In the Bible ... Paul speaks of his "Thorn in the flesh"
...
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2 Corinthians 12:7-8
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the
abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a THORN
IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I
should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought
the Lord thrice, that IT might depart from me. |
What do you
believe the thorn in the flesh Paul is speaking of, is?
Remember … It
said this thorn in the flesh WAS a messenger of Satan to
buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. What
could that possibly mean?
It
seems messengers of Satan was allows to taunt or haunt
Paul with this thorn in the flesh. But why would God
allow that?
TO
KEEP HIM FROM BEING EXALTED.
APOSTLE PAUL
THORN IN THE FLESH MEANING WITH
APOSTLE PAUL
THORN IN THE FLESH MESSAGE AND HOW THE
APOSTLE PAUL
THORN IN THE FLESH AFFECTS YOU
Perhaps this is why he begged God to take it away. He
knew it was allowed by or even from God:
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Colossians 1:24
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that
which is behind of the AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST IN MY FLESH for
His body's sake, which is the Church … |
Paul
was well aware to expect sufferings …
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Acts
9:16
For I (God) will shew him (Paul) how great things he (Paul)
must suffer for my name's sake. |
So,
what is this Thorn in the flesh?
In
TRUTH … Based on these few verses alone, there is no
OBVIOUS answer.
We
know it was IN THE FLESH, but is it physical or
spiritual?
Let us
search the Bible a lil and see if we can find out
anything else about this Thorn in the Flesh, shall we?
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Galatians 4:13-14
Ye know how
through INFIRMITY OF THE FLESH, I preached the gospel unto
you at the first.
And my TEMPTATION which WAS IN MY FLESH ye despised not, nor
rejected; but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ
Jesus. |
The
thorn in the flesh is now being called an INFIRMITY and
a TEMPTATION.
It was
also apparently noticeable by those who looked upon,
heard him preach or heard of his antics because he
stated that they “despised not, nor rejected” him due to
this Thorn in the flesh.
Now,
with these clues … IN the flesh, deemed as a temptation,
Satan’s messengers taunt with it, God allowed or caused
it to be to keep Paul from being exalted and people had
heard of this thorn in the flesh (words or deeds) OR
seen it …
What
do you believe the Thorn in the flesh could be now?
Let us
continue our search for more evidence as to what this
thorn in the flesh was.
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1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the
testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was
with you in WEAKNESS, and in FEAR, and in much TREMBLING.
And my speech and my preaching was NOT WITH ENTICING WORDS
of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of
men, but in the power of God.
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Hard to
imagine Paul weak, fearful and trembling huh?
Could this
be the thorn in the flesh?
Let’s
ponder on it from time to time as we proceed.
What do
you think he means by his words were NOT enticing?
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2 Corinthians 10:10
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his
bodily presence is weak, and his SPEECH CONTEMPTIBLE. |
What do
you think they meant by Paul’s speech being
CONTEMPTIBLE?
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2 Corinthians 11:6
But though I be RUDE IN SPEECH, yet not in knowledge; but we
have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
|
Perhaps it
was his rude and contemptible speech which was his thorn
in the flesh?
But wait …
Does that fit ALL the clues?
Is rude
and contemptible speech a temptation?
Or maybe
these verses share more:
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Romans 7:14-17
For we
know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under
sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that
do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that
which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth
in me.
For
I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform
that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I
do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I
do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would
do good, evil is present with me. For
I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which
is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve
the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. |
This makes it sound
like a possible addiction to something of the flesh.
TRUTH is …
There are so many possibilities as to what this Thorn in
the flesh was. In fact he may have had many thorns in
the flesh, just as we all do.
Maybe we
should look at this … Thorn in the flesh thanggg within
our own Christian walk and it will make more sense.
What temptations which became thorns in the flesh do you
have/had and begged God to remove?
The
choices we have made and still make have us cry out … O
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the
BODY of this death.
It is
obvious that … Temptations which are agreed and adhered
to, DO become addictions which DO become thorns in the
flesh. They DO come from messengers of satan. People DO
see the fruits whether by word or deed. We DO beg God to
take them from us.
But we
have forgotten the GOD factor …
Does GOD allow us to
experience these things as to prevent us from being
exalted or as sufferings for HIS namesake and if so …
WHY?
Why would God allow
us to endure such things which He knew we would choose
poorly and look like dweebs?
Could not
the LESSONS from these experiences be ways which God
keeps YOU in check as to never deem yourself as being
exalted and holier than thou to HIS Children whom ye
encounter, just as the Pharisees did, making it too hard
for HIS children to enter the gates?
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1 Corinthians 1:26-29
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world
to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of
the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base
things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought
things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
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It is GOD'S due glory ... Not ours.
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2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, AND NOT OF US.
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Earlier we
read this …
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2 Corinthians 12:7-8
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the
abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a THORN
IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I
should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought
the Lord thrice, that IT MIGHT DEPART FROM ME. |
But, let
us continue and read the next verse:
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2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness …
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I
know when you fall victim to temptation, you despise yourself.
We all do.
We all
have our ... Thorns in the Flesh, due to choosing to
adhere to a temptation, despite what it may be.
But, we
must choose to remember that God will never allow us to
be TOO tempted, without giving us a way to escape said
temptation:
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1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to
man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
ALSO MAKE A WAY TO ESCAPE, that ye may be able to bear it. |
We need to
learn to REJOICE when we are weak or lowly as it is then
that
God can and will be strong IN you:
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2 Corinthians 12:9-10
……. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. |
And you
GET up from the fall even wiser and patient than before.
But the path
of PRAYER is the ONLY way to overcome these times of
temptation which even Paul endured.
What was
Paul's specific Thorn(s) In The flesh?
Matters lil.
What matters is how he overcame them and how we can.
PRAYER !!!
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Mark
14:38
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit
truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. |
Pray for God to keep us
from temptation which can lead to a Thorn in the flesh.
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Matthew 6:13
And LEAD us not into TEMPTATION, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amen. |
