Disciples' failure to cast out demons vs. faith as a mustard seed — two distinct teachings not to conflate

Mike cautions against conflating two different Gospel passages: the disciples' inability to cast out a demon ("this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting" — Matthew 17 / Mark 9) and Jesus' teaching that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20 / Luke 17:6). He suggests the disciples' failure may have been a spiritual readiness issue distinct from the mustard-seed saying, and acknowledges there may be more to the mustard-seed metaphor that he hasn't fully grasped.