This Scripture came to mind the other day as my wife and I were praying. My wife was acknowledging His faithfulness in the midst of various trials, and the Lord brought to my mind this passage of Scripture as a biblical example of what He is endeavoring to do in or lives and in the lives of all those who will let Him. This passage is one that I find to be very misunderstood within the Body of Christ today, so before I can fully explain what the Lord placed on my heart, let's dispels the myths:
"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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." 2Corinthians 12:7-9.
The first myth we need to dispel is that Paul was not sick. Many people point to this passage as an "excuse" for why God does not always heal people. That's not what this passage is saying (nor is it the discussion we are having here at this time). The Bible is extremely clear: it was a messenger from Satan. Some Scriptures use the word "infirmities" in this passage. That word means "weakness" not "sickness." This was an intense attack on Paul's mind, will or emotions. We talk about "crucifying the flesh" all the time. Last time I looked, nobody was committing suicide for Christ. That's the flesh he is talking about here: the carnal side of our humanity.
Our next myth to dispel: God did not do it. The messenger was sent from Satan to stop Paul from growing in his faith and teaching God's people. God does not use Satan to accomplish His purposes. Satan is self-employed. If he were following the Lord's instructions he wouldn't be in the state we find Him now. God is not responsible, Satan is.
Thirdly, we must remember: God didn't say "no." It has been taught repeatedly that Paul went to the Lord for help and that God said "no." Reread that Scripture. Where do we see the word "no"? Jesus responded by saying "my grace is sufficient for you." Meaning: you already have everything you need to overcome whatever the enemy throws at you.
The Lord was showing me this the other day: that we are growing in His grace, making the testings and trials of Satan all the easier to overcome. We have been in Paul's position many times - begging God to "make it stop." But, as we can see here, that is not a Scriptural prayer. How man of us still do that, though? How many times to we go before the Lord, worn-out and ragged, and ask Him to simply make it stop? His answer to us all is: My grace is sufficient for you.
I am noticing that everyday. Things that once frightened me and seemed impossible to overcome seem easier to face these days. The devil never quits. So we need to stop praying and asking the Lord to make that happen. What we can do, however, is come boldly before His throne and obtain what we need to overcome (Hebrews 4:16). That's what Paul learned in his situation. Remember, this is the man who wrote "in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37), and "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Does that sound consistent with the teaching that God told Paul "no"? On the contrary, God is not going to make life go away. He is not going to put an end to the devil before his time. He is going to strengthen you to overcome everything that comes your way. He will provide the escape (1Corinthians 10:13). And He is not the one Who is causing it to happen (James 1:13).
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