Topical Bible: Prayer: Answered: Paul, to be Restored to Health

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The Apostle Paul, a central figure in the early Christian Church, is known for his missionary journeys, theological insights, and profound dedication to spreading the Gospel. Among the many challenges he faced, Paul also endured physical ailments, which he referred to as a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). While the exact nature of this affliction is not specified in Scripture, it is evident that Paul sought divine intervention for relief.

In 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 , Paul writes, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.'" This passage highlights Paul's earnest prayer for healing and the Lord's response, which emphasizes the sufficiency of divine grace over physical restoration. Although Paul's request for the removal of his affliction was not granted in the manner he initially desired, the answer he received was transformative, providing him with spiritual strength and a deeper understanding of God's power working through human weakness.

Paul's experience serves as a profound example of how prayer can be answered in unexpected ways. Rather than receiving immediate physical healing, Paul was granted the grace to endure his condition, which ultimately glorified God and demonstrated the strength found in reliance on Him. This narrative underscores the belief that God's responses to prayer are aligned with His greater purposes and the spiritual growth of the believer.

Throughout his epistles, Paul frequently emphasizes the importance of prayer and its role in the life of a Christian. In Philippians 4:6-7 , he encourages believers, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This exhortation reflects Paul's own practice of prayer and his trust in God's provision, even when faced with personal trials.

Paul's experience with his "thorn in the flesh" and the subsequent divine response illustrate a broader theological principle: that God's answers to prayer may not always align with human expectations, but they are always rooted in His wisdom and love. This understanding calls believers to trust in God's sovereignty and to find contentment in His grace, regardless of their circumstances.

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2 Corinthians 1:9-11
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:
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Library

Who Shall Deliver?
... the whole system: the physician strives to have health restored. ... say that our failures
in prayer, and we ... is sufficient for thee," and Paul answered, "I will ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter vii who shall deliver.htm

Caring for My Aged Mother
... the Lord began to talk to my soul: "Paul may plant ... for the Lord?" I saw the point
and answered, "Amen, Lord ... She was anointed and prayer was offered; then we sent ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter xxii caring for my.htm

How a Soul in Charity Makes Progress in It.
... by means of his inspirations, S. Paul's admonitions: See ... It was answered him from
above Antony, I was here ... often to repeat this exclamation and prayer: And thy ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter iii how a soul.htm

The Life of Mr. Thomas Hog.
... sermon to them, where, with the apostle Paul, he took God ... I asked him how he did,
he answered, The unchangeableness ... After prayer I retired a little, and when I ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr thomas.htm

Wilt Thou be Made Whole?
... The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man to ... fain walk and please God, and
in your prayer-life not ... we will not take courage and say, with Paul, "I can ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter viii wilt thou be.htm

Prayers Answered
... from his wickedness, and his strength and health restored. ... read to them the account
of Paul's shipwreck, showing ... then that God had answered prayer, and that he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/the wonders of prayer/prayers answered.htm

The Monk Nilus.
... Basil, the Evangelists, and the Apostle Paul"say the ... calm of a life devoted to prayer
and contemplation ... But those who knew Nilus better, answered him, that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/light in the dark places/the monk nilus.htm

Answers to Prayer
... There, on the top of a hill, I was stopped as Paul was, and just as suddenly, and
made to feel what a ... Her desire was granted and my prayer was answered.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/the wonders of prayer/answers to prayer.htm

The Northern Iron and the Steel
... Paul's Cathedral stand fixed on their pedestals, and the renowned ... keep you from one
self-reliant prayer or word ... has some great design to be answered by laying ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the northern iron and the.htm

Intercession Every Christian's Duty
... proof of your believing, that though Paul plant, and ... the story informs us, how
remarkably his prayer as answered. ... dispatched to tell him, "his prayer was heard ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/intercession every christians duty.htm