Thorn in The Flesh …A Messenger From Satan

1 Samuel 13; 1 Chronicles 2; 1 Chronicles 3; 2 Corinthians 12
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Scripture

2 Corinthians 12

1 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observation

Paul’s physical problem was attributed to Satan. Satan has the power to inflict us with ailments if God allows him to do so. Paul says that he was given the thorn in the flesh to keep him focused on God and to keep him from becoming proud and arrogant. Paul got to see and experience Heaven, but he was also tormented by an illness that God refused to take away.

Paul says that he asked God to take it away three times. I would have thought that he would have been asking God to take it away every moment of every day but he didn’t he only asked God to remove it three times…incredible.

Application

I want God to work in my life. I will not complain about my weaknesses because He is my strength.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength. Help me to do all the things that You are leading me to do this week. I need Your strength. You are my Fortress. You are my Rock. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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