Unbelief Part 2

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12 NKJV).

With all the promises given by the Lord, why do we not experience their manifestation? I see and experience more of His promises than ever before, but my standard of measure is flawed. God has no limits. So then why, as children of God do we? I believe that experience, wrong teaching and unbelief lead to flawed conclusions. And flawed conclusions are a cheap substitute for the mind of Christ, that leads us into all truth by Holy Spirit.

Scripture promises zoe* life, sozo*, and power over all the devil’s work. Over time, our spiritual lives have been subverted by the damaging effects of unbelief. Believers have written books, songs, and even preached a God of barely enough. Because we are seated with Jesus (entangled*)with Him, there is potential for power flow. 

Electricity used in our homes has the ability to produce heat, light, and many other comforts. A receptacle in our home represents a connection point for the potential across a hidden connection called hot and common conductors. The source of power in a believer’s life is Jesus. We make contact with His power through faith. But we can disconnect from the power source through wrong thinking (unbelief); leading many to ask Jesus to do independent of us, what He co-missioned us to do through faith. In other words, our unbelief metaphorically creates an open circuit. Just as electricity won’t flow through wood or rubber, God’s power does not flow through unbelief. There are Kingdom laws and natural laws. In both cases, our lives depend on us learning and abiding by what governs these laws.

To further explain, I used to think that the father spoken of in Mark 9:23-25 was insincere toward his faith in Jesus. After more study of this important event, the Lord helped me see more of what happened. Previously in Mark 9:16, the disciples were disputing with the scribes. After Jesus asked what the dispute was about, the father spoke up and said he had brought his son to the disciples, and they could not cast out the spirit that was tormenting him. 

Jesus addressed the problem of unbelief by saying to the father,“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) The father of the child responded, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) He acknowledged Jesus as Lord, confessed his faith in Him, and asked for help with his unbelief. Jesus answered the father’s prayer and cast out the evil spirit from his son. The father confessed his confusion and unbelief before Jesus, which was crucial for experiencing the miracle.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10 NKJV).

Another interesting point in this story is, when Jesus saw the crowd gathering He cast out the spirit. The crowd represented more unbelief that could have hindered the miracle. The disciples had been casting out demons prior to this child, but the father had introduced unbelief that the disciples had not previously encountered. So when they asked, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29).”

This is where many people interpret that Jesus was addressing the kind, or type, of demon. That before casting the demon out prayer and fasting were required. Jesus was saying this “kind” (unbelief) only comes out by prayer and fasting. The subject of Mark 9:24 is unbelief, not categorizing demons. Jesus was able to reach the father of the boy and bring him into agreement with faith, not unbelief.

Mankind has authority on the earth in life or death, faith or unbelief. We have promises like: "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:14 NKJV).” And, like the seventy that Jesus sent out... “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name (Luke 10:17 NKJV).” But even a small portion of unrecognized unbelief mixed with faith is double-mindedness. It’s two-spirited. (James 1:6-8) If we don’t understand entanglement*, that Holy Spirit is always in us and leading us into the truth, we become confused.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1Corinthians 6:17 NKJV).

“Did God say?” still echoes through time with unbelief being the root. We shouldn’t question God’s integrity and expect Kingdom laws to work on our behalf. The disciples learned that unbelief limits God.

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58 NKJV).

Unbelief is not a demon, or we could cast it out. Nor would Jesus have rebuked the disciples for it if it was demonic. However, unbelief is serious. As Jesus stated: “This kind only comes out by prayer and fasting.” 

Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him as He did with the father. The father asked the Lord to help his unbelief. The father knew it was a problem, and Jesus was faithful to answer his request. Jesus does the same for us. Just ask.

Our new life in Christ Jesus becomes an adventure in exposing our own unbelief and gaining victory over all the works of satan. Unbelief in a believer will not send that person to hell, but they will experience spiritual impotence in this life. This is a profound and simple truth that can help every believer walk in freedom.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10 NKJV).

Receive life!

© 2026 Mark Rossback

*ZOE: Thayer’s - the state of one possessed of vitality or is animate (Examples: John 10:10, Luke 18:30, Galatians 6:8, Ephesians 4:18)

*SOZO: Thayer’s - to save or deliver from danger; to heal, make whole, or cure from disease; to preserve or keep from corruption (Examples: Matt 18:11, Mark 5:28, John 10:9, Ephesians 2:8)

*For more on entanglement, read my previous post entitled “Entanglement”.