The teaching deals with one of the most debated topics in a Christian context: God’s grace and Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”, as described in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. We read from 2 Corinthians 12:1–10, where Paul speaks of visions and revelations, of being caught up to the third heaven and paradise, and of how, so that he might not become conceited because of these great revelations “a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan to buffet me, lest I become conceited”. Many Christians have used this passage to explain why not everyone is healed, and why we must expect to have our own “thorn in the flesh”, often understood as an illness, which we simply have to learn to live with. The teacher here explains why it is important to look at the whole context and the rest of the Bible before we conclude what this thorn actually is, and what it means when God says to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Firstly, it is pointed out that Paul describes himself in the third person as “a man in Christ”, who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words that a human being must not utter. He does not seek to present himself as super-spiritual, but speaks honestly of the intense revelations he has received and how this might have tempted him to pride. He was formerly a highly respected man in Judaism, a scholar of the Scriptures, zealous for the law and known for persecuting Christians with fierce zeal. On the road to Damascus, he encounters Jesus in a powerful vision, is struck to the ground, loses his sight and has his life completely turned upside down. From being a persecutor, he becomes a follower, and later spends three years in a sort of ‘desert period’, where he is alone with God and receives an extraordinary amount of spiritual insight and revelation.

A picture is painted of how such a wealth of revelations could naturally lead a person to feel “above” others. You can almost hear the tone: “I have met God in a way that the others haven’t; I have received something special.” The teaching uses everyday examples, such as when one spouse comes home from a seminar full of new ideas and says to the other: “Now listen, we’re going to do this and that,” and the other just thinks: “Give it a rest.” The point is that even spiritual revelations can feed pride if we are not careful. That is why Paul mentions that the thorn’s purpose was “so that I might not become conceited”, and that it is referred to as an angel of Satan who struck him. This sounds provocative, for how can God allow an angel of Satan to strike one of his strongest servants?

Here, the focus is on what ‘thorn’ typically refers to in the Bible. In Numbers chapter 33, God warns the Israelites that if they do not drive out the inhabitants of the land completely, those who remain will become “a thorn in your side and a thorn in your eye” and will wage war against them in the land where they are to dwell. The image refers to enemies and adversaries who continue to torment, irritate, oppress and fight against God’s people. The teaching points out that the Bible does not say that the thorn in the flesh is an illness, and that we do not actually know specifically what the thorn was, but that the context and the use of thein many other places points more towards persistent persecution and opposition than physical illness. Paul’s life bears witness to this: floggings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, false brothers and constant pressure that followed him because he led the way for the gospel.

At the same time, James chapter 4 is brought in, where it states that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that we must submit to God and resist the devil, and he will flee from us. It is pointed out that if Paul had fully understood and practised humility from the outset, there would not have been the same need for a ‘thorn’. This does not mean that God is evil, but that grace can also have a disciplinary aspect, where God uses opposition to keep us humble, so that we do not take the credit, but let Him have it. There is therefore a warning for us: if we do not choose humility ourselves, God may allow pressure and opposition that knock our pride down to earth, until we understand who God is and who is merely human.

The teaching then moves on to the very phrase “My grace is sufficient for you”. It is often used as a sort of “spiritual plaster”, which people pull out to explain why things do not change. Here, grace is explained as more than just “you are allowed to go to Heaven”. Grace is discussed as a legal term from the courtroom, where one stands condemned but asks the judge for mercy: “Have mercy on me, let me go free, even though I do not deserve it.” The grace that God shows is that, in Jesus, He is both fully just and fully loving: He does not let sin go unpunished, but lays it upon Jesus, and lets us go free. It is this grace by which we are saved, and it is this grace that continues to work in our lives when we fall and rise again.

But grace is more than just forgiveness; it is also power. It is pointed out that when God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”, He links grace and power together. Grace is not a crutch where we say: “Fine, I am saved by grace, now I can live as I please.” Grace is God’s power to live differently, to act on the Word and to step out in faith. The example of Paul and Silas in prison is used, where, even though they are beaten and chained, they choose to sing hymns in the middle of the night. They do not do this because it feels cool, but because they understand God’s grace and choose to act upon it. The result is that God intervenes, the prison shakes, the doors open, and the jailer and his entire household come to faith.

Great emphasis is placed on the fact that faith and grace are linked to action. It is not enough to say “I believe in God” if it never has any consequences in everyday life. Faith without action is dead faith. When we act on what God says, when we confess Jesus and go out into situations where we actually risk something, that is when grace becomes visible as power in our weakness. That God’s grace is sufficient does not mean “you must endure all opposition without hope”, but that no matter how powerless you feel, His power is present in the situation when you choose to stand firm on His word and remain in obedience.

The teaching also speaks of God’s grace as something that disciplines and shapes us. It is described as a loving yet consistent discipline, where God takes us in as His children and teaches us what we should do and what we should not do. Just as good upbringing is not about crushing a child, but about instilling habits and character that they will be grateful for later, so God’s grace works on our attitude, language, reactions and choices. Grace does not merely cleanse our past; it also transforms our present and future, as we learn to live in holiness, prayer, forgiveness, love and obedience. When we look back, we can often see how God’s grace has, in practice, ‘put us through our paces’ through both good and difficult times.

We also pause at the words God speaks to Paul: ‘For my power is made perfect in weakness.’ This is explained as meaning that God’s power can only truly be seen when we take a step back and let Him take the lead. If we constantly try to direct, plan, control and take the credit ourselves, we end up standing in the way of what God wants to do. Among other things, the story of Moses is used, who was to strike the rock so that water would come out, and where, instead of pointing to God, he ended up making it a case of “look what I can do”. It cost him dearly. The point is that God is not opposed to us taking the lead or going first, but He does not want to share the credit with human pride. That is why He calls us to live in a way where we can say: “Follow my example”, whilst knowing in our hearts that everything that succeeds is due to His grace.

In the second part of the teaching, the “thorn in the flesh” is directly linked to persecution and opposition, which always follow when someone chooses to stick their neck out and do God’s will. Experiences from ministry involving deliverance are shared, where demons reveal time and again that their purpose is to stop people from doing God’s work, to destroy them and to kill them. It hurts to be on the front line, but we are encouraged to see the opposition as confirmation that we are on the right path. Instead of letting oneself be broken, we are urged to maintain our joy in the midst of the struggle, just as Paul, who could rejoice in being worthy to be persecuted for the sake of Jesus’ name.

The text also highlights the difference between persecution in Western countries and in countries such as Iran or parts of Asia. In some countries, persecution comes from outside, from authorities, systems or other religions, and this often causes Christians to stand closer together, seek God intensely, pray, sing praises and hold fast to what matters most: leading people to Jesus. In the West, a different kind of persecution is described, where Christians often fight one another with words, slander and harsh comments, especially on social media, and where the opposition comes from within the congregation rather than from outside. This is linked to pride: where there is no external pressure, we easily forget to remain humble and holy, and so we spend our energy ‘attacking’ other Christians instead of supporting them.

Finally, it is emphasised that God’s grace must never be used as an excuse for passivity or as an explanation for a lack of healing, if the deeper point of the text is that God’s power is manifested through persecution and opposition, not that God sends sickness to crush us. It is emphasised that the whole of God’s Word paints a picture of a God who desires to heal, provide for, protect, guide and lift up. Therefore, it makes no sense to believe that He both wants to heal us and at the same time strike us with sickness Himself to keep us down. The thorn in the flesh is therefore best understood as a powerful image of persistent persecution and pressure, which God does not necessarily remove, but where He gives grace and strength to endure, so that all the glory goes to Him. The question for the listener is whether we will choose humility, act on our faith, be willing to face opposition, and yet hold fast to the fact that God’s grace is sufficient, because His power is most clearly seen when we ourselves are weak.

Quote from the teaching: God’s grace is not a crutch, but the strength to live in obedience amidst opposition, so that it is He and not we who receive the glory.

Relevant keywords: God’s grace – thorn in the flesh – Paul’s weakness – revelations from God – persecution for the faith – spiritual warfare – humility and pride – life in holiness – acting on faith – God’s power in weakness – upbringing in grace – Christian discipleship – opposition and trials – spiritual growth – deliverance and freedom – healing and faith