Walking With Jesus: Prayer Works! (in mysterious ways)

Walking With Jesus: A Study Through Mark
What follows is what I feel Jesus is teaching me as I read through the Gospel of Mark

Prayer Works! (in mysterious ways)
"They brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion and he fell to the ground, writhiing and foaming at the mouth.
How long has this been happening? Jesus asked the boy's father.
He replied Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.
What do you mean, 'if i can?' Jesus asked. Anything is possible if a person believes.
The father instantly cried out, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!
When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit: Listen you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak he said. I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!
Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appear to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, He's dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet and he stood up. Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, Why couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?
Jesus replied, This kind can be cast out only by prayer."
--Mark 9:20-29

This kind of spirit/demon can only be cast out by prayer Jesus, you say? What kind of prayer was that?! "listen here you demon! get out of him! i command you!" who are you praying to Jesus, the spirit? the demon? "Please little demon, don't hurt that little boy ..." no! he's commanding the demon!

Now, maybe i'm totally wrong, but maybe when Jesus said that the disciples couldn't cast out that demon, it wasn't because of the lack of authority Jesus gave them (Mark 3:15) to do so. It wasn't because of the disciples' lack of faith, which you would think would be the reason (Mark 4:40; 9:19).

Instead, it's the lack of the disciples' individual concern and compassion for the individual. instead, its because the disciples haven't been praying for the sick, praying for this boy to be healed. The demon was cast out not because of Jesus idly giving the command to the demon, but praying to God for the boy. Sometime before this scene I wager, it seems that Jesus was probably praying for people He would encounter in His ministry. Jesus did, after all, frequently choose to go by Himself and pray (Mark 6:46).

I believe what Jesus is teaching me is this: Prayer works! (but in mysterious ways).

The real reason the demon was cast out was not by authority or faith but it was cast out (unexpectedly i might add) by prayer (Mark 9:29). Jesus' pre-done prayer for the sick and demon-possessed paid off for this demon-possessed boy. It was because of pre-conceived prayer, that the exorcism was effective.

I remember every night before me and my brother would go to bed, my mom would join us in the bedroom and we would fold our fingers over each other, and close our eyes, and pray, pray that our friend would know Jesus. We prayed every night, for at least a year, I kid you not. And I kid you not, after one year him and his mom accepted Jesus Christ as their saviour. Whatever way you want to look at it, I believe prayer worked. And it worked unexpectedly.

As Christians, I feel like its easy to undermine prayer. I find myself getting caught doing it solely at mealtimes. But I believe we are called and challenged as Christians to pray without ceasing, to pray often for those we love and care about and that need Jesus.

I wonder if there would be more spiritual growth in my high school and middle school students if I actually sat down.
turned off the computer.
and prayed for them.
by name.
individually.
for their needs, for their activities, for their families, for their love for Jesus.
If I prayed for them ... how would God work?

Scripture says the prayer of a righteous person does much. Scripture says if I'm following the truth, God is listening to my prayers. Scripture tells me to pray. Who am I to contradict Scripture?

Not all of ministry can be done with authority or even faith. Sometimes, it requires some prayer.