The gift of Satan

2CO 12:7-10 NLT

even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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We've all heard it before but why didn't we recognize it for what it says.

God gave Paul an extraordinary vision of heaven. It was so miraculous he's not even allowed to talk about it.

2CO 12:4 NLT

that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

Seems that Paul has had an off the chart, earth shattering spiritual experience. This is so special that apparently it doesn't put you into a humble contemplative nigh onto vegetative state of near nirvana but rather being given a glimpse into heaven could make you a bit sinful. In fact the whole experience might lead to pride the ole chestnut that kicked it all off I the garden with Eve and her hubby Adam. So here Paul is again a bit like Adam in Paradise and the upshot is that he might get a big head (again).
So what do you do to deal with that?
Send in Satan. Well maybe not actually Satan, but a messenger for him. And what is the role of this gift of Satan's messenger? Torment. And the purpose of the torment is to keep Paul humble to sort of counteract the trip to heaven.

Now this torment thing is no cake walk. It must hurt, for it has been a topic of conversation on a few occasions between God and Paul. And what's the answer? God says,

2CO 12:9 NLT

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

So let me sum up so far.

God gives Paul the opportunity to see paradise and some things that are unspeakable.
This experience makes Paul more prone to pride (sin).
God gives Paul a tormenting messenger from Satan to keep him humble.
Paul finds this rather difficult and repeatedly requests that the torment stop.
God says, his grace is all Paul needs and God's power works best in weakness.

Now we all want God's power to work real good now. So weaknesses should be the order of the day.
God's power doesn't work in your strength.
When was the last time you prayed for torment, torment from Satan no less?
When was the last time you prayed for weakness?

Do you want God's power? Do you want God's power to work real good?

Well.

How about a bit of weakness anyone?

You not only should want the grace of God, but in fact you desperately need the grace of God.

To get more grace, to get  God's power you need weakness.

Hope this made you rethink, visions, grace, suffering, power and strength.

It did me.

Now then, I thought I was done but this little revelation about Paul's torment made me ask a few fundamental questions.

Snakes in the garden kind of questions. And for that matter Satan in the wilderness tempting Jesus because God led him there questions. And lest we forget, Jesus praying three times for the cup of torment on the cross to be removed too might fit into this group of questions.

See God, from Adam to Jesus and even through to Paul (possibly aka us), put people in a position to really really need him. Knock out all the props so that there is no where else to turn seems to be the plan. This isn't an oddity, an aberration, or a one off.

And we are talking God here, so it's not like it's negotiable, or even up for discussion. I mean, like Jesus and Paul, you can raise your concern, but in the end it is going to be there staring you in the face day after day. You can protest, fight, ignore or give in. But in the end you only have one option to submit now, or submit later.

So what's it going to be?