I generally consider myself a brave man. I served in the Marine Corps and law enforcement for over 32 years. But I do not like snakes. I don’t have a phobia over them and I can handle them from a respectable distance, but when one surprises me it’s pretty unnerving. If one suddenly struck me in the hand, fastened itself to me while injecting its poison inside and I had to get if off of me, I know I would have a total freak-out moment!
The book of Acts tells the story of Paul building a fire and getting bit by a poisonous snake. The local people there on the island of Malta saw it hanging form his hand. But he simply shook it off into the fire and went about his business as they watched him in amazement. They obviously new this particular snake was poisonous because they waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead.
Why do you think Paul was so calm and matter-of-fact about it? Earlier that day he shared with the men on his ship how an angel of God told him not to be afraid and that he would surely stand trial before Caesar. The angel told him that they would be shipwrecked on an island. Paul held onto that promise and knew that nothing, not even a poisonous snake, could stop him.
So, be like Paul and stand on God’s promises. Don’t let anything stop you from carrying out his will in your life. Shake off the snakes that want to thwart God’s promises by injecting their poison into your life. Just as Paul’s snake was thrown into the fire, we know of another snake (serpent) that will be thrown into the fire in due time. As his children, we won’t suffer that fate!
Acts 28:5 (NLT) - “But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.”