What Is Paul's Thorn In the Flesh?

So what exactly is that thorn in the flesh that prevents him from having pride & yet at the same time, prevent others from exalting him higher than they ought to think and yet still identify as a messenger of Satan that buffet him that Paul had asked God to remove 3 times.??

It can't be pride because this thorn in the flesh prevents that from happening. Whatever it is, he does not seem to associate it with how the other apostles are suffering in ministry since Paul was glorying in the apostle John for that Book of Revelations, albeit not directly referenced as such..

 

As with parables and understanding His words, we can ask the Lord for wisdom and so we can for this for what and how it is written.

I can see why you believe it is pride for why the thorn, but not really identifying the thorn. The reason I am not discerning what you see is because this thorn was given not to prevent himself from thinking higher than he ought to think of himself but to prevent others from thinking higher than they ought to think of him.

Paul says the nature of this thorn was in his physical flesh per one of his infirmities.

This was given to him and he had prayed to remove it 3 times, thus not all infirmities but this bad one but God finally said no and why.

This thorn was labeled as a messenger of Satan for how or why it was buffeting him. This element is left unapplied in relations to whatever the reason others think he is getting as being that thorn in the flesh.

 

I do not believe that as that would mean scripture is open to private interpretation for why the scripture reproves such a notion.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Paul says the nature of this thorn was in his physical flesh per one of his infirmities.

This was given to him and he had prayed to remove it 3 times, thus not all infirmities but this bad one but God finally said no and why.

This thorn was labeled as a messenger of Satan for how or why it was buffeting him. This element is left unapplied in relations to whatever the reason others think he is getting as being that thorn in the flesh.

 

If we consider for a moment why God did not remove it as it was given to him to prevent others from exalting or thinking higher than they ought to think of Paul, would all that Paul gone through keep us from thinking higher of him today?

When we think of other believers being martyred .. does that prevent us from thinking higher of them than we ought to think?

Paul says the nature of this thorn was in his physical flesh per one of his infirmities.

This was given to him and he had prayed to remove it 3 times, thus not all of his infirmities but this bad one but God finally said no and why.

This thorn was labeled as a messenger of Satan for how or why it was buffeting him. This element is left unapplied in relations to whatever the reason you think he is getting as being that thorn in the flesh.

 

That is why we have Jesus Christ as our Good shepherd to help us understand the scripture as it should be applied in rightly dividing the word of truth.

In all any of us share, including me, each of us has to confirm the word with Him thus proving everything by Him, even with what we believe to be true.

1 Thessalonians 5;21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

It is not a leap when angels are messengers and messenger are giving voice to a message. and since this was an infirmity in his flesh, I discern that with Him to mean Paul was hearing voices from Satan for why he did not like it & wanted it removed. Everything else is to be expected in serving Him in ministry as all the other apostles and believers have gone through, so Paul is not selfish to ask for anything relating to that to be removed. It has to be something the other apostles did not suffer or could not suffer for why Paul asked for that thorn to be removed.

Again, only the Lord can confirm that to you and only if it be merciful to me only the Lord can show you my error or oversight by pointing it out for which I would seek a confirmation on the Lord for me to be pruned and bear more fruit in the knowledge of Him.

 

I cannot see how Paul would expect God to answer that prayer when others have to go through it. There would be hardly any looking to Him to help him lay aside every weight & sin daily if He did.

This had to be something not shared by other believers that undergo persecutions or temptations; something he believed God would remove as it was something he did not like as one of the infirmities in his own flesh.

Would we not think highly of those who suffer & die for their faith in Jesus Christ? Would we not empathize with those who suffer temptations & pray for them?

This has to be something Paul does not see other apostles as going through for why I see it as hearing voice of the devil messing with him as in his flesh as hearing it but nobody else does.

Would that make us not think of Paul higher than we ought to think? It would for anyone serving Him in ministry today, right?

 

I do not believe hearing voices would make people think badly of Paul but rather not allow all the visions and revelations they know came from the Lord to tempt them to think higher of him than they ought to think which hearing a voice from the devil would.

 

Doesn't everybody get the battlefield of the mind?

But with Paul.it was more than that. I am sure he had asked others to pray for him regarding this & God told Paul no and why.

 

I believe messenger of Satan is key that many overlook when discerning this thorn in the flesh.

I believe as he does mention this as an infirmity in the flesh that he did not like and wanted removed, but God would help him live his life with it, is why I believe this may bring hope to those today that are diagnosed with a mental illness.