On 15th August, we celebrate India’s independence from British rule. To many people “independence” is synonymous with “freedom” and the people who worked hard to make it possible are “freedom fighters”.
However, most of us know that 78 years after independence, many people in the country need freedom from various forms of oppression. Poverty, discrimination and biases based on colour, caste and economic ability are still rampant. Violence, both within our houses and in our communities, continues to be commonplace. Crores of people in our country still long for true freedom. This may make us wonder “Does God care?”
Acts 16 narrates the events that unfolded when Paul and his companions went to a Roman colony called Phillipi. They found a place of prayer and met there regularly, speaking and teaching the women who gathered (V.13).
One day, on the way to this place of prayer, a fortune-telling slave girl, who was oppressed by a spirit began to follow them around saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (VV.16-17). She kept at this for many days until Paul became troubled (some Bible versions say “annoyed”) and cast the spirit out of her. This girl was tyrannised by many forces. She had earthly masters who owned her and used her to make money (VV.16,19). She also had a spirit that controlled her body and mind. We don’t know if the girl’s “owners” freed her, but we do know that God freed her from the clutches of the spirit that kept her captive.
The Bible records that the girl’s human owners, were so unhappy with the fact that “their hope of making money was gone” that they dragged Paul and Silas to the magistrate and accused them of “throwing the city in uproar” (VV.19-21). Paul and Silas were flogged and thrown in prison with their feet bound in stocks (VV.23-24). These Roman citizens were now prisoners stripped of their freedom (V.37).
That night, Paul and Silas prayed and sang to God (V.25). Did they pray that God would free them? We don’t know. But we know that God responded by causing an earthquake such that “the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose” (V.26). God in effect, freed His followers.(V.37).
But God didn’t just stop with freeing those who were obviously exploited or persecuted. He also freed an oppressor who didn’t know what he was a slave to. The jailor—the tormentor in this situation—was so distressed thinking that the prisoners escaped that he decided to kill himself (V.27). Perhaps he was afraid of what the higher officials would do to him. Yet, God intervened through the words of Paul: “Don’t harm yourself” (V.28). Moved by this incident, the jailor asked Paul how he could be saved (V.30). Paul replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus”(V.31). The jailor did, along with his household. And they all were saved (VV.32-33). In fact, we see the inner transformation manifesting in the jailor almost immediately. The man who bound Paul and Silas’ feet now tended and washed their wounds (VV.23-24, 33).
In a span of 24 hours, God had freed multiple people. He freed the slave girl—a person with very little rights—from the clutches of oppression. He also freed His persecuted followers from the institutions and instruments that bound them. Finally, He freed an oppressor from trusting in his own abilities and instead turned His attention to the true freedom that comes from knowing Christ.
The events recorded in Acts 16 remind us that God is our freedom fighter. He cares about those who suffer. He hears their prayers and responds to them. Jesus declared in his missional mandate “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19). He invites us, His disciples, to join Him in His work of freeing people.
God can use us to free people from the many things that burden them, just as God used Paul. He may move us or cause us to feel troubled when we witness people who are harassed and abused. He may inspire us to pray for those who are persecuted and sing of His unwavering faithfulness. He may ask us to offer words of encouragement and hope to those in distress. Or He may tell us to speak His truth and His Word to those who are searching for Him.
In Jesus’ name, may we be willing to join Him in His redemptive and liberating work so that the people of our country will truly be free!
The author of this article, Ann, is a doctor-turned-writer who writes on faith, suffering and the healing journey.
