Poison Proof

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)

Jesus wasn’t endorsing snake-handling or drinking arsenic as a way to prove faith. There’s a clear difference between standing firm in faith and testing God. The enemy tried to tempt Jesus into testing God by convincing Him to throw Himself off a high place. However, Jesus replied that we should not test the Lord our God.

He was emphasizing that when the world seeks to attack and harm you, you will have divine protection against the enemy’s schemes. But poison isn’t always in a cup; sometimes it’s in conversations aimed at destroying your character or in words spoken over you to try to kill your faith. Jesus assures us that, regardless of what form the poison takes, it will not defeat you.

Then Jesus shifted the conversation from protection to authority. The laying on of hands is not just a request in prayer; it’s a command of authority. When you lay hands on the sick and say for them to be healed “in Jesus’ name,” you are enforcing the authority that Jesus gave you here on earth. Faith is not begging for healing; faith declares it as done. Jesus didn’t call us to play with serpents and engage in religious games. He called us to tread on the works of the enemy and to use our Kingdom authority.

Practical Application

Declare daily in faith that no weapon, word, or wound formed against you will prosper. You have authority. Expect demonic attacks to scatter and healing to occur when you speak Jesus’ name in faith.

Luke 10:19; James 5:14