Paul tells us two things about his thorn: First, that it was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The word ‘buffet’ means ‘to render blow after blow’. It was not one battle, but a series of back-to-back attacks that didn’t let up. Satan knows your weakest areas, and he will repeatedly attack you in those areas. How can you defeat him? The Bible tells: ‘Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places’ (vv. 10-12 NLT). Second, that the thorn was in his ‘flesh’. You are a regenerate spirit, living in an unregenerate body. That’s why the Bible commands us to crucify the flesh, starve the flesh, and refuse to give in to the impulses of the flesh. And in God’s strength you can do it: ‘By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires’ (2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.