The purpose of this teaching is to help us identify “unbelief” when it is at work within us, or, when it affects us from the outside spiritual environment, so that we may do something about it so that we may be free from its influence, so that we may be filled by God’s faith.
The key scriptures of this teaching
Mark 6:1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing [Him] were astonished, saying, “Where [did] this Man [get] these things? And what wisdom [is] this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 “Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed [them.] 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
Matthew 17:14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 “So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “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. 21 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”.
Luke 10:17 Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.
Mark 8:22 Then they came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything? ” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people — they look to me like trees walking.” 25 Again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and he saw distinctly. He was cured and could see everything clearly.
Luke 9:22 The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.
Mark 9:24 Lord, I believe; help me when it comes to unbelief (or, with regard to unbelief)
Luke 17:5 Increase our faith