What’s Your Thorn?
Notes
Transcript
Opening Scripture:
Opening Scripture:
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.
Many biblical theologians and scholars have debated what the actual “thorn” was that Paul was referring to. However, the bible doesn’t tell us exactly what that “Thorn” was.
The reason why God’s word doesn’t tell us or reveal to us what was Paul’s thorn was so that we could fill in the blank as to what our thorn is.. making it relatable to us.
Paul reveals that the purpose of the thorn wasn’t mean to hurt or even distract him but instead to remind him of his need for God.
Our thorn could be in the form of an addiction….
Our thorn could be in the form of a communication defect
Our thorn could be in the form of a desire to be married or have a romantic relationship
Our thorn could be a physical condition or ailment
Whatever our thorn it was meant to serve as a reminder that we are NOT to carry it alone but instead carry it with God.
We deal with our Thorn through God’s Grace, God’s undeserved favor.
Grace was displayed on the cross of calvary where Jesus laid His life down for our benefit
Grace was fulfilled when God the Father raised His Son Jesus from the grave on the third day so that we could be raised into eternal life and have victory over death, hell, and the grave!
Even when we feel that we are unable Jesus is more than able to get us through!
How To Discover Your Thorn
How To Discover Your Thorn
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
In order to discover anything of the Spirit we MUST do so in partnership with God through His word and His Holy Spirit
As we make time to meet with God in His word through His Holy Spirit He will make known to us the intentions and motives of our hearts
We should ask God daily to reveal what is in our hearts so that we can allow God to remove anything that is not like Himself.
Our Thorns are connected to our hearts… Our hearts is the most deceptive thing within us thats why we must fully surrender it over to Jesus.
We should not base our decisions off of feeling but instead seeking God’s direction through prayer and His word.
As you search your heart there your thorn will be!
How To Effectively Deal With Your Thorn
How To Effectively Deal With Your Thorn
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
To effectively deal with our thorn we must understand the purpose in which it is permitted to be in our life
As we constantly deal with our thorn we MUST not worry about anything but instead pray about everything
Often times your thorn will try to make you obsess or worry
Even though God know’s our needs He still desires for us to communicate our needs to Him in prayer
Where there is a request there should be a praise — For He is faithful and Just and will everything that He has said He will do in our lives.
As we come into the presence of God with gratitude (the right way) we will experience His joy and peace that we can not even understand
As we walk in His presence the peace of Jesus will guard our hearts and minds so that the glory of God can be fully displayed within our lives.
Transformed Because of His Thorns!
Transformed Because of His Thorns!
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
In Genesis 3:17-18 it talks about how thorns were brought up from earth as a sign of God’s judgment/curse because of Man’s sin
Through Jesus taking the crown of thorns upon His head that symbolized Him being crowned with our judgement, in other words He took our place in punishment so that we could become sons and daughters of the most High God.
Because of the price that Jesus paid for us on the cross we have the opportunity to walk in true righteousness through a relationship with the Father through Him.
Because of the Father raising His Son from the grave we have been given the victory through Jesus over everything!
Because of the thorns that He took upon Himself and suffered with you no longer have to live in bondage and separation from the Father.
Because of the thorns that He took upon Himself you no longer have to live in bondage to Sin
Because the thorns that He took upon Himself you no longer have to live your life in defeat because YOU HAVE THE VICTORY IN THE NAME AND THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
As we make the daily decision to walk with Jesus we will find life in Jesus!!
