2 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV), “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.”

In 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul, out of humility, speaks of himself in the 3rd person when relating to the life changing experience of being caught up into the 3rd heaven and receiving revelation knowledge from the Lord Jesus. By reading the New Testament books Paul was responsible for writing, we can certainly speculate what that revelation knowledge entailed. The powerful revelation of the new man in Christ is a message that is still revolutionizing the church, as believers open their hearts to its powerful truths! One main aspect of this revelation is the authority of the believer who is seated with Christ in heavenly places - exalted far above all the power of the devil (Ephesians 1:21). Which would explain why Satan sent a malicious troublemaker to try hinder Paul’s scope of influence and efficiency to get the message to the church. If Satan could keep Paul quiet, or somehow sabotage his ministry, believers would remain ignorant of their authority over the devil and his power. The phrase, “thorn in the flesh”, is used several times in scripture to describe either a group of people, or a person, and never a sickness or physical disability. The purpose is to harass or hinder God’s people from fulfilling their purpose and His will for their lives. In Numbers 33:55, God told the Israelites: “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.” In Joshua 23:13, God said the pagan nations the Israelites wanted to mingle with would be thorns in their eyes. In Ezekiel 28:24, God spoke about Israel’s malicious neighbours as being painful thorns towards them. Paul said the devil sent him a thorn in the flesh to prevent him from operating in a place of being “exalted above measure”. The Greek word for this phrase is the word hyperano, the exact word used in Ephesians 1:21, that describes our position of authority over the devil. The devil wanted to prevent Paul from operating in that position of authority over him, and he certainly wanted to prevent the revelation from getting to other believers too! So, he sent someone to buffet, harass, and distract Paul from walking in the reality of that revelation and preaching it around the world!  Praise God! He didn’t get it right with Paul, and he won’t get it right with you and me either! Tomorrow’s devotion will show you how!