2019: Shake Off The Snake

Acts 28 New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul on the Island of Malta

28 Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. 2 The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.

3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. 4 The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” 5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. 6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

7 Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. 8 As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9 Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. 10 As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.

I sense that there is a word here for us concerning 2019. I believe that there have been things that have been driven out because of the intense heat of the fire that have attached themselves to us. There have been things that have wanted to distract and take our focus off of the Promise, off of the Word, off of the prophecies. There have been things that have wanted to distract us from community. There have been things that have wanted to destroy community. 

These things have wanted to create chaos in our lives. They have wanted to stop us to the point of even wanting to kill us and the promise. 

I sense that 2019 is a year to shake off the snake, just like Paul. Shake off that which so easily besets us. This is a year where we must shake off the snake and keep on going, just like Paul did. 

Paul kept doing what he knew he had been called and created to do. He kept doing the will of God. He kept flowing in the healing wave. As we keep doing what we are doing, honors will be showered. Respect will be showered. Our needs will be supplied. 

We must understand though, that the snake needs to be shaken off first. God will do what He promises. 

This snake has been a test for us. Are we going give in to the attack or are we going to look at the attack and shake it off? 

Let's do the latter: shake off the attack and keep moving forward.