This thorn in the flesh given to Paul in order that he should not exalt himself was something that rendered him contemptible in his preaching (Gal. 4:13-14). It was a counterbalance to the rapture with which he had been honored. We may not necessarily have the identical thorn that Paul had; God will always send us the needed one. God sometimes employs Satan against the flesh, and Satan acts on the flesh in four different ways:
1. Before conversion, the flesh is under the dominion of Satan, the conscience being hardened. This was the case with Judas, who loved money and was a thief. When he had taken the sop, Satan entered into him to instigate him to unbridled iniquity and to deliver him afterwards to despair in beholding the result of his crime.
2. Before conversion, the flesh is enticed to act by the seductions of Satan.
3. After conversion, the flesh remains always there and can fall under the direct action of Satan, if the Spirit, the seal of redemption, has not yet been given, or else if He has not yet accomplished the work of deliverance in us. One finds oneself then, like Peter, opposing Christ at almost every turn. Before the transfiguration, when Jesus spoke of His approaching sufferings and Peter, out of affection but in the flesh, wished to dissuade Him, the Lord replies, “Get thee behind Me, Satan” (Matt. 16:23).
4. Satan desires to have us that he may sift us as wheat by means of the flesh. Jesus announces it to His disciples and prays especially for Peter, in whom the flesh was strong.
Peter put himself forward on every occasion and showed each time that the flesh is the exact opposite of Christ. Jesus said to the disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” This is not yet entering into sin. The effect of the Spirit was to incite Christ to prayer, so that when the temptation came, it had no power over Him. But the three disciples, instead of watching and praying, sleep — overcome with sorrow—and when the temptation comes, they are a prey to it. In the moment when all that could break the Lord’s heart was combined against Him and when Judas betrayed Him by a kiss, Jesus remains calm, submits, yields Himself up, undergoes humiliation to the full, but Peter draws his sword. The flesh leads into temptation but sustains no one in it; it leads Peter to the high priest. There Jesus bears a glorious testimony; Peter, incited by Satan, denies Him. In everything, the flesh is opposed to Christ, and yet Peter truly loved the Lord. Even after having received the Holy Spirit, we find Peter still acting in the flesh (Gal. 2:11-21).
J. N. Darby