Some demons are particularly noxious. The only antidote that gets rid of them is prayer.
Jesus makes this point as he helps his disciples grasp why they were unable to heal a boy suffering from seizures. When the boy's father takes the child from the incompetent disciples to Jesus, the unclean spirit convulses the boy so that he falls to the ground, rolling about, foaming at the mouth (Mark 9:20). Jesus rebukes the demon and tells it to come out. It does, but not after crying out, convulsing the body terribly, and leaving the boy for dead on the ground. At that point, however, Jesus raises the “corpse” to new life: “But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” In private, Jesus explains to the disciples the reason for their ineptitude: “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Read Full Article »