2nd corintians 12:7-10 Coping with the Unchanging
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2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (NKJV)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Coping with the unchanging
Note: I did not say “ Coping with the UNCHANGEABLE “
Define Coping – deal effectively with something difficult
So many Pastors will preach FALSE HOPE
To so many people this first Sunday of the New Year
And the reason I say that is
Because so many Pastors / Preachers will put
Every member in their church in the same category
And that is “ This is your Year for
[ Increase – Prosperity – Enlarged Territory – New Beginnings – Turn around etc ]
Here’s the Problem
Is that God’s WILL for ALL of His children
For some will experience, increase, prosperity, enlarge territory, new beginnings
But then others will not
Because it’s just not God’s will at this time for them
2024 could be somebody worst year
And you will need to Know how to cope
With the Unchanging
Explain 2nd Corinthian 12
To Whom was 2nd Corinthians Written?
This letter was written to a church that Paul founded on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–17). In his letter Paul addresses two groups in the church at Corinth:
1. Majority (1–9)—“you all”—jubilant in tone (2:3–5; 3:1–2; 5:10; 7:13)
2. Minority (10–13)—“some”—sad and severe in tone (10:2, 12; 11:4; 12:21)
There were false teachers who had infiltrated the church. Precisely who they were is a subject of debate. But there are three main views:
1. Hellenistic Jews claiming to be in the line of Moses
2. Gnostic or Docetic false teachers denying Christ’s humanity
3. Palestinian Jews claiming to be apostles of Christ (11:22)
2nd Corinthians Was Written?
There were, no doubt, many reasons that Paul wrote 2 Corinthians:
(1) to answer the false teachers who had entered the church at Corinth (11:13–15),
(2) to defend his apostleship and message (12:12),
(3) to reveal his trials and triumphs as an apostle of Christ (chaps. 4, 11),
(4) to show the consolation provided in the service of Christ (1:3–7; 4:17),
(5) to encourage their giving to the poor (chaps. 8–9).
(6) Of course, overall, it was written to encourage the Corinthians to be jubilant and triumphant in their Christian faith (2:14).
What Is It About?
The Theme: Jubilation in Christ.
In 2nd Cor. 6:7 Paul has already noted that his ministry
stems from the “power of God,”
2 Corinthians 6:7 (NKJV) 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
and, similar to the point made in , 2nd Cor. 4:7
2 Corinthians 4:7 (NKJV) 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Paul celebrates the fact that God’s “power”
comes in fragile “jars of clay,” containers made of earth,
“in order that this extraordinary power might be seen for what it is,
power that comes from God and not from us”
2 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV) 4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
Explain: 2nd Corinthians verses 1-10
Question: What would you do if God show you a particular situation that you’re going through that He’s not going to change no time soon ?
Coping with the Unchanging
1st. It was a God given Gift ( V.7 )
Note: Understand it was a gift from God — not because you done something or some sin
In verse 7 we finally come to Paul’s famous “thorn in the flesh,”
The climax of his illustration of “weakness”
in this wide-ranging and “foolish” boast (11:21–12:10).
A term most often rendered as “thorn”
in English translations, could refer
to something sharp or pointed, such as a splinter or a stake
The translation “thorn” seems appropriate (Num. 33:55; Hosea 2:6; Ezek. 28:24).
There the image speaks of forms of opposition,
something unceasing painful and thus irritating or vexing
Throughout Paul’s discourse on boasting,
he has given the Lord glory and honor.
His desire is to remain humble
and to refrain from boasting about himself and his achievements.
He knows that the privilege of experiencing
celestial visions and revelations might result in pride.
The temptation to elevate himself above his companions was real. -------------
The Lord intervened by giving Paul a thorn in his flesh
Note: What’s the differences between Gift & Present
First, Paul’s thorn in the flesh was given to him “so that” he “might not become consumed with self-importance
Second, the thorn has been “given” to the apostle; this was no “accident,” or the plot of evil people, or something Paul has taken upon himself
The apostle describes the thorn as a “gift.”
The verb, aorist,in the passive of the word “ given “
could be read as having “Satan” as its agent.
However, the tone surrounding the thorn
seems positive and redemptive,
suggesting rather that the verb
should be understood as a divine passive,
with God as the “giver.”
Ultimately the thorn was for Paul’s spiritual good
and the display of God’s power
Third, it was a thorn “in the flesh,” which we understand to refer to the persecution the apostle experienced at the hands of opponents
Fourth, although the thorn was redemptive and ultimately from God,
Paul also describes it as “a messenger of Satan”
words in direct apposition to a thorn in the flesh).
(“belonging to Satan”), but regardless,
Paul sees Satan’s “messenger” as directly involved in his thorny situation.
The Paradox of the thorn was both a “gift” from God and a “goad” from Satan
Fifth, the thorn was given in order that it might “beat” Paul
Writers in the first century could use the verb beat
to speak of hitting someone with a hand or fist.
For instance, at Matt. 26:67 we read that those interrogating Jesus
on the night before his crucifixion
“spat in his face and struck him with their fists
Thus the word tells of being treated roughly (1 Cor. 4:11)
or beaten (1 Pet. 2:20); by extension,
Paul probably uses the word figuratively here
to speak of being tormented,
again with the present-tense form
to communicate that this torment is ongoing
It was a gift because God wanted him to have it
But it was given to keep him in a place of humbleness
Because of what God had shown Paul
And done & doing for Paul in ministry
We don’t look at a thorn being a gift
But whatever God allows in your life
To keep you from going outside His will
It’s a Gift
Note: Some of us RIGHT NOW need to take a Praise Break and thank God that there were somethings that God allowed in our life that wasn’t good BUT it kept us in His WILL
Coping with the Unchanging
1st. It was a God given Gift ( V. 7 )
2nd. He Persistently Prayed ( V. 8 )
He prayed until Jesus answered him
And because he had persistent prayer
Jesus told him what he needed to hear
To keep going on
In this prayer
· He did not get his will But God’s will
· He got Information
· He got encouragement
Note: Paul’s prayer proves that prayer was not design to change things
Note: I believe that God don’t always answer our prayers He wants us to learn how to cope with some things
Coping with the Unchanging
1st. It was a God given Gift ( V.7 )
2nd. He Persistently Prayed ( V.8 )
3rd He had Perspective Praise ( V.9-10 )
Gladly --
The only other point where he employs the term in the book is at 12:15
where he tells the Corinthians he will “gladly”
“spend and be spent” for them
as he carries out his ministry to them.
So the word refers to doing something “with pleasure.”
Gladly --
But the term can also be read as
referring to something being done
to a greater degree than it had been done before (so ESV, HCSB, NIV, NET; e.g., Luke 5:15; John 5:18; 19:8; Acts 5:14; 22:2; 2 Cor. 7:7),
and this seems to be the sense here:
Paul will boast “all the more gladly.”
Close with The Cross
Coping with the Unchanging
1st. It was a God given Gift ( V.7 )
2nd. He Persistently Prayed ( V.8 )
3rd He had Perspective Praise ( V.9-10 )