Unbelief – Death and Dumb Spirit By
Tony Sanchez
I want to discuss the incredible authority that God wants to
release to us as believers in Jesus Christ. This authority not only concerns
deliverance from deafness, but it’s also connected to a certain demonic spirit
that’s called “the deaf and dumb spirit.” God wants to expose this demon’s
characteristics, how it operates and how it influences people, so that we’re
equipped to take authority over it and see people set free. I know this spirit very well because I have
seen it manifesting almost every day in a family member for years. Also, I have
firsthand experience of this spirit in two different individuals in the Healing
Room as well.
OUTWARD SIGNS OF AN INTERNAL PROBLEM
Thinking about the word dumb might bring to mind some embarrassing moments at school when the teacher put us on the spot by asking a question that we couldn’t answer. We might be inclined to describe how we felt by saying, “I felt so stupid!” Or, “I felt so dumb.” But did you know that dumb means lacking the power of speech, mute, silent—Webster’s New World Dictionary. Dumb actually doesn’t mean or have anything to do with stupidity. As well, I want to define the word mute. This means: not speaking; silent; unable to speak; a deaf-mute—Webster’s New World Dictionary. When people are totally deaf they usually don’t speak because they can’t hear themselves or hear others. So they are silent, or mute.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at a story recorded in Mark 9 about a demon- possessed boy. His father brought him to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not” Mark 9:17-18. Jesus listened to the father and then He had a few words to say to everyone present, including His disciples; Mark 9:19 He answered him and said, “O faithless (unbelief) generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”
Before we talk about how Jesus took charge of the situation, I want to say that this poor boy grossly manifested outward signs of an inward problem. He was manifesting a whole lot more than being mute, or silent! The Bible says that he was visibly tormented—being thrown to the ground, foaming at the mouth, gnashing his teeth and becoming rigid (Mark 9:18). We’ll see shortly that Jesus called this tormenter a “deaf and dumb spirit.” God wants us to have victory over this demonic spirit!
HOW THE DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT IS STRENGTHENED
So let’s go back and take a look at the story in Mark 9 in greater detail because we’re going to discover one key sin that empowers the deaf and dumb spirit.
In Mark 9:18 we recall that the father told Jesus that His disciples could not cast the mute spirit out of his son. Now don’t miss this. Jesus responded by rebuking everyone, including the father, because of their unbelief! He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” (Mark 9:19).
We’re talking about the unbelief of a generation; the spiritual climate of a generation—“O faithless generation.” Even the disciples could not “cure” him. Why? The answer is that even though the disciples had an impartation for healing, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, and casting out devils (Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give Matt. 10:8), they could not cure him because the spirit of unbelief was greatly influencing them as well as everyone else in the vicinity.
This unbelief spiritual climate over all the people (in Mark 9) was the same kind that was present when He revisited Nazareth and began teaching in the synagogue. In Nazareth the people took offense at Jesus and so He said, “So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57). The Bible records: “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58).
Remember, when the father brought his son to Jesus the demon began manifesting through the boy, big time. Now Jesus knew, of course, that the spirit of unbelief was also manifesting over the people in a big way, too. But instead of scolding all of them once again for their unbelief, He simply asked the father a question. “How long has this been happening to him?” (Mark 9:21) The father’s answer actually revealed one of the roots to the problem. Here’s the father’s reply: “From childhood (V.21). . . . But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us (v. 22).” Can you see where the battle was being waged? Out of the father’s mouth came the overflow of his heart: “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Although at this point Jesus had the father’s attention. He wanted to accomplish more for the family than just setting this boy free. He wanted the father to believe that it was possible for Him to set his son free, and He wanted to expose something that was hindering the boy’s deliverance. So Jesus, in all kindness, tossed this back to the father: “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23)”
Look at what happens next. Jesus’ words touched the father’s heart so deeply that he immediately burst into tears and cried out: “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). The father was in a battle! “I believe. Help my unbelief!” The hindrance of unbelief was exposed! The father’s cry for help was like a confession, and although his unbelief was unintentional, nevertheless it was keeping his son bound to sickness. Now Jesus could rebuke that demon and get the boy set free! With the crowd watching closely, Jesus rebuked that unclean spirit: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” (Mark 9:25).
The Bible tells us that when the demon was cast out, the boy went into terrible convulsions and so the crowd was pretty freaked out. They thought the boy’s body looked like a corpse. Now, that tells us that this deaf and dumb spirit was quite strong. But of course the boy wasn’t dead and Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up. A brand new kid stood to his feet! (Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:26-27). Unbelief gave strength to the spirit that made the boy deaf, dumb, and mute. We need to realize that the deaf and dumb spirit is strongly connected to unbelief! And the fact of the matter is that unbelief is a major hindrance to all healings! (Later we’ll discover a key that Jesus gave to His disciples to help them overcome the spirit of unbelief so that in the future they could cast it out).
Thinking about the word dumb might bring to mind some embarrassing moments at school when the teacher put us on the spot by asking a question that we couldn’t answer. We might be inclined to describe how we felt by saying, “I felt so stupid!” Or, “I felt so dumb.” But did you know that dumb means lacking the power of speech, mute, silent—Webster’s New World Dictionary. Dumb actually doesn’t mean or have anything to do with stupidity. As well, I want to define the word mute. This means: not speaking; silent; unable to speak; a deaf-mute—Webster’s New World Dictionary. When people are totally deaf they usually don’t speak because they can’t hear themselves or hear others. So they are silent, or mute.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at a story recorded in Mark 9 about a demon- possessed boy. His father brought him to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not” Mark 9:17-18. Jesus listened to the father and then He had a few words to say to everyone present, including His disciples; Mark 9:19 He answered him and said, “O faithless (unbelief) generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”
Before we talk about how Jesus took charge of the situation, I want to say that this poor boy grossly manifested outward signs of an inward problem. He was manifesting a whole lot more than being mute, or silent! The Bible says that he was visibly tormented—being thrown to the ground, foaming at the mouth, gnashing his teeth and becoming rigid (Mark 9:18). We’ll see shortly that Jesus called this tormenter a “deaf and dumb spirit.” God wants us to have victory over this demonic spirit!
HOW THE DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT IS STRENGTHENED
So let’s go back and take a look at the story in Mark 9 in greater detail because we’re going to discover one key sin that empowers the deaf and dumb spirit.
In Mark 9:18 we recall that the father told Jesus that His disciples could not cast the mute spirit out of his son. Now don’t miss this. Jesus responded by rebuking everyone, including the father, because of their unbelief! He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” (Mark 9:19).
We’re talking about the unbelief of a generation; the spiritual climate of a generation—“O faithless generation.” Even the disciples could not “cure” him. Why? The answer is that even though the disciples had an impartation for healing, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, and casting out devils (Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give Matt. 10:8), they could not cure him because the spirit of unbelief was greatly influencing them as well as everyone else in the vicinity.
This unbelief spiritual climate over all the people (in Mark 9) was the same kind that was present when He revisited Nazareth and began teaching in the synagogue. In Nazareth the people took offense at Jesus and so He said, “So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57). The Bible records: “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58).
Remember, when the father brought his son to Jesus the demon began manifesting through the boy, big time. Now Jesus knew, of course, that the spirit of unbelief was also manifesting over the people in a big way, too. But instead of scolding all of them once again for their unbelief, He simply asked the father a question. “How long has this been happening to him?” (Mark 9:21) The father’s answer actually revealed one of the roots to the problem. Here’s the father’s reply: “From childhood (V.21). . . . But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us (v. 22).” Can you see where the battle was being waged? Out of the father’s mouth came the overflow of his heart: “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Although at this point Jesus had the father’s attention. He wanted to accomplish more for the family than just setting this boy free. He wanted the father to believe that it was possible for Him to set his son free, and He wanted to expose something that was hindering the boy’s deliverance. So Jesus, in all kindness, tossed this back to the father: “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23)”
Look at what happens next. Jesus’ words touched the father’s heart so deeply that he immediately burst into tears and cried out: “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). The father was in a battle! “I believe. Help my unbelief!” The hindrance of unbelief was exposed! The father’s cry for help was like a confession, and although his unbelief was unintentional, nevertheless it was keeping his son bound to sickness. Now Jesus could rebuke that demon and get the boy set free! With the crowd watching closely, Jesus rebuked that unclean spirit: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” (Mark 9:25).
The Bible tells us that when the demon was cast out, the boy went into terrible convulsions and so the crowd was pretty freaked out. They thought the boy’s body looked like a corpse. Now, that tells us that this deaf and dumb spirit was quite strong. But of course the boy wasn’t dead and Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up. A brand new kid stood to his feet! (Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:26-27). Unbelief gave strength to the spirit that made the boy deaf, dumb, and mute. We need to realize that the deaf and dumb spirit is strongly connected to unbelief! And the fact of the matter is that unbelief is a major hindrance to all healings! (Later we’ll discover a key that Jesus gave to His disciples to help them overcome the spirit of unbelief so that in the future they could cast it out).
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT
It’s notable that not only is the spirit of unbelief connected to the deaf and dumb spirit, the spirit of unbelief is also a stronghold over North America and it affects believers on a corporate scale! This corporate unbelief in the body of Christ hinders a demonstration of God’s miracle healing power. In this country we just don’t see masses of people being healed like we do in Third World countries. In those countries the people are desperate and they want to believe that God will touch them. We as believers in America are not desperate. It’s obvious that we need the spiritual climate to change.
Remember, the spiritual climate over Nazareth (as in America) was soaked in unbelief. God didn’t want more faith, fasting, power, better preaching, praying for the sick longer, more healing teams, or extended meetings in Nazareth. Rather, the key was this: overcoming the stronghold of unbelief that ruled over the city. Strongholds can rule over a life, a church, a city, a region, and a nation. For instance, there can be a church where heaven is open resulting in miracles, signs and wonders and down the road at another church, the heavens are closed with hardly anyone getting healed except maybe a few. I can tell you that the first church had the Holy Spirit operating in a mighty way.
The reason that one church had miracles and the other one didn’t was because of two things—the corporate faith and corporate unbelief—that were operating in each church. The heavens can be opened or closed according to corporate faith or according to corporate unbelief. We need to keep this in mind because ultimately, we want to see an open heaven over North America.
Now let’s move on and look at some of the ways that unbelief connects with the deaf and dumb spirit in our culture in North America and how it manifests. First of all, this spirit’s goal and function is to make us (believers) spiritually and physically deaf and dumb so that we cannot hear the voice of God and receive revelation. The way this spirit accomplishes its work is by becoming a stronghold of the mind, better known as a “mindset.”
Strongholds in the mind can manifest in many different ways. (Think about that in the context of our own lives and communities here in North America). Have you ever wondered why there are so many people, especially children, who have learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia, memory conditions, and concentration difficulties? Also what about the people afflicted by spiritual deafness, physical deafness, insanity, and all kinds of conditions of the mind? Some people have a weight, a mental block, when they read the Bible and pray. They can’t get a breakthrough or remember what they’ve read. Or they can’t even focus to read the Bible. There is a spiritual oppression connected to that and it’s a deaf and dumb spirit.
Also, the deaf and dumb spirit affects our ability to understand the Bible. Also this spirit affects our ability to understand mysteries and to understand, hear and receive spiritual revelation and truth. Believers that are deaf and dumb in the spirit have nothing to say. There is a form of godliness denying the power of God (2 Tim. 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ). This kind of mindset loves organized religion, denominationalism, tradition, and programs. “We do what we do now because we’ve done it for the last ten years.” What happens is they are hearers, not doers, even though they want to be doers. They know that they’re not getting the revelation in their heart that God wants them to have even though they’re truly hungry for revelation. But there is an assignment to make them deaf. You can see this in the North American church and it’s connected to unbelief.
There is evidence that unbelief and the deaf and dumb spirit are the roots of the conditions previously mentioned. There are many testimonies of people with a spirit of insanity, madness, manic-depression, and bipolar disorder (just to name a few) set free and delivered. People’s memory can be restored instantly when the ability to remember had been lost for years. There are testimonies of restoration to concentration, healing from ADD, and improved grades in school. There is victory because a few have figured it out.
It’s notable that not only is the spirit of unbelief connected to the deaf and dumb spirit, the spirit of unbelief is also a stronghold over North America and it affects believers on a corporate scale! This corporate unbelief in the body of Christ hinders a demonstration of God’s miracle healing power. In this country we just don’t see masses of people being healed like we do in Third World countries. In those countries the people are desperate and they want to believe that God will touch them. We as believers in America are not desperate. It’s obvious that we need the spiritual climate to change.
Remember, the spiritual climate over Nazareth (as in America) was soaked in unbelief. God didn’t want more faith, fasting, power, better preaching, praying for the sick longer, more healing teams, or extended meetings in Nazareth. Rather, the key was this: overcoming the stronghold of unbelief that ruled over the city. Strongholds can rule over a life, a church, a city, a region, and a nation. For instance, there can be a church where heaven is open resulting in miracles, signs and wonders and down the road at another church, the heavens are closed with hardly anyone getting healed except maybe a few. I can tell you that the first church had the Holy Spirit operating in a mighty way.
The reason that one church had miracles and the other one didn’t was because of two things—the corporate faith and corporate unbelief—that were operating in each church. The heavens can be opened or closed according to corporate faith or according to corporate unbelief. We need to keep this in mind because ultimately, we want to see an open heaven over North America.
Now let’s move on and look at some of the ways that unbelief connects with the deaf and dumb spirit in our culture in North America and how it manifests. First of all, this spirit’s goal and function is to make us (believers) spiritually and physically deaf and dumb so that we cannot hear the voice of God and receive revelation. The way this spirit accomplishes its work is by becoming a stronghold of the mind, better known as a “mindset.”
Strongholds in the mind can manifest in many different ways. (Think about that in the context of our own lives and communities here in North America). Have you ever wondered why there are so many people, especially children, who have learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia, memory conditions, and concentration difficulties? Also what about the people afflicted by spiritual deafness, physical deafness, insanity, and all kinds of conditions of the mind? Some people have a weight, a mental block, when they read the Bible and pray. They can’t get a breakthrough or remember what they’ve read. Or they can’t even focus to read the Bible. There is a spiritual oppression connected to that and it’s a deaf and dumb spirit.
Also, the deaf and dumb spirit affects our ability to understand the Bible. Also this spirit affects our ability to understand mysteries and to understand, hear and receive spiritual revelation and truth. Believers that are deaf and dumb in the spirit have nothing to say. There is a form of godliness denying the power of God (2 Tim. 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ). This kind of mindset loves organized religion, denominationalism, tradition, and programs. “We do what we do now because we’ve done it for the last ten years.” What happens is they are hearers, not doers, even though they want to be doers. They know that they’re not getting the revelation in their heart that God wants them to have even though they’re truly hungry for revelation. But there is an assignment to make them deaf. You can see this in the North American church and it’s connected to unbelief.
There is evidence that unbelief and the deaf and dumb spirit are the roots of the conditions previously mentioned. There are many testimonies of people with a spirit of insanity, madness, manic-depression, and bipolar disorder (just to name a few) set free and delivered. People’s memory can be restored instantly when the ability to remember had been lost for years. There are testimonies of restoration to concentration, healing from ADD, and improved grades in school. There is victory because a few have figured it out.
Now let’s look at two keys that Jesus gave to His disciples
so that they could gain the victory over unbelief and the deaf and dumb spirit.
PRAYER AND FASTING
Let’s pick up the story once again about the boy afflicted by the deaf and dumb spirit, but this time in Matthew 17:14-21 (instead of Mark 9).
After the boy was set free from the deaf and dumb spirit, Jesus’ disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Matthew 17:19). Jesus relied, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20). However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17: 21). The two keys in Scripture are (1) prayer (2) fasting.
PRAYER AND FASTING
Let’s pick up the story once again about the boy afflicted by the deaf and dumb spirit, but this time in Matthew 17:14-21 (instead of Mark 9).
After the boy was set free from the deaf and dumb spirit, Jesus’ disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Matthew 17:19). Jesus relied, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20). However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17: 21). The two keys in Scripture are (1) prayer (2) fasting.
Last month at the end of March as I was reading the Bible
and meditating, I received a word from the Lord that I believe that could be added to prayer and fasting. The word I got was “Without Spot.” It means to look at ourselves and make every
effort to cleanse ourselves from sin.
Understand that we are not perfect.
David was not perfect either but He was a man after God, own heart (Acts
13:22 And when He had removed him,
He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said,
‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart,
who will do all My will). David was
willing to do God’s will at a level that God recognized. God searches to strengthen those who are
committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9 The
eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose
hearts are fully committed to him). We
can’t be under the bondage to sin and expect to be able to do God’s will. Sin will encumber (weigh down) us to the
point that sin becomes central in our life and will not allow us to have the
authority to do God’s work whether it is overcoming things in our life or
helping others overcome. Example: If
someone is so depressed they can’t get out bed, do you think they can do the
will of God? Understand that depression
is not the only thing weighing them down.
Remember, the disciples were affected by unbelief
just like the father and the whole crowd of people. Prayer and fasting are what
it will take to overcome the spirit of unbelief! Then when unbelief
is conquered, not only is faith released, but the strength that the deaf and
dumb spirit receives from the spirit of unbelief is cut off. It’s prime
time for the deaf and dumb spirit to be cast out!
You know, there is something that begins to happen when we fast and pray and when we choose to say that we will not digest anything except the truth of what the Bible says about healing and deliverance. “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Ps. 107:20). That means healing and deliverance are in the Word. When we fast, pray, digest the Word, and speak the Word, it gives us faith and power to overcome personal unbelief and doubt. By fasting for an extended time and studying nothing but what the Bible says about healing, we will see the results.
I feed on what the Bible says about healing. Then I began to be full of faith and power as I overcame the personal spirit of unbelief in my own life so that I can help other in the name of Jesus.
Now let’s look at another key that will equip us to overcome the deaf and dumb spirit.
COMMAND THE DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT TO GO!
Back to the story of the boy! When I was reading the story about him, God brought to my attention that Jesus commanded the deaf and dumb spirit to come out of the boy and showed the father and the disciples that it’s only by faith that we can command stubborn spirits of all kinds to come out.
When we take our position of authority after praying and
fasting, then we’re in the right position to command a deaf and dumb spirit or
any spirit to come out of someone. I believe that God wants to challenge us to
seek His face so that we can work together pressing in for a change in the spiritual
climate over North America. These last
days are getting progressively darker.
The enemy is getting stronger and stronger and I am concerned that we as
Believers are not equipped for the battle.
God's blessings on you all
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