Paul's thorn in the flesh

[TheCurseoftheRodain]

Satan does nothing to benefit anyone. Some post of yours are great then right back into religious thinking. You can do better than this grace........ Think, Paul said he had been given an abundance of revelation, we know the Lord Jesus gave that revelation to him.

So, Satan wants to keep Paul Humble (To help Paul) So Satan kindly sends a messenger to benefit Paul. How does that sound? Some days, Satan is just kind that way and wants to help little old ladies across the streets. Satan is just that way some days, right?

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, teachers AND SATAN;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
2Ti_3:16 All scripture and SATAN's HELP is given by inspiration of God and SATAN, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Trust me, Satan don't care about us at all enough to help in any way that would benefit us. Satan is a murderer, thief, and a destroyer of things and lives. Satan is not working for the Kingdom of God, because Jesus said the Kingdoms are not divided in any way. Jesus was not using devil power to help people get healed and casting out devils and the devil is not helping Jesus casting out devils and getting people healed.

Read what Paul said, there was a messenger sent by Satan to stop Paul from preaching all this revelation knowledge. Study, translate and meditate, compare other scriptures.

What did Paul say he would rather be? Paul did not have a pride issue, if anyone that had some pride in them it would have been Peter who Paul corrected. Paul was a very humble person.

We know God did not send the messenger because the scripture tells us it was Satan that did that. Why would Satan do that?

Paul made a mistake, and learned from it, what was that mistake. What did Paul say later in Philippians ?

It was people, but motivated by the messenger. Keep reading the whole passage as Paul tells us exactly what happened and who the thorn was.

If you need to cheat, you can read this.............

http://www.christianforums.net/showthread.php?t=52362&highlight=paul thorn

Blessings

Mike.

That's right Brother Mike, and then as Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy (3 or 4) that at Antioch, Lystra and Iconium (the thorn was this demon that stirred up all the people against him) the Lord delivered him OUT of them all. Glory to God. Even though Satan tried to stop Paul with persecution, he says the Lord delivered him OUT of them all (not through, as some people like to think contrary to the text).

 

[19DuggarFan]

13) Ye know how though infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14) 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.
15) Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
Galatians 4:13-15
IMO this thorn which is also referred to as infirmities in II Corinthians 12:9; was the fact that Paul had very poor eye vision, and we see that he makes mention of the Galatians being willing if possible to pluck out their eyes and give them to him, Galatians 4:15.
We also see Paul making mention of the large letters he wrote in the last chapter.
Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
Galatians 6:11

So as I see it Paul longed to have better vision, but knew that with this weakness in the flesh, probably cause by satan or one of his angels, just help to glorify Christ more in Paul's life, so that Paul was strengthen by Christ Grace and many came to know Jesus Christ as Saviour; so that Paul was content yet still felt the weakness of studying God's Word with poor eye vision.

 

[TheCurseoftheRodain]

13) Ye know how though infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14) 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.
15) Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
Galatians 4:13-15
IMO this thorn which is also referred to as infirmities in II Corinthians 12:9; was the fact that Paul had very poor eye vision, and we see that he makes mention of the Galatians being willing if possible to pluck out their eyes and give them to him, Galatians 4:15.
We also see Paul making mention of the large letters he wrote in the last chapter.
Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
Galatians 6:11

So as I see it Paul longed to have better vision, but knew that with this weakness in the flesh, probably cause by satan or one of his angels, just help to glorify Christ more in Paul's life, so that Paul was strengthen by Christ Grace and many came to know Jesus Christ as Saviour; so that Paul was content yet still felt the weakness of studying God's Word with poor eye vision.

The only problem with eye weakness glorifying God is that it doesn't. Paul said he GLORIED and REJOICED in sufferings/persecutions/infirmities etc because when HE was weak, THEN WAS HE STRONG. In other words, the weakness did not remain, the strength of the anointing which strengthened him when he stirred it up (Phil 4:13 (key word is "which" not "who") got rid of it. THAT is when God gets glory, because the problem is GONE by the integrity of His Word and the yoke-destroying, burden-removing POWER of the anointing that came with the Anointed One and which now lives in us (1 John 2).

 

[TheCurseoftheRodain]

The thorn is the demon that Satan buffetted him with, as is clearly spoken of in the text itself.

 

[Chopper]

Many pastors have told me that it was Paul's poor eyes.The context of this doesn't say that to me. The purpose was to prevent Paul from beoming conceited about having been given the awsomely great revelation/vision and being caught up to the "third heaven." Even blindness or any physical disability is NOT enough to to keep a man from becoming conceited. The thorn would have to be something which would prevent him from being able to boast; a humbling or humiliating stigma. It is described as a weakness. Hence, it is my opinion that it is some recurring sin that Paul could not conquer no matter how hard he tried and prayed and surrendered to the Lord. Hence, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (vs 9) And, "That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses.. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (vs 10)

Well Jim, I don't think I have heard that scenario before, it certainly could be. Personally, I'm sticking with a demon, Satan's agent to make him weak through disasters. The people of Israel equated bad times as being out of the will of God, or a great sinner. That kind of reputation whould certainly humble a true believer in Jesus.

Thank you for your thoughts, it shows me that you are truly interested in what the Scriptures teach, which is a good thing, or should I say a "God thing".

 

[TheCurseoftheRodain]

You are entitled to your opinion, sir. What does a messenger of satan buffet us with? Paul's supernatural experience of which he could boast was beyond anything physical. Giving Paul a physical ailment or disability would have no effect for stopping his conceit. It was a spiritual experience with God of which he could boast of his "holines" or spirituallity. To keep Paul from being able to boast about such the thorn would have to be something which countered that. Anyway that is the way I see it.

You know it doesn't say in the original Greek there that Paul had any problem with pride (modern translations have sometimes put that in), and the REASON for Satan sending a demon to buffet him was to stop him from being exalted beyond measure THROUGH the abundance of revelations.

The word buffet has to do with wind on both sides of a sail or ship, it has nothing to do with sickness, disease or infirmity. It has to do with a hassle essentially. If you look at when this started and where it stopped when Paul told Timothy that the Lord delivered him OUT of all the junk that the evil-hearted Jews tried to do to him in chasing him out of those 3 cities. Look at every place, it was Jews led by a demon that tried to gainsay him and chase him out of each town. It's not a mystery, it is right there in Acts and Timothy.