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Jesus often teaches us that we will face problems in life that cannot be overcome when we are spiritually empty or filled with other earthly things. Jesus teaches us this very lesson in Matthew 17 when a boy is possessed.

Matthew 17:14-18 (NIV)

A man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

Jesus then explains why it wasn’t working for them:

“You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.”

See, an unbeliever is someone who is attempting to do something on their own. Essentially they're not connected enough to God. But that's not the only thing, they're “perverse”, or in other words'; “too full of the world". Jesus was pointing out their problem here; 'you are not connected to God enough and you're too connected to the world'.

I don't know about you, but that sadly describes some of my life. I can drift from God, I can drift from my passion and intimacy, communication with Him, and quickly I replace it by filling myself with busyness, work, TV, “resting” (laziness).

Proverbs 27:7 “A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” When you're filling yourself with other things, the sweet, the good things, like the presence of God, can be simply be refused. 

Jesus explains later in verse 21 of this story, (also found in Mark 9) what was required to see deliverance for the child: “some things, like this kind of demon, don't leave without prayer & fasting.” They don't leave without connecting to God more [prayer] & disconnecting from the world more [fasting].

Somethings, like this demon, are not budging without disconnecting your bad habits or ways, and reconnecting with Jesus!

I have a feeling some people have been waiting for an answer to prayer, and maybe you’re getting frustrated. Some are waiting for a miracle and I feel God could be saying, I’m pouring but you’ve blocked the funnel. Perhaps you want direction, but your worldly habits and preferences are already determining your decisions. It’s time to kill the bad habits and recreate new ones that connect you to Jesus.

Q: From what could you disconnect, to benefit your life and relationship with Jesus?

Q: Make a goal to spend time with Jesus every day for the coming month