How many God-fearing people are really controlled by Satan?

Possessed by an evil spirit- this is a reality. Paul and Silas were on their way to pray and a girl possessed with an evil spirit of divining intercepted them.  This girl had masters, note- more than one, and these masters used her soothsaying for their greed.  This was REAL.  We pass stores with flashing neon signs advertising PYSCHIC READINGS, and what do most of us do, scoff at it. We don't believe. But truthfully we SHOULD believe that there are EVIL spirits at work.  On the other hand there are those who use these soothsaying-psychics and believe they are from God, and their work is a good work. However, unless they are solely using a gift of prophecy for God's glory only, and not to make money by reading palms, using cards, and telling people their future and fortune, they are NOT of God. You can hate me for saying that, and call me a liar, and not believe it at all, that’s your prerogative. Your psychic may be the sweetest, loveliest, nicest, best person you've ever known - someone you would NEVER believe is possessed of an evil spirit, and there is Satan's deception at work, a perfect example. Satan deceives. Satan doesn't make his evil ways evil appearing, he deceives, he has the evil angel take on the appearance of an angel of light, and therein people are led astray- people you would never imagine being led astray.  How many God-fearing people are controlled by Satan? We don't know, but there are going to be a lot, we can only pray desperately that we are not among them. 

Going back to this girl Paul and Silas encountered, this girl with REAL power of divination given to her by evil spirits, pestered Paul and Silas as they went about their business.

Yes, her pestering may have been words of truth- she said- These men are the servants of the most high God which show us the way of salvation. Truth.  But coming from the mouth of an evil spirit controlled girl could never be deemed a good thing.

Many days she accosted them and verbally spouted her declarations and finally Paul- who was grieved by the poor girl's demonic possession- turned to face the spirit and commanded it in Jesus' name to come out of her.

The evil spirit released the girl that same hour.  She was FREE! The evil that had lived within her was taken out!

How she felt about being relieved of the evil spirit isn't mentioned here, but her masters are.  When they realized the girls special powers were gone they were furious! Their cash cow, their money maker was gone and it was all Paul and Silas' fault.  They captured the two disciples and dragged them to the rulers of the marketplace. Put in front of the city's magistrate they were accused first of being Jews, and being a Jew among Gentiles was a pretty big deal. Then they were accused of troubling the city, and teaching new customs, unlawful customs at that. These were Romans and they were NOT allowed to observe the stuff these Christ followers were preaching. 

Stirred up by the masters of the girl the rulers, the magistrates tore off their garments and ordered Paul and Silas to be beaten.

Do you suppose that Paul hadn't immediately rebuked that evil spirit because he knew what would happen? He waited. That possessed girl continued for days calling out about Paul and Silas and she could have been healed from the possession immediately but she wasn't. God still had work for Paul and Silas before the girl could be healed.

Now, Paul and Silas were whipped with MANY stripes and thrown into prison.  Just imagine the agony they had to be in. They suffered!

Secured in the prison, their feet in stocks, again just imagine their agony.

The girl- freed from her evil spirit was worth it all, right? Spreading the good news of the Savior's gospel, the gift of salvation, healing in the name of Jesus Christ, this was worth it all. One person receptive to the message of salvation is worth the horrific pain.

We have to comprehend the reality of the world we live in with Paul a pattern of Christ's longsuffering. Paul worked hard and endured MUCH suffering. Do we?  No. We don't believe we should have to, it's just not part of our way of life, right?

If God calls us to endure suffering, may we be prepared to suffer for Him in whatever way He needs us to suffer all for the glory of God and His kingdom.

Act 16:16  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: 

Act 16:17  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. 

Act 16:18  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. 

Act 16:19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 

Act 16:20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 

Act 16:21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 

Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 

Act 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 

Act 16:24  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.