seek Jesus Christ for help. "When she had heard of Jesus, [she] came" (Mark 5:27). The literal rendering is "having heard of the things concerning Jesus" she came to Him. Hearing about Jesus Christ is the most important news this world needs to hear. Everyday the news media has new headlines and makes a great deal over their news. What the world needs to hear the most is about Christ. If you do not hear about Him, you will go to hell for eternity! He is the One Who can solve the greatest problems mankind has. #TransformingLives, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA.

Jesus Christ cast out thousands of demons with just a few words. There was great power in His command! And this emphasizes the power of the Word of God! You cannot have a bigger problem than these men had who were possessed by thousands of demons. Yet, it took only a few words from the mouth of the Son of God to deliver them from the myriad of demons. Get into the Word of God and you will have the power to conquer the enemy of your soul.

Christ gave the command, and this fact emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the answer for problem of sin and the devil. The world tried many ways to restrain and control these demon-possessed men, but the answer was Christ. So we preach Christ as the solution, the remedy sin and Satan. He cleans out the inside and corrects the problem on the outside.

Jesus Christ cast out thousands of demons with just a few words. There was great power in His command! And this emphasizes the power of the Word of God! You cannot have a bigger problem than these men had who were possessed by thousands of demons. Yet, it took only a few words from the mouth of the Son of God to deliver them from the myriad of demons. Get into the Word of God and you will have the power to conquer the enemy of your soul.

Christ gave the command, and this fact emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the answer for problem of sin and the devil. The world tried many ways to restrain and control these demon-possessed men, but the answer was Christ. So we preach Christ as the solution, the remedy sin and Satan. He cleans out the inside and corrects the problem on the outside.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee (Mark 1:21-28). Click the link to listen to this inspiring message " Be quiet and come out" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee (Mark 1:21-28). Click the link to listen to this inspiring message " Be quiet and come out" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast.