Because Of Unbelief/Little Faith Part 3

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

In part 2, we see that verse 21 was not in the original manuscript and Mark 9:29 does not include fasting.

When Jesus talked about 'this kind', He could not be referring to faith (in verse 20). He had addressed how to have faith in Luke 17:5-10. Furthermore, faith comes by hearing His Word (Rom 10:17).

In the context of Matthew, Jesus seemed to be referring to their unbelief / little faith --- not being able to perceive in the mind / carnal thinking.

In the context of Mark, Jesus seemed to be referring to the kind of situation - the demon-possessed boy.

So is it about the unbelief or is it about the demonic situation? I believe it's both, because the answer points to the same thing.

The disciples were so caught up with what they saw in this demonic situation --- the boy (convulsing non-stop), that they failed to perceive what Christ perceived.

Jesus was saying in Matthew, "This kind (of wrong perceiving in the mind) only comes out by prayer."

Jesus was saying in Mark, "This kind (of situation that caused you to have wrong perceiving in the mind) only comes out by prayer."

It's technically the same answer. And the key to drive it out is communion, as I mentioned in part 2.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a MIRROR the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. - 2 Cor 3:18 (emphasis added)

The point of communion is not just to behold Christ, the glory of the Lord. It's also to behold Him IN us. Christ IN us is the hope of glory. This is why we are beholding as in a mirror. When you look in the mirror, you see YOU.

For if anyone is a hearer of the WORD and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a MIRROR; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. - James 1:23-24 (emphasis added)

In communion, we must see the WORD. For the WORD is Christ. And the WORD (Christ) is our MIRROR. So when we read the Word, we are reading US. That is our true image.

In communion, we grow in the revelation of who we are because of who Christ is. When we perceive who we really are, we crush the carnal mind, the wrong perceiving in the mind, and we live by the spiritual mind - the mind of Christ, so that we perceive what He perceives.

Because when we perceive what He perceives, we will manifest what He manifests - seeing every sickness crushed. That is proving the perfect will of God (Rom 12:2). Jesus!