A THORN IN THE FLESH – PART SEVEN
Saturday – March 17, 2018 – Nisan 1, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to this twelve-part teaching titled “A Thorn in the Flesh” and subtitled “Prayer Failures”. Over the past several weeks I have been building a solid foundation for a proper understanding of the dynamics of Paul’s thorn in the flesh and the Lord’s response to his prayers. I am sure that any reader who has had a thorn in their hand or other area can testify to the discomfort and the immense distraction it provided. If our spiritual enemies cannot get us to outright walk away from the Lord they will work to bring all kinds of distractions our way. Also let us further consider the context of our primary passage. This passage immediately follows the Apostle Pauls’ discussion of a man who was caught up to Paradise (Heaven). He does not expressly say it was him but it is widely believed that it was Paul himself that was caught up to Heaven. I heard a well-known minister recently speculate that fourteen years prior coincides with the Apostle Paul being stoned and left for dead. Perhaps he was caught up to Heaven at that time. Now, let’s get back to finishing out our foundation starting with a review of our primary Bible text.
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.
I have been presenting and building upon the foundation that in the beginning God (Elohim) gave all dominion (authority) in the earth including the atmospheric envelope to the man which He made in His image and likeness. This first step was the making of the spirit man which is the same spiritual DNA as God. Next God fashioned a physical body from the earth to house this spirit man. This man’s physical body was given life and his soul/spirit was inhabited and he was Anointed with the Holy Spirit just as we are at salvation and with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. God gave this man the Blessing which is the power of God to carry out the seven mandates or commands given the man of God. Man sinned and the power was lost, the spirit died, and the man plunged into spiritual darkness easily manipulated by the devil. Once man choose another god the Holy Spirit had no legal right to remain and no legal capacity to cleanse the man of sin with or without repentance.
We desperately needed a redeemer. Jesus came and paid the price of all sin. Now, all who chose Jesus as Lord are cleansed of all sin, the Holy Spirit again resides within and for the asking we are baptized in the Holy Spirit again endued with Power, the Blessing is back. Once again man has the authority and the Power to fully accomplish the original seven commands or mandates given by God. Let me emphasize once again, God has no authority in the earth. Once God gave man the authority over all the earth it would be illegal for God to exercise authority independent of a man in the earth. Jesus ministry (all of which was as a man) is the primary example of what a part of our ministry is to look like in the earth. I say in part because we are to do the greater things. Jesus who is called the last Adam was like Adam before sin, uncorrupted by sin, Jesus never sinned. His spirit man was alive with the abiding Holy Spirit and His body was perfect as was Adams. These greater things can be found in part in Isaiah sixty-one. There is no example in Scripture of these greater things being done except in the types and shadows of the Old Covenant. Let’s take a quick look at a few episodes in Jesus’ ministry in the earth as a man.
Mark 6:4-6 (KJV)
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
All Scripture is given to us for our teaching. Jesus went to His home town but could not do any mighty works. There is no mention that His Anointing was having a bad day, or He was having a bad day, their unbelief prevented Him from doing any mighty works. There were no problems with His Anointing or His faith in the Word or in the Anointing but the people would not receive due to unbelief. The same thing that kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land for forty years is the same thing that kept these folks from receiving that day, unbelief (no faith). Because Jesus only did as the Father instructed we have no record of prayer failures because He only “prayed” for people to whom the Father led Him. I put “prayed” in quotation marks because He never asked the Father to do anything but He exercised His authority as a sinless man in the earth and was backed up by the Father who did the works through the agency of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 5:12-13 (KJV)
12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
This man had no question that Jesus had the authority or Power to make him clean but he had a question of whether Jesus would or not. At the base of this statement by the man with Leprosy was whether it was the will of the Father, of God, to heal him or not and Jesus made it clear that where there was faith for healing, healing would occur. The key for the person needing the healing is faith. Jesus decreed a thing and it was established. Sickness is not a tool that God uses to teach people things, to work things for their good, to bring glory to God, or to bring people to Heaven (what a twisted line of thought).
Mark 9:23-25 (KJV)
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
In this example the father who had authority concerning the boy realized that his faith was lacking and he asked forgiveness right on the spot, was forgiven and the boy is healed. Notice, Jesus decreed a thing and it was established. In no example does Jesus ask or beg the Father to heal anyone. Jesus is operating in the earth as an Anointed sinless man. You and are operating in the earth also as Anointed sinless men (persons) as well. Awake, arise, and walk in triumph exercising all authority in the earth and watch God confirm His Word. One final example for today.
Acts 3:6-8 (KJV)
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Peter and John were on the way to the Temple to pray and at the gate called Beautiful they encountered a man lame from his mother’s womb. This man was asking alms or a handout. In the moment that they made a connection that man had faith that Peter and John could help his situation.
Acts 3:4-5 (KJV)
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Peter in effect tells the man that no amount of money (Peter and John were not poor men) can fix this man’s problem but with his faith, their Anointing, and the name of Jesus his problem will be fixed. Peter takes him by the hand and gives a command, he decreed a thing and it was established unto him, and the man was instantly healed. Notice Peter says: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”. This points to the humanity of Jesus, and his full confidence that if Jesus could do it as a man, then he as a forgiven and now sinless man could do likewise. Church after Church, and prayer chain after prayer chain we find people asking Jesus or the Father to heal someone. In the end the power for the healing is of God but it will not occur independent of someone in the earth exercising dominion, decreeing the thing. Just like Jesus we are to be led of the Spirit of God praying only for those who the Lord leads us to that have faith for the healing. Like the woman with the issue of blood, when the Anointing (then on Jesus, now on us) and faith connect Power (Jesus called it virtue) is released to take care of any problem. Lord willing and with His help I will pick up 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 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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