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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/david-oliver/trials-in-the-christian-life/
And verse 1, It is not expedient for me, doubtless to glory, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth.
Such an one caught up to the third heaven, and I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Of such an one will I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For, though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool, for I will say the truth, but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be.
Or that he heareth of me. 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. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon me.
Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in distresses, excuse me, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. This passage has weighty answers to some very pressing questions.
Why does God allow evil? Why does God not answer prayer? Are troubles intended to limit us? What are the most important matters of living? Is what we do for God more important than what God does for us?
Is what God does for us more important than what God does through us? Is what God does through us more important than what God does in us? And what is God's greatest mighty act, mighty miracle in this day?
I want to speak about Shekinah Christianity. Paul is dealing with men who remind you of the epistle or the words of the proverb, He that boasteth himself of a false gift, or he that boasteth himself of a gift of falsehood, is like clouds and wind without rain.
He is dealing at the beginning of this epistle in the first seven chapters with the conclusion of his concerns from the first epistle. In chapters 8 and 9, he deals with the completing of the collection of the first exercise of the believers.
They began before. Now he wants that collection completed. Chapters 8 and 9. But he combats finally the crisis that the Corinthian assembly caused by these false apostles. Those who claim themselves to be something and in doing so, they took away from the apostolic authority of the apostles.
And he begins on a most becoming note as he beseeches by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Quite a thing for a man who is going to be forced to depend what God has made him by God's own sovereign choice.
And he begins to remind the believers at Corinth that he has been called by God. He has a commission from God. And in that work that he has been called to by God, he has pressed beyond where other men have worked.
Not like these false apostles that are glorying in other men's work. He has gone to the regions beyond. He has preached the gospel, even reaching to the place where he has brought blessing to the Corinthians.
And has cherished them and cared for them and longing to present them as an espoused virgin to Christ. It's interesting to me that in each phase of what Paul takes up, there is a twist at the end of it.
For he says, in light of all that I have been to you, could you question my apostleship in light of what I have been to you? And he says, I didn't even take wages of you. I refused to take anything from you.
In all that he was exalted in, there was a seeming likeness to the meekness and gentleness of Christ. He speaks in the end of chapter 10 of his commitment to his great work. What he had suffered. That these other men knew nothing about in his pouring himself out in service for the Lord Jesus.
And the twist at the end of that, he says, it even took me to being led over the wall and landing in the place where they threw out the trash. That's all involved in my work for the Lord Jesus. But more than called by God and committed to that work, he is telling us that he has communications from God that are unique.
Here is a man that has been caught up to the third heaven, to paradise. And God has revealed to him what it is not lawful for a man to utter. What tremendous revelation has been entrusted to this man, the Apostle Paul.
You see, what can these false apostles do in light of what God has entrusted to this man? But here is the twist at the end of it. Because he says, I could well glory in the man that was exalted by God with such revelation, but I would be a fool to exalt in myself.
I cannot glory. I wouldn't want anyone to think of me above what I am or what they hear of me to be. In fact, he says, oh, so much in keeping with the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I will glory in my infirmity.
Here then is a man that exemplifies for us the tremendous truth of preparation for divine service. If I may follow, grasping the coattails of my brethren that have gone before, then I not only want to look with you at the truth of God's dealings with a man in His life, but here is now a man who, naturally speaking, somehow you would have to say is somebody.
And what God uses is not somebody's. For you'll see that there is a prescription of divine support for this man. God has something in mind. And these two are coupled together exactly. The man who has been exalted to receive unspeakable revelations has apparently at the very same time been given an affliction.
And I want to be clear with this. We were reminded at the beginning of the conference of what God gives. There's no suggestion in this passage that God gave him this affliction. But you and I are both very well assured that it could never have touched him had God not allowed.
There was a bitter enemy that was chafing at the bit to get at Paul. But over all of what we are looking at, we are looking at God's dealings with a man. Dear brethren, it's a wonderful thing to be in the hand of our God.
There is nothing to fear in the hand of God. Not for those that are purchased by precious blood. When God deals with men, what a blending there is of God's dealings. When God deals with a Jacob, I think you'll see an illustration of providential dealings.
What a man soweth. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. When you look at the case of a Jonah, I think you'll see in that storm that meets him a reminder of God's punitive dealings. A man in disobedience to God will find that God meets him.
God will deal with him. And I am absolutely certain of this. When God deals in that way with an individual, the individual knows that God is dealing with them. No point in sitting around moping and saying, I don't know what I've done wrong.
I wonder what God has against me. I wonder what He's trying to tell me that I've done wrong and I haven't grasped it. God will make sure you know if it's punitive dealings. Jonah had no question about knowing.
God has purgative dealings. And you and I think of Job's wonderful words, When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. God was refining Job. And God still refines His people. There is the dealing of preparatory work in the hand of God.
Joseph is the illustration of that. Why must a Joseph be down in the prison? Why must a Joseph be rejected by his brethren? Why all that string of events in the life of Joseph? Joseph had to learn. Joseph was being equipped for what God had purposed for him when He would make him the ruler over the land of Egypt.
Let me contrast that with what is to me most touching of another who though he were a son, yet learned he obedience. And I do want to remind you that he did not have to learn anything in order to fill the offices he had.
But he passed through the very real experience of everything required that others may recognize his fitness to do the work that God had given him to do. Our blessed Lord, apart from sin, apart from weakness, apart from any lack whatsoever, yet He passes through the pathway of faith in preparation.
The author and perfecter of this kind of faith who is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Paul likewise knows something of preparatory dealings when he tells us in the beginning of 2 Corinthians that he is receiving the comfort wherewith he will be able to comfort others that are in distress.
And God prepares those who are His vessels to be able to comfort and strengthen others by passing through the circumstances themselves. But that's not what's here in 2 Corinthians 12. What is here is God's preventative dealings.
If you want to see one of the most telling reminders of human depravity, then take a look at what Paul is saying. There are only two times in the New Testament, I think, that this word that is given to us at the end of verse 8 is used, lest I should be exalted above measure.
The other time is in 2 Thessalonians 2 where you have the culmination of every evil that has existed in society all now brought together in one man so that that man is called the man of sin, the lawless one.
And he is exalting himself. Exalted above measure. Can I take from that that the Spirit of God is saying, lest I should be exalted above measure? Lest I should take on anything of the character of that man who is the culminating expression of evil?
Lest there should be seen in me in whom? The great apostles. In whom? The man that has been caught up to the third heaven. In whom? The man that has received revelations of truth unspeakable. When God exalts a man, does He leave behind what he is by nature?
Isn't it embarrassing to be human? To lifelong carry the liabilities, the propensities to all evil? Lest I should be exalted above measure. And here is the purpose of divine sovereignty. God is overruling.
The manufacturer knows exactly in the construction of that great ship. He knows exactly how much ballast is needed for that ship to be maintained in its course. The illustration falls rather short because in this case, we have a vessel that is developing.
And at this moment, there is a cargo now being entrusted to this vessel that had not been entrusted before. You follow what I'm seeing? There are revelations now of an exceeding nature that are being given to Paul.
And the all-wise manufacturer, the gentle, tender, loving Lord says for this vessel, and it's a vessel I've chosen, to bear this cargo. And it's a cargo I will entrust and no one else will have this cargo.
This vessel will need more ballast. There was given me a thorn in the flesh. And divine sovereignty lifts just one gate. And the chafing adversary is waiting his moment. Through the fence he slips. And he attacks the man that he has been waiting to get a hold of.
And I want you to know, I don't think I even have to tell you, he is doing what he is doing for one purpose. Now I will destroy him. Now I will ruin what God has in him. And there is a thorn in the flesh.
This is not some mental anguish. This is some real physical problem. And says the apostle about this thorn in the flesh, whatever it may be, it is the messenger of Satan to buffet me. Constantly wearing.
Constantly grieving. Constantly twisting of the knife. Constantly the grieving, the irritation of the thorn. No let up! The relentless, cruel, vicious adversary keeps on pressing his demonic purpose. Let me ask you a question.
You know how doctors give medication? Sometimes, excuse me doctors, sometimes you know what they do? They say it could be this, it could be that, or it might be that. So just in case it might be that, we'll do this.
And just in case it might be that, we'll do the other. And just in case it could even be that, we better give them some more medication. And it was none of the above. Or maybe only one. Do you think that the divine doctor says it's possible Paul might, he might be exalted above measure.
And just in case the problem may go that far, I'll take care of it in case it would go that far. Do you understand what I'm saying? I believe that God gave to Paul or God allowed for Paul not one thing beyond what was necessary.
The divine physician wasn't groping around and hoping to cover every corner just in case. He knew the vessel. He knew exactly what was needed. And there was not one thing, even though it is a messenger of Satan, even though there is the grievousness of this thorn in the flesh, there is not one thing that is going beyond the ultimate purpose of God to make Paul what he never could have been otherwise.
Do you believe that today? Never change your mind. Divine sovereignty was in perfect control. The balance. Paul says, Lord, too much for me. I won't be able to serve Thee in this condition as I would if You would remove it.
Once, twice, three times. Now one day when you see Paul, ask him why he stopped at three. Don't find fault with him. I think perhaps there was a Father's heart in heaven that listened to a thrice-requested plea and heard another voice, Father, let this cup pass from me.
Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Paul is brought to this place of perfect submission to the will of God. Lord, I think that this would be better. Why is it? Why is it that a thousand prayers may ascend to heaven?
I don't want to be too radical in what I say, but I was impressed in looking at this with the first word of v. 9. The first word of v. 9 is not but. Because were the first word of v. 9 but, then I would read, I asked the Lord but.
I asked the Lord and He said no, but. Because the Lord didn't say no to Paul's request. So I don't want to be too radical and say the Lord never says no, but let me explain to you the way I'm looking at this just at the moment.
The Lord said, Paul, I know what you're asking. You want to be fully useful in service. I know what you're asking and I want that for you too. And I am going to grant your request. Not so much the words you have asked, but I am going to grant what you wish.
Great God to have that knows how to sift through what we ask and to fulfill the desires He has given us even though we do not know how and why. And, and He said unto me, Paul, this is not a denial. This is something better than what you asked for.
Did you ask to have the thorn removed? I'm going to do something better for you. Most gladly therefore will I glory in mine infirmity. Why? Paul, it is better for you to be weak. Than for you to be strong.
It may be that God didn't have to teach this lesson to Amos. But apparently God has given to the Apostle Paul this lesson. And may God grant us that in the school of God we may learn this lesson. It is better to be weak than strong.
We were reminded already from 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Not many mighty. No, no. God is not looking for the mighty. God is not using the mighty. God is not looking for the self-sufficient. God is not using the self-sufficient.
Just go with me for a moment to the book of Judges. To a time of crisis in the history of the nation of Israel. And their camels and their company was a multitude beyond what could be numbered. As the Midianites have swept through the land of Israel.
And they have left everything in poverty and barrenness. And God raises up a man. Not from a tribe you would expect. But from the least of the tribes. And not from a family you would expect. And not from the first born in that family.
But from a least. And God says now, what a wonderful thing. Look at all these men gathered together. 22 ,000. Let me tell you something. 22 ,000 wouldn't have been enough themselves to have handled the multitude that couldn't be numbered.
God says 22 ,000 wouldn't be enough to win the victory but it's too many for me to give into the hands of the Midianites. So weed them out, Gideon. If you're not happy with going to battle, go home. 10 ,000 brave men are left.
Let me tell you that 10 ,000 would be no match for the Midianites. God says too many, Gideon. Sort them out again. 300 men. And the picture of that little 300 is a barley cake. The least kind of wheat.
Made into a cake. And there's nobody apparently throwing it. It's just tumbling. Just tumbling along until it happens to hit a tent. And it happens to hit it in the right place and the whole tent gets knocked down.
And God is teaching to Gideon the great lesson. God doesn't need what the enemy has to defeat the enemy. And God teaches us the same lesson. Listen, there's no point in our glorying in the fact that we are spiritually weak.
But on the other hand, let us learn this great truth that the remedy for our apparent weakness does not lie in imitating the strength of what surrounds us. Does not lie in somehow or other gathering all our 22 ,000 together and somehow or other marching off to battle with the best strength we can muster.
There is something better than strength. It is weakness in the hand of God. And the message from the Lord is very simply, My grace is sufficient for thee. I wish I could convey this to you the way it thrills my soul.
Let me try, if I can, to draw for you a picture. The chain of grace. Because this word grace has so many different meanings in the New Testament. And I suppose there is value in separating all of these usages, these different shades of meaning, all into their respective compartments.
But what thrills me today is this, that it's a chain, unbroken from beginning to end. So that if I grasp the concept rightly, then the chain begins in the very character of God. God is a God of marvelous kindness and grace.
The next link in that chain is the great truth that grace came into our world. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich.
The first link in the chain is the immutable, indescribable, unsurpassed grace of the character of the essential nature of God. That grace is expressed in this marvelous way. The rich became poor for your sake.
He came. But that grace was expressed in the charms of a glorious man. I love those words, don't you? Of John 1, where John says,. And the Word became flesh and tabernacle, dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And there was a man in this world. Was there ever a man like Him? And He was full of grace and truth. He was full of grace. All that God is, all that God delights in was fully expressed in one unique, peerless, glorious man.
Grace in a man. So overwhelming is that truth. My next link in the chain comes to this. It has defined an age. Because the law was given by Moses. That's one age. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Another age is now defined. And you and I thankfully live in the marvelous age of the grace of God. And Paul, as he begins to preach, I've come to the next link in the one chain. Paul, as he is preaching, tells us, Acts 20, that the maxillus message that he preaches is the gospel of the grace of God.
Thank God we ever were reached by the gospel of the grace of God and brought from the depths of our sin and the distance and darkness in which we were found by nature and by matchless grace, completely contrary to all that we deserve, linked eternally with the Lord Jesus, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, lifted from the great depths to heights beyond what we will ever grasp.
The grace of God. But the great truth is this. I'm not done yet. I've got another link in the chain. That grace does not simply say to us, you didn't deserve to be saved. I have saved you and destined you to be with Christ.
See what you can do in the meantime. And I'll meet you at the rapture. I'm constructing this chain to illustrate to you that in these matchless links, matchless links, it is equally matched by this. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
What is my point? That the God who by such matchless grace has brought that chain to where you and I are and by that sovereign grace has linked us with the highest of all purpose and blessing has given us everything that divine grace could give us to live for the glory of God in this moment.
Grace for grace. God has made full provision for you and for me that whatever our circumstances may be. You see, I think there's a lovely touch in this. Paul says, I am the apostle of the gospel of the grace of God.
Then it is my divine privilege to find that that same grace is sufficient for me. The greatest evidence that this man is a man distinctly singled out by God for a work that God has given him is this, that he lives by the truth that he preaches.
My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength operates in its fullness in weakness. Let me then come finally to the power of this divine strength. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in mine infirmities.
What are these infirmities? Well, if you look at verse 10, I think if I understand that verse, that persecutions for Christ and distresses for Christ and all of these things that he suffers as an apostle, that's part of it.
But when he uses the word infirmities, I think he is making this statement broad enough so that whatever you have today that concerns you is broad enough to be included in this. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in mine infirmities so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul, what power is this that you're looking for? Is this power lost souls to win from Satan's mighty grasp? Ah, God, give us more power with God and with man. Oh, to know what it is to have power to bring the very presence of God in the preaching of the Gospel to see souls delivered from the mighty power of darkness.
But I think that's too small a view of what Paul has in mind here. Is it power to fulfill his ministry? What a ministry it is. What a great blessing it would be able to be at the close of life to say what he said.
I have finished my course. What tremendous divine enabling is this that enables a man to finish the work that God has given him to do? Wonderful to have that power. I think that's too small an interpretation of the statement.
Listen to this man. We were reminded of his living Christ in Philippians yesterday. Listen to what he says. I can do all things. No, no, not just winning souls. No, no, not just completing my ministry, but rather living for the pleasure of God no matter whether I am suffering a lack or whether I am enjoying abundance.
No matter what my circumstances are, I can do all things through Christ who pours His strength into me. Here is the ultimate. And Paul is saying in the midst of my infirmity, if this is the ballast that God has given to the vessel, thank God!
Because the only thing that matters in life is to have that inpouring of divine strength. Let me take you to a wilderness. A million and more people surrounded by their enemies. You have a mighty army, do you?
Is that what kept Israel in the midst of the desert? Had a mighty army that distinguished that company from every other company and nation? And when that false prophet tried to do double business with God, he finally looks down upon that people from the heights and he says this is the thing that distinguishes them from all else.
The Lord his God is in the midst of them. Was there any evidence that the Lord his God was in the midst of them? Well, let me take you back to the days when this whole story really begins. Redeemed and brought out of Egypt.
And they're brought by a different way, not what they would have expected. And they find themselves in the strange situation that in front of them is the Red Sea and the mountains around them and behind them is the enemy.
And what are they going to do? And it's darkness to the enemy and it's light to the people. And in the light of that cloud, they pass through the Red Sea. What is the strength of the nation of Israel?
The presence of God. The mighty power of Jehovah. The glory of God is revealed in that cloud. No wonder Solomon is praying and he says, Return, O Lord, unto Thy rest. Unto Thy dwelling place. As he is dedicating that great temple and just verses later you read, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
The mighty Shekinah. The glory. The glowing of the presence of God is in the midst of His people. Now says the Apostle, in my weakness, I glory in this. There's a weak people out in the wilderness with only one thing to take them through.
And what will take them through is not found in themselves. Left to themselves, they would never have reached the promised land. There is one divine power sufficient to bring them through. And Paul says, That is what I long to be seen in my life.
Most gladly will I glory in my afflictions that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Most gladly will I therefore glory in mine infirmities that there might be the Shekinah of the presence and power of God in my life.
That the beauty of Christ my Savior.