Today in the One Year Bible, we learn many things from the story. This is from Acts 16:16-40. Paul and Luke and some other followers of Jesus are walking through town, and this girl who is possessed by a demon keeps taunting them. Notice, like we've seen in other blogs, that everything the demon says through her is true. She is recorded as saying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved." But you can practically hear the sarcastic, demonic tone that she uses to say it, can't you? She makes people laugh at them and not take their work seriously precisely by saying what they're going to say in a sarcastic manner. How can they now share the gospel, when everyone is laughing at them "coming to save you"? The devil will use the truth against you, so be careful not to believe his lies, even when he couches them in the truth.
So Paul gets mad (shocker) and commands the demon out of her. And this is where we find lesson two: money talks. The people who pimp out the demon girl are now outraged that she can't earn them money anymore. So they grab Paul and his friends and took them to see the authorities. When your work for God prevents others from making money (like in sex trafficking, or making porn), they will get angry at you, and their money will make them powerful. So count the cost before you go down that road.
Finally, we get to lesson three. Paul and his buddies are in jail. But jails can't hold people who are following Jesus, at least not for long. God sends an earthquake and frees them. Notice that He uses a natural phenomenon, but at the right time and place to do good in the lives of His followers. He does that for us, too. Those "coincidences" that are just a little too coincidental to be anything other than His work in our lives.
So get ready to fight. Your enemy will use the truth against you. Money will make people powerful and they'll try to stop you. But God won't be stopped. He'll use natural means in your life to free you so you can continue to do His will.
What's He calling you to do?
God, thanks for teaching us these lessons. Help us fight Your good fight.
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