Act 16:18 | KingComments | STEP | On the way to the place of prayer, Paul and his companions meet a slave-girl who possesses a spirit of divination, through whom she practices fortune-telling. The girl is really demon-possessed, really in the power of an evil spirit, through which her identity has been lost. She is an instrument of satan who ruthlessly exploits her. The masters of the girl earn well from her. There are plenty of people who come to consult her for payment. When she crosses Paul’s path, the spirit of divination in her reveals itself noisily. It praises “these men” as “bond-servants of the Most High God” who proclaim (not: ‘the’, but) a way of salvation. Here we see the deceptive tactics of satan. He does not openly attack the gospel here in Europe, but tries to connect with the work of the gospel through deceptive support in order to mix gospel and error and thus destroy the gospel. It is important to see that there is no article here before the word “way”. The girl does not speak about ‘the’ way, but about ‘a’ way. She is also talking about proclaiming “to you” a way and not about proclaiming “to us” the way. She does not advertise the gospel, but is out to present the gospel as one of the many ways of salvation. It is typically demonic to deny the exclusivity of the gospel. In world religions such as buddhism and islam there is room for Jesus, but only in addition to other idols. In the Greek context, talking about them as bond-servants of the most high god also means that she says that Paul and his companions are bond-servants of Zeus. She speaks of a way of salvation, not as salvation from sins, but the salvation from certain unpleasant circumstances of life which she also proclaims as a fortune-teller. She proposes a path which should lead to the well-being of man, but which in reality ends in eternal destruction. Paul does not act directly against the girl. He endures her crying out for many days. Then comes the moment when he can no longer bear it. It does not mean that he becomes irritated, but that tolerating it even longer would make the gospel powerless. The girl’s crying focused people’s attention on them and not on the gospel. At a certain point, Paul turns and commands the spirit in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Paul does not expel the spirit in his own strength, but with the authority of the Name of the Lord Jesus. That Name is exalted above all power and strength ( ). The spirit obeys immediately. Unfortunately, much of the gospel preaching today is a preaching that has the approval of the world because the evangelist allows the world to unite with his preaching. ‘It is about the entrance for the gospel’, it sounds as justification. That is not the way Paul works. His rejection of mixing will cost him dearly, as the sequel shows.

‏ Acts 16:18

A Spirit of Divination Cast Out

On the way to the place of prayer, Paul and his companions meet a slave-girl who possesses a spirit of divination, through whom she practices fortune-telling. The girl is really demon-possessed, really in the power of an evil spirit, through which her identity has been lost. She is an instrument of satan who ruthlessly exploits her. The masters of the girl earn well from her. There are plenty of people who come to consult her for payment.

When she crosses Paul’s path, the spirit of divination in her reveals itself noisily. It praises “these men” as “bond-servants of the Most High God” who proclaim (not: ‘the’, but) a way of salvation. Here we see the deceptive tactics of satan. He does not openly attack the gospel here in Europe, but tries to connect with the work of the gospel through deceptive support in order to mix gospel and error and thus destroy the gospel.

It is important to see that there is no article here before the word “way”. The girl does not speak about ‘the’ way, but about ‘a’ way. She is also talking about proclaiming “to you” a way and not about proclaiming “to us” the way. She does not advertise the gospel, but is out to present the gospel as one of the many ways of salvation. It is typically demonic to deny the exclusivity of the gospel. In world religions such as buddhism and islam there is room for Jesus, but only in addition to other idols.

In the Greek context, talking about them as bond-servants of the most high god also means that she says that Paul and his companions are bond-servants of Zeus. She speaks of a way of salvation, not as salvation from sins, but the salvation from certain unpleasant circumstances of life which she also proclaims as a fortune-teller. She proposes a path which should lead to the well-being of man, but which in reality ends in eternal destruction.

Paul does not act directly against the girl. He endures her crying out for many days. Then comes the moment when he can no longer bear it. It does not mean that he becomes irritated, but that tolerating it even longer would make the gospel powerless. The girl’s crying focused people’s attention on them and not on the gospel. At a certain point, Paul turns and commands the spirit in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Paul does not expel the spirit in his own strength, but with the authority of the Name of the Lord Jesus. That Name is exalted above all power and strength (Acts 3:6 ; 16 ; Acts 4:10). The spirit obeys immediately.

Unfortunately, much of the gospel preaching today is a preaching that has the approval of the world because the evangelist allows the world to unite with his preaching. ‘It is about the entrance for the gospel’, it sounds as justification. That is not the way Paul works. His rejection of mixing will cost him dearly, as the sequel shows.