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Acts 16:16-31
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
I’m trying to imagine how two different team members might be received. Say two advance team members for two presidential nominees, for example. Or their follow-up campaign staff. For example, some campaign staff and volunteers are parading themselves, seeking votes and announcing their guy’s accomplishments and promises. How are they received? Then someone with lots of clout, a big impact, a celebrity or star calls out, “These people work for the best presidential candidate ever!” Mockingly. Derisively. Dismissively. And suddenly that superstar has a change of heart. Now the praise is sincere. Admiring. Supportive. Think Alec Baldwin praising Donald Trump – just to be clear.
This is what happens in the encounter between Paul and Silas with the slave girl. She mimics, mocks, derides, and ridicules these true servants of the Most High God. And then the evil spirit who enabled her fortune telling success is cast out. She’s no longer any good to her owners. The stakes are much closer to home than the loss of a Hollywood star’s support. They no longer can make money by her sorcery. Her gain. Their loss. What are they to do?
They act immediately and decisively. They drag these true servants of the Most High God into the public square and before the magistrates. They accuse them of disrupting the whole city, bring trouble and chaos into their streets. They are beaten – these true servants of the Most High God – and thrown into prison. Doesn’t seem a very good way to treat servants of the Most High God.
I wish it were not so, but so very often our most powerful and impactful witness comes in the midst of suffering and injustice. I don’t mean that we should seek to be treated unjustly. Nor should we seek suffering. But the act of casting out the demon – a show of the power of the Most High God – did not prove to move people to faith. It caused anger and brought suffering.
It will be the faithful witness of these men in prison that will touch the heart of the jailer. Their witness and incredible decision to stay and not escape through the open doors of the prison spoke louder than Paul’s command against the servant girl’s evil spirit.
There are times for the show of great power. And there are times for the witness of faith in the face of suffering. Servants of the Most High God will have occasion to express both. But work of the Most High God is done in the frailty of his Son. Jesus on the cross draws us all to himself. He is the true servant of the Most High God.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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