Demon Possession in Scripture
The Epileptic Boy
A Spirit of Infirmity
Description
A father brought his son, possessed since childhood by a spirit causing seizures, convulsions, muteness, and self-destruction through fire and water. The disciples had failed to cast it out. Jesus rebuked their faithlessness, then commanded the deaf and dumb spirit to depart and enter no more. After a final violent convulsion, the boy lay as dead until Jesus took his hand and lifted him up. When the disciples asked why they had failed, Jesus explained: 'This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.'
Key Verses
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.