Everything is possible for one who believes. Jesus

28-Sep-2025
Peter W. Guess

soul food, faith, healing, god's power

Everything is possible for one who believes. Jesus [Mark 9:23]

What did Jesus mean?

The Context

This statement comes in the story where a father brings his demon-tormented son to Jesus’ disciples. They could not heal him, so the father turns to Jesus with a mixture of hope and doubt, saying: “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22).

Jesus seizes on that little phrase “if you can”. It’s not really about His ability, but about the father’s trust in God. Jesus shifts the focus: “The issue isn’t whether I can. The real question is whether you believe in what God can do.”

What Jesus Meant

  1. Faith connects us to God’s power
    Jesus wasn’t teaching that belief itself magically makes things happen, as though faith were a force we wield. He was showing that faith is the channel through which God’s unlimited power works in our lives (cf. Matthew 17:20).

  2. “Everything” means everything in God’s will
    This isn’t a blank check for any desire. Rather, when our faith aligns with God’s purposes, then nothing is impossible (see 1 John 5:14-15). God’s promises become real through trusting Him.

  3. Faith grows in dependence, not perfection
    The father immediately cries out: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Jesus honoured that honest, imperfect faith. This shows that even shaky, mustard-seed trust can move God’s heart.

  4. The “possibility” is God’s, not ours
    Jesus reorients the father’s perspective: don’t measure the situation by human ability, but by divine possibility. What looks hopeless to us is fully within God’s power.

Application for Today

  • When faced with situations that feel impossible (illness, broken relationships, financial struggles, even personal weaknesses), this verse invites us to shift from “if You can” to “because You can.”

  • Belief doesn’t erase difficulties, but it anchors us in God’s power and sovereignty.

  • The call is not to muster perfect faith but to bring even our fragile trust honestly to Jesus and let Him meet us there.

👉 In short: Jesus meant that nothing is beyond God’s ability, and believing trust opens us to receive what only He can do.

Peter W. Guess

28 September 2025

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