2 Cor. 12:7-10,
“7 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. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
I use to read the above scripture and think God wanted Paul to be humble, but that is not what the Lord told Paul. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you…” The phrase, “There was given me” could also be translated, “The thorn was permitted or granted.” The enemy did not like Paul. The enemy did not want Paul to share the gospel of grace. Although it was God’s will that Paul share this good news with the world.
So, did God put the thorn in Paul’s flesh? I say no. We live in this world and the prince of the power of the air, Eph. 2:2, is just that. He is the god of this world until Eph. 4:13-14 and Rev. 20:6. If I am under law, which I am not, then it would not be far fetched to imagine1 that God is putting this thorn in my flesh. God is out to get me, but not like that. Luke 15:20 says, “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”
I believe the enemy wanted Paul to shut up so he persecuted him and tried to kill him and did, Acts 14:19, but believers don’t always have to stay dead, Rev. 11:11, or experience death, Heb. 11:5, 2 Kings 2:11. The enemy did not want Paul “exalted above measure.” In the Greek, this reads, “Wherefore not to lift up over.” Over what? Over the power of the enemy.
God was not persecuting Paul. The devil was. It was and is God’s will that we experience and manifest His grace by and through His Son and the manifold wisdom of God. Does God want you to be hurt? If He does then why do people get healed or saved?
In Acts, it seems when persecution came upon the church the church grew stronger. Why? 2 Cor. 12:7-10.
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