(Matthew 17:14-21) (Luke 9:37-43) (Mark 9:14-29)

Tha day after Big James, Loving John, and Old Pete come off that mountain with tha Son . . . tha very next day after tha three seen tha Son in all his glory with Moses and Elijah, they met a man with a peculiar problem. When tha chap seen tha four approaching, he run up ter tha Son and dropped ter his knees.

“Teacher,” he said, “I beg you. Look at my boy. He is my only child. A demon spirit seizes him and suddenly throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. This demon spirit robs him of speech. My boy gnashes his teeth. When it seizes him, he becomes rigid. It scarcely ever leaves him. This vile demon spirit is destroying my boy.”

Tha Son asked, “How long has your son been like this?”

“From childhood. It often throws him into the fire or water to kill him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not. If you can do anything, take pity on us. Help us.”

“If I can?” tha Son asked. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

“I believe,” tha father replied. “Help me overcome my unbelief.”

Tha Son looked at tha man, then his disciples. “O unbelieving and perverse generation. How long shall I stay with you? How long will I put up with you?” Ter tha father he said, “Bring your son here.”

Even while tha boy whar coming ter tha Son, tha demon spirit caused tha lad ter fall ter tha ground, roll around, foam at tha mouth, and jerk with convulsions.

When tha Son seen ah crowd rushing ter tha scene he rebuked tha demon. “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of that boy. Never enter him again.”

Tha demon spirit shrieked, convulsed tha child violently, and fled. Tha lad looked so much like a corpse that many in tha crowd said, “He’s dead!” That be how weak tha lad’s spirit had become from all those years of being bullied by tha demon spirit.

What about us? Be our spirit bullied ter tha point of submission by spirits of filth, wickedness, perversion, and doubts? Ever time we sin we be inviting vile, demon spirits ter torment us. Now, we know not if this lad done ah thing ter warrant such an invasion, but clearly tha demon wormed its way in and broke tha lad’s spirit. So much so, that he whar near ’bout good as dead, which be tha goal of tha demon spirit from tha get go.

Ne’er mess around with demons. Ne’er dabble in tha occult. Brother James says, Get rid of all filth. Cast out all evil. Humbly accept the word planted in you. God’s words can save you.” (James 1:21)

With that lad looking as dead as ah dock plank, tha Son reached down and took tha lad by tha hand. He lifted him up and tha lad stood. All whar amazed at tha greatness of Skipper. Ever one marveled at all tha Son done.

Later, ashamed at thar lack of faith, embarrassed that tha Son had ter bail ’em out, tha Son’s disciples came ter him and asked, “How come we couldn’t heal him?”

Tha Son replied, “Because you have so little faith. Also, this kind can only come out by prayer.” He may ‘ave also added “and fasting,” though we kin not say with certainty that be tha case. “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Not even driving out evil, unclean, demon spirits.

When someone ya know be in need of healing, deliverance from an evil spirit, addiction, affliction, ah condition that robs ’em of tha abundant life Skipper promised, pray this prayer:

My Father, I kneel before you, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that your Holy Spirit of Truth may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that being rooted and established in love, I may have power. I pray that together with all tha Son’s holy people, I may be able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is your love and the love of your Son. Help me to know this love that surpasses all knowledge. Fill me to the measure of all the fullness of you. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

After praying this prayer, believe that Skipper’s power ‘ill flow from our Father, through tha Son, through ya, and in ter tha feller or lass in need of healing. Believe and doth not doubt.

If both ya and tha afflicted doubt Skip ‘ill heal, then tha Son kin do nothing (Matthew 13:58). But if ya believe and tha afflicted believes even ah little, great healing ‘ill flow in ter ’em, of this ya kin be sure.