As we journeyed with Paul through Acts 27, we established this truth: In the storms of life, make sure you have an anchor for your soul.
Hebrews 6:19-20 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.”
God promised Paul he would testify before Caesar in Rome. Paul was on a ship as a prisoner, being transported to Rome for trial. Paul had tried to warn those in charge not to set sail from Fair Haven because of the danger, Paul had been warned by an Angel.
So, the Apostle Paul and 275 others were sailing across the Mediterranean Sea, when they encountered a hurricane force storm for 2 weeks.
The ship was driven onto the island Malta and battered to pieces by the storm. The centurion in charge ordered everyone to abandon ship.
The crew and passengers jumped overboard and used wreckage to float to shore. They all arrived safely as God had promised! Paul’s faith saved everyone on board.
They have just survived one of the most traumatic events of their lives: two weeks in a hurricane-like storm. They were exhausted. They were emotionally drained. They were in a confusing place and the rain and storm were still howling. No way these men should be alive!! We’ll P/U there:
Acts 28:1-6 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
The island of Malta is only 17 miles long and 9 miles wide, so it’s incredible how God providentially steered the ship in the storm to land on this small strip of land in that part of the Mediterranean, which was 375 miles wide!
Today the spot where they shipwrecked is called, “St. Paul’s Bay.”
In our text, we find Paul in a precarious situation. He’s been shipwrecked on the island of Malta, and while gathering firewood, a venomous snake latches onto his hand. (PIC) The islanders expect him to swell up and die, but instead, Paul shakes the snake (VIPER) off into the fire and simply goes about his business.
This is not just a story about Paul’s miraculous survival. It’s a story that speaks to us today, about how we should handle the venomous bites in our own lives.
This viper that fastened itself onto Paul’s hand is symbolic of the cunning and deceptive ways of our spiritual adversary’s. Our enemies are not always obvious. Sometimes, they hide in the brushwood of our lives, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. It is in these moments that our faith is tested.
These venomous bites are represented by the trials, tribulations and struggles in our lives that threaten to derail our faith. To steal our Peace and our joy. It’s important to acknowledge these struggles, not to dwell on them, not let them consume us, not allowing these struggles to define us or dictate our lives. but to understand that they are a part of life. (John 16:33-James 1:2)
(I’VE LEARNED) When we face these venomous bites of the enemy, God is giving us an opportunity for us to deepen our relationship with Him. We can use these experiences to grow and learn and mature in our faith and to become more like our Savior Jesus.
God’s will for us is to have an absolute reliance on His protection and provision. Paul was able to SHAKE OFF the venomous snake and suffer no ill effects because he trusted in God’s providence. He knew that God was with him, protecting him and providing for him. You and I can have this same confidence.
Our goal should always be to emerge from our trials and tribulations stronger and more resilient. It’s about not letting our struggles define us, but letting them shape us into the person God wants us to be. We can move forward, not because we are immune to the venomous bites of life, but because we have the power to overcome them ( SHAKE EM OFF) through Christ who strengthens us.
When Reflecting on the life of Paul and all he went through, including his encounter with the venomous snake, I find myself drawn to the absolute divine protection that was clearly at work in his life. This divine protection, this shield of faith if you will, protected him from the fiery darts of his enemies. Paul’s shield (PICS-2)(GIF)
Paul used this shield against the many trials that we have witnessed in his life throughout this book. And as we have witnessed when wielded with courage and determination, can turn the enemy’s attacks into opportunities for growth and transformation.
This divine protection, this shield of faith is not exclusive to Paul. It is a promise that extends to each one of us, a promise that is woven into the very fabric of our faith.
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We also see that Paul’s encounter with the snake had a profound impact on those who witnessed it. The islanders initially thought Paul was a murderer who was receiving divine punishment. The islanders expected Paul to die from the viper’s bite. But when they saw that he suffered no ill effects, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
They saw the power of God at work in Paul’s life, and their perceptions and beliefs were radically changed. This teaches us that we have the opportunity to be a powerful witness, in the lives of those around us. We can become a testimony to others, leading them to recognize the power of God in us.
Conclusion
We all face attacks from the enemy: These attacks can come in many forms – doubts, fears, temptations, trials, and tribulations, sickness, disease.
And when we face these attacks, our first instinct might be to panic or to give in to fear. But that’s exactly what our enemies want. They want us to feel overwhelmed and helpless. But we are not helpless.
Like Paul, we have been given the same power to SHAKE OFF these attacks. We don’t do this in our own strength, but in the strength that comes from our faith in Jesus Christ.
We don’t have to fear what life throws at us, when we know that our God is greater than any challenge we may face. He’s not just watching from a distance. He’s right here with us, walking through the fire alongside us, ready to help us SHAKE OFF the snake and emerge stronger than ever.
How do we do this?: In the words of the great Charles Spurgeon, “To be a Christian is to be a warrior. We are soldiers in a spiritual war, and like any soldier, we must understand our enemies and know how to wield our weapons effectively.”
By standing firm in our faith, and this is not a passive action, but an active and conscious one. It’s a decision that must be made in the heat of the moment. It is a decision that requires courage, determination, and faith.
We do it by holding on to the promises of God, by turning to God in prayer, by immersing ourselves in His Word, and by surrounding ourselves with fellow believers who can encourage and support us.
Acts 28:7-9 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
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