Jesus Christ came upon a group of people questioning His disciples because the disciples could not cast an evil spirit out of a certain man’s son. After teaching this father about faith, Jesus Christ healed the son. This lesson will help you examine your faith in the Lord and seek revelation about how you can strengthen it.
Student preparation: Invite students to think about experiences that have strengthened their faith in Jesus Christ. They could also ask other people about their own faith-building experiences.
Possible Learning Activities
Challenges to faith
Imagine experiencing the following challenges:
Consider displaying the following situations or other situations more relevant to the students.
Not feeling welcome at Church
Depression
A family member leaving the Church
The death of a friend
How might these experiences affect someone’s belief and trust in Jesus Christ?
What other experiences might test a teenager’s faith in Christ?
What experiences have you or others had that have shown you the importance of having strong faith in Jesus Christ during difficult times?
Consider providing the following self-assessment as a handout or displaying it for students to use as they record their responses in their study journals.
Choose the number that best describes how often each statement applies to you. Remember that spiritual growth is a gradual process and that no one is perfect.
I believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as my Savior. (2 Nephi 25:29)
I have the faith necessary to help make good things happen in my life or the lives of others. (Ether 12:12)
I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do whatever He asks. (1 Nephi 3:7)
Reflect on the areas in which you are strong. What experiences have helped you be strong in these areas?
In which areas do you need strengthening?
“Have compassion on us”
After His experience with Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus came upon a man who desired to have his son healed from an evil spirit.
Consider reading Mark 9:14–22 and 23–27 as a class, inviting one student to read the words of the Savior, another to read the words of the father, and another to read the remainder of the passage as a narrator. (It may be helpful to assign these parts and invite the students to locate their respective lines before class.) Students could also use this approach to read in groups of three.
As an alternative to reading these verses, consider showing the video of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland retelling this account in “Lord, I Believe,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 0:00 to 3:33.
Read Mark 9:14–22, looking for the difficult situation this father and son faced.
How do you think the father felt when the Savior’s disciples couldn’t heal his son?
Be careful about asking students to respond verbally to the next question. Responses may be too personal to share.
When have you or someone you know had reason to say to the Lord, “Have compassion on us, and help us”?
What do you know from your experiences about the Lord’s willingness to show compassion?
Why is Jesus Christ able to have compassion for each of us?
Read Mark 9:23–27 to see what happened next. Consider marking any words, phrases, or truths you feel are important to remember.
What did the Savior tell this father when he asked for help?
What stands out to you about the father’s response to the Savior in verse 24?
What experiences have you had that help you say, “Lord, I believe”?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized important truths we can learn from this account:
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
When facing the challenge of faith, the father asserts his strength first and only then acknowledges his limitation. His initial declaration is affirmative and without hesitation: “Lord, I believe.” I would say to all who wish for more faith, remember this man! In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. … Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes. …
… When doubt or difficulty come, do not be afraid to ask for help. … God will send help from both sides of the veil to strengthen our belief.
(Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lord, I Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 93–94)
What can we learn from this scriptural account and Elder Holland’s teachings?
One truth we learn from this account is that as we choose to believe in Heavenly Father and seek for His help through prayer, He will help us strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ.
What do you think it means to “hold the ground you have already won” and “hold fast to what you already know”?
One way to “hold the ground you have already won” and “hold fast to what you already know” is to remember and rely on previous experiences that strengthened your faith. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described these experiences:
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Elder Neil L. Andersen
Along with the peaceful direction we receive from the Holy Ghost, from time to time, God powerfully and very personally assures each of us that He knows us and loves us and that He is blessing us specifically and openly. …
… When personal difficulty, doubt, or discouragement darken our path, … the[se] spiritually defining memories … are like luminous stones that help brighten the road ahead, assuring us that God knows us, loves us, and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us return home.
In your study journal or on a piece of paper, trace one of your hands. In the middle of this tracing, write the phrase “Lord, I believe” to represent holding on to what you already know. Around this phrase, list in brief detail reasons you know or believe that “God knows [you], loves [you], and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to help [you] return home.”
Instead of tracing their hands, students could simply record in their journals reasons they believe in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They might include spiritual experiences they have had. Consider inviting students to share what they have written, if appropriate, and their responses to the following question.
How can remembering experiences God has already given you and lessons He has already taught you help to strengthen you in difficult times?
Ponder what you will do, or continue doing, to invite experiences that help you know that God knows you and loves you.
Consider concluding by bearing testimony, or inviting a student to bear testimony, of how the Savior strengthens us in our struggles and rewards any sincere efforts to trust in Him.
Commentary and Background Information
Mark 9:29. What did the Savior mean when He said, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting”?
Fasting and prayer can invite greater spiritual power from the Lord. Some challenges, like when the Apostles attempted to cast out the unclean spirit, may require that greater power. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “The sweet power of prayer can be intensified by fasting … when appropriate to a particular need” (“Sweet Power of Prayer,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 7).
Where can I learn more about faith and doubt?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught additional truths about strengthening faith and dealing with doubts. To hear some of these additional truths, consider watching the video “Lord, I Believe” from time code 5:57 to 10:28.
Supplemental Learning Activities
An alternative way to begin the lesson
Instead of discussing the situations listed at the beginning of the lesson, consider showing the beginning of either the video “Faith Journey: When Parents Get Divorced” from time code 0:00 to 0:20 or the video “Faith Crisis: What Do We Do When We Feel Nothing?” from time code 0:00 to 2:15. These videos are available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Later, students could finish watching the video before completing the hand-tracing activity.
Prayer and fasting
Another way to encourage students to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ can be found in Mark 9:28–29. The Savior pointed out in verse 29 that His disciples could not cast out the devil because of their lack of faith. Consider inviting students to study these verses looking for a principle similar to the following: We can increase our faith in Jesus Christ through prayer and fasting. Students could discuss why the Lord grants some blessings only as a result of prayer and fasting. The statement about prayer and fasting in the “Commentary and Background Information” section could also be used as part of this discussion.