Lesson 23 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 11:26-32 & 12:1-7
“Surviving the Storm: Paul’s Trials and God’s Power in Weakness”
So, Paul left us hanging last week… no, wait, he was hanging on… to a piece of ship wreckage, in hopes that someone would rescue him… just one of the many trials he endured.
We left off with Paul in a most uncomfortable position, and it wasn’t because he was adrift at sea, but he was having to prove himself… he is forced to boast about himself. As you know, it was necessary because of the mind-games the false apostles were playing with the Corinthian believers. Paul might refer to this as boasting, I kind of see it as his personal testimony.
2 Cor. 11:26-27:
“In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
Everywhere Paul turned, his life seemed to be in chaos. In my opinion, all these attacks were coming at the hand of satan.
Warren Wiersbe writes; “Because he was constantly on the move, Paul was exposed to the perils of travel. The Judaizers visited the safe places; Paul journeyed to the difficult places. But Paul was no ordinary traveler: he was a marked man. He had enemies among both the Jews and the Gentiles, and some would like to have killed him.”
Are there times when you feel like there’s a “bullseye” on your back, and satan has a bow & arrow pointed at you? Paul and Jesus know your struggles.
The Bible is very clear that Jesus doesn’t just see our struggles, He has felt them, He carries them with us, and He intercedes for us because of them.
Hebrews 4:15:
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
1 Peter 5:6-7:
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
When times of trouble come into our lives, God is always with us… He was there for Paul.
Acts 18:9:
“Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;’”
You could whip Paul and he would keep on speaking, you could beat him with rods and he would probably sing praises to the Lord. Jesus told him not to keep silent, and he didn’t.
2 Cor. 11:28:
“Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”
When Paul says, ‘Besides the other things,’ or ‘Apart from such external things,’ he’s hinting that everything we just read about his hardships wasn’t even the full list. There was even more he could’ve added.
What comes upon me daily? …my deep concern for all the churches…
What Paul thinks about every day is all the churches he’s planted, and right now his mind is on the Corinthian people. We are constantly seeing examples of how driven Paul was… even when he was hurting physically and emotionally.
Gal. 4:19 (NLT) “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.”
In 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Paul admits he couldn’t bear not knowing how the Thessalonians were doing. His concern for them was so intense that he, as it says, ‘could stand it no longer’ and sent Timothy to check on their faith.
This shows us the same pattern: Paul’s mind is always on the spiritual health of the churches, even when he’s under great pressure.
John MacArthur says, “The constant pressure that burden exerted on him assaulted his peace, joy, and satisfaction.”
2 Cor. 11:29:
“Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?”
Through these two rhetorical questions, Paul shows the intensity of his love and concern for the churches he’s directed.
1 Thess. 5:14:
“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”
Paul consistently showed his heartfelt compassion toward believers who were hurting, especially those who were spiritually weak and still growing.
Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?”
(NASB) “Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
“Burn with indignation” and “intense concern,” have a deeper meaning which literally means “to set on fire” or “to inflame.”
Paul’s words carry great force, reflecting the righteous anger he felt when believers were drawn into sin. He’s saying in effect, “Your suffering affects me deeply, and when someone causes you to fall, righteous anger rises up within me.”
Matthew 18:6:
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Of course this pertains to our children, but in a broader sense, we are Christ’s little ones. The qualifier is “who believe in Me,” this expands the category beyond children. It includes any believer, especially those who are: spiritually young, vulnerable, easily influenced, and still growing in their faith.
Just as it infuriates Jesus when someone drives another to sin, Paul reacts the same way.
2 Cor. 11:30:
“If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.”
In other words he’s saying, “If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am,” and certainly Paul isn’t one to build himself up!
Do you remember when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey colt? The crowds wanted to crown Him king of the Jews. The problem was, a true king would come on the back of a battle-ready stallion… the Jews were pretty much disappointed when they saw Jesus on a colt.
Nothing has changed since that time. In the Greek and Roman world, a leader was admired for an imposing, magnetic presence… someone who could seize control of a moment through the sheer force of who he was.
Like Jesus, this wasn’t Paul on the outside, but on the inside he was a supernatural firestorm… power under control.
As we’ll see in verses 32 and 33, as well as Acts 9:25, the same story is told… we’re given another glimpse of Paul’s weakness. Rather than highlighting his strengths, he chose a story that exposed his vulnerability. He told how he slipped out of Damascus at night, fleeing for his life, from those who were plotting to murder him.
Paul leads by example so we can follow the same path he walked.
For instance, Michael was a Christian contractor known for doing honest work. One summer, he and his crew were renovating a home in a quiet neighborhood. They followed all the rules… permits, noise ordinances, respectful hours.
One neighbor, Mr. Dalton, was furious about the construction. Every day he came out yelling, accusing Michael of breaking rules, threatening to call the city, insulting his workers, and even standing in the driveway to block their deliveries.
Michael’s crew wanted him to “put the man in his place.” They said, “You have every right to shut him down. Just call the police, file a complaint, just don’t let him walk all over you.”
Michael could have done that. He had the legal right, the authority, and the evidence, but instead, he chose meekness… strength under control.
One morning, when Mr. Dalton stormed out again, Michael calmly walked over and said, “Sir, I can see this project has been stressful for you. I want you to know we’re doing everything we can do to be respectful. If there’s something specific bothering you, I’d like to hear it.”
The man froze… there was no anger coming from Michael, no threats, not even any kind of power play; just controlled strength and kindness.
Mr. Dalton’s face softened. He admitted he was overwhelmed as his wife had recently passed away, and the noise made him feel even more alone.
Michael listened. He didn’t excuse the behavior, but he understood the pain behind it.
Over the next few weeks, Michael: adjusted schedules when possible, brought the neighbor coffee, checked in on him, even invited him to his church.
By the end of the project, the man who once shouted insults was thanking Michael for his patience and compassion. Michael’s crew later said, “We’ve never seen someone handle anger like that. You could’ve crushed him… but you didn’t.”
Someone might have called Michael a whimp, after all, this was the construction business, but Michael showed strength, that was fully under the control of the Holy Spirit. Paul would be proud.
2 Cor. 11:31:
“The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.”
Here’s something worth noticing: Paul refers to Him as ‘the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament we see God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but in the New Testament, we identify Him as God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A person cannot truly worship God unless they believe that God’s own divine nature is fully shared with His Son, Jesus Christ… God Himself who came in the flesh.
Who is blessed forever…
Psalm 89:52:
“Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen.”
The Bible repeatedly and explicitly affirms this. Both the Father and the Son are described as “blessed forever,” eternal, unchanging, and worthy of our unending praise.
This is why Christian worship is eternal… because God Himself is eternally blessed.
Knows that I am not lying… of course God knows that Paul isn’t lying, God knows everything, nothing can be kept from Him.
2 Cor. 11:32-33:
“In Damascus the governor, under (A-rer-uhz) Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.”
All of this unfolded three years after Paul encountered Christ on the Damascus Road. To the city authorities, Paul looked like a growing problem, and their answer was straightforward: arrest him and put an end to this disruption.
Being arrested in Damascus in Paul’s day often meant you didn’t get out alive.
To the authorities, Paul was: stirring up religious conflict, challenging the established power, converting Jews to a new sect, and disrupting the peace.
In the Roman and Nabatean world, disturbing the peace was a serious crime, often punishable by imprisonment, torture, or death.
Paul’s escape shows how serious the threat was…
Paul says: “I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.”
This wasn’t a dramatic escapade by any means, it was a desperate escape from certain death. So, it’s not hard to understand how embarrassing this undignified experience was for him.
D.A. Carson, a respected New Testament scholar of the last 50 years writes, “This toast of high rabbinic circles, this educated and sincere Pharisee, this man who had access to the highest officials in Jerusalem, slunk out of Damascus like a criminal, lowered like a catch of dead fish in a basket whose smelly cargo he had displaced.”
I can’t help but imagine seeing Paul, in the middle of the night, inside this smelly basket being lowered down, and half way down he lowers his head with his eyes closed, and just laughs to himself… thank you Jesus.
This ends chapter 11, which showed Paul’s ability to be resilient, so that Jesus might receive all the glory. In Chapter 12, Paul offers four compelling proofs of his apostleship.
Chapter 12
2 Cor. 12:1:
“It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:”
We began tonight with Paul holding onto shattered wreckage, and now we leave him suspended in a basket… an image that highlights just how dependent he was on God’s strength. This moment prepares us for the remarkable vision Paul is about to share.
Paul says, It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast…
Paul is reflecting on all the “boasting” he has just done, but it was a necessary evil to lay it all out for the world to see. This is further proof of Paul’s love for the Corinthians.
I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord…
This may seem like an unusual statement from Paul, but in the Greek culture, it was commonly thought that those favored by the gods would receive mystical visions… experiences some attempted to imitate through intoxicated, blissful practices… in other words; having orgies.
It doesn’t take much for the desires of the flesh to come out, does it!
So now, in the same hesitant spirit as before with his boasting, Paul now feels compelled to recount the genuine vision that he had.
This was a unique moment, and repeating the vision repeatedly would not contribute anything helpful to the church. We have the benefit to revisit Paul’s experience, because it’s written in our Bibles.
2 Cor. 12:2:
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen 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 to the third heaven.”
Paul starts out here in the third-person, I know a man in Christ. I think this shows his continued humility. We saw the same thing with the Apostle John, where he wouldn’t use his name, but described himself as the one Christ loved.
Who fourteen years ago…
This vision took place fourteen years before he wrote this letter to the Corinthians, somewhere around A.D. 55. What happened to Paul was truly the hand of God. Despite all the boasting Paul mentioned before, none of it surprised God; He had foreseen it all from eternity past. God sees our lives just as clearly, from the first moment to the last.
I see this vision as God’s grace to Paul, for what he was about to behold was so overwhelming that human language simply couldn’t do it justice. This experience would be embedded in Paul’s memory, something he could draw from later on as he was beaten, whipped, and stoned. Having seen a preview of the glory ahead, he would be able to withstand the relentless and severe trials that pursued him afterward. God always has a plan.
Whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know…
This reminds me of when John wrote the book of Revelation. John was placed by the Holy Spirit into a prophetic, Spirit‑empowered vision state. Whether his physical body participated is something only God knows.
Paul didn’t know if his body or soul went to heaven… but quite frankly, it doesn’t matter much, because he would never forget what he saw. As with John’s experience… God knows.
Such a one was caught up to the third heaven…
There are three heavens in our universe…
The first heaven is the atmospheric heaven… the sky around us: air, clouds, wind, and weather.
The second heaven is the celestial heaven… it’s outer space: sun, moon, stars, planets, and galaxies. This is the cosmic universe.
Psalm 19:1:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”
Then we have where Paul was caught up to… The Third Heaven… The Dwelling Place of God. This is the spiritual realm where God’s presence is uniquely manifested. This is Paradise, the throne room of God, the eternal heaven all believers long for.
Caught up… you’ve heard this phrase before; the Greek word is harpazō. This is the same verb used of the Rapture.
1 Thess. 4:17:
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (harpazō) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
To that I say, Maranatha!
2 Cor. 12:3:
“And I know such a man… whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.”
Paul repeats himself.
Like I mentioned before, this might be the time when Paul was stoned in the city of Lystra and left for dead, but not all Bible scholars agree.
2 Cor. 12:4:
“God knows how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
Paul bolted through the first two heavens and into Paradise. He didn’t need any of Elon Musk’s Starship Falcon rockets to launch himself to the third heaven… God caught him up.
Like the Christian song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe…
We can only imagine, what it will be like when we get there. But Paul had a front-row seat, and I’ll bet he didn’t even get “air sick” along the way.
While astronauts can only ascend into the second heaven, Paul was caught up to the third heaven, …to Paradise.
And heard inexpressible words…
While many today claim extravagant trips to heaven, Paul avoided any kind of sensationalism, and shared only that he heard inexpressible words.
I’m sure what he heard was a language that doesn’t exist here on earth, one which is reserved only for God’s presence and for us in the future. Something for us to look forward to.
Whatever words Paul was hearing, God gave him perfect understanding, but he would not be permitted to express what he heard.
John MacArthur says, “The veil between earth and heaven remains in place.”
Everything we need to know about heaven is revealed to us in the Bible.
Jesus promised a real place, not some metaphor:
“In My Father’s house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2–3)
Revelation describes heaven with tangible features: Gates made with a single pearl, precious stones, and streets of gold… A river of life …and having the Tree of Life.
One of the clearest descriptions of heaven is what we will experience first-hand: “He will wipe away every tear… no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.” (Revelation 21:4)
Jesus told the thief on the cross: “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Heaven will ultimately be renewed after the final judgment; God will create a new heaven and a new earth: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…” (Revelation 21:1) This is the “eternal” state where God dwells with His people forever.
Have I renewed your interest in heaven?
Just like we enjoy seeing the coming attractions to a new “block-buster” movie, Paul had a wonderful preview of what was to come. I imagine Paul had a renewed strength in his soul and spirit, to continue spreading the gospel so people like us would make it to heaven.
2 Cor. 4:17-18 (NLT):
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
Realizing Paul wrote this after his glimpse of heaven gives me a deeper understanding of the verse, and if we read between the lines, we can see the glory of God.
2 Cor. 12:5:
“Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.”
Paul is still speaking in the third-person… Of such a one I will boast
Nothing on earth could ever compare to what Paul has just experienced, and the last thing he would ever do would be to brag that he was chosen above all men to go to heaven.
Paul had nothing to do with being caught up, God grabbed him. Just like Enoch was out on a walk one day, fellowshipping with God, and then he was gone… God said, “Why don’t we just carry on this conversation up here.”
Again, we can clearly see the humility of Paul. Paul would much rather talk about his infirmities.
People naturally want to showcase their visions and experiences, but Paul was different. He wanted people to judge him not by a supernatural encounter, but by the practical way he lived before them.
2 Cor. 12:6:
“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.”
(NLT) “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message,”
Paul really went to heaven, and to deny that would just be a false humility on his part.
Bible commentary writes, “Since his experience wasn’t repeatable, verifiable, or even totally understandable, using it as proof would’ve opened the door for pretenders to claim they spoke for God because of their own supposed mystical moments.”
Lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me…
A godly man can have a mountain-top experience, but it always boils down to how faithful he is to God’s Word… people will only remember his last righteous deed.
We can profess to be believers, but will it be proved out by the way we live?
2 Cor. 12:7:
“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.”
If by chance Paul was carrying around a big prideful balloon, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh to pop it. Remember, God knows all… this tells me Paul needed this thorn to help keep him right in the center of the narrow gate.
We know that Paul wouldn’t boast, but that doesn’t mean the temptation wasn’t there. He had lots of mountain top experiences, and in Acts we learn that Paul had six visions, separate from his heavenly one. The gospel he received was given to him by revelation from Jesus.
Gal. 1:11-12:
“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Like Paul, if you stood before Jesus in a one‑on‑one encounter, everything about you would be different. You wouldn’t come out of that moment unchanged.
So, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh.
We all remember Job…
When God let satan unleash trials on Job, it could look like Job was guilty of something awful, but God declares that Job was blameless and upright.
God knew exactly what Paul needed, and of course God knows what each one of us needs. I believe every one of us has a thorn in the flesh… it’s just different for everyone.
What Paul’s thorn was we’re not told… you name it and commentators will tell you Paul had it. It really doesn’t matter.
The word thorn… (skol’-ops) it’s translated as a “stake.” So, we’re not talking about a thorn from a rose bush, but a big stake, the kind you hit with a hammer. A big size thorn, for a big size apostle.
Again, from John MacArthur, “Flesh should be understood here not in the physical sense, but in a moral sense as a reference to Paul’s unredeemed humanness. The Lord allowed Paul’s intense suffering to impale his otherwise proud flesh; to humble the one who had so many revelations.”
A messenger of satan to buffet me…
A messenger of satan was sent to keep Paul from becoming proud. The irony is powerful… pride is what got satan thrown out of heaven, and God turned that same pride into a tool to humble Paul.
As we close tonight, don’t think it is unusual for God to use satan and his demons to achieve His purposes.
Luke 22:31-32:
“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Father always knows what’s best for us. For the believer, if God uses a demon to teach you something or to just get your attention… be alert and take notes, because you don’t want to repeat it.