Thorn in the Flesh | 肉体上的刺

In 1Timothy 1:15, Apostle Paul confessed: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst."
 

He was the murderer of Christians until the light of God flashed upon him on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:3) transforming him from a radical persecutor of the gospel to a radical, fearless and fiery preacher of the gospel.

However, Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7, "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."

 
What was Paul's thorn in his flesh? Was it the severe persecution of His past that the devil kept reminding the people about, or was it something else? But God's grace was sufficient for him as the Lord told him that His power was made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

He said in 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."

The power and the manifest presence of His glory resting upon Paul was so evident that even a slave girl who possessed a spirit by which she predicted the future through fortune-telling, followed after Paul, shouting "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved" (Acts 16:16-17). Great power demonstrated in 'signs & wonders' to heal the sick and cast out demons, thereafter abided in him that even his handkerchief could cast out demons and heal the sick (Acts 19:11-12).

This was to be our 'Thorn in our Flesh' when the Lord paired up Ps Esther Yap and me for our unique ‘Lion and the Lamb Ministries’. The Lord used this odd pairing to offend the wisdom of the wise and the self-righteous in order to reveal their hearts (as His thoughts and ways, incomprehensible to men are always higher-Isaiah 55:8) He has rested the manifest presence of His glory so awesomely upon both of us that many ministers of God who had witnessed it could now acknowledge it. These are some of our recent ministries where God manifested His mighty presence:

1.    In 2014, we were invited to speak in a Church in Irvin, California. When we stood at the pulpit and began to speak, a lady who fell to the floor under the power of God kept on saying, "They are servants of the Most High God" throughout the whole duration of the Sunday service.

2.    In 2016, we were invited by the lead pastor of 40 Churches to speak in Taiwan. On the last day of the meeting, the lead pastor wanted to give us a love offering. I told him, in the presence of the congregants that if he could reach me, I would accept the offering. He confessed that he could not touch me because the manifest presence of His glory resting upon me would surge through him and he would fall to the floor. Then, he handed the 'offering' packet to an American pastor. She came to me in great trembling, under the power of God (Acts 7:32).

3.    We were invited by Malaysia's biggest Church to speak to their members. The Church is the forerunner in the Charismatic Movement in Malaysia. The auditorium was packed with more than 1100 members attending the meeting. The manifest presence of His glory was all over me. I then spoke that if the lead elder of the Church was to touch just my clothing, he would fall under the power of God. He came and the Lord confirmed His word with His power surging through the lead church Elder and he fell to the floor under His power.

These are just a few testimonies which I share to show that despite the 'Thorn in my flesh', God demonstrated that the manifest presence of His glory resting upon me, is clear evidence without dispute, of how He could cleanse and purify any vessel before He would rest the manifest presence of His glory upon a fully surrendered vessel for His use.

The most precious treasure is not being in the presence of God, or being filled by the presence of God but CARRYING the manifest presence of His glory that His light will continually radiate from us, making us each a vessel of honour (Joshua 3:7). That makes all the difference!

How many of you look at the mirror daily to check whether your face shines like the stars with the radiance of God like the face of Moses when he came down from the mountain (Exodus 34:29)?

Moses was a very clever man. He asked God for two things: (1) to teach him His ways so that he could continue to find favour with Him (Isaiah 55:8) and (2) he told the Lord, "Show me your glory" (Exodus 33:18).

In Exodus 33:14, The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” So God rested His glory upon Moses. 

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

If you find yourself being weary and burdened by your ministry, be like Moses and just ask the Lord for those two things. Then you will have an awesome ministry to bring about a swift transformation of lives with the manifest presence of His glory.

Ps Paul K P Ang

Arsenal of Fire Ministries,

California, USA

肉体上的刺

保罗在提摩太前书1：15承认：『“基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。”这话是可信的，是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是个罪魁！』

他本来是追杀基督徒的，直到神的光在他往大马士革的路上照在他身上（使徒行传9：3），使他从一个极端逼迫福音的人，洗心革面成为一个急进、勇敢无惧和充满激情的传福音者。

然而，保罗在哥林多后书12：7说到：『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，就是撒旦的差役要攻击我，免得我过于自高。』

保罗肉体上的刺是什么呢？是不是撒旦常常叫人们记得他过去所作的极大逼迫，还是别的东西？无论如何，神的恩典够他用，神也告诉他，祂的能力在人的软弱上显得完全（哥林多后书12：9）。

他在哥林多后书12：10说：『我为基督的缘故，就以软弱、凌辱、急难、逼迫、困苦为可喜乐的，因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了。』

停驻在保罗身上的能力和神荣耀同在的彰显是那么明显，连那被巫鬼所附能用法术预测未来的使女也跟随保罗，喊叫说：『这些人是至高神的仆人，对你们传说救人的道！』（使徒行传16：16-17）。伴随着他那些医治疾病和赶出污鬼的神迹奇事，展现了那样巨大的能力，连他的手巾也能赶出邪灵和医好生病的人（使徒行传19：11-12）。

当主配搭叶再来牧师和我成为狮子和羔羊事工的搭档时，这成了我们”身上的刺“。主用这独特的配搭，是以祂的道路（以赛亚书55：8）来惹恼智慧人的智慧和自以为义的人，从而显露出他们的心思意念。主以令人赞叹的方式，把祂荣耀同在的彰显停驻在我们身上，使许多事奉神的仆人不得不留意到。以下是一些例子：

1. 在2014年，我们被邀请到一间在Irvine, California的教会证道。我们站在讲台要开始传讲时，一位女士在神的能力下倒在地上，在整个教会主日聚会期间，不断地说：“他们是至高神的仆人”。

2. 在2016年，我们被一位领导40间教会的主任牧师邀请到台湾证道。在聚会的最后一天，那位主任牧师想给我们一次爱心奉献。在会众面前，我对他说如果他能触摸到我的话，我就接纳那奉献。他承认他触摸不到我，因为那停驻在我身上主荣耀同在的彰显会奔涌到他身体使他倒在地上。接着，他把那袋奉献交给一位来自美国的女牧师；她在神的能力下大大颤抖着来到我面前（使徒行传7：32）。

3.  我们被马来西亚最大的教会邀请为他们的会友证道。这教会是马来西亚灵恩运动的先驱。聚会的礼堂里坐满了超过一千一百位会友。我身上充满了主荣耀同在的彰显；在圣灵的敦促下，我说如果教会最大的长老前来触摸我的衣服，他会在神的能力下倒下。教会最大的长老进前来，神证实祂的话，神的能力奔涌到他身上，使他在神的能力下倒在地上。

以上只是我分享的几个见证，即使”肉体上有刺“，神展现祂荣耀同在的彰显在我身上。这是很清楚、无可否认的证据，证明神如何先清洁和净化一个器皿，然后把祂荣耀同在彰显停驻在那完全降服的器皿为祂所用。

最珍贵的宝贝不是在神的同在里或被神的同在所充满，而是携带着神荣耀同在的彰显，让祂的光在我们身上发出，使我们成为尊贵的器皿（约书亚记3：7）。这的确是与别不同！

你们有多少人会每天对着镜子，看自己的脸是否有像摩西在山上下来时，面皮如星星闪亮发出神的光芒（出埃及记34：29）？

摩西是个很聪明的人。他求神两件事：（1）把神的道路指示他，使他可以继续在神眼前蒙恩，（2）他问神：“求你显出你的荣耀给我看。”（出埃及记33：18）。

在出埃及记33：14，耶和华说：“我必亲自和你同去，使你得安息。”神便把祂的荣耀停驻在摩西身上。

在马太福音11：28， 耶稣说："凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。"

你若对你的事奉感到疲累和劳苦重担，当学习摩西求神两件事。你将会得到一个了不起的事工，让神荣耀同在的彰显带来生命迅速彻底的改变。

洪光炳（保罗）牧师
烈火军火库事工
美国加州

www.AF-Ministries.com