They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:18)
This either means we have supernatural protection if we pick up a snake, or it is symbolic of God’s protection when we encounter the devil. Since the other four signs in this list are literal, it is most probable that this means physically picking up snakes. The apostle Paul experienced this supernatural protection from a viper when he was shipwrecked on the island of Melita [simple_tooltip content=’3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.’](Acts 28:3-5)[/simple_tooltip]. However, this is the only recorded example of this type of protection in the New Testament.
There is no record of the disciples picking up snakes just to prove they were believers. That would be tempting God [simple_tooltip content=’9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
10 For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’
11 and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”’](Luke 4:9-12)[/simple_tooltip]. This, as well as drinking any deadly thing, is a promise that if we pick up snakes accidentally or are forced into that position because of our stand for Christ, we can believe for supernatural protection.
The power that is now working in believers is the same power that worked in Christ to raise Him from the dead. Everything we have as believers in Christ comes from our union with Him. Therefore, what is true of Him is true of us too. We have come to share in His throne [simple_tooltip content=’and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,’](Eph. 2:6)[/simple_tooltip], which means we partake of the authority that His throne represents and exercise divine power and dominion on this earth.
There is no place in the New Testament that tells you to ask God to do something about the devil. Instead, you are told to do something about the devil. This is because you have been delegated His authority over the works of the enemy. Let the eyes of your understanding be enlightened to His exceeding power toward you [simple_tooltip content=’18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.’](Eph. 1:18-19)[/simple_tooltip]. Today, take authority over the devil, and walk in victory!
