“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.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 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” (2 Cor. 12:7-9 ).
The subject of Paul’s thorn is a common argument against healing. Many have taught that Paul’s thorn was a sickness or disease in his body. But in context, you can see that Paul was talking about persecutions:
“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness (2 Cor. 11:24-25,27).
Every place Paul went, there was a spirit that stirred people up to persecute him. He was beaten, whipped, stoned and left for dead. He talked about being cold, hungry and thirsty, floating around in the sea and experiencing distresses of all kinds.
These were all persecutions in one form or another. But Paul never said anything to indicate his thorn in the flesh was even remotely connected to sickness and disease.
However, Paul did say the thorn was a messenger of Satan, not a messenger of God: “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.” So we see that Paul’s thorn wasn’t sickness, it wasn’t disease and it wasn’t from God.
Paul’s thorn wasn’t from God and neither are sickness and diseases that attack me. God gives me His grace, strength and ability to overcome the devil in every situation. I am the healed of the Lord!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
For over 40 years, Pastors Mark and Janet Brazee have traveled throughout the world sharing the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Together they've shared the powerful truths of faith and healing in more than 50 nations.
Today Mark and Janet pastor World Outreach Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they base their ongoing outreach to the world. The Brazees still travel as the Lord leads, and they are raising up a congregation who share their passion to reach Tulsa and the world.