Read today’s texts first: Psalms 124; 2 Corinthians 11-13
The throne of spiritual authority
often comes with thorns.
often comes with thorns.
Leaping out from the passages today is the red lettering of the Lord’s words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (12:9). This statement succinctly explains Paul’s experiences. Not only was Paul caught up to the third heaven (Paradise), he is clearly co-seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), ruling as an apostle with spiritual authority over the Gentile churches. This power, though, came at a great price. Not only did he survive 5 whippings, 3 beatings, 1 stoning, 3 shipwrecks, sleep deprivation, hunger, and now false accusations, he also had a recurring infirmity of some kind which he calls his thorn in the flesh. (I think it was some unsightly eye disease from his other comments in Galatians 4:13-15; 6:11). It was that thorn and the other sufferings Paul experienced that positioned him in a place of continuing dependence on God’s power, the source of his apostolic authority.
I read one well-known word-faith preacher’s comments on Paul’s thorn in the flesh that shocked me. She explained the reason why Paul could not have victory over this affliction was because he sought the Lord 3 times. Her solution: pray only once in faith believing and then confess God’s healing. To pray again is a sign of unbelief. I think she missed the point of Paul’s epistle and maybe forgot that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit when he wrote it. She also may have forgotten the miracles that flowed through Paul’s ministry where even handkerchiefs he touched brought healing.
The throne of spiritual authority comes with thorns, or whatever it takes for us to be aware of our own weakness and reliance on Christ’s all-sufficiency. David connected with that theme as well when he talked about the Lord on our side: “our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
“Lord, as I face my own struggles, may they continue to force me to my knees, the position of real power. What I have to do in the assignments You’ve given me is far beyond my abilities, but nothing is too hard for You!”
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