Strength Through Weakness - Part 3

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

Paul's Thorn in the Flesh and the Sufficiency of Grace

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. So where did the strength come from? It came from the Lord. Paul had to deny self every day, crucify the flesh every day so that the power of Christ would rest upon him.

And this is what we need to do. We need to do the same thing. We can either live life our way or we can seek God's will. It's going to be one or the other. You're going to do one or the other. Maybe God has allowed suffering to enter into your life to keep you close to God.

Maybe God has allowed Satan even to take something from you in order to keep you humble. Maybe God is not answering your prayers. People say, well, every time you pray, God always answers. It's either yes, no, or wait.

Well, I mean, it's hard to argue with that, I suppose, but maybe he is saying no. Maybe he is not answering your prayers because he knows that the thing you're praying for might actually be detrimental to you.

It may be harmful if not physically, then perhaps spiritually. You know, sometimes we have the tendency to think that if God is not answering our prayers in the affirmative, that it means that he doesn't care or that he's not listening.

I promise you, God cared about Paul's prayers. I promise you, God heard Paul's prayer and he gave the answer, my grace is sufficient. And Paul accepted that because he believed God's grace was sufficient.

Do you believe that the grace of God is sufficient? So that's the first question. Why did God allow this? I think we have the answer. The second question is what? What was it? What was Paul's thorn in the flesh?

There's all sorts of speculation about this. And what was it? Okay. Some people, a common view, you've probably heard this, is that Paul had bad eyesight. Paul's bad eyesight, that was his thorn in the flesh.

After all, in Galatians 6, 11, he makes reference how with such large letters I have written to you. So such bad eyesight, he had to write with big, big letters. That makes sense, I guess. Galatians 4, 15.

Paul does say to the church, I'm sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. So let me say this. I do believe Paul had bad eyesight. I believe that. But I don't think it had anything to do with his thorn in the flesh.

If you want to disagree with that, that's fine. But people think, well, it must have been a physical ailment because, after all, it's a thorn where?

In the flesh.

So it must be a problem with his body. He calls it an infirmity, and that could be. But wait just a minute. When people use that expression, thorn in the flesh or thorn in their side, and obviously that's where people get the expression, whether they know it or not, it comes from the Bible.

But when somebody says, you know, this guy, he's a real thorn in my side. You know, this woman, man, she is a thorn in my side.

What do they mean by that?

They're a real pain in the neck. Well, I think that's what's going on here. And again, a key rule of biblical interpretation is that when you're looking for the answer, you find the answer, as you already said, in the text.

Consider the context. You look at what is stated, and when possible, you try to take the Bible in its most natural, literal form. Look at verse 7 again. And lest I should be exalted above measure, by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me.

Lest I be exalted above measure. So Paul's thorn, he says it. It was the messenger of Satan. Now, I will admit, it is possible that the messenger of Satan, like he did with Job, caused some physical affliction.

I mean, that is possible. But given the context of Paul having to do what? Defend his ministry, right? Under attack from the false teachers in Corinth. Remember back in chapter 11, he says that the apostles, they were basically ministers of Satan.

So, a thorn in the flesh was given to Paul.

What's the thorn?

It was an Angelos of Satan. A messenger of Satan. Angelos is Greek. It can also be translated as what?

An angel.

An angel of Satan to afflict Paul. So, an angel of Satan could refer to a human messenger, one of the false apostles. It could refer to a demon or it could refer to a false apostle who is empowered or even possessed by a demon.

So, these are the options. Hopefully, things are starting to come into focus. What's Paul been speaking of since chapter 10? Again, this is why it's important to listen to every sermon, right? It's the spiritual battle.

Spiritual warfare. Paul is involved in this spiritual war. So, for following along and we're diligently studying scripture, we will see, I think, that Paul is in a spiritual battle with a literal messenger of Satan, a man.

The man is his thorn. In the flesh. You know, Christians will quote the Bible. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Against the rulers of the darkness of this age.

Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. Do we quote that? Do we realize what we're saying? What do you think that's talking about? What are the principalities? The principalities is a reference to the angelic realm.

Spiritual hosts of wickedness. Spiritual armies of wickedness.

Where?

In heavenly places. You know, it means exactly what it sounds like. There is a battle going on between angels and demons right now. Now, the problem is we know very little about that. So, what's happening then with Paul?

What is his thorn? I'm convinced it was a demonically inspired, if not demonically possessed, false apostle who was a thorn in his side. This man was likely the ringleader of the false teachers and those who supported him in Corinth.

And it was making Paul's life very, very difficult. You know, ministry really should be a joyful thing. Teaching God's word. Encouraging people. Seeing hearts and lives touched and changed. Having fellowship with one another.

But if you ask any pastor who's been in the ministry for any time, any amount of time, ministry is not always a bed of roses, is it? A former pastor once said, he said, he gave this advice to another minister.

He said, don't run yourself down. Let the congregation do that. He was kidding. Well, depending on which church to a differing degree, I suppose. But as far as a thorn in the flesh, you know, all it takes is just one or two people.

It takes one or two people who have a grievance to start spreading rumors, criticizing people, picking the pastor apart. Nothing's ever good enough. They go and they pick up the phone or whatever and try to get other people on board with their grievances.

And all of a sudden, the ministry, which is supposed to be such a blessed thing, and it is, all of a sudden it turns into an unpleasant struggle. That's what Paul was going through. And when this happens, your every word will be criticized.

Your every decision, second guest. And it's like we say, you know, if you're looking for the perfect church, you know, don't. First of all, you're never going to find it. If you do find it, don't join it because you will ruin it.

This could easily be turned around. You know what? You make mistakes too. You don't want someone doing that to you. But this was Paul. He was the target. Everything he said, remember what they said about him, the Corinthians, some of them at least.

His speech is what? Contemptible. They wanted to run Paul out of town once and for all. So there was satanic opposition to Paul's ministry, which really is to be expected. And any person, really anybody can be influenced by dark forces.

But how much worse would it be if a teacher in the church is being influenced or even possessed by these dark forces? A leader has the ability. They have some sway. They have the ability to lead people away in their rebellion.

So this is a spiritual battle over the truth. The false apostle, I believe, was demonically influenced. I don't think this had anything to do with Paul's bad eyesight. OK, now we've looked at two questions.

Now, for the final point, the final question is what? How? How? OK, I see what Paul is going through. I can see that the messenger of Satan. But how does this apply to me?

Right.

How does this apply to me? How does this apply to us? Well, we may not have a messenger of Satan that was sent to buffet us, hopefully. But we've all been through and are going through things that God has allowed.

Some people are going through some really, really hard things. Other people, it's it's mild, but it's it's there. It may be a physical affliction. It may be adversity from something or someone. Whatever it might be, you know, it's not fun.

It's not enjoyable. But we should ask some of these same questions. We should ask some of the same questions. Why is God allowing it? What is God trying to tell me? What is God trying to do in my life?

Is God trying to keep me humble? Is God trying to change and conform me? I know he is doing that. Is God trying to keep me right where he wants me? God has a purpose and God's purpose for his children is always a good purpose.

God will allow people in situations to enter into our lives for all of these different reasons. It's just a matter of this. Are we reliant upon God's grace? Can we say what Paul said? Let's just close with verse 10.

What did he say again? Verse 10. Therefore, based on all of this, and this may be true for you, and you can say this of yourself. Therefore, I will, as we say, count it all joy. I will take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses.

You must be out of your mind if you think that. But we will do it.

Why?

For Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. It's about God's strength, his purpose.

Let's close.

Father, we thank you so much for your word. And we thank you that even when we don't have all the answers, and we certainly don't. We know that you are sovereign and that you love us. And Father, that's enough.

You are enough. And help each and every one of us to know that, to understand that, and to rest in that. But still, Lord, there are people who are going through great adversity. And we know that's not always going to be the answer.

You don't always say no. We can pray to you and ask for relief. We can ask that you would resolve a conflict or a problem. And Lord, sometimes you say yes. And I do pray that you would give those people, that you would give them peace, comfort.

And above all, give us grace to endure day by day. We pray all this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Coronet Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCoronetChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.