God wanted Paul to know, Understand with his mind what and why He was doing and Producing through the thorn, and difficulties Paul was encountering. The “Thorn” was given to Paul…

  1. TO PROTECT HIM FROM SPIRITUAL PRIDE! “Because of the greatness of the revelations, FOR THIS REASON, to keep me from EXALTING MYSELF, there was Given me a THORN in the flesh….to KEEP me from EXALTING MYSELF.” Note the phrase used twice,”…to keep me from EXALTING MYSELF.” v7 – The “THORN,” God used the thorn to keep Paul humble!!! Who saw that one coming! But also…
  2. GRACE TO DEPEND ON JESUS -” My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” His Grace, empowering was not to be found outside of Himself. The LORD used it to draw Paul closer to Himself. God uses the “thorn” to cause Paul to lean in on Jesus. Instead of being self- sufficient he was Christ dependent! Dependent upon Him. His weakness did not turn him away from Jesus but reminded him where true strength comes from-Jesus Christ!
  3. THE POWER OF CHRIST UNLEASHED THROUGH THE WEAKNESS OF A MAN – “My…POWER is perfected in weakness…I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me “- v9 ” ..when I am WEAK then I am strong.”- v10. The word, “Weaknesses” {astheneia from a = without + sthénos = strength, bodily vigor) means literally, without strength or bodily vigor = want of strength = lacking strength. Literally “astheneia” refers to bodily diseases or ailments (Lk 5:15, 13:11,}. Another meaning of “astheneia” is incapacity to do or experience something, an inability to produce results, a state of weakness or limitation (1Co 15:43; 2Co 11:30; Heb 4:15; Paul’s use in 1 Cor 2:3 conveys the sense of weakness in terms of courage.” -{preceptaustin.}

The consciousness of his weakness, was not the end, “Why am I so weak?” But he knew the purpose and the privilege of leaning on Jesus and receiving from Jesus Sufficient grace to empower him, to embrace the will of God for him, the race for him to run the race of faith, to know Him better, keep him from spiritual pride and to know experientially, that his weakness was not the defining thing in his life or the end, but the power of Christ was manifested and known through the background of personal awareness of weakness. His weakness, did not have the final say, “BUT GOD…” He did. He always does! Paul would not grow stronger in himself but in the power of Christ he would personally now and be on display though him! -{See tomorrows for “Understanding What God is using to Produce through the thorn and difficulties}

GOD HAS PURPOSE IN OUR “THORN” AND WITH IT COMES UNDERSTANDING TO APPROPRIATE HIS GRACE, TO KNOW HIM, AND POWER TO ENABLE US IN OUR DIFFICULTIES.

 

{From the message, “Paul’s Thorn; Understanding The Purpose of The Thorn and Difficulties” – {2 Cor 12:7-10}