Prayer Works Morning Devotion August 20, 2026

A Chapter By Chapter Study Of The Epistles:

2 Corinthians Chapter 12

 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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Good morning family. Good morning. Welcome to a new morning. Let us begin our morning devotion and prayer. Heavenly Father, thank You once again for this assembly. Thank You Heavenly Father for how You have facilitated this and made this possible.

Thank You Heavenly Father for all who respond to the call to seek You first in the morning Heavenly Father. I thank You for my family in Christ and I pray that You will come now Heavenly Father onto this call.

Let Your presence be felt here and I pray to be led and guided by Your Holy Spirit and everything that I say according to Your will alone. And it's in Jesus name I pray, Amen. We are in 2 Corinthians 12.

Paul has spent the previous chapters defending himself against the baseless accusations and slander coming from false apostles who had crept into the Corinthian church.

Assaulting Paul's character, questioning his authority, sowing strife and confusion among the believers and teaching false doctrine. In the previous chapters in 2 Corinthians, Paul laid out everything he has accomplished in Christ.

Which included planting churches in Asia Minor and Europe and enduring great suffering to the point of death at the hands of Jews and Gentiles who hated Paul for his effectiveness at turning people away from lifestyles of idolatry and sin to salvation and faith in Jesus.

As Paul lays out everything he has done in love for the churches, especially the church in Corinth, he does so in an intentionally boastful manner. In today's focused scripture, 2 Corinthians 2, we see that Paul's boasting was to prove a point.

That boasting about everything he has done and suffered for Christ really serves no purpose. It's foolish to do so. Unlike the false apostles and ministers of Satan who had infiltrated the Corinthian church.

Seeking to get the Corinthians to honor them and follow after them, Paul didn't want to be put on a pedestal. He also didn't want to think more highly of himself because of the mighty works and miracles he was doing.

And also he didn't want to be put on a pedestal because of the horrific imprisonment and torture he experienced and the revelations of the Lord he was permitted to see and hear he didn't want the Corinthians to follow after him but to follow after Jesus.

Paul understood something that all followers of Christ must know, that anything we accomplish Anything we suffer, anything we endure and overcome as followers of Christ is only through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

So let's read the chapter begins with. It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows.

Such a one was caught up in the third heaven. The man Paul is talking about is likely himself and when he writes about the third heaven he is distinguishing it from the sky above us which was also referred to as the first heaven.

The second heaven would be considered outer space where the sun, the moon, the stars, and other planets exist. And the third heaven is God's dwelling place.

In these opening verses, Paul is describing an experience that happened to him 14 years before he is writing this letter to the Corinthians. This experience was so extraordinary anything that Paul had previously boasted about in the earlier chapters of this letter.

Paled in comparison to what he had experienced, so he continues and I know such a man whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows. He was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Of such a one I will boast, yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

So the experience of heaven that Paul had was incredible. He couldn't tell if he had been taken to God's dwelling place in person or out of his body. He describes what happened to him as being caught up into paradise.

I'm reminded of the words Jesus said to the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43, Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. I'm also reminded of other scriptures that describe that those in Christ will be caught up in the last days.

So in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so will always be with the Lord. In John 14:3 it says Jesus says and if I go and prepare a place for you.

I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. In Revelation 1:7 behold He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him even those who pierced him and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him even so, Amen.

And in Relevations 3:10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth. So Paul was granted a preview of the paradise that awaits us.

He saw and heard indescribable things that he was not permitted to talk about. Though Paul might have wanted to boast about the details of what he saw and heard, he doesn't because he doesn't want anyone to think more of him because of the great privilege.

He had been granted of being caught up to heaven. God's dwelling place he continues and lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations a thorn in the flesh was given to, me a messenger of Satan to buffet me lest.

I be exalted above measure To be exalted above measure means to lift yourself up or raise yourself up over something or someone or to be haughty. In order to keep Paul from becoming proud or conceited, a thorn in the flesh was given to him.

The thorn Paul is describing isn't like the thorn of a rose. It was more like a stake like the stakes used for torture and crucifixion. If you prick your finger with the thorn of a rose or some other plant.

You may experience a few moments of discomfort, but you can soothe the affected area and move on with your day. But the thorn in the flesh Paul is referring to was not a momentary prick.

It was excruciating and unbearable, like being impaled on a stake. Paul doesn't give details about his thorn in the flesh but whatever it whatever it was it brought him to his knees to earnestly plead with God to relieve him of it as he continues.

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me and he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul's pleading with the Lord three times reminds me of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as recorded in Matthew 26:36-46.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples sit here while I go and pray over there and He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Then he said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with me. He went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will. Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter what could you not watch with me one hour watch and pray lest you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.

Again a second time he went away and prayed saying oh my father if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it your will be done and he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy.

So he left them went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words. Luke 22 provides additional details about Jesus's agony, coming out He went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed and His disciples also followed Him.

When He came to the place He said to them pray that you may not enter into temptation and He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw away and He knelt down and prayed saying Father if it is your will take this cup away from me.

Nevertheless not my will but Yours be done then an angel appeared to Him from heaven strengthening Him and being in agony he prayed more earnestly then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

What thorns in your flesh have been given to you I'm not talking about those pricks of pain that cause you momentary discomfort or annoyance I'm talking about that ever-present excruciating soul-deep pain and suffering you feel every moment of your day physically, mentally, or emotionally.

It's the kind of pain that no amount of tears can ease, no words can comfort, and no hugs can soothe away. What do we do with that kind of pain? As God said to Paul my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Those words weren't just for Paul, they were for us too as followers of Christ and children of the most high God. God assures us that his grace is sufficient.

That means God will supply everything we need to sustain us, especially when we're facing great trials, tests, suffering, and persecution. If you're currently going through really hard things, take a moment to think about this question.

How are you still here? How is it possible for you to keep going? How have you not just become a statistic like so many others who have resorted to abusing alcohol or other substances to numb their pain or who have just given up entirely?

How are you still here? Do you think it's because you're so strong in yourself that it's by your will alone that you can endure? No, indeed. It's because of God's grace which shows itself most strongly when we humble ourselves.

When we turn to Him, when we recognize that we can't endure these monumental struggles without a monumental God. It's in this acknowledgement of how weak we are that we don't and we can't rely on ourselves and we admit that we are utterly dependent on God to sustain us.

And it's when we acknowledge this that we allow God's strength to go to work in us, to equip us with a perseverance that we could never have in our strength. I mean, just think about it.

The early church, how they were persecuted, killed, thrown to the lions, slaughtered, crucified. If they didn't have the grace of God to persevere, we wouldn't be here in this moment.

Do you realize that? It's because the early church endured, and they voted about their endurance, and they encouraged one another and we have Jesus's word recorded and Jesus who first suffered for us and went to the cross.

Even though He didn't have to, He did it's because of this only these things that we are here right now so God's grace is sufficient for us. So as Zechariah 4:6 says not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

And as Jesus told his disciples in John 14, if you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and He will give you another helper that He may abide with you forever.

The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him but you know him for He dwells with you and will be in you I will not leave you orphans.

I will come to you do you believe in the sufficiency of God's grace even if in this moment or in future moments when you struggle to believe this, if it seems like your faith is fading remember what Jesus said.

If you have just a little mustard seed of faith you can move mountains, you can cast out demons and you can endure suffering for His sake. That's cause to rejoice and be glad as Paul continues in this chapter.

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. Do you realize what Paul is writing here? He would rather boast about his infirmities, in other words, that thorn in the flesh, so that the power of Christ may rest upon him.

How is it at all possible to delight in the thorns in our flesh, Paul delighted in and was content with his weaknesses, the insults, the hardships, the persecutions, the difficulties, the mistreatments and all the troubles he experienced Paul was content.

Because he knew it was all for Christ. Wow. Can we just take a moment to think of something we're enduring right now and say, thank you, Lord.

I mean, really take a moment right now to give thanks to the Lord for that illness, that enemy, that terrible or really difficult situation you're in take a moment right now and say thank you Lord for everything I'm going through, thank you Lord for everything I'm going through.

Thank you Lord we admit that we are weak in ourselves. We admit that we can't fix this ourselves. We know it's not by our power or might that we overcome. We are strong only through the grace of God.

Can we make a point today to practice today thanking God for every difficulty that may come our way today. Can we get to the point where giving thanks and praise becomes our first reaction to trials and tribulations.

I'll be the first to admit that's not usually my first reaction when I'm facing trials and tribulations. But let's practice getting to the praise and thanksgiving as quickly as possible in the midst of tests, suffering, and persecutions.

Let us be confident that God will fight our battles. And it is God alone who enables us to endure and overcome. So Paul continues, I have become a fool in boasting. You have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you.

For in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong. Now for the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burdensome to you.

For I do not seek yours but you, for the children ought not to lay up for the parents but the parents for the children and I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls though the more abundantly I love you the less I am loved.

But be that as it may I did not burden you Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning. Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sift to you? I urged Titus and sent our brother with him.

Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things, beloved, for your edification.

Paul is being a bit sarcastic in these verses, but he's also revealing something about the characteristics of a true apostle. Utmost humility, as he writes, though I am nothing. accomplishing signs, wonders and mighty deeds with perseverance.

So in other words, they're doing signs, wonders and mighty deeds and persevering through suffering. They're suffering for the mighty deeds, wonders and signs that they're exhibiting. They're not being exalted.

They're suffering for that. They're not burdensome to others. They're abundantly loving, even if the love isn't returned. A true apostle is also not taking advantage of people. They're walking in unity with other apostles and servants of the church.

And most of all, they're doing all things for the edification or building up of the church. The chapter concludes, for I fear lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish.

Lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, back bitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults, lest when I come again my God will humble me among you.

And I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness fornication and lewdness which they have practiced. Paul feared that the Corinthians would fall away from their faith.

And go back to practicing their previous sinful behaviors which included contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, back bitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults, uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness.

We're living in an age where what is good is called evil and what is evil is called good. So we all need to be reminded of what sin looks like. Contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, back bitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults, uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness.

Other translations interpret these sins as acting like a mob anger, arguing, arrogance, conceit, debates, discord, disorderly behavior, fits of rage, gossip, hostility, insulting each other, jealousy, proud, quarreling, rage, rivalries, selfishness, slander, and strife.

The world doesn't see anything wrong with these. In fact, they present these as strengths. the world would say everyone is entitled to their opinion and truth is relative, but Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through me.

I'll close with reminding us of what Jesus said to the seven churches in the book of Revelation remember your first love do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer be faithful until death repent and hold fast what you have till I come.

Let us hold fast as Jesus commanded us to do and let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad as Paul exemplified. And as he continues to urge us to do so through this word, let's do all this only through the grace, the great grace of God. Let us pray.

Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy. We thank You for the words that You allowed to endure and You said would endure until the end of the age. We thank You Father that it is only through Your grace that we are able to stand.

And as the days grow darker, as so much sin abounds around us Heavenly Father, as we suffer great things Heavenly Father, personally, professionally, just even driving on the roads, Heavenly Father, going to the stores, just living our life.

We suffer, Heavenly Father. It seems like there's often a target on us, Heavenly Father. It seems like sometimes we're a magnet for pain. But nevertheless, Heavenly Father, we thank You, Heavenly Father.

And we say, not by our will, but Your will. We desire to do Your will, Heavenly Father, in all things as Jesus prayed, not my will, but Your will. We desire, Heavenly Father, to get to the point where when we are in the midst of suffering and pain, we can say thank You.

And we say thank You because we know that You have us, Heavenly Father. We know that we're in Your hands. We know that it is not by our power that we overcome, but it is by Your Spirit.

We thank You that Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit is here right now, present in each and every one of us who calls Jesus Lord.

So we ask Heavenly Father that You help us to walk this day in Your power, in Your strength. following the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things. And we pray Your forgiveness, Father, for when we fall short.

When we are weak, when we forget whose we are, when we turn our eyes to ourselves to solve our problems instead of looking to You. We ask Your forgiveness, Heavenly Father, and we thank You for Your great mercy, Your great grace, Heavenly Father.

Now I pray Heavenly Father that You will bless each and every person on this call. That You will walk into every situation that each of us will face this day that You will go before us and that You will help us to rely utterly on You.

You will help us to trust increase our faith Heavenly Father and grant us the strength and the wisdom to overcome to stand fast to hold fast to even that little mustard seed of faith grow in us Heavenly Father a faith that will allow us to be among the faithful that Jesus will find on this earth when he returns.

Bless my brothers and sisters in Christ. Bless all those connected to them. Bless even their enemies Heavenly Father. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies as well and there are many enemies not only of us but of all of Your children.

So we pray for our enemies Lord we leave them to You, we lay them at Your feet we will not be afraid and we will not be angered we will not seek vengeance but we will let You fight the battles Lord.

We're leaning on You we're trusting in You we're abiding in You, thank You for Your mercy, thank You above all for Your presence. Thank You for Your peace, we love You, we honor You and we give You all the glory in Jesus's name, Amen.

Amen family go today knowing that you are filled with the grace of God and is by His grace that you will endure and if it's difficult to say thank you Lord in the moment of trial and testing.

Try to get to the thanks, try to get to the Thanksgiving and praise as soon as possible no matter what you face today go in peace and love and the knowledge that God is our strength. Have a blessed day. We love you.