Bill Johnson explains his view on: Does God Cause Sickness? Does God Choose Not to Heal? What Was Paul’s Thorn?
This will get you thinking about these three popular questions that Christians have wrestled with for thousands of years. I like the reference to Paul’s intimate knowledge of the Old Testament and that in the old testament, the phrase “thorn in the flesh” was used twice and neither time referred to physical sickness and both referred to “a person opposing something”. I have read this passage again and again and although I do not completely understand the nature of the “thorn”, my spirit also tells me it was not a physical sickness as many interpret. I believe for the most part, Paul had an open door to heaven but somewhere in his travels, someone caused Paul so much opposition, that it became a hindrance to Paul’s ministry (a thorn in His flesh so to speak or as we might say in the west “a pain in the neck!”). For some reason God allowed a person to oppose Paul’s ministry, so much, that it caused Paul distress over the issue and God and would not remove the opposition. I believe the term back then, was much like us using the term “Joe is a pain in the neck”. Westerners automatically understand this means “Joe is annoying”, yet if someone did not understand the “slang” behind the phrase, they might think Joe is physically hurting my neck. That’s my perspective anyway 🙂
Thorn – a Christian perspective
The apostle Paul was plagued by a “thorn”–a problem, obstacle, or hindrance that is not specified but which clearly caused him great anguish. God didn’t remove this thorn at Paul’s request, and Paul came to view its persistence as a way of keeping him humble.
i have battled clinical depression all of my life..when as a young father to twin bady daughers, i got very sick with depression and lost my wife and daughters. I have not seen them together since they were 14months old..today they are 36 and have given me three grandchildren i do not know. only one professes to know the Lord (Shayla) and her sister (Tara) and her mother and step father are atheists. Shayla will have nothing to do with me anymore and Tara has never wanted me in her life as her stepfather gave her money, social status, and anything that she ever wanted…everything but a Godly home. I desperately want to know the children God gave me as I am not getting any younger. Today, my wife Patricia (Patty) is getting ready to go into the hospital for colon cancer surgery. I am believing God for TOTAL healing for her before the surgeon puts his knife into her body. WE have a six year old adopted daughter who was an orphan and God gave her a new heart and a new brain…if he can do that for our daughter He can certainly give my precious wife a NEW colon!!!!
We also need a financial breakthrough as I have not worked for some time adn my previous employer refuses to pay me for the hard work I did for him. I lost over one million $$$ (after the death of my father) plus $50,000 which my late mother left me plus other valuable properties including the 4th generation Ray farm. All of this was stolen from me by a very greedy woman who married into the family.
THE DEVIL OWES ME 7 TIMES WHAT WAS STOLEN FROM ME AND I NEED THAT MONEY NOW!!!!
I have been reading this because when I pray for healing for someone they use this scripture to say God is letting them stay sick or even caused it to teach them something! Makes my heart sad. I don’t believe God our father even causes the trial but he allows free will and his Grace is more than sufficient for me and I will remain fixed and stable because I dwell in the secret place! It is always his time for you to be healed and I see we allow what we don’t see to help us think in a way that seems right to a man and have “ya buts”
His Grace is sufficient and he WILL use it all for good because he is that good!
We will edure the sufferings of christ and he wasn’t sick. To think the thorn was sickness would contradict other scriptures. It also does not line up with what my spirit says when I am reading. We are the body of christ! Let us believe and sickness can’t touch us and we have an amazing father who IS love 🙂 I say this with injuries that have not been healed yet but I will not change the gospel I am just still growing up in my father 🙂 I believe father help me with my unbelief!
Thank you for posting Bill!
8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I don’t believe this is saying that God refused to take the thorn I believe we see God’s power in our weakness and His grace is so sufficient to bring us through but we need to rest in Him rely on him press into him! Just the thoughts of my spirit 🙂
please pray for the healing of my sciatica nerve pain in my body and for my neck and shoulder pain. also pray for my wife who is in a nursing home.thank you.
Philip, We command healing of your sciatic nerve and pain to go in your body, in Jesus name. Believe and receive your healing from our Father, in Jesus name. And Father I also pray for Philip’s wife, that she would be healed and well by your grace, Amen.
Brethren, please pray for my complete healing from parkinsons disease which causing me not to function normally and prohibiting me to do ministry for others. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
Shalom
Lord I thank you for full restoration of Jame’s health and body, with no parkinsons to remain, in Jesus name. Amen