Snake Handlers
To be effective in serving Christ, Christians must be willing to take the risks involved and receive Holy Ghost protection to avoid the poison of the world.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the necessity of taking risks for Christ, likening the challenges faced by believers to handling serpents. He points out that while the wicked are like poisonous serpents, Jesus assures us that we can overcome these dangers through faith. Wilkerson highlights the importance of being spiritually protected from the world's poison as we engage in soul-winning, reminding us that the Holy Spirit cleanses and empowers us. He encourages believers to step out boldly into the world, trusting in God's promise of safety and protection. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a fearless approach to evangelism, grounded in the assurance of Christ's power.
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You cannot work effectively for Christ unless you are willing to take the risks involved. Jesus warned about the risks of encountering serpents.
I say this kindly, but the Bible says that the wicked are like poisonous serpents, and we must be snake handlers. I think it is significant that the Bible calls Satan "that old serpent" (Revelation 12:9). And Christ promised, "They shall take up serpents..." (Mark 16:18).
Jesus said, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in" (Luke 14:23). But in Ecclesiastes we are warned: "...whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him" (10:8). The hedges are filled with serpents, yet as fishers of men, we are told: "If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?" (Luke 11:11).
Soul winners are promised "...and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them..." (Mark 16:18). This refers to a missionary's or other believer's accidentally imbibing a poison, but there is something far greater hidden in this Scripture. Just as surely as Christians drink of the blood of Christ--the river of life, of his divine love and beauty--we unconsciously drink also of the poison of this world when we go out to preach the gospel.
We absorb so much of the spirit of this world, we take such deadly things into our spiritual lives, that unless we receive Holy Ghost protection I do not see how Christian workers can go where sinners are. You cannot help drinking in some of these unmentionable things into your spirit. But if you drink any deadly thing while you are going after serpents in the power of Christ, the poison will not hurt you. When the Lord began to show me this truth, I would go home and pray, and I could feel the breath of the Holy Spirit pouring through my system. The poison would just drain out and I could stand up cleansed and pure--unharmed.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Risks of Being a Christian
- A. Jesus warned about the risks of encountering serpents
- B. The Bible calls Satan 'that old serpent'
- C. Christians are promised protection from harm
- II. The Hedges are Filled with Serpents
- A. Ecclesiastes warns of the dangers of breaking a hedge
- B. The highways and hedges are filled with serpents
- III. The Promise of Holy Ghost Protection
- A. Christians can drink in the poison of the world
- B. But with Holy Ghost protection, the poison will not harm
- IV. The Importance of Receiving Holy Ghost Protection
- A. Christian workers need protection to go where sinners are
- B. Without protection, the poison of the world can harm
Key Quotes
“You cannot work effectively for Christ unless you are willing to take the risks involved.” — David Wilkerson
“If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?” — David Wilkerson
“If they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them...” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Christians must be willing to take the risks involved in serving Christ to be effective.
- Receiving Holy Ghost protection is essential for Christian workers to go where sinners are without being harmed by the poison of the world.
- Christians can avoid the poison of the world by receiving Holy Ghost protection and standing against the harm of the world.