肉体上的刺
又恐怕我因所得的启示甚大,就过于自高,所以有一根刺加在我肉体上,就是撒但的差役要攻击我,免得我过于自高(哥林多后书12:7)
亲爱的弟兄姊妹们,多年来,魔鬼一直利用传统教义上误解保罗身上的刺来说服基督徒,使他们失去上帝的祝福,魔鬼更设法使我们相信并且接受:从疾病到犯罪,所有发生在我们身上的事情都是出于上帝,所以我们随自己的意志行事就是了。
这或许是当今最具毁灭性,又被基督肢体们最普遍接受的圣经误解。当我去传道时惊讶地发现,虽然很多基督徒没有得到真道的喂养,他们对上帝的话语几乎没有认识和知识,但是不知何故竟被误导了保罗的刺。
这些基督徒大多都是被误导,错误地相信刺(一切苦难)是上帝放置在他们生命里的。
传统教义说,是上帝给了保罗肉体上的刺(保罗经受的苦难),不但如此,他们还故意把这根刺说得很神秘。可是,圣经上根本没有这么说!
圣经上说,保罗肉体上的刺(保罗经受的苦难)是撒旦的差役,是撒旦的,而不是上帝的。完全照字意来分析,保罗所说这根刺是撒旦差遣的差役(有一根刺加在我肉体上,就是撒但的差役要攻击我---哥林多后书12:7)
你能看到,保罗去到哪里就会把福音传到哪里,即使常常伴有各样的苦难。因为每当保罗传道时,就会对撒旦的国多一些地破坏,所以撒旦差遣一个差役,就是邪灵,去阻止他,使他多受苦难。
然而,当保罗求上帝挪去这根刺时(看哥林多后书12:8-10为这事,我三次求过主,叫这刺离开我。祂对我说:“我的恩典够你用的。因为,我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”所以我更喜欢夸自己的软弱,好叫基督的能力覆庇我。我为基督的缘故,就以软弱、凌辱、急难、逼迫、困苦为可喜乐的,因我甚么时候软弱,甚么时候就刚强了),上帝并没有从这根刺的负面角度来回复保罗,而是说:“我的恩典(或我的恩惠)足够你用,因为我的能力是在你软弱(无能为力)时显得完全。”
换句话说,当保罗以人的力量无法战胜苦难时,上帝的神奇大能足够他用的,使他在软弱时靠着上帝的大能成为得胜者。上帝将这根刺的负面,转为有益于保罗传道的正面。
不要允许魔鬼误导你放弃属于你的胜利,你要撇开那些传统教义,勇敢信靠上帝的话语,就像使徒保罗一样,你要打胜信心之战,那么你就会看到上帝对你的救恩。
研经:哥林多后书12:1-10
12:1 我自夸固然无益,但我是不得已的,如今我要说到主的显现和启示。
12:2 我认得一个在基督里的人,他前十四年被提到第三层天上去,或在身内,我不知道;或在身外,我也不知道,只有 神知道。
12:3 我认得这人,或在身内、或在身外,我都不知道,只有 神知道。
12:4 他被提到乐园里,听见隐秘的言语,是人不可说的。
12:5 为这人,我要夸口。但是为我自己,除了我的软弱以外,我并不夸口。
12:6 我就是愿意夸口,也不算狂,因为我必说实话。只是我禁止不说,恐怕有人把我看高了,过于他在我身上所看见所听见的。
12:7 又恐怕我因所得的启示甚大,就过于自高,所以有一根刺加在我肉体上,就是撒但的差役要攻击我,免得我过于自高。
12:8 为这事,我三次求过主,叫这刺离开我。
12:9 祂对我说:“我的恩典够你用的,因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”所以我更喜欢夸自己的软弱,好叫基督的能力覆庇我。
12:10 我为基督的缘故,就以软弱、凌辱、急难、逼迫、困苦,为可喜乐的。因我甚么时候软弱,甚么时候就刚强了。
在此,我们夫妻感谢上帝,我们主耶稣基督的父,赐给我们美好的一天,也赐给我们你们这些忠心于主的弟兄姊妹们。
(以上所写的,你们可以用来建造耶稣基督的国度)
Thorn in the Flesh
2 Corinthians 12:7
. . . . . . 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
Dear Brothers and Sisters
The devil has used the traditional teaching of Paul's thorn in the flesh to talk believers out of the blessings of GOD for years, to try to convince us to settle for everything from sickness to sin--and to do it of our own free will.
It is perhaps the most destructive and the most widely accepted misinterpretation of Scripture that exists in the BODY of CHRIST today. I've gone into places to preach to people who hardly had any knowledge of the WORD at all and still I have found that somehow they'd been taught about Paul's thorn.
And most of them have been taught wrongly, in believing that the thorn was put in by GOD.
Tradition says that GOD gave Paul the thorn in the flesh. What's more, tradition makes the thorn into some great mystery. But the Scripture doesn't say that at all!
It says that the thorn in the flesh was a messenger of Satan. Not GOD-- Satan! The thorn was quite literally just what Paul says it was--a "messenger sent from Satan." (2 Corinthians 12:7 I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me)
You see, everywhere Paul went, he preached the gospel and every time he preached, he destroyed a little more of Satan's kingdom. So, Satan sent a messenger, an evil spirit, to stop Paul.
When Paul sought the LORD concerning this thorn (look at 2 Corinthians 12: 8 Three times I pleaded with the LORD to take it away from me. 9 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 about my weaknesses, so that CHRIST’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for CHRIST’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.), GOD didn't answer Paul in the negative. GOD said, "MY grace (or, MY favour) is enough. It is sufficient for you. For MY strength is made perfect in your weakness (inability to produce results)".
In other words, when Paul didn't have enough human strength to overcome, GOD's miracle-working power was sufficient for him. It enabled him to be an overcomer in spite of his weakness.
Don't allow the devil to talk you out of your victory. Throw tradition aside and dare to believe the WORD of GOD. Fight the fight of faith, and just like the Apostle Paul, you will see the salvation of the LORD!
Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
12: 1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the LORD. 2 I know a man in CHRIST who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—GOD knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 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 about my weaknesses, so that CHRIST’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for CHRIST’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We give thanks to GOD, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, for this day and for you, faithful brothers and sisters.
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From Victor n Esther - "My life journey with Jesus"
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