2 Corinthians 12: 1-10… 1) I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. 3) And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows- 4) was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5) I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6) Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7) or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9) But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10) That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NIV)
The Apostle Paul, after he was given a tour of heaven, had an encounter with a messenger of Satan – why? To torment him with a thorn (NIV Bible says a thorn in the flesh) in his side so that he would not become conceited. That attention getter might be conducted by Satan but conceived by God. Often the insults and buffeting we suffer will be of a spiritual nature as we struggle with holiness and even spiritual pride. Many times, we can hurt on various levels, not all of which are noticeable or in plain sight for others to see, we should never be surprised at how the thorn in our side will be noticeable because God wants us to understand that His love for us endures forever.
When we Christians / believers find our faith being challenged with a spiritual pain (my pain vastly different from yours) in our side, and that spiritual pain lingers in our life, we should not be depressed or discouraged. Rather, we should think of it as God continuing to be at work in our lives. His desire is for us to change whatever it is we are involved in. Will you and I ever know all the reasons for the spiritual attacks – the apostle Paul ask God three times to remove his thorn from his side?
Scripture teaches that Paul had a tremendous experience when he was taken up to the third heaven – would that have puffed up Paul’s pride – that is what God was concerned with when Paul was given a sickness by a messenger from Satan… why? To prick his pride.
I have never really met anyone who built a – say a lifelong dream without one or two forms of preparation. Could it be that Paul was so overwhelmed by his walk down the streets of heaven he might just be foolish enough to yield to Satan’s temptation? Time and times again, we do just that, we act upon impulse. Now if Paul was not careful, he might get carried away and boast about his heavenly experience. The Heavenly Father’s concern that Paul might be puffed up by them was handed a sickness by a messenger from Satan to cause the pain in his side… why! As I said before – To pierce his pride
Three separate times Paul begged God to make him well again, each time God said, Paul, you have my presence, you need nothing else. God’s supremacy is evident in frail humanity. Paul points out that he is happy to display how feeble he is; glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s supremacy; no need for me to demonstrate my personal abilities. God reminded Paul that His grace was sufficient for him – The same grace is adequate for all humankind… To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done.
Would you pray this prayer with me… “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy, and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen
