Acts 28:3 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.
Vipers are a large family of snakes that include adders, pit vipers like rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and copperheads. Rattlesnakes are just as dangerous dead as they are alive. Even after the head end of the snake is severed from the body it maintains its bite reflex for up to 6 hours. Also, snakes use their teeth only to bite their prey and not to chew their food, as they swallow their catch whole. All vipers in the family of Viperidae are venomous and have long, hinged fangs. When the venomous viper fastened itself to Paul’s hand, the tribal barbarians of the Island waited for Paul to swell up and die but Paul shook the snake into the fire and suffered no ill effects. This poisonous beast could not inject any toxin into Paul’s body as he was cruising above the spiritual snake line.
The line in the sand that protects us against venom, bites and stings of the devil, demons and snakes is the “line of obedience”. Those who are careful not to step over the snake line of obedience will suffer no harm from the vicious, venomous demonic snares.
The shelter above the snake line of obedience protects us from bites, hurts and harm of the demons:
1. Droopy: Snakes cannot survive in high altitudes. They become droopy, immobile and exhausted. High altitudes make them sluggish, slow, slothful. Spiritually, when we choose the high grounds to “love” instead of “hatred”, we paralyze the demons that are trying to inject the poison of anger, animosity and abhorrence. The snakes of revenge, rant or rage; envy, greed or resentment; pride, arrogance or egotism cannot survive high altitudes. The high altitudes are filled with praise, worship and thanksgiving that make the snakes droopy, drowsy and lazy.
2. Deadly: The deadly snakes fall dead under the power of God and the fire of His presence at high altitudes. When the zeal for holiness is burning like fire in and around us, we will shake the viper that fastens onto our hand into the fire and move forward. Above the snake line the venom evaporates from the fangs of the beast. Nothing and no one can harm us; the crafty colleague, betraying boyfriend or the envious neighbour can do us no harm. Witchcraft, black magic or sorcery that is done against us will return back to the sender. The high altitudes burn with the fire of God’s presence and will fry the trespassing, deadly snakes, scorpions and demons.
3. Device: Snakes use their teeth and the mouth to hurt us but the bites will have no effect, the teeth will have no venom and the mouth will be dumbstruck at high altitudes. The tongue will not be able to taste the atmosphere or its prey but will taste the sweet scent of prayer and praise. The fangs that come to bite and inject poison will become frail and fall out. The deadly tools of the devil are as good as dead at high altitudes. When we respond to temptation with wisdom, love, forgiveness, kindness, patience, gentleness, self control and Christlikeness, the devices of the devil become futile, ineffective and useless!
Hence when we walk in integrity, honesty, love and purity, we will be able to pick up snakes, strangle the demons by their neck and hurl them back to hell. Live above the snake line!
Acts 28:6 Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to climb up above the spiritual altitude where demons, deadly beasts and devil lose their sensitivity, sanity and strength. Help me to live above the snake line. Amen
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