Every Christian has heard a sermon on 2 Corinthians 12—particularly v.9—where Paul states 'And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
In almost every instance, we are instructed that this means we are to suffer with whatever is ailing or troubling us. God obviously refused to heal Paul and told him 'sorry, kid...My grace [whatever that is] will have to be sufficient for you...you'll just have to suffer, but My grace will help you...'
In other words, hold your head high, paste on a brave smile and suffer with a song.
Yikes!
What God is really saying, I believe, is that His grace—all that He is, all that He has given us [which is everything, richly to enjoy!]—deposited in our reborn spirits to provide everything we will ever need or want!
What God is really saying, I believe, is that His grace—all that He is, all that He has given us [which is everything, richly to enjoy!]—deposited in our reborn spirits to provide everything we will ever need or want!
We are made complete in Him ['Colossians 2:10] and have been strengthened with all power according to His glorious might [Ephesians 1:11]. His grace is what makes us complete, despite our weaknesses, in the midst of our weaknesses! So our blessedness does not depend on our ability, nor is it limited by our weaknesses.
His strength is perfected in our weaknesses, so that when we are weak, we are strong! [2 Corinthians 12:10] Hallelujah!
That doesn't mean that His grace is just something to help us bear up under something we won't be delivered from. It means 'stand back, the power of God is really evident when we're at our weakest!'
It means we can never really lose, because when, in our natural state, we are weak, we are still strong through His grace, because we are One Spirit with Him!
Paul's Thorn
The first problem is, I think, a misunderstanding of what Paul's thorn really was. Most people assume it was some kind of nasty sickness, when he tells you himself what it was 2 verses up...
The first problem is, I think, a misunderstanding of what Paul's thorn really was. Most people assume it was some kind of nasty sickness, when he tells you himself what it was 2 verses up...
'Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself.' [2 Corinthians 12:7]
The thorn was a messenger of Satan...NOT a messenger of God! James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6 say that it is God who exalts us! And we're full of God anyway...that's Who Satan is coming against in the first place! And since satan is the original rebel, I'm pretty sure he doesn't listen to God, and I'm quite sure he's not obedient to God even if he does hear Him!
A quick aside: we've been told over and over that Satan wants to destroy us, which is true...but he doesn't really care about us, it's God inside us that he's really persecuting! He hates God and he hates those born of God, and his main mission is to raise himself above God. We just happen to be full of God, One Spirit with the Lord, His Body in the earth.
I also think Paul's three entreaties for deliverance have been misunderstood. Don't forget, Paul was first a Jew. I'm sure his first inclination was to pray in the Old Covenant manner…O God, please help me, please deliver me, please-oh-please-oh-please! Remember me, remember your covenant with me!
God's response was "My grace is sufficient—to be possessed of unfailing strength, to be strong, to suffice, to be enough…to defend or ward off, to be satisfied, content—for you, for POWER [gr. dunamis, miracle-working power] is perfected in weakness.
In other words, MY POWER is already in you and is enough to deliver you. You already have authority over ALL the POWER or the enemy [Luke 10:19]!
The Greek word for authority is exousia…power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases, the power or authority (influence) and of right (privilege), the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to and obeyed)!
Hallelujah! He had the power and authority within all the time to deal with whatever satan came against him with…and so do we!
Grace
So what is going on here? What does grace have to do with a bad situation like this?
So what is going on here? What does grace have to do with a bad situation like this?
The Greek word charis has several meanings...good will, lovingkindness, favor...that which affords joy, pleasure, delight. It is a benefit or bounty—a recompense or reward.
None of those meanings come close to suffer with a smile.
In fact, John 1:14 says that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Romans 3:24 says that we are justified as a gift by His grace.
Get this...Romans 5:17 says that those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ!
I think the key to understanding grace is found in a couple of verses in Romans:
'For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.' [Romans 6:14]
'But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works...' [Romans 11:6]
And don't forget Ephesians 1:6 '...to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.' Grace is full of the glory of God, and according to Ephesians 2:7 He will show us the riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
It still doesn't sound like suffering to me...
Favor
After grace, the second most common translation of charis is favor. God's favor is power...Psalm 5:12 says we're surrounded with favor as with a shield!
After grace, the second most common translation of charis is favor. God's favor is power...Psalm 5:12 says we're surrounded with favor as with a shield!
Do a word search on favor in the Old Testament. All the OT heroes and patriarchs had favor with God...and according to Luke 1:30, so did Mary! And we know what kind of miracle happened to her!
God's favor is power in the earth. Noah found favor with the Lord and saved mankind. Abraham found favor with the Lord and started the nation of God. Joseph found favor with God and went from a slave to Vice-Pharoah of the most powerful nation on earth.
God gave Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians which allowed them to plunder their wealth before leaving [Exodus 12:36]. Moses had God's favor and led slaves into freedom—and along the way he part the Red Sea, struck rocks for water and received manna for food in the wilderness!
Then of course, there was Jesus...Luke 2:52 says He kept increasing int wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. He performed amazing miracles for 3 years, conquered satan, hell and death and brought many sons to glory!!
John 1:14 says He was full of grace—charis—and truth. With what we now know, another way to read that verse would be 'full of favor and truth.'
Power...The Bottom Line
Back to 2 Corinthians 12:9. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
Back to 2 Corinthians 12:9. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
Grace is the power of God operating in a weak, earthen vessel! The weaker you are, the more power is perfected! Nowhere does it say suffer with a brave smile! It's about the power of God, the favor of God—the recompense of salvation!
In other words, use the power within—it's there for you to use!
This passage is all about the power to defeat satan in the earth, which is probably why so much error has been taught around it.
Paul comes right back in 2 Corinthians 2:9,19 with the attitude 'bring on the weaknesses then, for that's when the power of God is at it's strongest...for when I am weak, then I am strong!.
Remember the God within, with His power and authority, His grace and favor. And conquer the devil!
