Luke the beloved physician shared as Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke himself went, “to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying”, and in chapter sixteen and verse seventeen of the book of Acts Luke shared how the possessed damsel said, “These men are the servants of the most high God” where we read:
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
The verse begins, “The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “the same followed Paul and us” which means “the selfsame evil spirit possessed young maid servant closely accompanied Paul whose name means small or little and us, which refers to Silas, Timothy and Luke”, “and cried” or “loudly vociferated and spoke aloud”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how the young maiden who was possessed by an “evil spirit” “closely accompanied” “Paul” and his traveling companions and shouted aloud the following words.
The verse continues, “... These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.” Luke added the words, “these men are the servants” or “the male human beings among the people and alongside the young maiden exist as the ministers, bondmen and attendants” “of the most high God” which means “belonging to the highest in rank and Supreme Heavenly Father God”, “which show unto us” or “who announce, declare and publish to us, the people in Philippi” “the way of salvation” which means “the course, path and means pertaining to deliverance and safety of the soul and future salvation along with the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God”. Luke shared how the “evil spirit” possessed “damsel” proclaimed how “Paul” and his companions were the “ministers” of the Supreme God, and their purpose and message was to “declare” His “salvation” to mankind for all eternity.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how this “evil spirit” possessed young maid servant was declaring not only to whom “Paul and his companions” belonged, but also how their “message” was share the “gospel of salvation” through Jesus Christ God's Son. God loves people, and even “evil spirits” know His servants. He desires to forgive every person through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus. Anyone who yields to Him will inherit everlasting life, and those who are wise will yield to Him and receive His eternal plan of “salvation”.
Next time Luke shares how Paul, “being grieved, turned and said to the spirit … come out of her”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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