A THORN IN THE FLESH – PART ONE
Prayer Failures
Saturday – February 3, 2018
2 Corinthians 12:6-10 (KJV)
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7 And lest I should be exalted 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, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Greetings and welcome to this special edition of The Three Minute Word. Today I am going to dive into an area the Lord has had on my mind for some days, even a few weeks. I will be dealing with the idea’s brought into our thinking coupled with the full counsel of Scripture. Like many things that cynics, critics, and unbelievers might throw out, a one word or talking point answer will not suffice. I will start by laying a foundation. In the beginning of this creation the will of God as this man, created a little lower than Himself, to have authority and exercise the power of God. So, let us take a look at these Scriptures. If one does not understand the will of God at the dawn of this creation they can not properly understand the Bible.
Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
In the preceding passage we find God (Elohim) discussing the making of man and that this man would be in their image and likeness. This is when the spiritual man came into being and this man was made of the stuff of God. We don’t often think about it but God is made out of something. We are also (our soul – spirit man) made of that same stuff, we are of like kind. If that were not so God could not live in us and cover us very intimately with Himself. The two would be incompatible and a rejection process would start like when an incompatible animal organ is transplanted to a human. This man in the image and likeness of God was given dominion or authority over the earth including the atmospheric envelop about the earth. We then find that “God blessed them” and gave them mission objectives or mandates. The Blessing is the Holy Spirit and power, to be blessed is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and power. By way of example, when we go to work for a company we are given certain authority and the company backs that authority with their power. So, it was with Adam and so it is with us in Christ.
God then expressed His will for mankind. With this total authority over the earth backed by the Holy Spirit and power (The Blessing) they were to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue the earth. I am not going to get into these mandates in this teaching but I believe I am led of the Spirit of God to comment on the mandate to subdue the earth. Adam and now the Spirit filled believer have the ability to subdue and command spiritual powers whether they be good or bad. However, I want to focus on the authority and power to subdue the earth. This would be authority and power over all things made of the earth which includes our physical bodies. This is the foundation for our authority and empowerment to bring healing and control over the elements (like storms). Please notice very carefully that so long as this man operated within his mandate, his covenant, he/she was under no obligation to come to God and God whatever was needed. In other words, the man would speak, exercise authority, and the Blessing (Holy Spirit and power) would accomplish the task. The final three mandates of seven are found in the following passage.
Genesis 2:15-17 (KJV)
15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
In the preceding passage we find man being commanded of God to take care of the Garden (dress it), to guard it (keep it), and to not partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These commands are not weakened through time. We are to diligently care for what God has given to us and all that falls within our assignment. This is the spiritual things like the Word of God, as well as the physical things like our money and so on. We are to guard ourselves and the Kingdom of God with all due diligence. And we like Adam are to not had admixture, a little of the world and a little Word. We are to strive toward the goal of all Word like our Redeemer. We must not let the words that it is not possible to have any place in our thoughts, words, or actions. If it was possible for Jesus, it is possible for each and every one of us. Only believe, all things are possible with God. We are we with God or not? The following verse depicts the forming of our physical bodies from the dust of the earth. So, we are of like kind with God being of the stuff of Heaven of God Himself from the very beginning with regard to our spirit man. God then gave man a physical body of the earth. We are of Heaven and of earth.
Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The LORD God then breathed “the breath of life” into this man and he became a living soul. Animals have life in their physical bodies and that life came from God but we have life as God has life spirit, soul, and body. You know what happened, after some period of time (I suspect a thousand years) the Serpent is successful at deceiving Adam and the forbidden knowledge of good and evil occurred and death ensued. In that moment man still had authority in the earth and that authority still exceeded that of the Serpent however it was no longer backed by God. Man descended from light into darkness and became an easily deceived and manipulated pawn of the Serpent (devil). I will pickup right here next Saturday.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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