Grace is enough -- The Body Builders Forum

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Date Posted: 11:24:28 06/09/05 Thu
Author: JR Smith
Subject: Grace is enough

"To keep me from being conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh - a "messenger" of Satan to torment me"
2nd Corinthians 12:7

What is the difference in a thorn and a messenger?

One sticks you and creates physical pain and the other talks and naggs and carries on like an unsaved wife or husband.

Notice that Paul said that the thron was a messenger? Having the thorn is kind of like saying today that someone is a pain in the neck. knowing you are not having some actual physical pain induced by this person, but there is a constant aggrevation from being around them and listening to their foolishness is the source of discomfort. Such is the case with Paul.

Paul says that God allowed this messenger to afflict him (remember Job?) so that he would not become proud and set or exalt himself above everyone else. Evidently God knew something about Paul's nature, his old man, his background that could cause Paul to get a little full of himself with all the miracles and revelations he was seeing. So to keep him humble, God "allows" this messenger of Satan to be a constant source of aggrevation to him.

Now the messenger did not physically afflict him but this devil was not going away anytime soon. He was sent by Satan to buffet Paul's constant destruction of the kingdom of darkness by spreading the good news of the Gospel and people were getting saved big time, not to mention healed and delivered of Satan's power.

Paul couldn't cast this thing away, since it was permitted by God, but it had no power over him either. (ever had a bad neighbor that just was a constant source of irritation? He wasn't going to kill you but you had to deal with his irritation, didn't you?)

When Paul was feeling overwhelmed or maybe even defeated at certain times he probably just said to God, "I cannot do this. I am tired and weak. This devil has buffeted me on every occassion and has kept me out of some countries, but God if you want this to happen, it will have to be by your hand because to be honest with you, I just can't do it"

Imagine what God must have said. "Great! That is what I was waiting to hear that you cannot do this but you need me to do it for you. Now in your weakness Paul, I will show myself strong and now power on earth or in hell is going to stop what I want to do!"

PRaise God.

Remember Paul had so much of the Holy Spirit that God did not want him doing things without Him.

Sometimes as spirit filled believers we see lots of wonderful blessings, miracles and healings and our confidence in the Word of God grows. Our faith increases and as it does, sometimes wwe will charge into a situation like the cavalry and attack a demonic situation or sickenss full of the Holy Ghost, but without first consulting God in prayer.

David realized this on many occassions as he commanded the army of Israel.

Often times when an enemy of Israel would march against them, the generals were ready to go and meet them face to face, but David would stop them and inquire of the Lord first about what to do. And sometimes God would have David do things that in the natural did not make sense, in the long run defeated the armies facing Israel because God knew what worked.

This also happened with Gideon with only 300 men (read the book of Judges). He was able to defeat the Midianites simply because God wanted to show Himself as Israel's deliverer, and not some man, group of people, clan or nation. So He did the one thing no one would think of and that was route thousands of enemies with only 300 men. But Gideon inquired first of the Lord.

Regardless of our size, strength ability or means, our total protection, guidance and victory comes from God and God alone.

If we have the tendency to be prideful God may send us a thorn in the flesh messenger to keep us humble and dependant upon Him.

Paul stated he beat his flesh, crucified it daily into submission to Christ. Do you and I do that? Do we do what is necessary to keep ourselves humble before Christ and hear from Him before we do anything?

As spirit filled believers, Christians, do we want to be humble or do we actually think we can slay every Goliath we face in our life? I don't think I can slay the first one by myself and I need God's Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct me in my every day activities.

If we do think that we have that ability, that we are mature enough to face demonic powers on our own because we are so filled with the power of God, then do two things. Remember Paul and his situation and then read the book of Acts 19: 13-16 and then think again about what you can do on your own. Don't be foolish like these guys were.

If you have a prayer request, need to speak with someone privately or just would like to discuss scripture, then I am available here for you. If you would like to have an on line Bible study, then by all means let me know and we will work something out.

God bless you all in everthing you do.

This weeks' scripture reading is:

2nd Corinthinans 12: 1-10

Book recommendations for reading: Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. It is awesome!

J.R.Smith

PowerLife Ministries:

Fitness: Driven by Purpose

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Replies:

Re: Grace is enough -- marci, 17:11:51 06/09/05 Thu
- Re: Grace is enough -- J.R, 17:33:20 06/09/05 Thu
  - Re: Grace is enough -- marci, 02:40:58 06/10/05 Fri
    - Re: Grace is enough -- JR Smith, 05:36:38 06/10/05 Fri