Daily Devotional for Wednesday, March 8th

A Demon Controlled Slave Girl

“The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation,” Acts 16:17.

Have you noticed Sunday mornings before church services are sometimes the most hectic time of the week? Getting off to work or getting the kids to school during the week at an even earlier time does not require the focus and patience that Sunday does. There are tears, too-tight shoes and tantrums, and that is from the adults!
In Philippi, Paul and company were hounded for days by a demon-possessed slave girl as they went to pray. As a pawn to her owners, she brought in much business with her so-called prophecies. In the ancient world, fortune-telling and predictions were a lucrative business. Perhaps this too, was a business gimmick. If she appeared to be in agreement with Paul or working together with him, that could add to her clientele. Or for those considering Paul’s words, endorsement from a possessed servant would have a negative effect on Paul’s ministry. Either way, the slave owners benefited.
Much like Goliath who defied the armies of the living God (1 Samuel 17), the girl’s constant cries became a grievance. Day after day, she followed them to their prayer place proclaiming what appeared to be truth. It troubled Paul to see someone used by the enemy and a sacred truth so profaned by demonic activity. Matthew Henry said, “The truth is sometimes magnified by the confession of its adversaries, in which they are witnesses against themselves.” A common scheme of the enemy is to allow just enough truth to be sprinkled in to make it hard to discern lies and deceit. In this way, the demon’s truth became mockery, persecution and blasphemy. Paul indeed showed the way of salvation and set the girl free from the demon inside her. The Lord broke the enemy’s chains and showed his power.

THOUGHT: God’s truth will prevail no matter how Satan tries to twist it.

Kelli Reynolds