A Damsel with a Spirit of Divination

Acts 16:16-18
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 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. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

After Paul and Silas baptized Lydia and her household (please see Lydia, a True Believer of the Lord), they were heading out to prayer. These men of God, Paul and Silas were on their way to indulge in an act near to the heart of God. They were about to commune with God by praying. A damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met them on their way. This damsel was a servant girl who brought much gain to her masters by soothsaying. Here is a servant girl that suffered from an evil spirit and the masters took advantage of the evil spirit to make much profit, as opposed to seeking a release for her. Their only aim was worldly gain which is worth nothing compared to the heavenly gain. They who are of the world mind the things of the world seeking the temporal benefits that are simply futile. As Romans 8:5 says, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” The spirit of divination is an evil spirit that foretells future based on the omens and some supernatural power that is against the Spirit of God. Man has a tendency to seek and know what is likely to happen in the future and this tendency or desire is not according to God. People who seek the will of God in their lives follow the leading of the Spirit of God because the Word of God is a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path (Psalm 119:105).

The same damsel with the spirit of divination followed Paul and Silas and cried saying, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation”. The evil spirit said it right and James 2:19 says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” The evil spirit within the girl is confessing that these men are the servants of the most high God that show the way of salvation. Yes, even the demons believe that there is one and only one God that is the Most High. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Here the apostles Paul and Silas are not just wrestling against flesh and blood but against the rulers of the darkness of this world. We too as children of the Most High God wrestle against these powers but the hand of God is above every principality, power, and rulers of the darkness and even against the spiritual wickedness. The blood of Jesus Christ on us will cover us against these powers. We have no reason to fear these forces for Jesus has stamped them all under His feet by dying on the cross of Calvary and by the resurrection power we also have victory against the wicked forces.

But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Paul was grieved because of the spirit that dwelled in this girl. The Spirit of God in Paul must have sorely grieved as well. We who have the Spirit of the Lord in us are anointed by the Lord to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1). The girl is held captive by the evil spirit and thus was about be set free from this bondage by the apostle Paul. We are also anointed to set free those that are held in captivity by the enemy. The spirit of divination came out of the girl the same hour. The spirit that troubled the girl for a long time came out the same hour when Apostle Paul proclaimed liberty to her in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Luke 10:19 says, “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.” We can claim this promise of God in our lives when we go out to deliver the people from the power of enemy. We have been given the power of God to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Enemy is trampled under feet and nothing shall by any means hurt us. I am claiming this wonderful promise today in my life and this day may you claim this promise for your life too. We all can rejoice in the Lord for we have been given this glorious power over enemy. Let us rejoice in the Lord! Hallelujah.

Tomorrow: Jesus Raises the Son of a Widow