Paul recounts a vision he had 14 years prior where he was caught up to the third heaven and heard inexpressible things. He shields himself from pride by referring to this experience in the third person. Paul qualifies himself as a legitimate Apostle by citing both supernatural experiences and the difficulties and sufferings he endured for the gospel. He finds comfort in God's message that His grace is sufficient, and that God's power is made perfect in weakness.

2. 2 COR. 12: 1- 5 = HEAVENLY REVELATIONS
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained,
I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a
man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the
third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I
do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—
whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but
God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard
inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I
will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about
myself, except about my weaknesses. .

3. VSS 6 – 10 = EARTHLY DIFFICULTIES
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I
would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more
of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these
surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from
becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of
Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it
away from me. 9 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest
on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in
insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am
weak, then I am strong

4. APOSTOLIC SHOWDOWN
v. 11 – “Signs of an Apostle” (Apostle Credentials)
Paul’s “foolish talk” leads him to reference exceptional revelations he
received fourteen years previous – although he shields himself
from spiritual pride by referring to himself in the third person:
“I know a man…”
This experience of receiving heavenly revelations, plus the
“signs and wonders” he performed among the Corinthians
while with them are used to validate his standing as a True
Apostle of Jesus. (see v. 12)
Notice the care he uses in speaking of these revelations!

5. SPIRITUAL PRIDE – JONATHAN EDWARDS
“The first and worst cause of error that prevails in our
day is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which
the devil comes into the hearts of those who are
zealous for the advancement of Christ. It is the
chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit to
darken the mind and mislead the judgment, and the
main handle by which Satan takes hold of
Christians to hinder a work of God. Until this
disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to
heal all other diseases.”

6. TWO QUALIFICATIONS:
MIRACLES / DIFFICULTIES
Paul qualifies himself as a legitimate Apostle by citing both
his familiarity with the supernatural and the miraculous
AND by referencing his suffering for the sake of the
Gospel and God’s Kingdom.
Beware of people who only qualify themselves by citing
their spiritually supernatural credentials. Those who are
truly spiritually anointed and mature know both the glory
of the age to come as it breaks into this age and the
tribulations of this present corrupted age.

7. MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
Paul’s weakness was not a point of shame to him. It was a point of
reassurance that his faith was soundly placed in Christ and not his own
strengths.
The message from the Lord that: “My grace is sufficient for you for My
power is made perfect in weakness” leads Paul to bless his
insufficiencies as opportunities for God to show up beyond expectation.
How has God shown up in your weaknesses beyond expectation?
Have you touched both the power of the miraculous and the reality of
suffering in your life? How have they each shaped you?