Paul called his thorn in the flesh, “a messenger of Satan”. A bodily affliction that was used by the enemy to torment. It mocked him. He thought it hampered his ministry. In three intense prayer sessions, he sought to be free from it. God said a “No” that was better than a “Yes”. The Father promised him Christ’s power and sufficient grace in the midst of this perpetual suffering. Thorns and sufferings are inseparable from following the King wearing a crown of thorns. The man who wore the crown of thorns knows all about your thorns. His resurrected power has sufficient grace for your troubles. “Name-it claim-it” falls flat on its face here, unless, of course, you are claiming God’s sufficient grace for your tormenting thorn.
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor 12:7-9 (NIV)
