Spiritual Warfare Part 2
Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
These verses teach us about the spiritual world & Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me 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.
Q: What is the Great Revelations?
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 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.
Great Revelations = Paul Saw Heaven or May have Went to Heaven.
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.
Paul has Already Mentioned the Idea of – Power IN – Weakness in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Treasure = Christ’s Power – Salvation & Freedom from Sin.
Jars of Clay = Our Weak Human Body.
Idea: The Power of Christ is Display in Our Weak & Frail Bodies – i.e. God Speaks & Encourages & Heals through Us.
Q: What is the Purpose of Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?
A1: To Keep Paul from becoming Conceited – To Give Paul a Spirit of Humility.
A2: To Move Paul’s Attention from His Own Pride & Arrogance to God’s Grace & Power.
A3: To Teach Paul to Boast about His Weakness & Christ’s Power in Him.
God Gave Paul Great Wisdom & Visions & Balanced It with Humility via Torment.
Arrogance & Self-Reliance are the Enemy of God’s Presence & Power.
Q: What IS Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh? Let’s Study & Connect the Scripture to Find Out.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 7a Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ…7a You are looking only on the surface of things. (Spiritual Warfare)
2 Corinthians 10:17-18 “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
(Boasting & False Prophets)
2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
(False Prophets & Satan & Spiritual Warfare)
Note: False & Deceptive Men are Equated with Satan’s Own Deceptive Nature.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28, 30 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches…30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (Paul’s Sufferings & Boasting & Weakness)
Our Passage – 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
2 Corinthians 12:10 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. (Suffering for the Gospel & Weakness that Leads to Being Strong in Christ)
The Thorn IS NOT Something New – Paul has had it for 14 Years (See 2 Cor 12:2) – AND:
According to God’s Response – God is Not Planning on Removing It.
Notice What Paul Does Not Do – Paul Never Rebukes or Commands the Enemy: Rather: Paul Prays & Asked God to Remove the Enemy.
It Wasn’t Authority Over the Enemy – BUT – Paul’s Weakness that Gave Him Power.
Thorn / σκόλοψ: lit. a splinter, thorn, anything pointed; fig. suffering or inconvenience such as 1 Thessalonians 2:18: We wanted to come to you…but Satan stopped us.
Thorn: Birthed by Man’s Sinful Nature & Fall in the Garden of Eden.
Thorns refer to Opposition & Rejection of God’s Will. Adam’s Original Purpose to Farm Continued – But – With Suffering & Opposition.
OT – Thorn Refers to Evil Men Who Oppose God & Persecute God’s People.
Christ also had a Thorn in the Flesh – Crown of Thorns – Sign of Persecution.
Christ also Prayed 3 Times for God to Remove It & God Said No.
Just as Christ had to Suffer at the Hands of Evil Men – So did Paul.
Context of 2 Corinthians: Paul’s Ministry Caused Him Physical Harm & Spiritual Opposition.
The Thorn in the Flesh IS Suffering for Christ.
The NT Uses 53 Different Greek Words to Describe Paul’s Suffering & Persecutions.
Paul was THE THORN before He had a Thorn: He May be Reaping What He has Sown.
The Messenger of Satan & Torment are Connected – They Explain the Thorn in the Flesh.
Flesh / σάρξ – Paul’s Use of the Flesh in All of His Letters – Refers to the Old Sinful Nature.
The Thorn is Designed to Oppose the Pride & Conceit of the Sinful Nature.
Torment / κολαφίζω: to hit with the fist, slap / insult; mistreatment of Christ before the cross.
The Thorn – IS – The Spiritual Battle – With Our Own Sinful Nature – AND: All Insults & Persecution from Those Who Oppose Christ.
This is Where the Freewill of Demons – Contends with the Freewill of Men.
The Thorn is Not a Single Thing or Incident – Nor – Does it Reside in Only One Realm: The Battle is Spiritual & Mental & Emotional & Physical.
In the End – God Used a Demonic Attack to Mature the Apostle Paul.
Paul Doesn’t Boast about His Great Revelations – He Boast of His Weakness & God’s Power.
Spiritual Principle: All Things Work for the Good – Even when Satan is Involved.
The Purpose of the Sabbath: To Rest from the Spiritual Battle.
We Rest from the Battle When We Worship & Enjoy the Presence of God.
