Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
3 sermons cite this verse
And yet, on three separate occasions, he prayed for God for a miracle to relieve the physical suffering he was going through, the foreign and the flesh. He records that experience in 2 Corinthians 12, verses 7 through 10. He writes, because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from exalting myself. Concerning this, I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. God said no to Paul, but he gave him a gift, grace, to endure that unanswered prayer. What is grace? Some people say, well, that's easy, Pastor. That means God's saving us from our sin when we trust in Christ. Amazing grace. Well, that's true, but grace is bigger than that. Our salvation is one example of God's grace, but grace is more than that. …
But the Lord said to me, and by the way, can we all read this next verse together? It's such a powerful statement. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Again, one more time. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then, then I am strong. This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God indeed. You may be seated. You may be seated. Does anybody else in here feel like it's super embarrassing when a Pixar movie really gets you in the feels? Like when Buzz rejects Woody's counsel and gets himself in serious trouble, but then Woody risks everything anyway to come and rescue him because you've got a friend in me. Or when Andy discards his toys and he goes off to college. …
… God used Satan to accomplish that 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 7 through 10 Paul, there was given me a thorn in my flesh a messenger of who? a messenger of Satan given to me, a messenger of Satan to drive me to trust in the strength that God provides. God used Satan to teach Paul to trust in his grace and his sufficiency. One more example, 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 20. Hymenaeus and Alexander, they have been handed over to Satan, uses the same language. I have handed them over to Satan so that they would be taught not to blaspheme. God has a purpose in this, and there's a lot of questions there. That's for those three or four sermons. There's a lot of questions there. It's mind-boggling to say the least, but the picture is God is sovereign over Satan, and God is, first, ultimate picture here is the purity of the church, but this is for the good of an individual, that being cast out of the church, he would see the severity of sin, that he would feel the consequences of not being united to the body of Christ. …