Experiences
July 25, 1952 · Zion, Illinois
6And I will admit there is a sickness unto death. And that’s why prophetic gifts are in the church to know these things. But to say that our Father, that a man had rheumatism, arthritis, say, “Yes, Lord. I’m just glad to have it. Glad You give it to me. I embrace it. I love it. I glory in tribulation.” Paul’s thorn in the flesh, that was no more disease than nothing else. If it wasn’t healing, he got well, and he said, “The messenger of the devil that buffet me.” What does the word “buffet” mean? “Blow after blow.” See? Then He healed him; he got well. He—He—He healed him again. He got sick. And He healed him. He got sick, blow after blow. He said, “A messenger of Satan,” not an infirmity, as he meant, as he said there, but as people try to interpret. I will let Brother Baxter take that thorn in the flesh for you some afternoon, or some of these teachers.
Hebrews, Chapter Three
September 1, 1957 · Jeffersonville, Indiana
49There was probably ten or fifteen men with him. Did any of those men see that Light? No, sir. Paul saw It. It wasn’t designated for them men to see It. So, some people can see things, where, others don’t. See? So, Paul saw that Light, insomuch that It even blinded him. He couldn’t see, for several days, It was such a reality to him. And he couldn’t see for several…
Later on, when he wrote letters, his eyes bothered him so bad from that, until he wrote with great big letters. He said, “Seeing that I have written to you with large letters.” He couldn’t hardly see.
50He was in jail, and he asked the Lord to heal him of it. And he consulted Him three times. But what did the Lord say? “My grace is sufficient, Paul.”
51Paul said, “Then will I glory in my infirmities.” Because, he said, “Except I would be exalted above the abundance of the Revelation, there was given to me a messenger of the devil, a thorn in the flesh, that buffet me.” He’d get better for a while, and then away they go again.
Buffet means “blow after blow.” Like the ship on the sea, you know, the waves buffet it, see, blow after blow.
And he would, he’d get better, and then have it again; then get better, have it again. He said, “Lord, what’s the matter, You don’t take this away from me?”
52He said, “My grace is sufficient, Paul. Just keep on.” It’d keep…
53He said, “Now, if—if I was just perfect, and everything perfect,” said, “then when I went along, oh, I’d get puffed up and say, ‘You see, nothing wrong with me. Lord takes care of me, brother. Hallelujah!’” Then you’re getting self-righteous.
54God has to give you a little something, once in a while, to kind of meeken you up a little, you know. That’s right. Kind of make you realize that He’s the Boss. Oh, isn’t He wonderful? Yes, sir, just glory!
55So he, Paul, then, why, after having this great experience…
56Now, if that would been somebody today, they’d said, “Oh, bless God, hallelujah. Boy, the Lord has done something for me! Glory to God!” But not Paul; he was a Bible scholar.
Present Stage Of My Ministry
September 8, 1962 · Jeffersonville, Indiana
60Now, Paul said that, he said, “You would have, at least, plucked your eyes out, to give them to me.” Cause, Paul, we think, had bad eyes, ’cause he said, “I’ve wrote with such big letters.” He said, “big letter,” but I’ve got the—the lexicon, and it says, “with big letters.” He was in Rome, in prison there. It was something wrong, he said his eyes had been bothering him since the Heavenly vision. So he…The people would have plucked out their eyes, seeing Paul suffer, his eyes bothering him, and he suffering. And he asked the Lord to heal him, three times. And he said, “Except I would get exalted above the abundance of the Revelation, there was sent to me a messenger of the devil that he might buffet me.” Now, it would get pretty good, then hit him again. Then he’d get good, and hit him again.
61You see, Paul had a ministry greater than all the rest of the apostles put together. Some of them could have said, “Well, I walked with Jesus.” Why, man on the street walked with Him when He was here. But Paul saw Him in the Pillar of Fire after He was dead, buried, ascended into Heaven, and returned back and called Paul, see, see, on the road down to Damascus. And he had a greater ministry than Matthew, Mark, Luke, or any of them others. He was far beyond them. And he said, “Except I get exalted now and say, ‘Now, you fellows don’t know nothing about It. I seen the Lord after His resurrection.’”
62Well, they say, “We walked with Him.” Well, so did all them people down around in Galilee and Nazareth and through the country there. They all walked with Him.
63But, you see, Paul had talked with Him and saw Him in the form that He was before He was made flesh. See? And He commissioned Paul in that state, while He was in that Light. He commissioned Paul. And—and Paul had saw Him. And he said, “Except I get exalted, feel a little higher than some of you brethren, there was given to me a messenger of the devil,” that keeps him beat down. And he said, “I sought the Lord three times to take it away from me. And He said, ‘Saul, or Paul, My grace is sufficient.’” Then Paul said, “I’ll glory in my infirmities, ’cause when I am weak then I am strong. See, I will glory in it!”
When Their Eyes Were Opened, They Knew Him
February 12, 1964 · Tulare, California
59We notice, then, Paul, the great revelation that he had of Jesus Christ, Who He was, it was so great to know. Well, God put it in the Bible, that’s how great it was. That’s the reason he was given a thorn in the flesh, to keep him down so he wouldn’t get big and exalted. God kept him down, and small, so He could use him in different parts of the country, do for Him what He wanted to, because he had the revelation of Jesus Christ, Who He was.
The Voice Of The Sign
March 13, 1964 · Beaumont, Texas
147God never did deal with a group, nowhere in the Scripture. He deals with one individual, because every man is different from the other. Every man, our thumbs are different, our noses are different, our actions are different. He gets one man, He can get him perfectly in harmony till he can become that Word.
148That’s the reason Paul, he said, “Except I get exalted above the abundance of the Revelation, there was given to me a messenger of Satan.” See?