Because Of Unbelief/Little Faith Part 1

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. - Matt 17:19-21

When the disciples failed to heal the boy, they were baffled. They had seen ALL healed when they were sent out by Jesus in Matt 10. They knew the will of God. This is why they had to ask Jesus, “Why could we not cast it out?”

Jesus didn’t give 101 religious reasons why they couldn’t heal the boy. He only answered one thing - “Because of your unbelief...” Some translations say, “Because of your little faith...”

‘Unbelief’ in the Greek can refer to ‘not believing’. It was often used for Israel, the pagans and the religious leaders.

‘Unbelief’ can also refer to ‘weakness of faith’.

‘Little faith’ in the Greek refers to ‘lack of trust/confidence in Jesus.’ It was often used by Jesus for His disciples (Matt 8:26; Matt 14:31; Matt 16:8).

Whether Matt 17:20 is ‘unbelief’ or ‘little faith’, it points to the same thing. The disciples had a lack of trust/confidence in Jesus, which is weakness of faith (second meaning of the word ‘unbelief’).

Jesus expound what ‘little faith’ is in Matt 16.

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of LITTLE FAITH, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not UNDERSTAND?... How is it you don’t UNDERSTAND? - Matt 16:8-9, 11 (emphasis added)

Little faith = do not understand.

I looked at the Greek meaning for ‘understand’ and it means ‘not perceiving with the mind.’ Immediately, I was reminded of Isaiah 6:9 and Matt 13:14. Jesus quoted, “...You will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

In other words, to understand is not simply about seeing. It’s about perceiving.

Without perceiving, there cannot be confidence and trust in Jesus for healing the sick. Without perceiving, we can be ministering to the sick and yet don’t see 100% result every single time.

Jesus perceived what the Father perceived (John 5:19), and crushed the demon and healed the boy (Matt 17:18). Because of His right perceiving, He manifested the perfect will of God when the disciples couldn’t.

This is what we need to grow unto. To perceive what Christ perceives. Because if we perceive what Christ perceives, we will manifest what He manifests. We will see every sickness crushed because that is the will of God.