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Removing the Head of the Serpent
Kay Winters
Tuesday, 15 June 2010 12:00 AM EDT
 Recently I had a prophetic experience that clearly portrayed the condition of the church in America. My husband and I take evening walks that sometimes bring us through affluent neighborhoods. We enjoy viewing luxury homes with their beautiful waterfalls and fountains. Sometimes I venture to curiously peer into the backyards of these homes, finding exquisite pools, sports courts, fireplaces, and landscaping that reminds me of a Thomas Kincaid painting.
As we were enjoying our walk one evening, my husband suddenly blurted out, “Snake!” After jumping in the opposite direction, I saw a three-foot-long rattlesnake about a foot away from where we had been walking.
Having been raised on a farm in Georgia, I am familiar with the behavior of snakes, especially poisonous vipers. Snakes react to ground vibration, so I was mystified about why the snake was not hissing or coiling to strike us. To our surprise, the snake ignored us and slowly slithered in the opposite direction. He seemed to be right “at home” in the landscape of the neighborhood.
We decided to alert the homeowner regarding the snake. I rang the doorbell and was greeted by a man in his 40s. I said, “Sir, there is a rattlesnake in your front yard. Perhaps you might want to dispose of him.” He froze and didn’t respond. Knowing the snake could quickly escape, I continued, “Sir, this is a neighborhood with lots of children.”
Finally, after another long pause, he replied, “OK, give me a moment.” I could tell he did not want to be bothered, but my last statement provoked him to action. After what seemed like an eternity, the homeowner emerged from his garage with a six-foot pole that had a huge, razor-like blade attached.
I was amazed to see that the rattlesnake was still moving across the landscape at a snail’s pace. The homeowner looked terrified as he cautiously approached the snake from behind. He repeatedly raised his weapon high in the air, practicing his potential strike, yet hesitated to deliver the death blow. Not wanting to embarrass him, I kept silent, but I couldn’t help but think, What is wrong with you? Remove that serpent’s head now!
Serving God or Mammon
At that instant, I realized that the situation with the snake was an analogy for the present condition of the American church. The homeowner represents the church, and the rattlesnake represents Satan.
Sadly, Satan is not intimidated or threatened by the church. In fact, he wanders in and out of the body of Christ often without resistance or consequence. There is no need for Satan to hiss, coil or strike at us because we pose little threat to him. He knows the focus of the church at large is not Christ-centered but self-centered. We have set our hearts on temporal treasures, in lieu of eternity, seeking the hand of God instead of the face of God. Even our ministers have been deceived, considering the size of their congregations, offerings and buildings as the measuring rod for success. A distorted “prosperity” gospel has taught us to use our faith almost exclusively to obtain larger homes, cars and 401K accounts.
Our spiritual eyes have been encrusted with an infection that has distorted our vision. Blinded by materialism, we pursue mammon while Satan lies quietly at our feet. Our pursuit of pleasure has hardened us to not only the cries of the needy but also the whispers of the Holy Spirit. We don’t want to have our routines disrupted in any way. In effect, most of us are wearing a sign that says, “Do not disturb!” We have to be provoked to emerge from our comfort zones to serve at home, at church or in our communities.
Like the church of Laodicea, the American church has been deceived by riches. We are unaware of our spiritual poverty and blindness. As a result, many American Christians unknowingly worship the idol of mammon. In His mercy, the Lord has used the downward spiral of our nation’s economy and monetary system to warn us not to trust in uncertain riches but in Him who freely gives us all things to enjoy (see Rev. 3:15-19; Luke 16:13).
Trampling on Serpents
We are destined to trample on serpents and scorpions, crushing Satan under our feet. However, one key element that enables us to triumph over the works of the devil is the depth of our repentance. Only profound repentance for our spiritual complacency and idolatry will cure our spiritual blindness, enabling us to identify the serpents in our lives. No longer ignorant of Satan’s devices, we can shake the kingdom of darkness, cause Satan to flee and erect a “No trespassing!” sign on the landscape of our lives.
Jesus gave us the power to overcome the enemy. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19, NKJV).
We must become a generation of snake killers because our battle is against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. As soldiers of the cross, we must exchange our cordial passivity for a violent militancy and remove the heads of the serpents in our lives. Indeed, His power working in us can break any yoke and cut through any chain, and His light in us can overwhelm any depth of darkness.
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
The snakes we encounter will hiss, coil and strike in fear at the Greater One who lives within us. As we exercise our authority and God-given power, many of these serpents will flee in fear. But what about those serpents who resist and refuse to exit our lives? We must say, “Off with their heads!” (See James 4:7; 1 John 3:8.)
About the author: Kay Winters is co-founder, with her husband, Rob, of Prepare the Way International, an itinerant prophetic ministry based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Winters’ mission is to ignite a spiritual revolution and reformation in America through preaching repentance, prophesying restoration and promoting revival. Kay’s ministry emphasis is identifying and mobilizing intercession against spiritual strongholds that prohibit racial reconciliation, revival and the healing of our land. Today’s Prophetic Insight was adapted from Prepare the Way’s newsletter, The Messenger, and is used by permission. The newsletter is available on the ministry’s Web site www.preparethewayint.com.
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We each need to understand this…
SB SALT AND LIGHT MINISTRIES 
Hi. I think Ms. Winters has written a good article. But I think it is more than attitudes toward money and success that has enabled the enemy to penetrate the minds of so many in the church. Until the spiritual “dung” of anger, bitterness, hatred, resentment, unforgiveness, and offence is rooted out in the Believer’s life, it appears that the enemy has access. It is this spiritual “dung” that the enemy, the Lord of the flies, and his rebellious host often feed on. Another of the big spiritual “dung” producers is judging others. It is in our best interest to study not only Luke 6:38 (which is usually applied to money situations, rather than unforgiveness and judging situations), but also in the two verses that precede Luke 6:38. So, although the enemy has been defeated, where there is spiritual “dung,” there goes the devil and his demons, too. I believe the church needs to preach far more effectively in how to rid its people of these “dung” producing attitudes. Enough said. Have a great day. Lets focus on more positive things. Philippians 4:8.
Hi Jay,
Thank your for your response, and your input.
I certainly agree with you that unforgiveness is a problem in the church, and I would even say this is even more of a problem outside the church; and certainly it is deadly to our health emotionally and physically; but even more importantly it clogs our spiritual plumbing, and the Bible warns us that if we can’t forgive others, then He can’t forgive us.
Unforegiveness is a problem and is deadly, that’s for sure; but I’m not sure that would apply to what our sister is talking about here. I think her point is more along the line, as exemplified in her story about the man and the rattlesnake, in how easily intimidated we sometime are, in the face of the enemy, which can be a metaphor for danger, or it could represent any number of things in our life.
The first reason I believe for this intimidation is our not recognizing who we are in Christ; and as she was saying also, some have tried to serve both God and Mammon to the point the enemy is not even threatened by them at all.
My point was also taken, in addition to her’s, that to the extent people have denied the POWER of God, meaning the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit in our time, that has also contributed to why the enemy is not threaten by many today.
Why would he be threatened, there is nothing in our flesh that offers any resistance to what his objectives are? Even as Paul said the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; and are only mighty through God.
None of this takes away from your point, however, which I also agree with and think is very valid; because you are absolutely right about unforgiveness being a major problem in church, and I would add outside of it too!
Bless you, and thanks again for your input.
Shalom,
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