Everything Is Possible ... Unpacking the Message of Verse Mark 9:23
- Anthony Speciale
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Greetings,
Everything Is Possible
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” — Mark 9:23
Unpacking the Message of Verse Mark 9:23
Mark 9:23 captures a powerful moment between Jesus and a desperate father who has just pleaded with Him to help his tormented son. The father’s words, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us,” are met with Jesus’ almost incredulous response: “‘If you can’?... Everything is possible for one who believes.” This brief exchange opens a door to a deeper understanding of faith, possibility, and how belief shifts our experience of life and of God.
The first thing to reflect on here is the tone of Jesus’ response. He echoes the man’s words, “If you can?” almost as if to challenge not just the man’s faith, but his understanding of who Jesus is. It’s not a rebuke of the man's heart—it’s a challenge to raise his eyes and truly see the One to whom he is speaking. This is the Son of God, the embodiment of divine authority and compassion. The question isn’t about whether Jesus can—but whether we believe He will.
That takes us to the heart of the verse: “Everything is possible for one who believes.” This isn't a blanket statement saying that belief alone bends the universe to our will. Jesus isn’t giving a magic formula, but rather inviting us into the kind of faith that aligns our will with God's—faith that opens us up to experience God’s power, even when the outcome is not what we initially imagined.
Faith, in this context, is more than intellectual agreement. It’s relational. It’s trust. It’s placing full confidence in the character and ability of God. The Greek word used here for “believe” (πιστεύων, pisteuōn) implies more than just mental assent—it’s about putting one's full weight into something. Like sitting in a chair without wondering if it will hold you. Jesus is saying, when you lean the full weight of your hope and trust into Him, all things become possible—not because of your power, but because of His.
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This verse also shows us something beautiful about how Jesus responds to faith, even when it’s imperfect. In the very next verse (Mark 9:24), the father cries out, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” That confession is gold. It’s raw, honest, and deeply human. Jesus didn’t turn away from that man for having doubts—He healed the boy in response to the man’s imperfect but sincere faith. This shows us that faith isn't about having zero doubts; it’s about choosing to trust God even in the midst of our questions.
Now let’s bring this into real life. Many of us have been in places where we’ve cried out, “God, if you can…” Maybe it was in the middle of a crisis. A diagnosis. A job loss. A marriage that felt like it was falling apart. A struggle with depression, anxiety, addiction. We wonder, God, are you willing? Are you able? And into that space, Jesus still responds with compassion—and that same reminder: Everything is possible for the one who believes. He invites us to step beyond the limits we’ve placed on what God can do.
This verse isn’t promising us a problem-free life. What it offers is a relationship with the God of the impossible. A God who, as Paul later writes in Ephesians 3:20, “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Faith is the gateway to walking with that kind of God. It doesn’t mean we always get exactly what we want—it means we never walk through anything alone, and that God is always working, even when we don’t see it.
There’s also a transformative power in belief itself. When you believe God is who He says He is, it changes how you see your circumstances. Suddenly, the impossible starts to look like opportunity. Fear turns into peace. Uncertainty becomes expectancy. Faith lifts your perspective and strengthens your spirit. That’s why Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Because faith is how we connect to the heart of God—it’s how we walk with Him.
What’s more, Jesus wasn’t only speaking this to the man in the story—He was demonstrating a principle that continues for us today. The early church walked in this kind of faith. Peter stepped out of a boat in the middle of a storm. Paul and Silas sang worship in a prison cell. Ordinary people believed—and extraordinary things happened. That same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11), and we are invited to live in bold, expectant, unshakable belief.
But again, it’s not about manipulating God—it’s about trusting Him. Real belief isn't just saying “I believe God will give me what I want.” It’s saying “I believe God is good, and He will give me what is best, even if it looks different than I expect.” It’s the kind of faith that says, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3: “Our God is able to deliver us…but even if He doesn’t, we will not bow.” That’s faith that pleases God.
So today, this verse invites us into two things: a deeper trust in the nature of Jesus and a willingness to believe beyond what we can see. It encourages us to move from timid prayers to bold declarations—not because we have power in ourselves, but because we trust the One who holds all power. Whatever mountain you face, whatever fear you carry, Jesus is still saying: Everything is possible for the one who believes.
Let this verse become not just a statement you quote, but a lens through which you see your life. Because when you believe—truly believe—not only do doors begin to open, but your heart begins to change. You walk lighter. You hope harder. And most importantly, you draw closer to the God who makes all things possible.
Closing thoughts as I pray for those reading or hearing this verse today...
Everything Is Possible
Have you ever faced a situation that felt impossible?
Maybe you’re there right now—wondering how God could possibly move in the middle of it all.
But Jesus gives us a bold reminder:
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” — Mark 9:23
Faith isn’t about pretending the obstacles aren’t real—it’s about trusting that God is greater than anything we face.
When we choose to believe, we open the door for the impossible to become reality through Him.
So today, lift your eyes. Take that step. Believe again. He is still the God of miracles.
In Christ 🙏🏻
Be Relentless In Pursuit Of The Will
Which God Has Set Upon Your Life,
❤️ Anthony and Anna Speciale
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