The Pain in the Past

Acts 28:3-5 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. 

I.   Expect the enemy attacks, but not accept a spiritual defeat.  

II.   Don't panic when the enemy attacks.

4 The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” 

III.  Don't believe the lies of the enemy when he speaks through others. 

5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

IV.  Shake off the pain of the past. 

Acts 28:6-10 (NLT)

6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

7 Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. 

8 As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 

9 Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. 

10 As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.

V.  If we respond the right way, God will use our pain to His glory.   

Paul used the snake bitten hand to heal others.  God uses our pain to help others if we don't hide it.