Thorn in your body
2 Corinthians 12
1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The part we want to concentrate on is from verse 7 to verse 10;
Here we see that a thom was given the Apostle Paul to keep him from being conceited, to be conceited is to be excessively proud of oneself; vain, now for the Kingdom of God the Apostle Paul pushed forward the will of God and great revelations were given unto him, he saw the Lord with his own eyes prior to his conversion and if that wasn’t amazing enough he was caught up to paradise, now this would make one feel important, proud, vain, so we read in verse 7 (2 Corinth 12:77So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. )
The Following verse shows a much familiar place we have all been, we all have a thorn of some sort, in our flesh, whether it be; jealously, outbursts anger, strife, disputes, drunkenness etc, hear we see Paul saying (2 Corinth 12:8 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ) how many times have be been broken about something in our life that if it was taken away our Christian lives will be so much better, just begging the Lord if he may take our thorn away.
Notice that Paul pleaded with the Lord 3 times on this wise, now one of the definitions for the word plead is;
to appeal or entreat earnestly: to plead for time.
And the word earnestly means;serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous: an earnest worker.
Now we see that the Apostle Paul pleaded with great Zeal, not once but 3 times, to appeal about this thorn within his flesh, he was a man who had a relationship with Lord, and I doubt it was a 5 minute pleading about the thorn, but that earnestly he pleaded, when a person pleads they are usually there for a long time until their plea is heard.
What says; the Lord to the Apostle Paul about on this matter, (2 Corinth 12:9 . 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
Now note what Jesus said, , “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”, though Paul wanted this thorn which brought weakness in him gone, the Lord had a different answer, he wanted the thorn to be completely gone and removed but Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”, this is to say; God’s grace is enough for us to overcome this thorn, his power is made perfect in our weakness, whether your weakness be out bursts of anger, jelousy, outbursts of rage, though you would love God to completely remove it from you, he entails that his grace is enough for us, because his power is made perfect in our weakness, so God will not remove a thorn from us but instead will give us his grace to overcome it and that his power made be made manifest in these areas we are weak.
The Apostle Paul then goes to say, (2 Corinth 12:9 . 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
So Paul is saying he will boast all the more of his weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon him, in each and every place he is weak he is willing to boast about it because he knows that the power of Christ is made perfect in weakness and will strengthen those areas in which he is weak.
Paul them gives this triumphant statement; (10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.)
Paul exclaims though he may seem weak when all these things come his way, he is strong because of the power of Jesus resting upon him when he is weak.
If we look at Paul’s life we see this verse in effect, when he was taken out of a city for preaching Jesus Christ, they stoned him nearly to death, guess what he did? he later returned to that same city and still preached Jesus Christ, how is that for power made perfect in weakness.
Acts 14
19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
When he was cast into prison with Silas, mind you the prisons in those days was very unpleasant, they praised God about midnight and an great earthquake came, and shook the foundations of the prison.
Acts 16
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servantse of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
So what is your thorn, what is that thing you have been broken over, begged God tirelessly that he may take it away from you, something you see that if you didn’t have it your Christian life would be better, it is only by God’s grace that you will be able to overcome that thorn, let the power of Jesus rest on your weakness for his power is made perfect in weakness, that are you are weak by his grace you will be strong!
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Revelation 3:21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
2 Corinthians 12
1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The part we want to concentrate on is from verse 7 to verse 10;
Here we see that a thom was given the Apostle Paul to keep him from being conceited, to be conceited is to be excessively proud of oneself; vain, now for the Kingdom of God the Apostle Paul pushed forward the will of God and great revelations were given unto him, he saw the Lord with his own eyes prior to his conversion and if that wasn’t amazing enough he was caught up to paradise, now this would make one feel important, proud, vain, so we read in verse 7 (2 Corinth 12:77So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. )
The Following verse shows a much familiar place we have all been, we all have a thorn of some sort, in our flesh, whether it be; jealously, outbursts anger, strife, disputes, drunkenness etc, hear we see Paul saying (2 Corinth 12:8 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ) how many times have be been broken about something in our life that if it was taken away our Christian lives will be so much better, just begging the Lord if he may take our thorn away.
Notice that Paul pleaded with the Lord 3 times on this wise, now one of the definitions for the word plead is;
to appeal or entreat earnestly: to plead for time.
And the word earnestly means;serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous: an earnest worker.
Now we see that the Apostle Paul pleaded with great Zeal, not once but 3 times, to appeal about this thorn within his flesh, he was a man who had a relationship with Lord, and I doubt it was a 5 minute pleading about the thorn, but that earnestly he pleaded, when a person pleads they are usually there for a long time until their plea is heard.
What says; the Lord to the Apostle Paul about on this matter, (2 Corinth 12:9 . 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
Now note what Jesus said, , “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”, though Paul wanted this thorn which brought weakness in him gone, the Lord had a different answer, he wanted the thorn to be completely gone and removed but Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”, this is to say; God’s grace is enough for us to overcome this thorn, his power is made perfect in our weakness, whether your weakness be out bursts of anger, jelousy, outbursts of rage, though you would love God to completely remove it from you, he entails that his grace is enough for us, because his power is made perfect in our weakness, so God will not remove a thorn from us but instead will give us his grace to overcome it and that his power made be made manifest in these areas we are weak.
The Apostle Paul then goes to say, (2 Corinth 12:9 . 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
So Paul is saying he will boast all the more of his weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon him, in each and every place he is weak he is willing to boast about it because he knows that the power of Christ is made perfect in weakness and will strengthen those areas in which he is weak.
Paul them gives this triumphant statement; (10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.)
Paul exclaims though he may seem weak when all these things come his way, he is strong because of the power of Jesus resting upon him when he is weak.
If we look at Paul’s life we see this verse in effect, when he was taken out of a city for preaching Jesus Christ, they stoned him nearly to death, guess what he did? he later returned to that same city and still preached Jesus Christ, how is that for power made perfect in weakness.
Acts 14
19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
When he was cast into prison with Silas, mind you the prisons in those days was very unpleasant, they praised God about midnight and an great earthquake came, and shook the foundations of the prison.
Acts 16
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servantse of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
So what is your thorn, what is that thing you have been broken over, begged God tirelessly that he may take it away from you, something you see that if you didn’t have it your Christian life would be better, it is only by God’s grace that you will be able to overcome that thorn, let the power of Jesus rest on your weakness for his power is made perfect in weakness, that are you are weak by his grace you will be strong!
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Revelation 3:21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.