Richard Roberts
We have all been attacked by bad circumstances more than once in our lives. But no matter what you may be going through today, God’s Word teaches that you don’t have to let those attacks cling to you. You can shake them off, in Jesus’ Name!
Acts 27 and 28 tell the story of the apostle Paul being held a prisoner on a ship bound for Rome. All at once, a storm began to rage. After several frightening days and nights, the ship ran aground on the island of Malta, and the sailors and the prisoners jumped overboard and swam to shore. While they were resting on the beach, Paul gathered sticks for the fire. As he tossed them into the flames, suddenly a poisonous snake, flushed out by the heat, sprang up and attached itself to his hand!
Notice that Paul had just made it through one life-threatening trial and another one came along right behind it! He escaped the storm, but the snake was waiting for him! Has that ever happened to you? It has to me! But Paul didn’t panic. He didn’t feel sorry for himself and wonder why so many trials were coming his way. Instead, he shook off that poisonous snake into the fire!
No matter what kind of struggle you may be dealing with, I believe the Lord is saying to you: “Don’t let your circumstances hold you down. Don’t panic. Shake it off!”
The Bible says that after Paul shook off that snake, everyone was watching to see what would happen to him. But the poison did him no harm! Whatever problem might be trying to cling to you today, shake it off, in Jesus’ mighty Name!