Strength from my thorn

James Farr

Family • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Atmospheric, Stellar, Throne

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NIV

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

For it to only be used once, it seems to be the thing that does the most damage. It changes with the times, it changes with growth, it changes with surroundings.

What is a thorn?

A splinter, a stake, a small piece of wood embedded; Something that wounds, annoys or causes discomfort

My Definition: This is the place the devil comes to play

v7 Paul was taken to heaven, and came back! What bragging rights! Given a thorn. So the thorn came from God. He allowed it. If we say God is sovereign then the devil doesnt “sneak” things past God. God has to allow it. (Wrestling, back turned in headlock)

v8 some stuff wont go away. Sometimes we are always fussing about it. Just because we pray about it, doesnt mean he is going to remove it. Sometimes he may say not now. If it is a gift from God, why do we fight so hard to get rid of it. we think it makes us weak. Sometimes we dont like how it was delivered. (Amazon delivery in a “devil” truck!) We want to get rid of it,

v9 Weakness definition: an inadequate or defective quality, as in a person's character; slight fault or defect. Using your weaknesses, it’s not about what you can or can’t do. It’s about what God can do through you. This is were we have to lean on Gods grace. and its plenty...

2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

v10 The thorn is for us and it is for God. Sometimes God cant use us cause WE get in His way. We have all these thorns we try to remove, but God wants to use to use it to help grow.

IV in my hand was bothering me, but I had to leave it in so that the medicine could help.

Sometimes we have to shift our focus we have to stop spending so much time thinking about what is wrong and spend more time thinking about how God can use our thorn as a blessing.