Warriors Arise: March 25, 2022
Psalms 25:5 (NKJV)
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Has anyone ever told a bigger story about you that what really happened? Maybe in the passing of the story, details were left out. I can't find evidence of Patrick removing snakes from Ireland, but there are some interesting facts illustrating how people have altered what really happened.
It surprises me that there is no documentation because it was in 5th century. The Bible was written over 6,000 years ago. A fun fact to know is there are more copies of scrolls recording the Hebrew history from the beginning of time than there are that Julius Cesar lived. So for thousands of years people have tried to get rid of God, His people, the demonstration of miracles, and His mind-blowing love for people as He sent His only Son to sacrifice Himself so that we could have a chance to be in relationship with Him. That kind of love, we naturally do not comprehend; therefore, if we can't accept it, we try to get rid of it. It causes us to feel the depth of our sinful nature. No one wants to be reminded of how wicked we are, when left to ourselves.
One of the historians tells of a plague of poisonous snakes killing tribes of people. Patrick comes and tells them to leave the island and go into the sea. The plague was over and the people knew the power of Patrick's God. This led to revival all over the island, druid priests, chieftains and aristocrats were converted and baptized. How many miracles did Jesus do that the authorities did not acknowledge what had happened? What really gets under my skin is when people, even Christians, believe in the power of the demonic and totally disregard the power of God. Every Christian has been given access to the power of God, so why don't we use what we have been given?
Mark 16:17-18 (NKJV) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
There is the argument that Ireland never had snakes by those trying to discredit Patrick with bringing the power of God when he preached. Because I wasn't there, I do not know. What I do know is that wicked people will try to get rid of the truth of God. Wicked people do not want the miracles or the demonstrative love of God to be known, so they will try to discount the evidence. It surprises me how we can see with our eyes and then give account of something different. We can trick our minds into believing something happened that never did and we can also trick our mind into thinking something didn't happen that did.
Little children, who do not want to get in trouble, will lie to make sure they are not disciplined. If this goes unchecked and uncorrected they grow up to be pathological liars. They couldn't tell the different between the truth and a lie if one was black and the other labeled white. Truth in their mind is whatever they say it is. But it doesn't mean it is true in the reality of living.
Psalms 34:13 (NKJV)
Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Let's say there might not have been any plague of snakes on the island. Although it does make me wonder about what historians shared from his writings that I shared a few blogs ago, "He prayed 100 times during the day and even more at night." Maybe when he was a slave he was afraid of the poisonous snakes?
So, if there were not any snakes on the island then maybe Patrick was face to face with the druid priests and used the same reference as Jesus.
Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Maybe the snakes that were removed from the island were pagan worship taught by the druid priests. Maybe there was a face off like Elijah on Mount Carmel against 850 of Queen Jezebel's pagan priests (1 Kings 18). I would have no problem believing the druid priest felt threatened by Christianity and the spread of the Gospel as Patrick went from tribe to tribe. The Bible records a number of times when the disciples were going from town to town sharing of Jesus and they were thrown into jail (Acts 16). Many times there has to be a face off between the pagan gods and the God.
A plague of snakes could be in reference to the pagan gods the islanders believed in. The lies that those gods would protect and provide for them. Yet, over time, it became literal and now people want to discredit St. Patrick, because they can't find evidence Ireland ever had snakes. Sometimes it is easier for people to believe Patrick got rid of the snakes than he won a spiritual battle and removed the demonic principality in the area. However, we do know Patrick started over 300 Christian churches in Ireland during his lifetime. That is amazing. Something shifted to have that big of an influence.
Father, this is a challenge. I do not activate Your power in all situations. I ask for you to come and give me courage to press on, to pray for the miraculous to happen. I pray Your kingdom come; Your will be done. I release Your love into the lives of those I encounter each day. You are my God and I will not stand in the way of Your power flowing through me to bring freedom to the captives, healing to the sick, and salvation to the lost. I pray for clarity of mind and focus of heart as I seize each opportunity You place before me. I pray for courage to step out and share the truth of Your love. I ask for an understanding of love being power. Your love is more powerful than any stronghold I face. I pray for boldness and courage to bring freedom to the captives as I release your love and share Jesus. I will look to You and follow You every day in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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