Section IV: Expectant

I Do Believe

Today you’re going to read what may be one of the most keeping it 100 examples of a totally desperate prayer in the whole Bible: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Those words come from a dad who has tried everything to get help for his son and was met with nothing but discouragement, disappointment, and bitter defeat. He’d even tried God—he took his son to see Jesus’ disciples, and they couldn’t do anything for him. 

This dad is desperate, and as a father myself, I can totally put myself in his shoes (or sandals or whatever they wore). If it were one of my sons, I would do anything I could, and I wouldn’t give up—even if I thought the situation seemed hopeless.

This guy doesn’t have much hope left. His faith tank is empty, and he’s running on fumes. If Jesus can’t help…

Have you ever felt like this? I know I have.

But this man understands something incredibly important: without expectation, without faith, there is no hope. So he does away with false humility and the “good believer” mask and bluntly asks for help: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

The final part of HSPE (remember, “high school P.E.”) is Expectation. You can call it faith—it’s that hopeful feeling that needs to be part of our prayers. It’s not enough to simply believe that God is God; we need to believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (see Hebrews 11:6).

You might be feeling like the dad from today’s reading, and if so I’m going to tell you the same thing Jesus tells this father: "Everything is possible for one who believes."

Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right.” So what’s your expectation? Do you believe God can do it—whatever “it” is in your life? Or are you on empty, like this father?

If you’re out of gas, burned out, exhausted, and having trouble believing God—you’re in exactly the right place! You don’t need to conjure up some faith or muster up some disingenuous positive thoughts. Instead, ask Jesus for help, like this guy does. 

Now, get ready for some good news: you’re already doing what Jesus tells His disciples to do—fasting and praying. And what happens when we fast and pray with expectation? 

BREAKTHROUGH.