Acts 16:35-40 (ESV Strong's)
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
God Changes the Hearts of Leaders
In Acts 16 we have the story of Paul and Silas and Timothy changing the heart of a young girl, that would get them beaten and thrown in jail. The young girl was being controlled by Satan for prophetic utterances and grown men were using her to make a living off her demonic captivity. When Paul commanded the demon to come out of her, the men lost their income and that started the events that would land Paul and his companions into a beating and into jail (Acts 16:16-24). God, however, opens the prison doors and allows them to not only go free, but to introduce the jailer to Christ. This is where the above text picks up the story. Paul and his ministry team have been shamed, beaten and imprisoned. Suddenly the leaders have a change in heart. How did that happen? It was the same what the prison doors were open; God turned the latch! In this case, God turned the leaders hearts. Solomon said something about that in this proverb:
Proverbs 21:1 (ESV Strong's)
1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
he turns it wherever he will.
God’s hand is on the hand, heart and mind of all leaders. God can turn them as He turns the rivers to the left and to the right. We ought not fear what man can do, since man can only do what God allows Him to do. Rejoice know that even in the worst of times (Paul and his friends were severely beaten), God is in total control.
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