Faith, our faith is the very foundation of our walk with God. The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. The Bible also calls faith our substance; substance means the foundation, a real being, a steadfastness of mind, and our resolution. Faith is the very foundation of our walk with God. And faith speaks – faith has a voice. You can literally tell how much faith a person has by what they do. Not by what they say necessarily – but by what they do. Faith is an action word and the Bible says that faith without works is dead. What does that mean? It means if you don’t put action or works to your faith it is dead. To be dead means it is non-productive and it will do nothing. Think of that, if you don’t add action to your faith, it is non-productive.
The life of faith is not for the weak and it is not always a life of comfort. I think of our military, those who are on the front lines protecting our country, they know that at any given moment they may be asked to lay down everything that is of comfort to them and head to battle. It is the same with Christians who find themselves on the front line, we should be ready at any given moment to lay down the comforts of life, pick up our sword, which is the word of God, and head to battle.
Our sacrifices are not the same as our military, our sacrifices literally increase the glory of God in our life. The Bible teaches us when we are persecuted for righteousness sake or for the sake of the gospel that the glory of God will come upon us and defend us and fight for us. Wow! What a life of power, as we choose to trust God in every situation, His glory enables us to overcome.
Let’s look at one of Paul’s journeys and find exactly what happens when we believe God regardless of the circumstances that come against us. In the book of Acts, chapter 27, we find Paul going on a ship to stand before Caesar of Rome. At this time in history, Rome was a place of influence, strategic influence. You see my friend; sometimes God will place us spiritually and even physically in places of strategic influence. These places are places of destiny. When God appoints us to these places, we are sent there by the anointing of God, and nothing can stop us.
Paul was not going as a mighty man of God. He was not going as a respected preacher. He was going as a prisoner. He was going bound in chains. Many of us would think that we could do nothing for God in these circumstances however, as we know, Paul furthered the gospel more in prison than most men have done through the pages of time. Even as a prisoner He walked in great authority and power. Looking at the life of Paul we find that our problems should not stop us from fulfilling our destiny. Often we think, ‘if I had more money I would obey God.’ Or ‘If my husband or wife were different I could do more for God.’ Or ‘if my children would act right, I could impact the Kingdom of God.’ My friend, nothing is stopping you from impacting the Kingdom of God but you.
What happened in your past can’t stop you. If you made bad choices in your past, it does not determine your future. You future is only determined by what you do right now. Right now, in this time, that is what determines your future.
In Acts 27, we find that Paul and those who held him in bondage were on the boat and headed for their destination. Along the way, a storm arose, a storm so bad that they threw all their food and supplies overboard to keep from sinking. The winds and the storm was so powerful that everyone, every single person gave up and prepared to die. No one believed that they would make it through, except one man. Paul. Suddenly the man in chains had the platform.
Your family may say you are too spiritual. Your friends may think you are nuts but when the storm comes, and it will come, they will be calling on the person who still believes in the midst of the storm. They will be calling on the person who knows they have authority to speak to the storm and command it to be still. They will be calling you.
Paul was on a journey of destiny but the enemy meant to bring destruction and adversity. The Bible says an angel of the Lord came to Paul and gave him a message from God. What did God say? He said ‘Paul, this adversity is not your assignment, I didn’t send the adversity, but the adversity is a sign that there is an assignment.’ You see, when the enemy knows that there is an assignment, the enemy will send adversity to stop you from arriving at your destination – BUT – the assignment was sent by the anointing and the anointed One. Always remember that the anointing is greater than any adversity that comes your way and that adversity can’t stop your assignment.
Paul told his fellow shipmates not to worry. He assured them that they would make it to the other side unharmed. And they did,- the adversity was unable to stop him. Paul went on to tell them that they would have to go ashore on a certain Island. When they arrived on shore, the Bible says that Paul built a fire to warm himself and a serpent fastened itself to Paul. About this time, most of us would have decided that this journey could not possibly be God. First the horrible storm and now a snake bite, surely God would not allow all this adversity. But what did Paul do? He shook it off.
Here we have Paul, as a prisoner, about to stand before Caesar in judgment. First he goes through a terrible storm that he had already warned the shipmates about. Then he sought God and God delivered them all. Then when he once again was safe on shore, the serpent attached itself to him. Talk about a bad day – But – he shook it off. He didn’t carry the snake around as a trophy. He didn’t talk about how bad the bite felt. He didn’t tell everyone how bad the enemy came against him. No, he shook it off.
My question to you today is what is your snake bite? By that I mean; what has bitten you that you can’t seem to shake off? Perhaps it was a divorce or an affair. Perhaps it was bankruptcy. Perhaps it was losing a loved one. Perhaps it was a sickness. Perhaps it was disappointment. Whatever it was shake it off and walk on. Don’t allow the snake bite to color every day of your life any longer. Don’t allow it to dictate your life another day. Shake it off.
It could be unforgiveness toward someone or even toward you, yourself. Shake it off. Nothing is worth stopping you from arriving at your destination. Your destiny isn’t even all about you. It is about your call. It’s about what God needs you to do. You see, God needs you to go about doing good and healing all. After Paul was bitten, he walked on and laid that snake bit hand on the sick on that Island and they were all healed.
Paul’s faith kept talking in action regardless of what happened. When the storm arose, Paul declared ‘I believe it will be just as God has said it would be.’ That must become your confession of faith through every storm. You must declare ‘I believe it will be just as God as told me it would be.’
I can minister this to you for one reason, I have been snake bit, but it didn’t stop me. Why? Because I believed God and I know that He is a God who is true to His word. I know that if I continue to believe that it will be exactly as He told me it would be. You see, our God never lies and never leaves us. He will cause us to arrive at our destination as long as we shake off every attack, every storm and every snake bite. Shake it off and go on. You will arrive at your destiny and you will be blessed. How do I know? Because the Bible says ‘Blessed is she who believes for she shall see a performance of those things told to her from the Lord.’ You have His word on it.
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