Luna, a particularly curious sheep, was found on her ranch in Washington sporting a swollen head and neck.

Once she was penned up and examined, the shepherds found what appeared to be a snake bite mark in the center of the swelling. It looked like two small, missing tufts of skin that were about an inch apart.

It wasn’t too big of a mental leap to conclude that the sheep had been bitten by a Western Diamondback. It was rattlesnake country, after all.

Luna appeared to be unconcerned, and the shepherds weren’t worried either. 

Why’s that?

Because in the United States the only approved anti-venom for pit viper (rattlesnake, copperhead, and water moccasin) snakebites is based on a purified product made in sheep known as CroFab. It was initially approved by the FDA in October 2000.

In other words, the rattlesnake bite was not a concern because of the kind of blood that flows through sheep. Anti-venom is MADE from sheep’s blood.

Luna swelled up for a couple of days but her own blood negated the effects of the venom.

Did you catch that?

The blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent.

There’s a prophecy in Revelation chapter 12, a story told of a war in heaven between a great dragon and a woman. This woman’s children are all those who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.

In the scripture passage the dragon loses the battle and is forced out of heaven:

Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.

     Revelation 12:7-11 NLT

We read that they gained VICTORY over Satan because they were cleansed by the blood of Christ, and they defeated him by the word of their faithful witness.

According to the scripture, there are two steps to us overcoming our accuser, who is the devil, Satan.

First, we overcome “by the blood of the Lamb”. Good news, that’s already been handled. Jesus shed his blood on the cross, paying for our sins in full.

Check that box.

Second, we overcome “by the word of our testimony”. That’s the way other versions translate verse 11.

Are you, perhaps, missing one of those two steps in your life?  (Asking for a friend.)

What is your story? What’s your testimony?

You have a narrative that is uniquely yours, that is beneficial for other people to hear.

Doesn’t matter if your story is or isn’t harrowing or dramatic. Doesn’t matter if it is or isn’t joyful or tragic. What matters is that it is YOURS. And somebody out there needs to hear it.

Maybe even you.

When was the last time you worked your way through your own story and were reminded of all the good that God has done for you in your own life?

David did that in the Psalms. ALL. THE. TIME.

Today, take a moment to remind yourself of a time that God brought victory to your life. And thank him once again for doing so.

That’s worship.

–Pastor Steve.

*If you’d like, here’s a story about a girl whose life was suddenly changed forever when her brother was killed in an auto accident. Suddenly changed forever not simply by the loss of her brother, but also by what God subsequently asked her to do.

Anne’s story: CLICK HERE

Anne’s song: CLICK HERE