A Spirit of Fortune

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Acts 16:16-18

Diagnosis: Demonic possession with a spirit of divination

Symptoms: This girl as we see in the text both knew everything and was able to predict the obvious to all who would listen. It made her into a public disturbance also required some to control her. In doing so, she netted them much money brought about by her own misfortune. This girl likely had no life, no one to care for her, and none to call her own. She went about crying after others in the hopes of these things only to be controlled and used by them for money.

Treatment: Paul, it seems, would not put up with it. It was no great secret whom he was for he himself had said so openly. However, her spirit was disruptive and also resulted in usury which kept her in bondage. Paul does not even bother to deal with her handlers. Instead, he goes straight for the girl herself and the spirit behind it. By her speech she sought salvation, which Paul more than happily offered her in Jesus' name and the spirit came out. Due to her strength and the nature of her condition, her control was not total just merely deceptive. Therefore, the strongholds which kept the spirit within her were shattered allowing her to escape from her physical conditions.

Prognosis: Once the spirit which deceptively entered had left, the girl was free to leave the situation. The control of her masters though would backfire on the ones who had freed her. However, in Jesus' name, the situation would soon be as nothing behind them.