Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions and hardships, for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Clearly Paul did not want the messenger from Satan to torment him. The weakness of Paul had something to do about the flesh. This pain humbled Paul in a way that he saw himself not worthy to be exalted among the people who heard Paul speak. The territory that Paul covered could also make an evangelist prideful. Acts 29, a chapter cut off by Roman influence, said Paul spoke in London Britain and to the Druids. Yahusha Hamashia's power cannot be found in pride filled people because the proud is filled with self.
1. Self-esteem.
2. Self-respect
3. Self-image.
4. Self-interest
5. Self-identity
6. Self-worth.
This all leads to Self-worship. Paul did not expect for a cathedral to be named after him on the spot where he brought the message of Yahusha Hamashia to London England. Paul wasn't a perfect evangelist but through Yahusha Hamashia, he delivered a message that was beyond what Paul could do in his own.
The Problem
The problem with our wants is our self. It's one thing to be humbled by a pain in the flesh, but it's another to desire the pain in the flesh. Thorn, as written by Paul in the Greek, was only used one time in the Bible. There's not much we can learn from other verses.
Masochism is a word created in the 19th century because of a writer called Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. He described his enjoyment of his own pain and humiliation.
Then they came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes. And when He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, who had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. And constantly, night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out and gashing himself with stones. And seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”. Mark 5:1-7
It's interesting how self inflicted pain and humiliation was okay with the demon possessed man but not with the appearance of Yahusha Hamashia. This possessed man feared torment in a way he was not comfortable with.
It is said that someone who has been bullied, neglected, or mocked might internalize those negative voices and learn to mistreat and judge themselves in the same way.
Did you catch that? The victim internalized voices. The victim keeps those voices alive by listening to demonic spirits. Self-abasement is humiliating oneself when one feels lower or less deserving of respect. The desires for self-abssement and masochism comes from Narcissistic power figures and corruption.
The question is, why do law breakers move to corrupt cities over functional law abiding cities?
It's the same reason why the demons in the man in Mark 5 wanted to enter pigs who immediately killed the pigs. The area was a comfort zone. The demons would move on to find another victim to inhabit. Maybe next time a leader who will then be caught in an embarrassing situation. Those same demons are probably still there to this day.
These cities continue on up to the point where the percentage of demonic people raises to the point where Yahuah Elohiym speaks it out of existence like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Other times it just lays there like in the USA. Taxes rise and neighborhoods fall apart. This happens to the point where the taxes in just a few years are more than the worth of the property. Vacant buildings are vandalize and stripped of copper for a few dollars. Stores become targeted to the point of where they abandon the building. Between theft and taxes bleeding money, abandonment is only a one time loss.
The question is, how can someone fix the desires of corrupted flesh, corrupted government and corrupted worship. You know the answer. His name is called Yahusha Hamashia or Jesus Christ. But like the demon possessed man, people are tormented by the light that exposes the darkness inside people's soul. If it is stupid and backwards, it has Satan's name written all over it.
Satan wanted to destroy Paul one way or another. Satan's attack would be pride or something of the flesh. The only thing that saved Paul was grace from Yahuah Elohiym. Paul's weakness created an atmosphere where pride couldn't grow. Grace is the Living Water and the Bread of Life that sustained Paul in his weakness.
To many people allow themselves to be victims of narcissistic leadership. Pride filled leaders believe in things that bring lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and more pride. The results are theft, death and destruction.
The oil industry for example. Bad leadership stops exploration and cost reduction and then taxes the oil industry because of the high of fuel. False promises are given to the people like these narcissists are actually going to bring relief. What they bring is bondage.
Now a good to leader would promote cost reduction in the production of fuel for trucks, cars and buildings. These savings would then be passed on to the customer. Food production would have lower costs, in turn food costs would go down. Everyone who has a job would be rewarded.
But what happens in narcissistic government is that senior citizens are punished with low income while invaders are rewarded with prosperity without working. If it's backwards and stupid, it's of Satan. People must first reject the oppression of their past oppressors by believing in Yahusha Hamashia. People must overcome the demons that torment and humiliate them if it's a pain or if it's a pleasure.
The question is, do you know what Joy is when it comes from Yahusha Hamashia?
