Shake Off the Serpent
By Pastor Jim May
Acts 28:1-5, "And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm."
Paul was in the center of God’s perfect will. He had been threatened with death in Jerusalem, but he was in God’s perfect will. He had been arrested by the Roman’s, but he was in God’s perfect will. He had been locked away in a dark, damp cell and mistreated, but he was in God’s perfect will. He was bound and escorted under guard to a ship that would take him to his final destination, a place from which there would be no coming back, but he was in God’s perfect will. He was restricted from moving about freely, held prisoner among heathen sailors that cared little for God, but he was in God’s perfect will. He was on a ship bound for Rome, but a ship that would face one of the fiercest storms in the Bible, a ship that would be shipwrecked on a strange island, after it had been broken into small pieces, but he was in God’s perfect will.
The point is that adversity, storms of life and attacks of the devil do not mean that we aren’t in God’s perfect will. In fact, many times, it’s exactly the opposite. All along this road of life that we all must travel there will be pitfalls, troubles, trials or tests that we cannot avoid. We are caught in the middle of a great struggle over which we have little control and few choices but to weather the storm and wait for the calm to return.
Paul was headed for Rome, to face charges before Caesar, and to spread the gospel as long as God gave him breath. But the storm had blown him off course.
Unexpected tragedies slow our progress, alter our plans, and give us great frustration. Our best plans often are shattered by the circumstances of life and we find our plans shipwrecked for no fault of our own.
Paul could have said, “Well, I guess it just isn’t God’s will for me to reach Rome after all.” But his present circumstances didn’t stop Paul. This was just another inconvenience and another bump in the road. He knew his destination and he knew that the Holy Spirit was with him, guiding him, leading him and watching over him, every step of the way.
The Holy Ghost simply said, “Stay the course and don’t stop now. It’s not over ‘til it’s over! You win in the end. You are an overcomer, Paul. I am with you and will never forsake you.”
Acts 28:2, "And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold."
Paul wasn’t shipwrecked next door to one of the churches that he had founded. There weren’t any Christians around to meet his desperate needs of food, warm clothing or shelter. He was alone in a world filled with sin and sinful people.
Isn’t it true to see how that it is those are the “barbarians”; the worldly people, who show more concern for your trials than people in the church sometimes? I pray that no one in this church ever finds more help, more compassion, more love and more friendship in the world than in the church.
The barbarians, people who most of the civilized world looked down upon as being backward, uneducated, uncouth and dirty, without the finer things of the more advanced nations around them, were the one who came to their rescue.
I have found it true that people who have to scratch out a living, facing the wolves of hunger and depravation at their doors every day, are the ones who are first to help their fellowman. It’s hard to get a rich man, or someone of high society, to get his hands dirty. They might be willing to pay for someone else to work, but precious few will pick up a hammer.
These barbarians were probably accustomed to seeing shipwrecks on their shores. They likely made their living by fishing and facing the dangers of the storms. They knew the pain, the suffering, the hardships of that kind of life and they knew what to do to help those in distress.
The barbarians “kindled a fire” for warmth and to help the survivors of the wreck to dry out and probably even brought up some food to warm over the fire.
When you feel shipwrecked on life’s troubled seas, and you feel like you have been cast upon a deserted island, wondering why you are there and what to do next, remember what these barbarians did. “Kindle a fire in your heart once again.”
The storms of life have a way of sapping your strength, draining your energy, weakening your hope and crushing your resolve, but don’t give up. Rekindle the fire. Get on your knees, because it’s hard to light a fire standing up if the fire is on the ground. Get down, strike a blow at the devil and allow the Holy Spirit to renew and refresh you once again. Get the fire of the Holy Ghost burning brightly so that the dampness of your spirit can be made dry and you can get the warmth of God’s presence once again.
The barbarians received Paul and his traveling companions. Isn’t it good to feel “received” when you get among other people after the storm has blown your life apart!
That’s the attitude that we must have. We are to receive those in trouble with open arms. We are to welcome those into our midst who are in distress. We are to help one another to get on our feet again. And we are to greet both sinner and saint alike, who come into our church seeking refuge from the storms.
Paul was on the receiving end this time. He had preached to the church at Galatia, and wrote them a letter that became the Epistle to the Galatians, where he had said in
Galatians 6:2, "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
It was raining while they built the fire, and it was a cold rain, the kind that would soak through anything and chill you to the bone.
All of us face some rain in our lives – and for all of us there are times when the rain becomes a “Euroclydon” Storm – a hurricane that whips us in circles, blows away hope, brings fear and despair, and shakes the very foundation of our faith and trust in God.
Sometimes the rain and winds of adversity are so strong that they seem to make us cold in spirit; cold in body; cold in emotions; and cold in our ability to feel anything. We are all humans and there are times when we are so numbed by the cold-blooded, attacks of the devil that we are almost too numb to think, to move or to even pray. We need a new fire!
Acts 28:3, "And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand."
Paul was cold; he was wet and tired; yet his duty as a minister compelled him to minister in any way he could. He left the comfort of the fire to gather more fuel to make it warmer. After the fire is started, we have to learn to fan the flames. Don’t let the embers die into burned out ashes – fan the flame and put on the wood by taking up the cross.
Out came the viper – Until this point we can say that Paul was the victim of circumstances and weather. Life is filled with trials and tests that happen to us all. God allows these to test us, strengthen us and bring us to our knees in a closer relationship with Him. But there comes those times when it’s no longer just a simple trial. There comes a time when Satan, that old serpent, strikes at you to sink his fangs into your hand.
No one was more passionate, and effective, at spreading the Gospel than Paul. And now he is doing what he was called to do. He was ministering to the needs of the people. But what happens? He is attacked from the pit of the fire. The serpent leaves the fiery pit to attack Paul.
Paul’s ministry stirred up the serpent. But that was nothing new to Paul. Every where he went he was stirring up the devil.
There are two things that happened here that got the serpent all stirred up. The weather was cold and the serpent is a cold-blooded animal so it was still and nearly frozen, hiding from view.
But somebody started a fire and started getting him warm. Satan won’t bother us if we are cold in the Lord. He won’t care what we do as long as we do nothing for God. But if we stir up the fire, look out! He is getting ready to defend his territory. Satan won’t let us go on without a fight.
Secondly, after the fire had started, it needed more fuel to keep burning and get hotter. Let me tell you that the more you pray, the hotter the spiritual fire burns, and the more you can expect Satan to move against you. He strikes when you least expect it and from where you wouldn’t expect him to be.
Sometimes he strikes from within the fire! I might just be someone from inside the church, someone who is part of those producing the fire that will strike at you.
Notice how the attack came. It didn’t just strike but it held on. Do you sometimes feel like the attack of the devil in your life is never going to end? It’s as though Satan has attached himself to you and won’t turn loose. It feels like he is here to stay for a while and we wonder, “God, how long?”
Just remember what Paul did. Remember that Satan’s power is limited by Almighty God. Remember to shake him off in the fire. Burn him with the power of the Holy Ghost and watch him squirm, wiggle, turn loose and run.
Paul was supposed to die. This was a poisonous viper. But Jesus had given his disciples a promise back in Mark 16:17-18, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Paul was a believer and not only was he able to shake of the serpent, but he soon laid hands on the sick and they were healed.
Acts 28:7-9, "In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:"
When Satan attacks us we have to shake him off. Shake off the serpent into the fires of judgment. Call upon the name of the Lord. Yield your life to Jesus and keep on serving the Lord. When the fire of the Holy Ghost gets hot enough in your spirit, the devil will have to flee.
God has given us some great promises in His Word. One of the most wonderful promises in the Bible is found in Isaiah 54:17, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."
Your heritage is one of victory and power. Your heritage is one of eternal life. Your heritage is one that gives you the right to shake off the serpent and walk on in the Lord to accomplish what God wants you to do in your life.
God wants you to stay the course and to finish the race that is set before you. The attacks will come but the victory is yours already.
In closing let me give you this little illustration. Maybe you can remember to finish the race by remembering this story.
It was 7 PM on October 20, 1968 and the crowd is starting to leave the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City. The last of the runners of the marathon race were being carried off the field. Then the crowd stopped as a flurry of activity began down on the field. When they looked to see what was happening, they saw that there was one lone runner on the home stretch. He would be the very last one to cross the finish line.
It was number 36 from the little country of Tanzania on the eastern shores of the African Continent, between Kenya and Mozambique. But he wasn’t running to finish line in a blaze of glory, sprinting to show his skill, stamina and determination. Instead, he came limping into the stadium far behind the rest of the competitors. He had fallen on the course and injured his leg. He hobbled along, barley able to stand up, struggling with each step and leaving a trail of blood as he moved slowly along. The medical personnel on the field started to go to his aid, but he waved them back. He wanted no help. He was gong to make it to the end at all costs.
After what seemed to be an eternity, and with an almost super-human effort, he finally crossed the finish line and collapsed just a foot past the mark, lying there too weak to get up on his own. When the aides reached him to help him they asked, “Why did you finish the race when you were so badly injured? His answer is one that we should all remember in this race of life. He said, “My country didn’t send me 7,000 to start the race. They sent me 7,000 miles to finish the race!
Finish your race! Never give up! Just as surely as Paul was destined to reach Rome to fulfill the will of God in his life, so will you cross the finish line and win because God has promised that to you. It’s part of your heritage and your inheritance.
