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The Desire of Ages
The boy was brought, and as the Saviour’s eyes fell upon him,
the evil spirit cast him to the ground in convulsions of agony. He lay
wallowing and foaming, rending the air with unearthly shrieks.
Again the Prince of life and the prince of the powers of darkness
had met on the field of battle,—Christ in fulfillment of His mission
to “preach deliverance to the captives, ... to set at liberty them that
are bruised” (
Luke 4:18
), Satan seeking to hold his victim under his
control. Angels of light and the hosts of evil angels, unseen, were
pressing near to behold the conflict. For a moment, Jesus permitted the
evil spirit to display his power, that the beholders might comprehend
the deliverance about to be wrought.
The multitude looked on with bated breath, the father in an agony
of hope and fear. Jesus asked, “How long is it ago since this came unto
him?” The father told the story of long years of suffering, and then, as
if he could endure no more, exclaimed, “If Thou canst do anything,
have compassion on us, and help us.” “If Thou canst!” Even now the
father questioned the power of Christ.
Jesus answers, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him
that believeth.” There is no lack of power on the part of Christ; the
healing of the son depends upon the father’s faith. With a burst of
tears, realizing his own weakness, the father casts himself upon Christ’s
mercy, with the cry, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”
Jesus turns to the suffering one, and says, “Thou dumb and deaf
spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.”
There is a cry, an agonized struggle. The demon, in passing, seems
about to rend the life from his victim. Then the boy lies motionless,
and apparently lifeless. The multitude whisper, “He is dead.” But
Jesus takes him by the hand, and lifting him up, presents him, in
perfect soundness of mind and body, to his father. Father and son
praise the name of their Deliverer. The multitude are “amazed at the
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mighty power of God,” while the scribes, defeated and crestfallen, turn
sullenly away.
“If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.”
How many a sin-burdened soul has echoed that prayer. And to all,
the pitying Saviour’s answer is, “If thou canst believe, all things are
possible to him that believeth.” It is faith that connects us with heaven,
and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In
Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and