Miracles are wrought by Fasting and Prayer - Fr. Joseph Edattu VC

the lord be with you and with your spirits a reading from the holy gospel according to mark glory to you lord when jesus with peter james and john came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples and they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them the moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him what are you arguing about with them he asked a man answered him from the crowd master i have brought my son to you there is a spirit of dumbness in him and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground and he forms at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid and i asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to you faithless generation he said to them in reply how much longer must i be with you how much longer must i put up with you bring him to me they brought the boy to him and as soon as the spirit saw jesus it threw the boy into convulsions and he fell to the ground and lay everything there forming at the mouth jesus asked the father how long has this been happening to him from childhood he replied and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water in order to destroy him but if you can do anything have pity on us and help us if you can retorted jesus everything is possible for anyone who has faith immediately the father of the boy cried out i do have faith help the little faith i have and when jesus saw how many people were pressing around him he rebuked the unclean spirit deaf and dumb spirit he said i command you come out of him and never enter him again then throwing the boy into con violent convulsions it came out shouting and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said he's dead but jesus took him by the hand and helped him up and he was able to stand when he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately why were we unable to cast it out this is the kind he answered that can only be driven out by prayer the gospel of the lord praise to you lord jesus christ please be seated my dear brothers and sisters today's gospel is a very important passage and it's from gospel of mark chapter 9 verse 14 let's start reading this passage this happened immediately after the transfiguration on um on tabor mount tabor after the transfiguration jesus john and james peter all of them the four of them they were coming down from the mountain when they came to the disciples the other disciples were there in the valley they were on the mountaintop and as they were coming down they so they join with the disciples when they when then jesus saw these disciples are arguing with somebody and some people are arguing with disciples because one man had brought a boy who is possessed by evil spirit and he was having all kind kind of convulsions and manifestations and they asked the disciples to cast out the devil and the disciples in the absence of jesus they thought they have authority to do it because they have authority we read like this in the word of god just before it in the gospel of mark chapter 6 verse 7 we read like this he called to the 12th and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits this happened gospel mark chapter 6 and again we also read chapter 3 verse 14 chapter 3 verse 14 also we read like this the word of god says and he appointed the 12 whom he also named porcells to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the message so in that part also he has given to have authority to cast out demons so two times it is mentioned in the chapter three and chapter six jesus already given authority to the disciples to cast demons so the disciples are aware they have authority and then they try to cast out demons in the absence of jesus jesus and the other three disciples are on the mountaintop and that is the other disciples around the wali and they are trying to cast to the devil then the demons did not obey them though the authority was there but still not all the demons may obey so later the disciples came and told jesus we read in the same passage that is chapter 9 verse 28 so at the end when the disciples after all this miracle the disciples came and told jesus why we could not cast of the devil you have given us authority why could we not cast it out so why could we not cast it out and then the disciples you know it's very interesting for us to know this because they have all the already they have the authority because jesus has already given the authority to cast out but in this case it was not going out so that is why they were so shocked because in the past they could cast out many devil they had in fact cast out many evil spirits we know after you know the seventy was the 12 disciples were sent for preaching and cast of the devil and they came out rejoicing and thanking god and said jesus in your name all the devils are listening to us obedient to us they were going out to the people and jesus said jesus was also very happy to hear those things and in their personal experience they have seen the devil going out when they cast out but in this case this devil demon is not going out and that is why they were shocked first of all they were shocked and secondly the people who came along with this person's man they started abusing them arguing with them you are all followers of jesus you are disciples of jesus how come you are not able to cast out you are supposed to cast out you are supposed to do this but you are not able to do it so they were making fun of him one of them and insulting them arguing with them and that is why when jesus came verse 15 we read like these he said to them sorry uh 15 when that whole crowd saw him they were immediately overcome with oh and they ran forward to greet him verse 16. we read he asked them what are you arguing about with them verse 17 someone from the crowd answered him teacher i brought you by my son he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak was 18 and whenever it seizes him it dashes him down and he forms and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid and i asked your disciples to cast it out but they could not do so this is what they said they could not do it so that is why we were arguing with them with them and what did jesus say jesus said we read verse 19 we read he answered them you faithless generation how much longer must i be among you how much longer must i put up with you bring him to me so jesus not did not get angry with the disciples but jesus was in fact getting angry with the people who are arguing with his disciples he answered them the one who's explained to jesus that we brought our child but they were not able to cast out devil jesus corrected them and got angry with them because these people were only after miracles and wonders when the healings are not taking place they're getting angry when the blessings are not taking place they are angry with god they angry with the disciples they angry with the preachers i remember sometime back when we had a retreat and during the healing adoration some it was a children and their parents and their teachers they were attending the retreat and during the healing service many children were getting healing and then one father and son they got up and they came to me after the service they came to me they were so authentic they were so angry and they came and said father we are we are going we can't attend this retreat anymore i said what happened all the other people are getting healed my child is not getting healed if this is discrimination my dear brothers and sisters this how many people the attitude you know i told him i don't know why this happens because it is not i who is healing them if i was the one who was healing everyone i would have healed you too but it is jesus sometimes people send emails even whatsapp messages why i was praying a lot i was attending the live streaming what why only me nothing happened to me but all the blessings are happening to them and they are getting angry with us my brothers and sisters if we were the ones who are healing you and delivering you if i was the one who was doing all these miracles i would have tried to do it and make sure that everyone gets it and not to get any a blame game but at the same time remember this is your cooperation with jesus nothing to do with us we are only instrument here to impart the message of the lord it is your connection with god that is more important that is why jesus was so angry with these people who are arguing with the disciples and he said you faithless generation how much longer i must i be among you how much longer must i put up with you bring him to me my brothers and sisters it is your connection with god that is making difference that is why even jesus could not perform any miracle in his own hometown jesus said the prophet is not accepted in his hometown therefore you are your relationship first of all believe that he can do it first of all believe that jesus is your lord and savior believe that he is the only savior for you and for me for a whole family and accept him as the lord and savior in your family then believe and pray in front of him you will see the miracles happening we are only instruments to just to bring the good news to you the word of god to you the adoration and worship to you and it is up to you to receive the healing based on your connection with god and that is very important my dear brothers and sisters that is why whether it is father joseph or any other priest here if your connection with god is very strong healings and miracles will take place and deliverance will take place sometimes we misunderstand thinking that only if this priest comes everything will happen my dear brothers and sisters you faithless generation how much longer must i be among you how much longer must i put up with you we need to understand this and then let's read continue reading verse 20. you know this is one of the reasons okay let's go back to 19. you know these people people are like these you know i have seen many people like these this kind of attitude and that is the reason when peter and the disciples john and james had a beautiful experience on mount tabor what did peter say jesus it is better to be here because if we go out we will see such kinds of characters it is better to be here on this mountain top very happy no disturbance no emails no messages no whatsapp nothing we can see the face of god daily and worship god we will make three tens we don't even need any tent we are ready to sacrifice anything to have peace of mind and sometimes after vacation when we come down we also feel the same my dear brothers and sisters the lord says we should be focused not on any other human being but on jesus you will never be disappointed praise the lord these days i was when i was in the at home i got a lot of time i was going through the messages lots of messages there were more than four thousand five thousand unopened messages because and then was going through and only then i noticed there were so many people complaining father how many times i called you nobody's picking up how many times i messaged you and no one answering me and i'm struggling no one care for me and some people say you priests are supposed to be taking care of the sheep and you have no time for us even though we are spending the whole these two years preaching preaching every day preparing preaching and still people complained one after the another so i was so shocked not disappointed because we disappoint we cannot continue the ministry so even jesus though he had tough time he knew this is how the people is so he continued so my dear brothers and sisters that is the reason peter said jesus it is better to be here on this mount tabor and experience the presence of god but then jesus said no you have to face these you have to face this disturbed father you have to face these accusing scribes and you have to face this insulting people around you have to face these arguments and confusion therefore come down and that's how i've come down my dear brothers and sisters this is part of our life the same thing in your family the other day one family came and said father i expected my husband is going to be a very loving husband and got married to him the whole family is very happy very good family my father i looked into my looked at my mother mother-in-law and she seemed to be very good my father-in-law was very good and everyone was good but now i'm married six months very our family is a hell father-in-law always asking so many unnecessary questions mother-in-law is so curious about all our plans that me and my husband is planning about a honeymoon and other things and mother ella wants to know all the details and she was going on complaining about the whole family and she said father i don't think i will be able to survive here in this family and i want peace of mind i want a heavenly family then i told her you will get a heavenly family not now maybe you have to live 70 or 80 years and one day you will you will lose all your teeth and your hair will become gray and you will have a stick and then after some time you will get some cholesterol sugar and then you may have and at the end you will die and when you die you will go to a heavenly family until then you will have to tolerate this family my dear brothers and sisters jesus said peter said father lord jesus it is very good to be here jesus said keep going come come after me come with me come down to this valley that people are waiting to accuse you people are waiting to stone at you people are waiting to insult you people are waiting to complain to you people are waiting to meet you so you have to face them you have to face them at the same time jesus also got angry with these people and said you faithless generation how much longer must i be among you you are running after healing deliverance protection and all these things you are not after me you don't follow me you don't know me so this is disturbing jesus my brothers and sisters if if jesus comes into your family do you think jesus will say you faithless person your faithless generation and we read verse 20 we read like this and they brought the boy to him jesus said bring it bring him to be and then they brought the boy to him when the spirit saw him immediately it converged to the boy and he fell on the ground and rolled about forming at the mouth the evil spirit it harms the people and evil spirit knew jesus is going to cast him out so he knew any way he's going to go out therefore he wanted to do maximum damage to the person before goes out don't ever entertain evil in your family in your personal life my dear brothers and sisters he will damage your life you would he will damage maximum damage he will give it to your family before he goes therefore don't ever entertain evil don't ever entertain any black magic witchcraft love and all kinds of superstitious beliefs don't encourage you know sometimes people go after black magic superstitious beliefs thinking that instant blessing instant protection or instant wealth you may get it sometimes because the devil is so cunning and crooked he may give you 10 pounds and then destroy your life he may give you some blessings and then he will destroy because after all that is his nature that is his character he will have he wants to destroy the devil comes to steal the thief comes to steal and destroy and kill therefore if anyone has gone for any kind of black match witchcraft or all these kinds of things repent and follow jesus and reconcile with jesus go for confession you will be protected until then there is no protection and then verse 21 we read jesus ask the father how long has this been happening to him and he said from childhood from childhood he said verse 22 it has often cast him into the fire and into the water to destroy him but if you are able to do anything have pity on us and help us you know he's already getting disappointed because he tried with his disciples the disciples of jesus and they they could not cast the evil spirit out and he's already disappointed therefore he says jesus if you are able to do something please do it a pity on us then jesus said if [Music] jesus said to him if you are able remember all things can be done for the one who believes here jesus stresses the one who believes normally jesus used to say all things can be done by jesus all things can be done by god but here there is a difference all things can be done for the one who believes in god believes in jesus the one who believes here the problem of this crowd is they were not believing in jesus they were they wanted instant healing deliverance and all these things but they didn't know jesus they didn't believe in jesus so he said all things can be done for the one who believes and then verse 24 this poor man immediately the father of the child crowded and said i believe help my unbelief the moment he said help my unbelief is a clear sign of believing we all have our own unbelief but when we pray lord forgive me help my unbelief is a clear sign that you are accepting that your lack of belief but at the same time you have a desire to believe there is a humility many people say i believe i know everything i believe they don't ask for any help because they think that they believe and they don't really believe so those who say there is something lacking in me but please do lord you can help me help my unbelief that means there is humility therefore there is belief verse 25 you read like this when jesus saw that a crowd came running together he rebuked the unclean spirit saying to him he spirits that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing i command you come out of him and never enter him again and verse 26 after crying out and convulsing him terribly it came out and the boy was like a corpse so that most of them said he's dead and it was 27 but jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he was able to stand verse 28 when he had entered the house so when everyone got inside the disciples came slowly and said privately because they were so ashamed that they could not cast out the evil spirit and everyone was making fun of them insulting them but jesus came and shouted at them and said you faithless generation somehow managed to save his disciples from insult and now these disciples came out privately and said jesus thank you very much for saving us from them but tell us why we could not we could not cast it out what is wrong you blame them saying that they don't have faith in they don't have trust so we will manage to escape because you blame to them it's true that is true blaming but at the same time there is something that the disciples were supposed to be doing so the disciples knew something is lacking in them there is something went wrong that is why they could not cast out so they said why could we not cast it out then was 29 he said to them this kind can come out only through prayer what kind now why this this kind because earlier god jesus has given them authority to cast our devil and they cast out many devils but this kind can come out only through prayer fasting and prayer the original text says if you see the food notes there in the bible it says fasting and prayer only through fasting and prayer that means there are gradations of the impact and influence of the evil certain evil possession certain evil influence can be done by just simple deliverance prayer certain evil possessions can be done by maybe with some special prayers special deliverance retreat or some kind of something like that certain possessions can only be done by exorcism by the official exorcism by the church and certain kinds of evil spirits can become you will be able to cast out not just why just one prayer or something you may have to do lots of fasting and prayer beforehand it's not because of your capacity you are you are amount of fasting that makes you worthy to cast out but when you fast and prayer your connection with god increases therefore you are able to cast out this evil spirit my brothers and sisters the one who pray over the one who do exorcism is also supposed to be more connected to god more influenced more more intimately connected and related to god and that's how the effect will be shown in their manifestations or in their actions of exorcism so that is why we have a special retreat coming in the london season 40 days of lent and retreat for deliverance and that is why we have 100 000 days of fasting before this deliverance before this retreat so all of us we will fast if it is possible physically if you are not under medication please do fast and pray and prepare for this deliverance retreat so that only through fasting and prayer this kind will come out and therefore let us prepare ourselves for these uh special retreats that is going to have from march 2nd for 40 days of london retreat for deliverance at the same time let's also promise to jesus that we will do fasting and prayer during these prayer retreats and also live streaming so that when we cast out evil spirits from our families when we command evil affliction to get out of financial problems and get out of our family members they will listen to us immediately this evil spirit will go out though the lord has given us authority we also should be prepared we should be a channel of grace we should be a proper channel of grace not only the minister should be proper channel of grace but also the people should have the faith in jesus strong faith in jesus and then both these things come together when both these aspects come together there will be instant exorcism instant deliverance mighty miracles both the exorcist and also the people who are coming for their prayer should be cooperating with the work of god it is not enough that only one person cooperate with god the other person just passively uh receive the blessing no both should be cooperating with god and then you will see the miracle praise the lord thank you jesus so let's close our eyes and pray and offer all the intentions on this altar along with this bread and wine and let's say lord jesus there are so many blocks and bondages that is affecting me and my family there are so many things disturbing me and my family we pray in a special way so that let all my family members be protected for these i'm ready to be more connected to you more intimately connected to you for that help me to be help me to follow uh to do fasting and prayer regularly so that i may be connected to you and will be able to transfer the grace that you give it to me to hand it over to the people so let's pray sincerely so that the lord may bless you let's sing together the offer to him

Channel: Catholic Sanctuary

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Length: 22min 53sec (1373 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 28 2022