A man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus—a boy robbed of speech by an evil spirit. The father had watched the disciples try and fail to heal his child. His faith was shattered. So when they told him to bring his son to Jesus, he said, "If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

Notice the "if" in that sentence. The poor, trembling father had put it in entirely the wrong place! Jesus, in his kindness, didn't scold him for it. He simply moved it where it belonged. "No, no," Jesus seemed to say. "There's no 'if' about my power. There's no 'if' about my willingness. The 'if' belongs somewhere else entirely."

"If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

The man's weak faith suddenly grew stronger. He offered up a humble prayer: "I believe! Help my unbelief!" And immediately Jesus spoke the word. The demon fled, commanded never to return.

There's a lesson here we desperately need to learn. We're just like this father. We know there's an "if" somewhere in the equation, but we keep putting it in the wrong place. "If Jesus can help me." "If he can give me grace to overcome temptation." "If he can really forgive me." "If he can make me successful."

No! If you can believe, he both can and will. You've misplaced your "if." If you can confidently trust, then just as all things are possible for Christ, all things become possible for you.

Faith stands in God's power and wears God's majesty like a royal robe. It rides on the King's own horse, because faith is the grace which the King delights to honor. When faith girds itself with the glorious might of the all-working Spirit, it becomes, through God's own omnipotence, mighty to do, mighty to dare, mighty to suffer.

All things—without any limit whatsoever—are possible to the one who believes.

My soul, can you believe your Lord tonight?