Session 22

What happens when you go to God in prayer

From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional

You sit down on the couch and flip the switch to the table lamp. Nothing happens. You head off to the closet to grab a new bulb and replace the old one. Still nothing. Just before throwing the lamp out the window, you find that it is not connected to the power source. Plugging the lamp into power fixes everything.

Jesus’ followers experienced a similar frustration when they tried unsuccessfully to cast out a demon in Mark 9. They did everything they knew to do, but nothing happened. When they asked Jesus why, He said, “This kind can only come out by prayer” (Mark 9:29). The disciples had grown comfortable and failed to make sure they were “plugged in” to Jesus’ power by prayer.

God allows us to be a part of His work around us. The disciples needed to be connected to God through prayer because it was God’s power that caused the demons to flee, not their own. God calls us all to do things that we cannot do on our own. We need to be connected to His spirit through prayer to be successful in those things. Like a lamp needs to be plugged in to function, we need to be connected to God through the Holy Spirit if we want to bring Him glory and do His will.

Reflect:

• Do you feel like God has called you to do something but you’re not seeing any progress? When’s the last time you asked God for help in that area?
• What are some areas in your life where you have seen growth and change recently?
• What is your next step to grow in your walk with Jesus?