John 2:17 NASB “His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR THY HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”  (Psalm 69:9 quotation of the LXX version)

I saw this verse referenced the other day on John Piper’s wall and it was further fueled by the Holy Spirit.  I was suddenly reminded of Paul’s references to the temple of the Lord in 1 Corinthians in chapters 3 and 6, one to the Body and one to the individual.  Then my mind raced back to the scene in the temple where Jesus is known to have constructed a “scourge of cords” and proceeded to let all Holy Ghost fire break loose.  Out with the beasts (some blind and maimed), out with the money changers (with their false weights and measures) and out with their tables.  OUT!

Wow, really?  Jesus?  Little-kids-sit-on-His-lap Jesus? And how about this word “zeal”?  It has broad application depending on context but comes from a word that has the idea of being hot enough to boil liquid or make solids glow in its heat.  It burned in Him to the extent that commonly held institutions and public opinion from the powers that be could not have sway with Him.  This is a relentless passion and drive for the sanctity of The Father’s house and most importantly for its intended purpose.  He got to the point where He was unperturbed by the possibility of any backlash or consequence and He simply had to do what He did.  Keep in mind, this is a building made with human hands.  Yes, assembled at the command of God but still a human construction…and this is Christ’s zeal for this place because of what it was meant to be as a witness to the nations.  When His witness is tarnished even by institutions that He Himself has decreed should exist, He will stop at nothing to clean it up or perhaps destroy it, as this temple was 40 years later, but I digress.  I have hope of glory for the Church at the end of time rather than an expectation of cataclysmic judgment upon it, though I’m not deaf to the warnings in Revelation to the churches listed there who were told to repent “or else”.

So how should this affect us, this knowledge of Christ’s zeal for His house?  Let me begin by stating that the temple of the Lord is now the individual and the corporate Body of Christ according to statements made by the apostle Paul (Eph. 2:22 in addition to the previously referenced verses in 1 Corinthians 3, and 6).  I believe that this was always God’s intention.

Now, if Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and forever”, then has His zeal waned?  If His zeal for a house of stone and gold and nicely woven curtains of extravagant physical beauty that was sanctified by the blood of animals was this intense, then how much more the temple (you!) that has been sanctified by His blood and Spirit?  Consider Hebrews 10:26-31:

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY ” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (NASB)

Indeed, Jesus is still very much about the business of temple maintenance.  He paid a very heavy price for each and every temple of His.  I would like to consider, briefly, a few moments in Israel’s history that show us how His tabernacle/temple was defiled and how God dealt with it.

First Samuel 2:12-17, 22 shows us a shocking bit of activity in God’s tabernacle.  Eli the priest had two sons who had sex with the women who served at the doorway to the Tent of Meeting and were not eating the portions of sacrifices that were set aside for them in the Law of God but instead were in essence asking for the filet mignon.  If anyone protested or desired to stick with the protocol of God they were threatened.  God’s response to Eli was grave:   “You will not have an old man in your lineage and I’m going to kill both of your sons on the same day and in their place I will raise up a faithful priest.”  How ironic that this faithful priest was the young boy Samuel whom Eli had charge over and did himself also issue a stern prophetic word to Eli regarding his wretched fathering and what was to come of it.

The symbol of the (realistically, the actual) presence of God was the Ark of the Covenant.  Nothing in all of Israel was more precious than God Himself in their midst.  At least nothing should have been more precious.  As you read on in chapter 4 you will see God not allowing Israel to live in sin and use the Ark as a good luck token and He lets it go into the hands of the Philistines and hands defeat to Israel while carrying out the rest of His proclamation against Eli and his sons.  We know from Jeremiah that, in fact, this tabernacle known as Shiloh was eventually destroyed for Israel’s idolatry and Jeremiah points this out to them because of their protest that God could never destroy His own temple.  God was quick to assert that, in fact, you cannot have a dirty life and a clean temple at the same time: the former negates the latter.

Since I basically combined epochs from Samuel and Jeremiah together, I will end with Ezekiel’s vision in chapters 8-10 (be sure and take a look at chapter 52 in Jeremiah to see how that all went down).

In verses 5-6, 10-12, 14 and 16 we see the progression of idolatry in God’s temple.  In verse 14 there were women mourning, ritualistically, for the fertility god Tammuz.  In verse 16 they finally got to a place were they had actually turned their backs on God.  They had already in spirit but now the posture reflected it and their worship went toward the sun instead of the glory of God.  Moving into chapter 10 we then see the Lord, great in patience and mercy, moving out of His temple in degrees.  First, He left the Ark from between the cherubim and went to the temple threshold (vs 4).  Then, as if He had been waiting for repentance and change but saw none, He finally left altogether (vs 18-19).  Judgment is pronounced in chapters 11-16 but a promise of eventual restoration is given in verse 60-63 of chapter 16.  But we can see pretty clearly that God will stop at nothing to have a clean house, a clean people and hearts devoted to Him and Him alone.  He won’t have “roommates”.

Some may object to referencing “the Old Testament God” to speak about New Testament realities.  He is not a new God, this Jesus character.  He’s not an improvement upon that nasty old Yahweh.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His character doesn’t change, His outlook on life doesn’t change, His righteousness doesn’t change, His belief that only He is worthy of praise, worship and glory has not changed.  Even in the old economy He was just as rich with mercy then as now.  It took Him an awfully long time to become offended and angered enough to banish His people and destroy His temple and its priesthood.  It wasn’t a whim, it was long suffering that finally reached a cut off point and then something had to be done for the sake of His name.

Do You Have Idols In Your Life?

So what about you?  Do you burn incense to other gods (what do you listen to or watch?)?  Do you weep over fallen gods?  Really, who gives a rip about these dumb “reality” shows and who is a singing/dancing star or who lost the most recent UFC match?  Have you turned your back on God to worship the sun?  If your heart affections were a pie graph, who/what has the largest percentage of your love?  Are you discontent with what God has given you and feel the need to connive for more through dishonesty as Eli’s sons did?  They had wives already, but took other women who were not theirs.  You may not transgress in that way, but do you cross boundaries like this in your heart?  Are you simply not satisfied with God’s design and construct for ministerial function and so you invent your own “cool, relevant” way that makes Jesus easier to accept?  The list of applications from these stories is endless, the principles are eternal and will always apply to some kind of situation in our daily lives.

God is slow to anger.  That was a huge part of the revealing of His Name to Moses.   Let us rejoice in this but let us not take it for granted as Israel did.  God waited for a long time before sending Jesus to cleanse that temple.  It’s not like it got dirty overnight, it had been on the decline for some time.  I deduce that fact from the fact that God is slow to anger and judgment.  But Jesus did go and handle some business.  I believe He actually did it twice; once at the beginning of His ministry and then right before His crucifixion.  While you may not agree with the entirety of this article, at least pay attention to the case he makes for the belief in 2 cleansings and the significance of the Levitical law of “leprosy/corruption” in a house.

So, rather than getting a fear trip out of all of this, pull from this that Jesus is serious about anything in which He dwells.  When He chooses to dwell in a thing/person, then the witness of that thing/person is of great import because it is directly tied to people’s perception of Him.  In times past we see God angered over His enemies being given occasion to blaspheme Him because of human conduct that is supposed to reflect the Real God.

To this day, the thing that is supposed to be The Church is impotent, largely….well, maybe just in U.K., Canada and America.  So if you’re in a third world country, nevermind all this, you’re probably okay.  For the rest of us, let’s make sure nothing in our lives/minds bears any resemblance to those things in Eli’s sons or in the temple priesthood of Ezekiel’s day or Jesus’ day.  Let’s not offer lame sacrifices.  Let’s make sure that all “exchanges” are fair and just whether they be verbal exchanges or goods and services.  Let’s give Jesus our best…our BEST!  He will give us His in return.

For a recent Fire On Your Head podcast related to the themes mentioned in today’s article, check out “Keeping Ourselves From Idols“

This week Dave and Steve try to cover the subject of speaking in tongues, but this time from the angle of asking specifically if it’s the one true initial evidence of receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Steve says yes, always, while Dave says almost always, and we take it from there basically.

We cover the usual passages this topic elicits, and look today in depth at Acts chapters 2, 8, 10, 15, and 19 mostly and had little time for much else, so it might be a topic we revisit in the near future, and spend a little bit of time in 1 Corinthians 14.

What does “do all speak in tongues” mentioned in passing in 1 Cor 12:30 refer to? Are all tongues created equal? Does the Bible really say that one needs an interpreter every time they speak in tongues?

This week’s intro: Like Hallelujah by All Star United

If you’d like to subscribe to the Fire On Your Head Podcast, visit our directory in iTunes,  or visit FireOnYourHead.com for more subscription options.

More Study on the Subject of Speaking in Tongues:

Is Tongues the Initial Evidence? (unofficial show notes).

Why Every Believer Should Speak in Tongues

The Spirit of Truth

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Check out what is bound to be the first in at least a two part series.

This week’s intro: Oh How We Want You To Come by Misty Edwards

Download this episode (right click and save)

Relevant Articles

State of The Church – by Dave,

The Myth of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture – by Steve,

5 Facts Examining The Rapture – Joshua Kirkland,

Chronology of the Rapture & Appropriation of the Rapture – by Avi.

If you’d like to subscribe to the Fire On Your Head Podcast, visit our directory in iTunes,  or visit FireOnYourHead.com for more subscription options.

Walking in Wisdom and the Spirit, and The Mystery of Christ and the  Church

II. The Mystery of Christ and the Church

1.   22-24 Wives were created to be subject to their husbands just as the church was created to be subject to Christ. This is not bondage, this is liberty. This is the place where the wife is in her realm. She is free, doing what she was created to do, helping and strengthening her husband.[6]

2.   25; 28, 29 Husbands must not take advantage of this and lord over his wife his position. He must love her and serve her. What wife, who is loved, will not joyfully subject herself to her husband? He must put her first in everything, just as Christ put the His bride (us) first, even in death and life. This is the husband laying his life down for her, daily putting her before him. He must nourish her, giving her all the physical, intimate, mental, and spiritual food that she needs. He must cherish her. She is a gift, not a toy or a slave, etc…

3. 25-32 Christ and the Church

a. Christ treated us like His own wife.   He died in our place, so we could live. He cleansed us of our sin, washing us in His blood, so we would be a virgin on our wedding day. This is also why Paul told us earlier to stay away from things that make us filthy. Jesus does not want a filthy bride. He meets us in that state and removes from us the filthiness and makes us ready in the Spirit for the wedding day. So we must walk this out. We have a wedding to attend and we must be ready for it. When husbands love their wives, they will respect and love him back. She will obey him because she is loved. Christ loves us and gives us life, so we will freely love Him back. We are not forced to obey, He wants lovers, not robots. We are free and compelled to obey all that He commands of us, because we love to be loved by Him.

b. When we are married, we leave our parents to become joined with another. We are joined to that person, and in intimacy[7] there is no distinction. We become one entity-connected.[8] Christ left His Father to be joined with us, His bride. He created a bride for Himself who would love Him because He nourishes and cherishes, and laid His life down for Her. He longs to fill us with Himself, as the marriage illustrates. Remember we are His dwelling, and we are filled with His Spirit.[9]

c. This is supernatural, not natural.[10] Being intimate with God means getting out of bed with the world. We are married and joined to Him and Him alone. This is total freedom. An authentic mature church is one that is married to God and subject to Him in everything. This is a great mystery and I am not attempting to complete an explanation here, just providing revelatory insight into the understanding of the context.

d. 33 We must have properly loving marriages and families that make up the church. They must be string if the church is going to be strong. Paul starts the next chapter with emphasis on this. Only when we understand the relationship between Christ and the church can we properly relate to each other as husband and wife, and as a family.

[2] vv 4:1

[3] vv 4:3

[4] see 39

[5] vv 4:13

[6] With so much feminism and “equality” in today’s western culture, this is being fought and even being taught from an incorrect “Biblical” standpoint. Men and women are equal as far as it comes to their relationship to God. However, they were created to fulfill different roles. These roles may change at different times and vary from person to person, but there is still a divinely created order that they generally operate in. For women to do and be what she was created to be is total freedom for her. If she steps out of these roles and tries to do what a man is created to do, she is actually straying into bondage. (I am speaking of general life and family function of having peace in your place. Yes God can raise up females to do seemingly manly things as He sees fit, and as a need may arise, especially if a man is not present nor able to act in the call. This is a response to a culture that says women have to equalize themselves with men.)

[7] (a reflection of the spirit)

[8] This is why adultery and lust is so bad.  In a sense, we break the connection (and covenant) we have with our lover and join to another.

[9] I am not saying the Holy Spirit is a man’s seed. Earthly marriage according to the text reflects the spiritual between God and men. I am simply expounding on being joined to, and “one” with God (vv31-32).

[10] You must be mature to understand this and not be of a gross mindset.

Links for the individual articles are below. Click here for the entire study.

Ephesians Part 1: Introduction

Ephesians Part 2: Chapter 1

Ephesians Part 3:  Chapter 2

Ephesians Part 4: Chapter 3

Ephesians Part 5: Chapter 4a

Ephesians Part 6: Chapter 4b

Ephesians Part 7: Chapter 5a

Ephesians Part 8: Chapter 5b

Ephesians Part 9: Chapter 6a

Ephesians Part 10: Chapter 6b & Conclusion

Ephesians Part 11: Heavenly Places

Ephesians 5a – Living in the Light

1. 1-2 As we grow, we imitate Christ, and walk as He walked, in love. When we imitate Him, we become more like Him, and less like the world. This will mean the more like Him we will become. We will live more pure and sin less. Sin is a stench in the nostrils of God. And when we are living like Him and imitating Him, we will be a fragrant aroma.

2. 3-5 We learned in the previous verse what a fragrant aroma is, and now we have a description of what it is not. We adhere to the highest standards, not because we are religious, but because we love God so much, that we do not want to sin.

a.   4 – These seem like little insignificant things that do not matter much.  However, their presence can be just enough to hinder our relationship with the Father that we miss the greater opportunity in the Spirit, or it may keep us from growing in and flowing in our gifts. Song of Solomon 2:15 states “The little foxes are ruining the vineyards.” They may not appear to do much damage, but in harvest time, the fruit of our lives could be half eaten away, just because we tolerated a little joke here and silly talk there. We must examine every aspect of our lives and lay it all on the altar, if we want to reach all the fullness that God has for us in this lifetime.

1. 5 – In verse 1:11, we read of our inheritance in the Spirit, in Christ. Here we have the contrast of that which describes those who do not receive an inheritance. We have been raised up and seated with Christ (2:6), and there is a requirement on our part to walk out that position and inheritance as we grow in Christ. God does take us from where we are at (2:1-5), and gives us spiritual life. This life in the Spirit is the power to overcome sin and live according to that very Spirit. If you live the way as described in this verse, you have not an inheritance. God saw us in our sinful state, separated from Him and gave His life to restore us to our proper place (2:1-6). When we return to that state, we forsake our inheritance. God will always accept us back, but we must be growing into His image. “For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live.” (Romans 6:13)

3. 6-14 Into the Light – Christ Shines

a.  6-7 Empty words are boasts of things which someone may proclaim, but does not walk in. “For I will come to you soon… and shall find out not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power.” (1 Cor 4:19-20) Paul, when writing to Timothy, describes men like this, that they “[hold] to a form of godliness, but have denied its power.” (2 Tim 3:5)

1. 8-11 If we walk the way we used to walk, then we are walking away from our inheritance, away from our heavenly position, and back into darkness. This is walking away from the light, not toward it. We are ministers of light, not ministers of darkness. We are ministers of life, not ministers of death. We are always fleeing darkness, and pursuing light. Pleasing Him, not doing what does not.
2. c. 11-14 What is done in darkness is shameful and unfruitful. What is done in light produces fruit (9). We as the church expose what happens in darkness, shinning the light of Christ there. How can we do that if we live there or have occasional visits? These things of darkness are of satan, and we should not even mention them. We expose it and bring the light of Christ there. In darkness, there is death, but the light of Christ will make the darkness visible, and transform the death into life. You cannot see without light. The world is in darkness and we must shine the light.
   1. i. Much of the church either lives there, in the dark, or somewhere in between. They have a little light here and a little darkness there.[1] The church, the body of Christ must awake from this death. Christ shines in us and we must shine to the world.
   2. ii. 14 This verse fits here and also in context to everything that we have studied in Ephesians up to this point. The church must wake up to these things and embrace the mystery of who she really is, and the power that she really possesses in the heavenly places. Only when there is an authentic church, awake, walking in the fullness of Christ, will the world see the truth of the gospel-Jesus Christ is Lord!
   3. iii. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden: nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:14-17)

Links for the individual articles are below. Click here for the entire study.

Ephesians Part 1: Introduction

Ephesians Part 2: Chapter 1

Ephesians Part 3:  Chapter 2

Ephesians Part 4: Chapter 3

Ephesians Part 5: Chapter 4a

Ephesians Part 6: Chapter 4b

Ephesians Part 7: Chapter 5a

Ephesians Part 8: Chapter 5b

Ephesians Part 9: Chapter 6a

Ephesians Part 10: Chapter 6b & Conclusion

Ephesians Part 11: Heavenly Places

We get the sacred cow barbecue going again, this time with returning guest Joel Crumpton as we discuss healing.

What is the number one stumbling block people in the Church face with regard to being healed? What ‘condemns you in your heart’ before God, causing you not to receive healing? Why is it sometimes easier to see the unsaved healed in their bodies than it is to see Christians healed? Of what significance is it that we have promises of God’s in writing? Why do many Bible translations leave out Matthew 17:21? Join us as we discuss and sometimes answer these things in this week’s podcast, as well as give a few updates on the work of Fire Peru and the Book Sponsoring project.

This week’s intro: Broken Heart, by Falling Up.

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Visit Joel’s blog at http://joelcrumpton.blogspot.com/

Read Joel’s Fire Press articles here.

To learn more about Joel and Pat Crumpton’s ministry, visit their F.I. bio page at http://www.fire-international.org/?p=1546

If you’d like to subscribe to the Fire On Your Head Podcast, visit our directory in iTunes,  or visit FireOnYourHead.com for more subscription options.

Acts 19:11-12 says 

“And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but if someone had such a contagious and disgusting eye disease, would we really be passing around handkerchiefs they used–in order to heal sick people and cast out demons with them–or would we not burn them or dispose of them in order to avoid having the infection spread?  Of course not, we’d do all we could to avoid having others get contaminated!

So I’ve taken some time to really ponder why I took the energy and time and gathered some resources to provide some reading about Paul’s thorn. And as promised, I am taking some time to explain why I feel it’s important. Most things are actually just side issues to me–believe it or not, except for things pertaining to healing. If the Bible is clear about something, there is no discussion needed on it. If the Bible is vague on something, then people are free to have their own opinions on. However the Bible is not vague on this topic or this passage, but very clear. It’s our perception of these passages and our ‘faith eyeglasses’ that need fixing. If we let the Scripture merely say what it says, we’d have way less confusion in the Body of Christ, and certainly way less people living in defeat when it comes to seeing a healing in their life, because of a false understanding of this passage and ones seemingly like it.

When dealing with the subject of divine healing, I have yet to find someone in opposition to the subject matter and having faith for it in our day, who does NOT bring up the issue of Paul’s thorn, and that therefore “see, even Paul was sick with something God [allegedly] put on him!  Aha!” Therefore any further discussion or study on the subject should at least deal with this particular roadblock for many hungry seekers of the truth.

And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted.
Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me;
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Amplified Bible)

One doesn’t actually need to look this passage up in the Amplified translation of the Bible to see from reading in context Paul is not talking about having something physically wrong with him necessarily. No more effort will be spent in this installment trying to persuade the reader of that.

Who really cares what the thorn was or who it came from?

I remember when I had a discussion with someone once that I’ve known for a long time. She had a condition that she attributed to her past, and upon trying to encourage her, using the Word of God to show that He wants (a.k.a. *wills*) to take this away from her, she insisted she was “being taught a lesson” by the Lord, about sowing and reaping. She told me that she’s destined to bear this burden, and you guessed it, her Scriptural support in her mind was “even Paul had a thorn“. I’ve thought about this numerous times since, and in other conversations where people are living in defeat or just plain sick from something but don’t want to believe they can be made whole or well. If what I shared in the first two parts of this discussion was wrong, and let’s hypothetically concede Paul having a disease or sickness God put on him as a ‘thorn in his side’. We also need to take the rest of the passage, which sadly, few Christians can possibly say they live up to: the surpassing greatness of revelations like Paul had. Anybody want to stop there and say they are NOT on the same playing field as Paul now that we factor in this aspect of his having that thorn?!

I know almost no Christian in my life in Canada, the USA or Europe who lives anything like Paul did. Nobody I know is walking in the dynamic of revelations and ministry like Paul–signs and wonders as frequent and commonly as he did–praying more than others, and having things to say so important that his writings are canonized and now a part of Scripture. The last time someone told me they had a thorn, I asked them if they operate in the same capacity of revelation that Paul had. This brother told me with his own words “definitely not”, to which I sharply asked “then what makes you think you need a thorn like his then if you don’t do what he did to supposedly merit having one?!” Why do many believers insist on believing that they deserve a thorn without earning it like Paul–so to speak, I’m being hypothetical, remember.

My reason in sharing that point is that a lot Christians I know want it both ways when it comes to their disadvantages. We try to often make God the problem (“He put this on me”) instead of seeing what the Word really says concerning His promises and acting on it. If I have heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times–enough to write a study on the subject to post here for any who will read. You have no idea how much it feels like someone’s ripping my fingernails off whenever I hear “well I guess this [insert here] is just my thorn.” No it isn’t. We are in a war, and the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). Is God your enemy, or the devil?

The Bible also says in Mark 9:23 that all things are possible to those that believe. All things are possible to whom? Them that believe. That statement is not a blanket promise from God, it’s conditional. God does His part (all things), mixed together with us doing our part — believing. Also, implicit in that statement is the fact that what you believe IS important. Faith can only be had where the will of God is known–for faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). So it’s important to know WHAT the Word of God says, in order to base our faith on it. That’s why so many of my entries take the time to expose what the Scripture says, and not just share an opinion of mine. Too many in the Body of Christ form their opinions and base their doctrines on failure to see something happen. With healing, we hold a double standard to it that I’ve never seen anyone hold to salvation. If we lay hands on a sick person and they don’t get healed, or we are sick and seek healing–and don’t get the results, most believers conclude that it’s not God’s will. Humbug! I know people if you ask them if it’s God’s will for a muslim to be converted, they’d say yes! Ask them why, and they cite at least one verse like John 3:16. Nobody looks at the Middle East saying “well, that’s one billion muslims in the world, and they aren’t saved–I guess that means it’s not God’s will to save all.”

We have total faith for peoples’ salvation based on at least one Scripture verse! In case after reading other entries I’ve written on it and there’s any doubt in your mind–I repeat to you it is just as much God’s will to heal a body as it is to save a person’s soul! Both acts were atoned for at the cross. God doesn’t say “By His [Jesus'] stripes you are healed“ and then put a ‘thorn’ in you. God’s not a sufferer of multiple personality disorder!

Anyway, I hope my thoughts in this entry were organized enough for you. I especially write these things to boost peoples’ faith in the Scriptures for healing because I single-handedly attribute the misteaching out there about Paul’s thorn to be one of the main roadblocks to why some don’t even believe God for their healing, because they erroneously believe, based on this passage out of context, that God wants them sick. It doesn’t glorify God that we are living unhealthy when He paid for all on the cross–our sins and our sickness–both entered the world through Adam and Eve’s sin, and both were paid for by the last Adam–Christ on the cross.

Does Jesus put sin on anybody?

No, you say? Well then he doesn’t put a disease or sickness on them either, but both are from the pit of hell.

If this post has been beneficial to you, you may enjoy our podcast show where we discuss Paul’s thorn in the flesh and kill some sacred cows in the process:

Paul’s Thorn in The Flesh
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Our text we’ve been dealing with is found in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, and today I hope to primarily focus on the second half of that passage. The purpose of this discussion is to demonstrate not only is God not against us, but that he is for us, and a word study and careful look at the word ‘grace’ and just what God says to Paul in response to his crying out to Him, will demonstrate one aspect of God’s merciful character.

There is a lot to cover in just these few verses and there’s even enough to write books about. But I do feel more strongly about showing people the thorn in Paul’s flesh was 1) not from God, and 2) not a disease or a sickness, and therefore the major concern of mine is already dealt with. However, I wanted to continue to carefully examine the rest of the text for a few more posts, because we are so sickness-minded in the Body of Christ, that we just think God wants us to tolerate everything the devil throws at us and go to the doctor instead of using what The Doctor already gave us and appropriate it. I’m going to be using the same kind of approach as last week, but I totally respect and understand those that differ with my findings concerning v. 9-10. Verses 7-8 I will not back down from, though.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Sometimes we read Scripture with our ‘pre-understanding’–that’s to say, with an understanding already formulated, or lenses or a bias that causes us to interpret Scripture according to what we already think, without carefully reading the Scripture and letting it speak for itself. I believe this is one of those texts. Nowhere does this Scripture insinuate–even if you keep reading–that God was unwilling to do anything about the thorn in Paul’s flesh. In fact, I would like to take you on a journey of how come I feel God already answered Paul’s problem before he went to the Lord, and just wanted to remind him of it.

Word Study

First word:
“grace” GK 5485 “charis” From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): – acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy). (emphasis mine).

This word never gets translated into words like ‘mercy’ or ‘compassion’ from Greek to English, and those two words come from different roots. When studying a word and its context, it’s necessary in Scripture if we really want to grasp its meaning, to go to the original source and compare other instances of it being translated–either as another word, or just how it’s used in other contexts. An English definition for a word will not give as clear of an idea of what the author of Scripture is saying as does the original language (in this New Testament instance, Greek).

Of the 155 times charis is translated grace, only half or so actually mean something like ‘unmerited favor’. Click here for examples of it denoting a divine ability, enabling, or gifting: Luke 2:40, Acts 4:33, 6:8, Romans 1:5, 12:3, 12:6. From clicking on each of the links to these verses, it’s clear from the immediate context that although grace is unmerited favor, there’s another layer to it denoting spiritual power or ability in these passages.

Another instance of this word charis being used:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace (charis) in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

An Old Testament example of God speaking to a man in a similar way as He did to Paul here is found in the life of Moses, in Exodus. When Moses brought Israel to the sea, he cried out to God who responded in a way that would offend most Christians:

“Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:15-16).

I can almost picture the Lord saying it like “why are you bothering to come to me about it? I already gave you what you need–now use it–lift up your rod!” Likewise, Paul is being told “what I’ve already given you (grace/charis/enablement) is all you need.“

Second word:
“power” GK 1411 “dunamis” From G1410; force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself): – ability, abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work. (emphasis mine again)

The following verses, showing power/dunamis being used elsewhere should show that Paul is not being told that God has just enough power for Paul’s emotions to be settled while he goes through whatever he goes through. Rather, power is usually used in Scripture for miraculous denotation.

“And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” Acts 3:12

“And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”Acts 4:7

“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (charis again used here) was upon them all.” Acts 4:33

“On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.“ Luke 5:17

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19

Though this is in a negative context, it still serves the purpose of demonstrating the word’s use.

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

Third word:
“weakness” GK 769 “astheneia”
From G772; feebleness (of body or mind); by implication malady; moral frailty: – disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

Yes. This word does mean weakness or malady. I almost didn’t even really need to show that to you to prove my point. However, depending on the translation you use, Paul lists 5 or 6 things, of which this word astheneia is one of them. That means there’s a 1 in 6 chance (or 5 if you want to cling to whatever translation you use and it only has 5 listed not 6) that at the forefront of Paul’s mind he’s likely referring to his thorn as being a malady. “So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses” (v.10, Amplified Bible)

Non-traditional Approach

So contrary to what is popularly taught, and based what the text says, I hope this clears up some confusion people may have concerning 1) what Paul’s thorn was, 2) that God did not give it to Him and 3) that God’s reaction to Paul is not what is usually taught–that He just kinda told Paul to tolerate it.

This verse is also where the “law of emphasis” comes into play. I don’t know if there is such a law, but I made it up and it sounds good. I say that to describe that from what we’ve already established as being the context of the previous chapter, that clearly sickness is not on Paul’s mind, but he’s saying in passing that it’s one of the things he doesn’t let get him down and let’s Christ be magnified through. It seems to me given his ministry to the Gentiles, and from things he says elsewhere, and also from just plain reading Acts, we can predict or assume that Paul would walk in relatively divine health if he was healing people and ministering with signs and wonders following. Therefore, it’s feasible that something ELSE (or someONE else) is the thorn he has just referred to.

If this post has been beneficial to you, you may enjoy our podcast show where we discuss Paul’s thorn in the flesh and kill some sacred cows in the process:

Paul’s Thorn in The Flesh
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