The Faith Factor
The next step that Jesus reveals in curing the sick is to ask the
person to muster all his or her faith. “Jesus said unto him, If thou
canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark
9:23).
The father’s tears revealed the deep
love for his son and the great intensity of his desire for his boy to be
well. Love, faith and deep desire are essential requirements for
prevailing prayer. And the father added the attribute of honesty when he
said: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (v. 24).
Occasionally, a person comes to me for
help, and down in his heart he has great doubts that he is ashamed to
reveal. The most important thing, almost more important than faith
itself, is absolute honesty and absolute humility, which leads one to
tell frankly his own faults and weaknesses where it would help to effect
a cure.
The next step was Jesus’ rebuking of the
foul spirit (see Mark 9:25). Christ’s absolute conviction of the
all-powerful reality of God enabled Him to cast out demons and heal the
sick wherever people came to him in humility, honesty, faith and love.
Jesus’ disciples were curious as to why
they were not effective. Jesus told them: “This kind can come forth by
nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (v. 29).
“Prayer and fasting” summarize the whole
philosophy of healing I am putting forth here. Fasting refers to the
necessary washing out of the bad, and the cleansing through
relinquishment of all that would block the way of cure. Prayer refers to
the inpouring of power and inspiration through opening oneself to the
healing power of God.
“Lord, empty me of self,” is the voice of
fasting. “Lord, fill me with Thee,” is the cry of prayer.
Glenn Clark (1882-1956) was born in
Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Grinnell College, and was an English
professor and highly successful athletic coach at Macalester College,
in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Clark authored more than 50 books and
pamphlets, including I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes and How to
Find Health Through Prayer. He was a great believer in prayer and
came to national prominence when an article he wrote, “The Soul’s
Sincere Desire,” was published in Atlantic Monthly magazine.
In 1930, Clark organized a summer
camp in Koronis, Minnesota, which he named “Camp Farthest Out.” Here a
group of people met for fellowship, relaxation and spiritual renewal.
Today there are more than 75 camps
throughout North America. Camps Farthest Out International (cfointernational
.org), meets in more than 100 locations worldwide.
Clark was not recognized as a New
Thought proponent, but he
influenced those in the
movement, and introduced some New Thought concepts and practices into
Christian churches. He is considered one of the 20th century’s most
widely published authors on the subject of prayer.
For more information on the life and
work of Glenn Clark, go to macalesterpark.com.
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