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Problems And Power

”And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” 2 Cor. 12:7

”So tremendous, however, were the revelations that God gave me that, in order to prevent my becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a stabbing pain--one of Satan’s angels--to plague me and effectually stop any conceit.” 2 Cor. 12:7 [Phillips]

God allows problems in our lives for many different reasons. One reason is to keep us humble as we progress in the things of God. I like how Dennis Peacock puts it: "Power is guarded by problems."

In the above verse, we see that Paul had tremendous revelation of and from God. He was one of the most intelligent scholars in history. God gave him a special mission and an amazing revelation of spiritual things. He needed this revelation for the things he faced. Paul had to stand firm against the prejudice of his countrymen as he took the Gospel to the Gentiles. He also wrote the majority of the New Testament.

I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 2 For. 12:2, NASB

Most scholars believe Paul is referring to himself in this passage. The first heaven is the sky/atmosphere, the second heaven is outer space, and the third heaven is the home of God and the angels. Paul had the privilege of being caught up in heaven for a time. It is doubtful that anyone knew more of the things of God than Paul.

And yet, to keep him from pride and making a shipwreck of his life, God allowed him to face tremendous troubles and opposition. We are not told precisely what this "thorn in the flesh" is, but it was humbling for Paul. Some Scriptures and traditions indicate that Paul had severe problems with his eyes. It doesn't matter what it was; the point is that Paul had great spiritual knowledge and power and needed problems to keep him safe.

Problems Can Be A Blessing

Problems remind us that we are human, that we are not in control, and that we desperately need God. The more power, authority, and revelation God allows us to have, the more we need to be driven to God for His strength, direction, and wisdom. It is so easy to become self-confident and self-reliant. This is how the world operates, not the Kingdom of God.

Power without problems would destroy us. We would become proud [we are only deceiving ourselves if we think otherwise] and end up destroying ourselves and wounding or destroying those around us. On a human level, power tends to corrupt, and God, in His wisdom, has put a safeguard around it - challenges that drive us to Him in humility.

People who grasp and struggle for power before God is ready to give it to them are on perilous ground. If they do get it...watch out. They may begin well, but they will end up wrecking their lives and hurting those around them. Like a shark, pride is a silent killer. It took down Lucifer, and it is a threat to all of our lives. Those who fight for power are usually those least able to handle it. Watch out for them, and run from them, lest your own life be caught in the blast of their downfall.

Does this mean we are to be afraid to handle power? No, God is wise. He does not give us more than we can handle at our level of maturity. I doubt any of us have so much spiritual power that we need a personal messenger of Satan to keep us humble. We can trust God not to give us more than we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can handle. We need to use the power that we do have humbly and wisely. We don’t bury it in the earth out of fear or grasp things before their time. We learn to walk in step with the Spirit of God.

Although we don’t like problems, they can be a good thing. They can motivate us to seek God and signify that God is moving us to another level. If we want all we can have of God, we must not fear troubles. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must become problem-solvers and keep pressing into God. If we handle these challenges correctly, they will keep us from being proud and allow us to grow in God.

For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.

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