The Light of Christ Journey

Encouraging people on their journey with Christ

The Grace of the Father’s Pursuit

Paula K. Graves

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July 22, 2026

We see the grace of the father’s pursuit in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The son had asked the father for his inheritance early, while the father was still living. In essence, this request insinuated that the son wished the father were dead.

Then, to make matters worse, the son spent the money on wild living. That was bad enough, but the son left Jewish territory and went into a Gentile area to do so. These actions brought great shame on this family. His actions would have been the talk of the local gossips and would have humiliated the father and the other son.

The prescribed punishment for a rebellious child was stoning. Deuteronomy 21: 18 Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. 19 In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders… 21 Then all the men of his town must stone him to death.[1]

A Twist in the Plot

Jesus’ listeners would have been shocked at the next part of the story. They would have anticipated that the father should have disowned the wayward son. Luke 15: 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ [2]

Obviously, the father had been watching and waiting for the son to return home because he noticed him a long way off. Then the father ran to him. We would not think anything of this, as grown men often run in our culture. But, in first-century Judaism, it was shameful for grown men to run. This was undignified, and by doing so, the father threw caution to the wind. 

The son was well aware that he had brought disgrace on his household and knew he deserved nothing. Thus, he tried to give his rehearsed speech about being a servant, but the father didn’t even let the son finish. Instead, the father embraces the son. This protects him from being stoned by the neighbors and welcomes him back to his home.

This is the twist in the plot that makes the parable’s point. God accepts sinners back even though they don’t deserve it.

A Pursuing God

We, like the son in the parable, have a will and can choose to go astray. Our loving Father does not force us to return, but welcomes us back when we come. He runs to us and embraces us with His mercy and grace, even though we don’t deserve it.

We don’t receive condemnation but welcome. Romans 8: 1So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.[3]

No matter how far astray you have gone, turn back to receive the grace of the Father’s pursuit. He sent His son to pay the price for your sins, even though you can do nothing to pay for your sins. God gives you the gift of forgiveness and salvation if you will receive it. Turn back to God, no matter what the neighbors say. He will receive you back. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/made-whole-through-repentance

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Recognizing Our Need

Tom Graves

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July 21, 2026

Recognizing our need is often a turning point in our lives. An addiction or a false perception of ourselves, among other things, can be harmful to both us and others. The Pharisees and religious leaders did not realize their need for a Savior. As they gathered around Jesus, He reached out to them with the parable of the Prodigal Son. In a sincere way, Jesus was holding up a mirror to them. As we reflect on these same verses, He does the same for us.

A young man with little respect for his relationship with his father asked for his inheritance early. He then moved to a faraway county and spent all his money. When a severe famine struck, he became desperate and took a low-paying job feeding pigs, but he remained hungry and unfulfilled.

It is here, at the lowest point, that everything begins to change. The journey toward wholeness in Jesus often doesn’t start with strength. It begins with honest acknowledgment of how far we have fallen and how deeply we need Him.

Coming to Himself: The Gift of Awareness

Luke 15:17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! [1] These words marked a turning point not just in the story, but in the soul. The son awoke to reality. He clearly saw both his condition and his father’s goodness. This is the first step toward repentance: acknowledging need. He does not minimize his failure or shift blame. Instead, he confessed. Luke 15:18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you.”[2]

There is a quiet courage in this moment. It takes humility to face the truth about ourselves. We have to admit where we have wandered, what we have broken, and how far we are from where we should be. Yet this acknowledgment is not meant to crush us; it is meant to awaken us. In God’s grace, clarity becomes a gift. The son’s realization does not end in despair but moves him toward hope. When we come to ourselves, we begin to see both our sin and our Savior more clearly.

Turning Toward Home: The First Step to Restoration

The son not only recognizes his need—he acts on it. Luke 15:18 I will go home to my father.[3]  This decision reflects a heart that is beginning to trust once more in the goodness of the father he had once rejected. Although he feels unworthy to be called a son, he still believes there might be mercy.

This is the beauty of repentance: it is not just feeling sorry; it is turning back. It is a movement of the heart and will toward the One who restores. Recognizing our need and shortcomings is not the end; it is the doorway into grace. In Jesus, we find not condemnation but restoration. He meets us in our brokenness and begins the work of making us whole.

True wholeness begins with faith in Him as our Savior. So today, don’t fear the moment of realization. It is a precious gift. Acknowledging your need is not weakness — it is the start of healing. It is the first step on the road home, where grace waits, and wholeness is found in Jesus.

To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/made-whole-through-repentance

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

The Emptiness of Sinful Living

Tom Graves

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July 20, 2026

The emptiness of sinful living is often masked by the lives we project, but inside, we know who we truly are. Jeremiah 17:9The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [1] As the teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees gathered around Jesus. He told them the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and then the lost son. In His grace, the Lord was trying to awaken them to their true condition. As we meditate on God’s word, He does the same for us. God’s desire for us is always restoration and repentance, but we have free will.

In the opening of the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus tells of a younger son who demands his inheritance early, rejecting both his father’s authority and relationship. He leaves home and travels to a distant country, where he wastes everything on reckless and self-indulgent living. What appears at first to be freedom quickly becomes the foundation for deep loss.

When Sin Promises Fulfillment but Delivers Emptiness

Luke 15:14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. [2] Sin often hides behind the mask of satisfaction. The younger son pursued what he believed would bring joy, independence, and identity. But once his resources were gone, so was the illusion.

The famine exposed a deeper truth: life without the Father is inherently empty. This emptiness isn’t just material—it is spiritual. When we distance ourselves from God, we may feel temporarily fulfilled, but eventually we face a deep hunger that nothing in the world can satisfy. God designed our souls for a relationship with Him. Without Him, we are incomplete. Wholeness begins when we recognize this emptiness. It’s often during seasons of spiritual hunger that God opens our eyes to our true condition—not to condemn us, but to draw us back.

When Emptiness Awakens a Hunger for True Wholeness

 Luke 15:15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. [3]  The son who once belonged to a loving household now finds himself in a humiliating position. Sin does more than leave us empty; it causes us to settle for less than what God intended.

 At his lowest point, the son experienced total deprivation—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. No one helped him. No one satisfied him. This stark loneliness reflects the ultimate end of sinful living: isolation and unmet longing. But this hunger became a turning point. The emptiness he felt was not the end of his story—it is the beginning of his awakening. In God’s mercy, even our lowest moments can become invitations to return.

We don’t find true wholeness in what we consume, achieve, or escape into. We find it in Jesus. Through faith in Him, He restores us as children of God. The emptiness of sinful living is real—but it is also a doorway. When we bring our hunger to Christ, He fills us with abundant life, restoring what was lost and making us whole again. To find out more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/made-whole-through-repentance

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

A Costly Independence

Tom Graves

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July 19, 2026

The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates a costly independence, showing how the son’s selfish choices affected him and his family. How often in our lives do we make selfish decisions without considering the consequences? For all of us, spiritual immaturity often lies at the root of wanting independence or pursuing things we are not ready for.

While we can’t live life over, we can humble ourselves and repent of our sins. Repentance was what the Lord wanted for the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who were gathered around him. First, Jesus told a parable of the lost coin, then the lost sheep, building up to the story of the lost son.     

Luke 15:11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.[1]

The Importance of Relationships

The younger son’s request for his inheritance indicates he valued his father’s possessions more than his father himself, essentially wishing him dead. His move to a “distant country” symbolizes not only geographical escape but also a desire to leave behind God’s moral presence. The younger son mistakenly believed that distance from the father benefited him, unaware that true life depends on relationships, not separation.

This physical gap reveals a spiritual truth: being apart from the father leads to loss. What seemed to bring richness results in emptiness. We can make similar mistakes through self-reliance, pride, or drifting, thinking we know better than God. Pursuing our plans and desires often costs more than we expect when we act independently of God.

The Hidden Cost

Yet even in this moment, there is grace. The father allows the son to go. This is not abandonment—it is love that permits choice. Sometimes, God allows us to feel the weight of our independence so that we might recognize our deeper need for Him. Though this passage focuses on departure, it sets the stage for restoration. The story does not end in independence; it moves toward reconciliation. The son’s journey away from the father reveals a deeper truth: we find wholeness only in returning to God.

Being made whole in Jesus begins with recognizing the cost of living apart from Him. It requires humility—the willingness to admit that independence has left us empty. But the beauty of this parable is that the father’s love never diminishes, even when the son walks away.

In Christ, we see the fulfillment of this story. Jesus makes a way for us to return, not as hired servants, but as restored children. Where independence leads to brokenness, surrender leads to healing. Where distance creates emptiness, relationship brings fullness. We don’t find true freedom in independence from the Father, but in dependence on Him. And in that dependence, we are made whole.

To learn more about a costly independence, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/podpanel/episode/made-whole-through-repentance

[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 15:11–13). Tyndale House Publishers.

Victory Through Prayer

Paula K. Graves

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July 18, 2026

Jesus gained victory through prayer when He rebuked the evil spirit that controlled a young boy. The disciples had tried to exorcise the spirit earlier but failed. Later, when they were in private, the disciples wanted Jesus to explain what had happened. Mark 9: 28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.” [1]

Changing Times

Jesus had been training the disciples for almost three years. He had given them the power to cast out evil spirits and then sent them out (Mark 6:7). But here they failed. Why? I think their question reveals their error. They used the word “we.”  They may have been depending on themselves and their experience rather than looking to God for His power. Instead of praying, they had been arguing with the religious leaders. This had distracted them from the prayer that would have enabled victory.

As we follow the whole story in Mark’s Gospel, things will be changing for Jesus and the disciples. Just two chapters later, Jesus will enter Jerusalem for the last week before the cross. The road ahead will get harder for the disciples. There will be the crucifixion, the resurrection, the ascension, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. They will need to minister without Jesus’ physical presence. The disciples learned a humiliating but important lesson here.

This lesson applies to us, also. As we walk our journey of faith, the Lord will continue to give us more difficult tasks. This will demand more courage and spiritual strength. We, like Jesus, will need to maintain a lifestyle of prayer.

Jesus Modeled Prayer as a Lifestyle.

Jesus told the disciples that this kind of evil spirit can only be driven out by prayer. Yet there is no record of Jesus lifting His eyes in prayer as He did when He raised Lazarus (John 11:41-42). Jesus did not use prayer as a technique or secret method of exorcism. Instead, He demonstrated a lifestyle of prayer.

In Mark’s Gospel, there is no record of the disciples praying, but there are many examples of Jesus praying. Sometimes when Jesus was praying, the disciples slept. In just a few days, Jesus would pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. There Jesus demonstrated His relationship with the Father. Mark 14: 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [2]

Jesus told the boy’s father that anything is possible if a person believes. In the Garden, Jesus knew that God could do anything but deferred to God’s will. Jesus is our model. We must live our lives in constant communication with the Father. That is the only way we will become whole, know His will, and gain the strength to follow it. That is how we gain victory through prayer.

To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Jesus Prevails

Paula K. Graves

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July 17, 2026

Jesus prevails over the demonic spirit in a boy. The father had brought the boy to the disciples for deliverance, but they had failed. Then Jesus appeared and told the man, who was struggling with unbelief, that anything is possible if a person believes. Next, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the demonic realm.

Mark 9: 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.[1]

Restoration Power

Jesus saw the crowds approaching, and because He never performed miracles for show, He immediately commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy. The demon probably resented this command and so threw the boy into one last powerful convulsion. But the mute spirit was losing power over the boy. As the spirit weakened, the boy who had been mute, cried out.

The exhausted boy was so still that the crowd feared that he had died. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and His own death and resurrection. Jesus foreshadowed His resurrection power as He reached down to the boy and helped him up. Mark says that Jesus lifted him up, and he arose. Even though the evil spirit left the boy apparently dead, the words Mark uses in the Greek are used as regular resurrection words in the New Testament.[2]

This story demonstrates Jesus’ resurrection power that stops demons cold. We have a promise of wholeness for ourselves here. When evil tries to hit us, a greater power will prevail, Jesus. Think of Jesus’ hand reaching to lift you during trying times.

Prevailing in Our Faith

Through Jesus’ example and by God’s power, we are encouraged to stand firm in faith against our spiritual adversaries:

Colossians 2: 14 He (Jesus) canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. [3]

1 John 5: 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.[4]

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.[5]

To learn more about how Jesus prevails, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mk 9:25–27). (2025). Crossway Bibles.

[2] Wright, T. (2004). Mark for Everyone (p. 120). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

[3-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Col 2:14–15). Tyndale House Publishers.

It Takes Faith

Paula K. Graves

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July 16, 2026

At some level, the father of a demon-possessed boy understood that it takes faith to deal with the spiritual forces. Mark 9: 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” [1] He had brought his son to the disciples for healing, but they failed. He wanted to believe that healing was possible for his son. But from his experience, it seemed that God’s power was limited. Perhaps he was asking too much.

The Tension Between Faith and Doubt

The father acknowledged that his faith was weak and asked Jesus to overcome his doubt. Every believer faces a tension between faith and doubt. Understanding that genuine faith often coexists with uncertainty can help us move forward. The father’s request was a mixture of despair and trust. It is often the same for us as we pray in difficult times. We can’t stockpile faith like canned food. Faith is a constant process of renewing our trust in Jesus.

Jesus understands our struggles and honors our honest confessions, even in the face of our doubts. Hebrews 4: 15 This High Priest (Jesus) of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [2]

On our faith journey, we can entrust even our disbelief to Jesus. He knows our every thought, and so there is no reason not to be honest with Him. For when we confess our doubts and realize our need for more faith, we are willing to turn to the Lord for help and receive it.

The Faith Requirement

Jesus did not require the man to overcome his doubts before healing the child. Jesus did, however, help the man’s unbelief by releasing the boy from the grip of the demonic. This healing did not happen because of the man’s faith but because of God’s power. The father had stated that the disciples couldn’t free his son. No human could do this alone. It required a human acting with the delegated power from God.

Faith is a gift from God. 1 Corinthians 12: 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.[3]When we, through even a small amount of faith, turn the situation over to Jesus, He will do more than we can imagine.

Ephesians 3: 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.[4]

To learn how it takes faith, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

From If You Can to All Things Are Possible

Tom Graves

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July 15, 2026

The shift from “if you can” to “all things are possible” is the narrative in Mark 9:21–23, a raw, deeply human story. A father stands before Jesus, worn down by years of watching his son suffer. His words are not polished theology. They are a mixture of hope and hesitation.

Mark 9:22Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.[1]This is where many of us live. We believe, but not without struggle. We pray, but not without questions. The father’s “if” reveals a heart that has been disappointed, perhaps by the failed attempts of others to bring healing. His pain has shaped his expectations.

     Yet what is striking is this: he still comes to Jesus. His faith may be fragile, but it is present. And that is enough to bring him into the presence of the One who makes people whole. Wholeness often begins not with strong faith, but with honest faith. This is the kind that admits, “Lord, I’m not sure, but I’m here.”

 Jesus Reframed the Possibility

 Jesus responded in a way that shifts everything: Mark 9:23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” [2] The issue is no longer Jesus’ ability; it never was. He redirected the question to apply to the posture of the human heart. The father said, “If you can,” but Jesus essentially replies, “The question is not about My power, but your faith.” Like many of us, it comes down to our faith in Jesus.

 This is not a rebuke meant to shame, but an invitation to deeper faith. Jesus calls him, and us, out of conditional belief into confident dependence. Wholeness begins when we move from questioning Jesus’s power to resting in it. Faith in our story is not about perfection; it is about direction. It is turning away from doubt as the final authority and leaning into Jesus as our Savior.

When Jesus says, “Anything is possible if a person believes,” He is not promising that our every desire will be fulfilled exactly as we imagine. He is declaring that nothing is beyond His redemptive power. Spiritual renewal, emotional healing, restored identity, and even physical transformation all fall within the scope of what He can do. Wholeness is possible because Christ is all-powerful.

The Beginning of Wholeness Through Faith

 We see the father’s response, which sets the foundation: faith is the doorway to wholeness. The father’s journey moves from uncertainty to surrender, and it is there that transformation begins. Being made whole in Jesus is not merely about fixing what is broken; it is about restoring who we are. Through Christ, we are reconnected to God as His children, reestablished in community, and renewed in purpose. His life, death, and resurrection make this wholeness possible.

This passage reminds us that Jesus meets us in our struggle but does not leave us there. He calls us higher and to trust Him fully. The same invitation stands today. Move from “if You can” to “all things are possible through Christ.” We don’t find wholeness in perfected circumstances. Wholeness is found in faith taking root in Christ. And from that place, everything begins to change. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1-2 Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

The Demonic Recognizes Jesus

Tom Graves

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July 14, 2026

The demonic recognizes Jesus before the religious leaders do. This is puzzling yet revealing. This happens early in Jesus’ ministry. Mark 1: 23 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”[1] The people in the synagogue did not recognize Jesus, but the evil spirit did.

Later in Jesus’ ministry, the religious leaders still did not recognize Him, despite having seen or heard about His many signs and wonders. A father brought his son to the disciples for deliverance from an evil spirit, but they failed. The boy’s father explained that an evil spirit tormented his son with seizures.

Jesus responded with grief over the people’s lack of faith and called for the boy to be brought to Him. Mark 9: 20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. [2]  The evil spirit had one last move against the boy but left because of Jesus.

Faith is All About the Heart

 True recognition of Jesus isn’t just about knowledge but about the heart attitude.  2 Corinthians 3:16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.[3] The Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees and scribes, were deeply familiar with Scripture but failed to recognize its fulfillment right before their eyes.

Their blindness stemmed from pride, their lack of faith, jealousy, and fear of losing their authority. They saw the same miracles as the demons but interpreted them with malice, accusing Jesus of using satanic power. In a spiritual sense, the religious leaders’ hardened hearts created a veil over their eyes.

2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” [4]

Why Demons Recognize Jesus

The Bible never depicts demons as skeptics. James 2: 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.[5] The demonic recognizes Jesus because of their supernatural knowledge of His divine authority and impending judgment. Humans, however, recognize Jesus not only through intellectual understanding but also through faith, repentance, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and personal transformation.

 The good news is that when we humble ourselves and seek the Lord, He reveals Himself and draws us to Him. While the enemy works to blind us, the Lord is actively opening our eyes so we can repent, turn to Him, and be made whole. This is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

The Enemy of Wholeness

Tom Graves

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July 13, 2026

The enemy of wholeness in Jesus is satan and his minions, who work tirelessly every day to prevent God’s plans from unfolding in our lives. After the transfiguration, Jesus, Peter, James, and John descended the mountain and met with a spiritual battle. They found the rest of the disciples surrounded by a crowd and arguing with teachers of the law. A father had brought his son for deliverance, and the disciples had failed.

The situation revealed both the father’s desperation and the disciples’ lack of spiritual power. The spiritual battle the disciples found themselves in must have overwhelmed them. Paul gives us insight into this battle. Ephesians 6:11Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. [1]

The Ongoing Battle With Satan

 The disciples had performed deliverances before. Mark 6:7And Jesus called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. [2] Even though Jesus had given them authority, their efforts failed when they faced the demon-possessed boy.

They needed to learn, as we do, that the fight with satan is an ongoing battle. Although the disciples clearly had authority, they lacked experience in the spiritual battle they faced. Why? They had not yet learned how to appropriate God’s power. Mark 9:19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” [3]

 Failure compels us to admit that our own strength, wisdom, or willpower is not enough. This leads us to rely more deeply on God. It breaks the illusion of self-sufficiency and brings us closer to the Creator. 2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.[4]

Growing in Faith to Face the Battles Ahead

 Mark 9:14-19 takes place during the third year of Jesus’ ministry, shortly before his final journey to Jerusalem for the crucifixion. Since Jesus’ time with his disciples is drawing to a close, it is crucial for them to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible in spiritual warfare.

The battles ahead—whether fear, uncertainty, or hardship—are meant to test and strengthen your faith, not break it. Genuine faith becomes stronger through challenges, not when everything is easy. When you acknowledge your limitations, you create space for God to reveal His power. This is what the disciples experienced and what we experience as we grow in faith.

  So, how do you usually respond to a new challenge? Is it out of frustration or faith? The struggles you faced yesterday, God uses to prepare you for today’s opportunities. And today’s struggles are shaping you for even greater victories ahead.

To learn more about the enemy of wholeness, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/wholeness-through-deliverance

[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

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