Demonic Thorns: Why Does God Not Always Deliver?
Tony Schachle
Battle Ready • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsWhy does God not always deliver us immediately from problems and hardships in this life? The Apostle Paul experienced his own fair share of hardships that he referred to as a thorn in the flesh and a messenger (angel) of Satan. Whatever it was that Paul faced, it was demonic in origin and God allowed it to inflict pain in his life. However, God had a purpose in the pain. What was that purpose in Paul’s life? It was to keep him humble and keep him dependent upon God’s grace and strength. Maybe there are some thorns in your life that God has allowed for a specific purpose. Maybe instead of continuing to fight the thorn it is time to simply surrender to God’s will and allow Him to fulfill His purpose in your life. In today’s message, we wrestle with this thought: Demonic Thorns - Why Does God Not Always Deliver?
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
We need to be Battle Ready. We are engaged in spiritual warfare against an unseen enemy who is out to steal, kill, and destroy. Last week we began our study of Ephesians 6. We talked about the meaning of the Greek word, “daimonizomai” in the Gospels and we answered these questions, “Can and Christian be Demon-Possessed” and “Can a Christian be Demonized.” We talked about the differences between those two questions and what it means for us today.
Before we get into this week’s message, I want to go back and re-read Ephesians 6:12.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Last week we said that Jesus has all power and authority over demonic spirits. And we said that God can deliver us from the all the power of the enemy. And I believe that there are plenty of situations where it is God’s will to deliver and set people free from demonic bondage. But we have to wrestle with the reality that sometimes it is just not God’s will to deliver.
You say, “what do you mean sometimes God doesn’t deliver? How can that be?” Well let’s take a look at the Word of God and the testimony of none other than the Apostle Paul.
SCRIPTURE
SCRIPTURE
1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
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.
The message this morning is: “Demonic Thorns: Why Does God Not Always Deliver?”
EXEGESIS
EXEGESIS
Visions and Revelations (1-6)
Paul’s “Out-of-Body” Experience (1-3)
The Third Heaven/Paradise (4)
Not Boasting (5-6)
Thorn in the Flesh (7)
The Thorn in the Flesh
Messenger (Angel) of Satan
Sent to Buffet Paul
Prayer for Deliverance (8-10)
Three Times (8)
The Lord’s (Jesus’) Response (9)
Grace vs Deliverance (9)
Boasting in Infirmities (9)
Pleasure in Infirmities (10)
Weakness vs. Strength (10)
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
God Allows Thorns
Thorns are a result of sin and the fall.
Thorns inflict pain,
Sometimes those thorns are demonic in origin.
God Has a Greater Purpose in the Thorns
If God allows thorns in our lives, it serves a greater purpose than just to inflict pain.
For Paul, it was to keep him humble.
For us, it could be:
to keep us humble,
to test or to strengthen our faith,
to draw us closer to Him,
to further develop our character,
to cultivate Spiritual fruit.
God Sometimes Chooses to Deliver us Through the Fire Instead of From the Fire
The Fiery Furnace.
Maybe God has a greater purpose in the fire.
What if God always delivered us before we experienced the thorns?
THE RIDE KING INCIDENT
God’s Grace is Sufficient
What is God’s grace?
God’s grace is there to get you through it, not just to help you avoid it.
God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.
When we are weak, then we are strong, if we are relying on Christ and His Grace.
God Will Give You the Strength to Stand
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Sometimes all you can do is just stand and withstand.
But even in those moments, God does not leave you or abandon you.
He is still with you and will equip us to be able to withstand the thorns and stand victorious in Christ!
Next week, we’ll talk about how God equips us through what Paul described as the Whole Armor of God.
CLOSING
CLOSING