SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH
It is intriguing to observe the statements made by demon-possessed people in the New Testament accounts. These people were controlled by the spirits that possessed them and were really only mouthpieces for the spirits within them. When these spirits came face to face with either Christ or his disciples in whom the Holy Spirit was strong, they uttered deep spiritual truths that are normally hidden to the worldly perspective. One such incident was seen when Paul and Silas encountered a spirit possessed girl in Philippi.
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. (Acts 16:16-18)
It is worthwhile inspecting the description of Paul and Silas given by the girl, ‘servants of the Most High God’. Even in rebellion, the demonic spirit understood that God is Most High and there is none beyond Him. That the spirit understood that fact, yet was sold out on rebellion to God is a reflection of man’s behavior as well, wherein mere knowledge of what is good is not enough to induce good behavior. Knowledge has to be coupled with painful denial to bring knowledge of good to bear good fruit.
The spirit also uses the word ‘servants’ to describe Paul and Silas. A servant is one who has no agenda of his own, rather expends his life in service to the one he serves. He goes where the master asks him to go and does all that the master directs him to. Jesus also uses this term to describe the attitude required of his disciples. Of his own life, he says he was here on earth in human form to accomplish his Father’s will and nothing else. There is freedom when one takes on the role of a servant. Out goes all agendas and burdens that men burden themselves with in this life, all of which is meaningless in any case. The only thing that matters is a passion to obey and serve the master to whom one must return at the end of the sojourn here on earth.
In servanthood to God is freedom and fullness.
