Paul’s Thorn Explained

Paul’s thorn is often used by Satan to get God’s people to question if it’s really God’s will to heal them. Satan wants God’s people to feel that God has them sick for a reason. One of the vital elements in the healing ministry is a solid understanding of Paul’s thorn.

It is understandable that Paul would consider this thorn a hindrance to wider or more effective ministry ( Galatians 5:14-16) and that he would three times petition God for its
removal (2 Corinthians 12:8).

But Paul learned from this experience the lesson that dominates his writings: divine power is best displayed against the backdrop of human weakness (2 Corinthians 4:7) so that God alone is praised ( 2 Corinthians 10:17). God gave him grace and strength through it, and He declared that grace to be “sufficient.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (New International Version)

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan,
to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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. 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.

It’s not a sickness:
Paul’s thorn was clearly not a sickness because it refers to this thorn as a “messenger of Satan.”

It’s not a demonic bondage:
God clearly wants His people delivered from all demonic bondages, so it’s not that Paul needed deliverance. After all, Jesus came to destroy the
works of the devil, did He not?

1 John 3:8 (New King James Version)

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the
works of the devil.

What Paul’s thorn actually is:
Paul’s thorn was the enemy going around causing persecutions for Paul, for Christ’s sake!

2 Corinthians 12:10

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.

Persecutions were one thing that Jesus said His people would have to face, and that perfectly explains why God would not take it away. God’s will for our healing and deliverance is made very evident, but we are not guaranteed to be delivered from all persecutions.

When we are strong in abilities or resources, we are tempted to do God’s work on our own and that can lead to pride. When we are weak, allowing God to fill us with His power, then we are stronger than we could ever be on our own. God does not intend for us to be weak, passive, or ineffective—life provides enough hindrances and setbacks without us creating them.

When those obstacles come, we must depend on God. Only His power will make us effective for Him and will help us do work that has lasting value.

John 15:20 (New King James Version)

Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.