THORN IN MY FLESH
Pastor/Teacher, Maurice H. Sykes
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we go through life always being confronted by the adverse details of life. There is unfair treatment, hurt, pressure and on occasion we have suffering, that's life. Some of these elements are removed by God, many are not. There are some things, particularly hurts, offenses, and the deep experiences of losing loved ones---which we must bear for the duration of our lives. These are the "Thorns in the flesh."
Spiritual Truth: "What God allows and what He sends He expects the believer to endure in divine power."
God wants us to win, so He equips us to win. Winning does not mean that He will always remove the thorn. He does not always take us out of the fire, nor does He always prevent us from experiencing the pressures and hurts that make up life. We have assurance that God is in control and He assures us that He always has a purpose for every incident we experience, no matter what the natural circumstances appear to be.
1 Corinthians 10:13 reveals the principle. "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (He) will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." Regardless of what the attack is, even when we are simply reaping the results of bad decisions we've made, God has provided the grace to deal with it---to win. Now note this concept: He will provide the way of escape ALSO. Not only did God allow the test, the trial, but He also has set a limit on the test and has ensured a way for the Christian to overcome it and win. God's plan does not allow a back door so that the believer can slink out of the pressure or wimp out. God's plan is not for us to punk out on Him. He has made the way of escape (the power to overcome). The believer's unique way of escape is to BEAR it. The word "bear" comes from the Greek word, "Hupomeno" which refers to being able to hold up courageously under fire. Holding up courageously under fire requires that we be rooted in Ho Logos-the Word of God, Bible doctrine.
We escape (overcome) and we can bear up courageously under fire when we are able to fight the battle in our own souls. For the believer in Christ, every battle is fought, and therefore ultimately won or lost in the soul. Victory comes by thinking, believing, and applying God's solutions and then trusting His solutions. 1 Corinthians 10:14 goes on to say, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."
When the pressure comes and we apply Bible doctrine to the circumstance and faith rest, we are free from idolatry. But when we frantically seek bogus solutions and depend on what others fill our heads with, then we have entered idolatry. Embracing idolatry is to fix our faith on that which cannot help us. Idolatry is a false solution that will collapse on us. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ has encouraged us with "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) Far too often, when under fire, Christians search for every conceivable way to eliminate what they view as the problem. We'll consult with friends, those whom we assume are spiritual and anyone who we think can rescue us. Why do we do this? Because we lack, at that time, spiritual self esteem. We are blinded by the circumstance instead of focussing on the light of scripture. When we cannot see clearly it is because we lack light---sufficient inner strength from the Word of God.
When we are under pressure, under fire and indeed in the fire, that is where we will be perfected, matured, in the circumstance. Or let me put it another way: you grow by being tested, failing, rebounding and going forward. Succeeding is then, an outgrowth of this maturing. This cycle remains a constant in our lives as long as we live. Note the growth and maturation process of a baby: the baby learns to walk by falling. As the baby tries not to fall he learns to stand, becomes strengthened, then he learns to walk. Repetition followed by repetition, so it is with spiritual skills. No one is born with these skills, they are acquired skills as God the Holy Spirit matures us (Galatians 5:22,23.) As these skills, for the Holy Spirit, are acquired, we gain victory after victory over the circumstances by His Word believed and applied.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10. "And to keep me from exalting myself above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, so that I should not be exalted above measure. For this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. And He (the Lord Jesus Christ) said to me, My grace is sufficient for you; for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Spiritual Truth: thorns represent long-term circumstances! Thorns are conditions, which are time consuming, no shortcut to running their course. Examples: serious illness, disease, ongoing unfair treatment, suffering, the enemy's harassment, being maligned and slandered on an ongoing basis and carrying the deep wounds of death---when our young children and loved ones have been taken out of time by the determination of God. It's God's perfect decisions, but that does not stop us from hurting. This is real life. Now we can bear deep hurts yet not be in bondage to them. And such hurts serve to be our reminder of the grace of God towards us. The common denominator of the tests, trials, pressures, offenses, wounds and hurts is that God has, at the very least, allowed them in our lives. Therefore, there is benefit in them for us.
Thorns have value. God sends the thorns called conviction to our hearts. Thorns often protected the fruit on a vine-they ensure that water was retained in those vines. Thorn bushes were used to protect the sheepfold where the sheep and the shepherd slept. The point---God allows the thorns for our good and His glory. A thorn now can mean prevention for a later and greater confrontation with pressure. A thorn now can mean deliverance from a greater evil to come.
Now carefully note this: there are other types of thorns. Christians, believers in Christ, in carnality, ARE thorns. There are thorns in Christ's church:
1. Christians who reject the pastor/teacher.
2. Unprepared ministers.
3. Ministers living corrupted lives, going through the motions of godliness.
4. Believers who fix their faith on activism, social programming in the place of Bible doctrine.
5. Christians who can go to a four hour concert, jumping up and down praising the Lord because they believe that they are caught up in the Spirit, but yet they are not motivated to take in the Word of God for more than 20 minutes.
6. The absence of grace, mercy, compassion, giving and integrity by many Christians
7. The believer who is always complaining; never has a good word about anyone or anything; the miserable Christian.
Let me point out a final thorn in God's flesh (if you will): the country is being bombarded with Christian zealots who continually verbally beat up on and intimidate young girls about having abortions. They call these young girls murderers. They vilify them in unconscionable ways, and God hates these bully tactics. Believers are not to be thorns, but we are equipped to be light, compassion and we are to speak peace to those who have had violence done to them.
So then, there's a thorn in my flesh. But take courage. God has given us, the believer in Christ, the great grace benefit: His Presence. Isaiah 41:10, "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you (in panic as unbelievers often do), for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Carefully note the progression of how God meets needs. First He gives us the ultimate solution, immediately: "Do not fear, for I am with you." God's presence delivers even when the believer is not asking for things. There are times, my friends, when we need to by-pass asking for things, miracles, etc., and just worship Him for His presence. God commands the believer to stop acting like the panic-stricken unbelievers and the carnal Christians: "Do not anxiously look about you." When God is available to us we are in very good hands. The Word-rooted believer does not have to panic and frantically seek help or a solution, because God says, "I am your God." Stop seeking false solutions, which is a type of idolatry.
Now note that before God actually applies the help that we need, He often has to strengthen us in order that we can be in position to receive the help. Far too often, Christians under fire are in a state of emotional revolt of the soul, and under that condition, they will not recognize the help if it hit them in the head. So, we must be prepared to receive the help. After the Lord rescues us from the attack, test or trial, He does not say---"well pilgrim, I've saved your butt, now you're on your own." This God that we serve assures us that once we have received the help, He will sustain us in that victory. "Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." God can only give what He is---POWER! This God that we serve withholds nothing back from the believer that is being rescued or sustained. The sustaining grace of God is POWER! Some would call it the anointing. But in truth, it's POWER!
Thorn in your flesh? God can cause you to win. But there is no victory apart from His Word/Bible doctrine.
Do not neglect the Word of God, it is your life.
That's the deal.
---Pastor Sykes. Sykesword Ministries
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