Read Acts 16:16-18
“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” (v. 18).

I cannot imagine what the girl in today’s scripture was going through. An evil spirit possessed and controlled her. If that was not bad enough, some money-minded people had enslaved her for their profit. How tragically sad, indeed, that people would take advantage of someone mired down in sin.
Still today people are trapped in sins. Try as they might, they cannot free themselves. Others take advantage of their bondage, and they are helpless to do anything about it.
The gospel brings good news. Regardless of the depths of your sins, and regardless of who has contributed to your slavery, God has power to free from sins. The Apostle Paul emphasized, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Despite there being too much sin in the world, God’s grace over super-abounds in saving from sins. When we can do nothing about our sins, God can. When sin has us trapped, God can release us from sin’s death grip, giving us hope and eternal life.
A young lady was freed from sin in Acts 16:18. Just like her, you can be set free, and “if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (MDA)

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
— Robert Lowry

There is power in Jesus’ name!

Sunday, December 27