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The snake (serpent) or reptiles in general is probably the most prominent symbol representing the devil, Satan the adversary. The devil hates God and he hates us. In his mind there is no atrocity too harsh to be inflicted upon mankind. It has been this way since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.

My guess is that when the Satan heard the Father give dominion over the earth and everything herein to mankind he flew off into a rage from which he has not, nor shall recover.

It is not nearly as widely known as it aught to be that the devil was crippled by the events of Calvary and that the victory that we (believers and those destined to salvation) have because of the same, renders his works destroyed by the invoking of the name and authority of Jesus Christ.

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. (Luke 10:19)

The problem is that the situation  is akin to one having a bank account that is chalked full  of money but not knowing that the funds are there and ready for use. So too is our situation in the world today not knowing that sickness, premature death, poverty, oppression, depression or any thing that diminishes or cause the quality of our lives to be anything other than perfect are illegal conditions (works of the devil) that need only to be rebuked and caste out in the name of and by the authority of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of serpents or “that old serpent“, I’m going to tell you a story about an encounter in my life a few years ago that is yes, inclusive of a dream. You will love this story.

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1)

I wrote this down in February of 2004. “For a few weeks now I have had some discomfort in my right shoulder. Initially I thought it was due to some lifting while moving furniture. After having the discomfort for some time I had a dream in which it was revealed to me that there was a serpent attached to my shoulder and it was revealed also that the serpent would have to release the hold.”

Well about ten days subsequent to having had the dream I heard the Lord say in a dream “loose him.” The discomfort didn’t immediately subside but I knew that it would because I had heard the Lord command that it be so.

Do know that I had my shoulder looked in the meantime by an orthopedic doctor. I thought that there was a chance of perhaps a rotator cuff  tear — but wasn’t the case. Seeing a doctor while waiting to be healed is probably an excellent idea as sometimes that where the Lord has arranged for the healing to be.

About eight years later, one day on the way to church, I asked the Lord to move on the Pastor to pray for the sick as part of the service. The Pastor did in fact pray for the sick that day. He asked that everyone that had sickness or discomfort in their body stand and that all of the people positioned near them to lay hands on them while he prayed. I, of course, was one of those receiving prayer. I had no more discomfort in my shoulder after perhaps three or four days. Nor since.