But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Acts 28:5

Many times, as we journey down life’s highway, we may encounter obstacles that halt or slow our walk with the Lord as we try to press forward. There may have been words spoken over you that were not encouraging and left you feeling as though someone pulled the rug from under you. Circumstances and painful words sometimes leave a damaged heart, but God never intended for us to live discouraged, but to live a victorious life as He guides us through our every day challenges.

The apostle Paul was on a missionary journey proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, while why he was on his way to Sicily, a great storm began to rage and the ship fell prey to the powerful winds of adversity and Paul found himself shipwrecked on the island of Malta (Acts 28). This journey was not something Paul had planned for, for as he was heading for Sicily the storm caused him to detour 60 miles away from his original course.

How is it that sometimes we are aiming for one place and end up in another? Have you ever been going somewhere and suddenly a storm arises in your life out of no where, and you are wondering how you got there? Well Paul found himself in the same situation.

The island of Malta is between Sicily and Africa and is 20 miles long and 12 miles wide. In fact, the word Malta comes from the Greek word “melita” which in Spanish means “honey.” But interesting enough, when you are in a storm and off course you don’t feel there is anything sweet about the journey you are traveling on. But God had plans for Paul as he ended up in Malta. This detour gave him an opportunity to live among the natives for 3 months. So what began as a mighty storm became a blessing as the message of the gospel was being preached through the apostle Paul.

As Paul was on the island it started to rain and it was bitterly cold. So the residents of the island made a fire for Paul and his crew to stay warm, showing them hospitality. Paul reached for more wood to add to the fire and according to Acts 28:3, “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.”

There was Paul standing by the fire with this viper attached to his hand. Fangs had pierced his skin and this creature hung dangling as it had its grip on Paul. As Paul looked at the viper he did not begin to entertain it, converse with it, argue with it or analyzed why the viper was on his hand. He did not say, “Well you poor little old viper, you must be having a bad day, I know you did not mean to stick your fangs into my hand.” No! Instead the scripture says that Paul, “Shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.” He realized this creature was not supposed to be attached to his hand. I can only imagine Paul thinking, “I am not going to sit here and try to figure out how it got here, or where it came from. I am going to shake this viper off my hand and throw it back into the fire.” It is interesting that there is a day when Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and will no longer be able to torment or bring destruction to anyone any longer.

Perhaps you have had things latch on to you from the past. It might have been a hurtful word, a painful event, or things that happened to you in which it left you feeling hopeless without a vision for a bright tomorrow. God never intended for us to live under painful circumstances without hope. But to live under His anointing and to fulfill the destiny He has given each and everyone of us.

There will always be people with varying opinions of you, some will be edifying and some will be challenging. When Paul landed on the island of Malta he was welcomed (vs2). But when the viper attached himself to Paul’s hand the natives thought he was a murder and justice was taking place for his crime (vs4). Then in (vs6) we read that the people were waiting for him to swell up and drop dead because of the poison. But when Paul did not fall over the residents of Malta decided he was a god. Not a good thing. First Paul is welcomed as an honor guest, and then he is considered a murder, followed by the fact that they were looking for him to swell up and drop dead to now thinking he was a god. All of them were opinions they based on the outward appearance of a man. But isn't it good to know that God does not look at the outward appearance but instead looks at our heart?

Now in Malta there was a man named Publius who was the leading citizen on the region. Publius' father was sick with a fever and dysentery (vs7). So Paul went to Publius father and laid his hands on him and prayed in the name of Jesus and the Lord healed him. The man was healed and Publius showed Paul kindness with hospitality and opened his home to him for three days. Then the news that Publius father was healed spread to the rest of the natives on the island and all those who had diseases came and were healed.

We see a full circle taking place of people’s opinions towards Paul as he set foot on the island of Malta. Everything from being welcomed, to being considered a murder, then expecting him to fall dead, to being a god, then a healer to being honored. Acts 28:10 Paul says, “They also honored us in many ways, and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.”

Paul started on his missionary journey with many places to visit and bring the gospel of Jesus Christ. But Malta was not on his agenda. A storm and what seem to be disaster brought him to people who needed a blessing. Perhaps you are heading someplace in life and a detour takes you to some other place, is all this really an inconvenience? Or is it a disguised opportunity for you to pour out the blessings in that place God has brought you to?

Yes, their may be vipers but they do not need to stay attached. Anything that is not from God needs to be thrown into the fire from the pit of hell where it came from. Then take that same hand and reach out to someone in need.

Where is your Malta? Where is your place of influence? Where are your circumstances taking you to? Are they leading you to discouragement or victory?

To find our Malta we only need to look around us. To see those who are in need of God’s touch and bring the blessings of God to those who desperately need Him. Let’s take a good look around us, and turn our storms into Gods blessings.

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Perhaps today you find yourself facing storms that are hard for you to encounter. No matter what you’re facing there is someone who cares. Jesus Christ wants to bring comfort to you in your deepest need. He understands and loved you enough to go to the cross and die for you. Will you pray the prayer below and allow Him to come into your life and turn the dark skies of your life into a bright tomorrow? He is waiting. Please pray this prayer.

Prayer:
Dear God,
I am asking you for help. I am facing some hard things and I cannot face them alone. Will you please come into my life and be my comfort and my Lord? I know that there have been times I have lived my life for myself and have not found the peace that I need, You are that peace. So please come to me and forgive me of my sins. I open my life to you for I want to walk a life that pleases you. I receive you as my Savior and Lord and thank you that you died for me on the cross so that I could live forever with you. Thank you for dying for me. I now ask you to turn my life from a storm into a blessing. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, I would love to hear about it so I can continue to pray for you. Will you please email me at EvelynSpeaks@aol.com. and let me know? I would appreciate it. You are a blessing and may God richly bless you.