Paul’s “Thorn”—Persecution

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.

 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 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.                                                                                                                    -2 Corinthians 12:7-9

The subject of Paul’s thorn is a common argument against healing. Many have taught that Paul’s thorn was a sickness or disease in his body. But in context, you can see that Paul was talking about persecutions:

            From the Jews five times I received forty strips minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep.

In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings; often in cold and nakedness.                                                                                     2 Corinthians 11:24-25, 27

Every place Paul went, there was a spirit that stirred people up to persecute him. He was beaten, whipped, stoned and left for dead. He talked about being cold, hungry and thirsty, floating around in the sea and experiencing distresses of all kinds.

These were all persecutions in one form or another. But Paul never said anything to indicate his thorn in the flesh was even remotely connected to sickness and disease.

However, Paul did say the thorn was a messenger of Satan, not a messenger of God. “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.” So we see that Paul’s thorn wasn’t sickness, it wasn’t disease and it wasn’t from God.

CONFESSION:

Paul’s thorn wasn’t from God and neither are sickness and diseases that attack me. God gives me His grace, strength and ability to overcome the devil in every situation. I am the healed of the Lord!

From: A Devotional for Divine Health Prescription for a Miracle, Mark Brazee, 1999