The Remedy for the Enemy

Numbers 21:4-9 

“And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

The Israelites once again found themselves in a place of unthankfulness, speaking against the very God that brought them out of Egypt. The Lord sent fiery serpents in response and many Israelites died as a result of being bitten. Those who had not yet been bitten came to Moses with repentant hearts and pleaded for him to pray on behalf of the people and ask the Lord to take away the serpents. Notice God did not take away the serpents, but provided a way for anyone who is bitten to live. Just as the snakes were an enemy to the Israelites in that time, we also have an enemy that we must overcome. And though the Lord doesn’t eliminate the enemy altogether, He graciously provides a way of escape, that when the enemy grabs hold of us and we are bitten, we may live. It’s not the end. This is why having a relationship with God is so important, as He is our only hope and our strength when the bite of the enemy seems spiritually fatal. 

We’ve all found ourselves in snake bite situations at some point in our lives, but the Lord is merciful enough to deliver us out of the pit. Fun fact, a group of snakes is also called a pit. But if we can arm ourselves with the knowledge of what to look out for, we can possibly prevent ourselves from slipping into that pit. 

Symptoms of a natural snake bite include, but are not limited to:

• Severe pain
• Long term physical and psychological damage
• Cardiovascular complications
• Coagulation of the blood
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of appetite 
• Gastrointestinal issues, leading to loss of fluid and dehydration
• Numbness of the tongue 
• Paralysis or inability to stand or walk
• Difficulty breathing
• Blurred vision

Similarly, when we find ourselves dealing with the bite of the enemy we will notice:

• Pain and damage caused by unchecked sin in our lives 
• Issues within the heart
• Anger, bitterness and resentment can build up or “coagulate” until it hardens our heart
• We will be weak and unable to turn around, we will lose strength in the body
• We will lose our appetite for the word and our desire to pray, causing spiritual starvation/dehydration
• We find ourselves unable to speak in tongues, having a weak or nonexistent prayer life, being unable to testify or witness
• We lose mobility and are unable to walk in the spirit 
• We struggle to feel the Holy Ghost, the “breath of life” 
• We are unable to focus and our vision is unclear 

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent a run in with a serpent. Use a torch and always be mindful of areas with excess vegetation. Sometimes we think that our worship can cover a multitude of sins, but snakes can hide even in the growth of something seemingly good. Worship is not a substitute for prayer. A prayer life is necessary to overcome sin. Never touch a snake even if it appears dead or harmless. Those things or spirits that we think we’ve killed have a lovely way of springing back up when we least expect it. Don’t play with spirits that once had a hold on you, even if you think you have it in check. Avoid being around snakes if possible. Snakes are not to be trusted, just as some people are not to be trusted. Snakes are carnivores that will swallow their victims whole and even eat their own kind. Be careful of the company you keep, as we cannot trust this flesh. 

While the thought of snakes and the harm they can cause is a little unnerving, there is a cure. It’s no coincidence that the antivenom can be made from the blood of a lamb. The remedy for the enemy is the blood of Jesus Christ, who overcame the serpent when He died on the cross. If we can get a handle on the traits of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and combat them with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we will have power to overcome the enemy. Luke 10:19 says “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Snakes do not have vocal cords. Your enemy does not have a voice. But you do, so continue to lift up your voice in prayer and the Lord will meet your every need. Jesus Christ is the remedy for the enemy and that is something to shout about! 

Sermon preached by Brother James Davidson and summarized by Sister Hannah Wilson