Only by Prayer

I normally think of Jesus casting out demons as His healing the mind of a person possessed by an evil spirit. However, there are numerous accounts of Satan causing physical afflictions and I’m now wondering if chronic pain sufferers should consider that their pain is caused by a demon. People in constant pain regularly ask for healing from God, but most of us would not think of asking the Lord to cast the demon out of our back, shoulder or neck. A man’s son was possessed by an evil spirit that robbed him of speech, but the disciples were unable drive the spirit out. After Jesus drove out the deaf and mute spirit the disciples asked the Lord why their attempts were unsuccessfully. Jesus said, “This kind can come out only by prayer” (Mark 9:29 NIV).