Satan Manipulates to Exploit and Control

Baptist Daily Devotional
Sep 14
2 min read

Updated: Sep 15

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | September 14 2025 | Acts 16:16-21

KEY VERSE: “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. . . .” Acts 16:16-17. (NIV)

MESSAGE:

The enemy’s schemes are not always open attacks - often, they come through manipulation and exploitation. In Philippi, a slave girl with a demonic spirit was used by her masters to make money. Though she spoke words that sounded true about Paul and his team, her bondage was being exploited for profit and control. This passage reveals how Satan seeks to enslave people spiritually and use them for selfish gain.

We can learn that Satan enslaves to manipulate. The girl was under the power of an evil spirit. Though she appeared to function with supernatural ability, she was a victim of spiritual bondage. Satan’s goal is always to bind lives, robbing them of freedom in Christ (John 10:10). Secondly, the passage teaches us that spiritual manipulation can lead to exploitation. The owners of the demon-possessed girl exploited her condition for financial gain. This shows how Satan uses people’s vulnerabilities and spiritual captivity to enrich and empower others unjustly. The same danger persists today in the form of false prophets and deceptive practices.

Thirdly, Satan’s ultimate weapon is control. By using the girl’s voice, the enemy sought to confuse the crowd, associate truth with darkness, and control the narrative. Satan’s manipulations are always aimed at undermining God’s truth and keeping people bound in fear or deception.

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Satan often hides behind what sounds true, and when used as a tool for power and profit, it enslaves both the deceiver and the deceived. True freedom and truth are only found in Jesus Christ, but Satan manipulates to exploit and control.

PRAYER:

Dear Father, open my eyes to discern the enemy’s manipulations. Protect me from being deceived, exploited, or controlled by falsehood. Use me to bring freedom to others who are bound, and may Your truth always prevail in Jesus’ name. Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 257 Job 38–39 — God Answers from the Storm

DAILY word study: PROFIT The phrase “earned a great deal of money” in Acts 16:16 comes from the Greek word ergasia, meaning “work, trade, or profit.” In the ancient world, ergasia often referred to business or gain from trade. Here, it shows how the girl’s spiritual bondage was turned into a money-making venture for her masters.

What God intended as life and freedom was twisted into business and control. Whenever people are valued only for what they can produce, they are being dehumanised. The gospel restores true worth—every person is more valuable than profit.

Reflect on this:

In a world that still chases gain at the cost of people, we must choose God’s way: valuing lives above money.