Paul’s Teaching

I MUST GO ON BOASTING.  THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY IT, I WILL GO ON TO VISIONS AND REVELATIONS OF THE LORD.  I KNOW A MAN IN CHRIST WHO FOURTEEN YEARS AGO WAS CAUGHT UP TO THE THIRD HEAVEN- WHETHER IN THE BODY OR OUT OF THE BODY I DO NOT KNOW, GOD KNOWS. AND I KNOW THAT THIS MAN WAS CAUGHT UP INTO PARADISE- WHETHER IN THE BODY OR OUT OF THE BODY I DO NOT KNOW, GOD KNOWS- AND HEARD THINGS THAT CANNOT BE TOLD, WHICH HUMANS MAY NOT UTTER.  ON BEHALF OF THIS MAN I WILL BOAST, BUT ON MY OWN BEHALF I WILL NOT BOAST, EXCEPT OF MY WEAKNESSES- THOUGH IF I SHOULD WISH TO BOAST, I WOULD NOT BE A FOOL, FOR I WOULD BE SPEAKING THE TRUTH, BUT I REFRAIN FROM IT, SO THAT NO ONE MAY THINK MORE OF ME THAN THEY SEE IN ME OR HEAR FROM ME.  SO TO KEEP ME FROM BECOMING CONCEITED BECAUSE OF THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF THE REVELATIONS, A THORN WAS GIVEN ME IN THE FLESH, A MESSENGER OF SATAN TO HARASS ME, TO KEEP ME FROM BEING CONCEITED.  THREE TIMES I PLEADED WITH THE LORD ABOUT THIS, THAT IT SHOULD LEAVE ME.  BUT HE SAID TO ME, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS.  THEREFORE I WILL BOAST ALL THE MORE GLADLY OF MY WEAKNESSES, SO THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME.  FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST, THEN, I AM CONTENT WITH WEAKNESSES, INSULTS, HARDSHIPS, PERSECUTIONS, AND CALAMITIES.  FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:1-10

LIKEWISE THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS.  FOR WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANINGS TO DEEP FOR WORDS.  AND HE WHO SEARCHES HEARTS KNOWS WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.  AND WE KNOW THAT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, FOR THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. ROMANS 8:26-28