Did you ever consider that the Philippian Jailer owes the circumstances of his conversion (in part) to an unnamed slave-girl? This young lady, tragically under the influence of a demon, followed Paul and Silas around as they preached the gospel in Philippi. Why they tolerated this state of affairs we don’t know.What we do know is that the demon, at least on this occasion, spoke the truth: “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17). Her involvement with Paul and Silas would have been thought a potential money-making scheme by her owners. Paul would have known a backlash would come by casting out the demon. He also would have known about the Gerasene demoniacs. That they were using the same expression regarding Jesus before he cast them out. (Mark 5:7). He decided that Satan, masquerading as an angel of light, had to be removed. He permanently shut the business down by casting the evil spirit out of her.With the loss of a highly lucrative business came the wrath of the owners; Paul and Silas were put in jail. Paul and Silas did not enter the jail with any sought of regret, remorse, or rebellion. They knew that the casting out of the demon from the slave-girl was an act of God. And that the reaction of her owners would continue to set off a ‘providential-chain-reaction’—leading to the salvation of the jailer and his household. They simply walked in the way and the will of the Spirit.One question that Luke doesn’t deal with is the fate of the young lady. Did she believe and become a Christian? If so, it will be another great eternal-moment when we meet her in heaven.
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