“But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.”
Acts 28:5 (NLT)
The snake could attack Paul, but it had no power or authority over him. That is what stands out to me. Paul had just survived a storm that should have killed him, and God had already promised that he would reach Rome. So when the snake bit him, Paul simply shook it into the fire and kept moving forward. What looked like a great threat to the people of Malta was small compared to the promise and power of God.
Paul believed more in God’s ability to protect him, heal him, and keep him safe than in the power of the snake’s venom. What we put our faith in has power over us. Paul was so enamored with and focused on God’s power that he did not let the attack of the enemy affect him. He had confidence in what God promised, and that confidence helped him encourage everyone around him.
But what moves me most is the connection to Luke 10. The 72 were excited that even demons obeyed them when they used Jesus’ name. Jesus reminded them that He had given them all authority over the enemy, but their greater reason for joy was that their names were registered in heaven. Yes, Jesus gives us power over the enemy, but being with Him and having eternal life are worth so much more than any benefit of knowing Him on earth.
The people of Malta saw the power of God in Paul and assumed it came from Paul. But the power was only a benefit of Paul’s relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We should never become more excited about what Jesus gives us than about being with Him. If we worship His power more than we love His presence, we can start acting like the power is in us. Apart from Jesus Christ, we have no ability, strength, power, or authority over the enemy.