In working to set others free, we are ourselves, set free.
Paul, on encountering a girl who was twice a slave, was much annoyed. Firstly, she was a slave to the spirit that possessed her- “a spirit of divination” which had her repeatedly declaring who Paul and Silas were, “slaves of the Most High God”.
Secondly, she was a slave to the human beings who owned her, and whose only interest in her was the money that she brought to them through her powers of divination. See her as an ancient ‘’obeah woman’’ to use a Caribbean description; but the monies earned were not hers. That went to her owners.
The girl’s owners were upset that Paul had delivered her in the name of Jesus Christ, because their earning power was diminished. That was the axe they had to grind. But there was need to present an alternate rationale, so they said that these men, Jews were disturbing their city and bringing in customs unlawful for Romans to practice.
So while Paul and Silas were supposedly imprisoned on this bogus charge, it was really because through their ministry this girl had been set free.
But see how the One in whose names they had set the slave-girl free also set them free! And spectators were also liberated, including the jailer and his family who became believers and were subsequently baptised. That same jailer almost killed himself, thinking that the prisoners whom he was supposed to be guarding, had escaped. Now he was free to rejoice at his new found faith, not bothered about what would happen to him since it was under his watch that the prisoners had escaped.
Really, those whom the Son set free, are free indeed!