SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! WHEN THE SNAKE BITES YOUR HAND!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this in two parts.
I. GOD’S PLAN LEAVES GOD’S MAN VULNERABLE AND TRUSTING GOD FOR THE FAITH OF OBEDIENCE.
CAN YOU HEAR THE CHANT OF PEOPLE TODAY?
They are chanting : WHERE IS THE GOD OF ELIJAH?
GOD’S CHANT IS MUCH DIFFERENT: WHERE ARE THE ELIJAH’S OF GOD?
A. We are all on a journey.
Our spiritual life is much more than a destination, our journey is a process.
B. God speaks clearly to Moses and Aaron about the ISSUE OF THE HEART in ministry. God says, to be a good leader, you must learn to trust God’s promises.
Exodus 4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
C. THERE IS MUCH CONFUSION TODAY BECAUSE OF SOME TELEVISION SHOW OFF’S --- BUT ANY PERSON THAT HANDLES POISONOUS SNAKES WILL TELL YOU, YOU ONLY PICK UP A SNAKE WITH A STICK AND HOLD DOWN THE SNAKE’S HEAD
AND THEN PICK UP THE SNAKE WITH YOUR FINGERS BEHIND THE SNAKES HEAD.
D. God has a real life lesson, we can only approach spiritual snakes by trusting in HIS PLAN.
E. Today we have a tendency within the church to approach spiritual battles by our feelings and our thinking.
F. On this journey we travel we must rise above
our feelings and human reasoning and step to the realm of Faith!
II. REACH DEEPER THAN FEELINGS AND HUMAN REASONING.
WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM, PEOPLE ARE DYING, THEIR CHOICES AND THEIR WORDS HAVE BAITED SPIRITUAL TRAPS, AND PEOPLE ARE DYING.
A. We walk in perilous times, we need a DIVINE PLAN to reach to those that are dying with no hope.
Not only are God’s people looking at hopelessness, they have been walking in DRY TIMES.
Numbers 21:6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
B. The people see the error of their choices and repent. But the people are still dying.
Numbers 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he
take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
C. God had a plan of DELIVERANCE.
God’s plan was beyond reasoning and feelings.
God’s plan made little sense to those that were operating in the flesh.
Numbers 21:8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he
looketh upon it, shall live.
D. God honors obedience, and those that looked to the symbol of the problem received GOD’S DIVINE PLAN and solution.
Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent
of brass, he lived.
E. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THE SERPENT THAT DECEIVED ADAM AND EVE. IT IS THE CROSS AND AN EMPTY GRAVE.
III. WE CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TODAY’S LESSON WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THE HAND IN MINISTRY. WE BATTLE WITH OUR HANDS AND EYES:
Matthew 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy
whole body should be cast into hell.
Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
A. IN THE BIBLE WE SEE THE HAND AND THE EYES AS A TYPE.
THE EYE:
We speak of an evil eye, the focus and intent of the eye can be a lure away from God’s plan.
If the eye is full of lust and adultery --- so is the heart.
Then the Bible warns of EYE-SERVICE ...
B. THE HAND IS A TYPE IN THE BIBLE.
The hand is a symbol of human action and reaction to the things of God.
To WASH THE HANDS was an outward symbol of coming clean, though one can wash their hands and STILL HAVE A DIRTY HEART?
C. The right hand was used to take an OATH, or a pledge of FIDELITY.
D. TODAY IN MOST WEDDING CEREMONIES THE PREACHER ASKS THE COUPLE TO JOIN HANDS AS A TOKEN OF WHAT IS TO COME.
E. In the Bible to KISS THE HAND was to pay HOMAGE and show SUBMISSION.
F. CAIN HAD ABEL’S BLOOD ON HIS HANDS.
G. ABRAHAM STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND OVER THE SON OF PROMISE. Abraham’s HAND demonstrated the FAITH Abe had in God.
H. WHEN MOSES RAISED HIS HANDS THERE WAS DIVINE VICTORY. When Moses hands grew tired and weary, GOD GAVE MOSES SUPPORT FROM HUR AND AAON TO BE A LIFTER OF THE HANDS.
I. Today, few within the church realize how important the discipline of our hands and eyes can be to walking as victims or as VICTORS?
J. Now we have clarified the importance of hands we can move forward in our lesson.
IV. WE MUST QUIT CRYING WHY? WHY? DO WE WANT CHEESE WITH OUR WHINE? WE ARE WALKING ON THIS STRANGE TWISTED SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, AND WE MUST FOCUS BEYOND THE PHYSICAL AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT OF FINISHING THIS RACE SET BEFORE US. WELL INTENTIONED PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SMOOTH JOURNEYS CAN HINDER GOD’S PROGRESS IN HIS PROCESS.
Acts 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews
at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of
the Lord Jesus.
A. AGABUS WAS A MAN OF GOD.
AGABUS LOVED GOD AND HE LOVED PAUL.
Agabus was a respected man of God, so much so he was called a PROPHET, but Agabus never understood the WILL OF GOD in life’s journey.
B. AGABUS COULD NOT SEE THAT GOD’S JOURNEY MAY TAKE STRANGE TWIST THAT LEAD OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES.
C. AGABUS GRABS PAULS GIRDLE, AND DID AN ILLUSTRATED SERMON. Agabus binds his hands and feet, and warns of a DANGEROUS, PERILOUS JOURNEY AHEAD:
Agabus means well, but this man could not see that this journey was more than physical --- THIS JOURNEY IS SPIRITUAL.
D. PAUL HAD TO SEE BEYOND THIS TRIAL.
PAUL HAD SEEN INTO THE REALM OF THE ETERNAL.
This fiery furnace has a purpose. This journey is no accident. These floods and droughts are but tools of God. This HARD TIME IS BUT A STEPPING STONE, THIS IS GOD’S OPPORTUNITY.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
E. PAUL CAME TO GOD WITH HIS HANDS AND EYES COMPLETELY COMMITTED IN FAITH AND ABSOLUTE TRUST.
DO YOU WANT CHESSE WITH YOUR WHINE?
Paul was not crying: WHY? WHY?
F. Paul was thankful that God trusted him in this trial and storm.
Paul THANKED GOD for his journey was LEAD BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
G. IT WAS THE HEATHERN KING THAT SAW THE FOURTH MAN IN THE FIRE!
H. SEVERAL YEARS LATER, NEAR THE END OF PAUL’S MINISTRY, PAUL PENS THESE WORDS:
2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
I. MAY WE SAY AT OUR JOURNEY’S END THESE SAME WORDS.
V. THE POISONOUS SERPENT WILL ATTACK THE HAND OF GOD’S MAN. WHY? WHY? DO YOU WANT CHESSE WITH YOUR WHINE?
WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN WE REACH OUT TO OTHERS AND THE POISONOUS SNAKE BITES US?
A. PAUL WAS A MIGHTY MAN OF GOD, PAUL WAS OPERATING IN OBEDIENCE AND STANDING TRUE TO GOD’S PLAN, YET WHAT SEEMED TO BE A DARK ROOM WAS BUT AN OPPORTUNITY...
B. Paul had just spent many days and nights on a dark, stormy, wind blown journey.
C. The men survive, and Paul is wet, weak, cold, and he finally puts his feet back on solid ground. The solid ground was going to shake?
Acts 28:1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 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. 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.
D. A cold creeping slow, gradual warming snake was lying in wait. The snake was very willing to spit it’s venomous fluids toward a true man of God.
VI. MANY PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO JUDGE YOU WHEN A SNAKE IS HANGING ON YOUR HAND? YOU MUST SHAKE IT OFF!
A. Why do we tend to JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS?
Jonah was stupid and rode in the fish’s belly?
B. Even the barbarians say: THIS MAN IS A MURDERER.
Acts 28:4 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.
C. MY FRIEND, WE MUST SHAKE IT OFF AND GO ON...
This snake never caught God by surprise.
Acts 28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
D. GOD HAS A PLAN! TRUST HIS PLAN?
Acts 28:6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him,
they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
E. PAUL KNEW TO SHAKE THE SNAKE OFF, FOR GOD WAS RAISING A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
Acts 28:8 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.
9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
VII. OUR ENEMY IS MEAN, AND HE WANTS TO BITE YOUR HAND,
SO YOU WILL NOT REACH YOUR HAND OUT TO OTHERS.
A. God was not finished with Paul, Paul would lay his hands on the sick and pray and healing would come.
B. Paul would reach his hand for his pen and write to the Galatians, the Corinthians, to the Philippians, and to a young man named TIMOTHY.
C. My friend, you must shake off the snake and reach your hand out to others.
The person that needs your love the most probably deserves it the least.
Reach out your hand, some mother’s son needs your touch.
D. ACCEPT GOD’S CHALLENGE, DON’T FEAR THE SNAKE, TRUST THE GOD OF DELIVERANCE.
E. Conclusion:
Once a mountain family had a big mule.
The mule had been like part of the family. The mule pulled the plow.
The mule pulled the wagon to town and to church.
One day the mule got old and his vision was limited.
The mule got near the well and fell in.
The old farmer told his sons, get the shovels and bury the mule in the well.
The mule could not believe that his friends were throwing dirt in on him.
The mule cried and was angry after all he had done for this family?
They were going to bury him alive.
The dirt came in and was covering the mule’s back.
The mule shook the dirt off and stepped up.
Over and over the mule would shake off the dirt and step up, until finally the mule was back on top of the ground again.
It was a joy to plow for the family now, he had learned to shake it off, and step up.
Well, you might have to learn to shake it off, and step up.
F. God knew Paul.
God saw the snake there. God could have killed the snake, but he didn’t.
Paul had to learn to shake it off and step up!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This writing took me time and effort, all I ask in return is that you please pass it
to another and enlarge my hands?
