Sometimes the main players in a scenario are not those in positions of visible power. Those who stand at their side and influence their decisions are the real power brokers. A situation in Paul’s life illustrates how this happens.
“They reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing” (Acts 11: 7-8). A demonically motivated interfering spirit of disbelief had attached itself to the governor. Until that influence was severed, nothing would happen.
Paul addressed the sorcerer, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” (vs. 10-11). After being called out, the sorcerer went blind and had to be led around.
When the governor, who was attached to the influence of a demon-possessed man, saw what had happened, “He became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.” (vs. 12). Only belief in Jesus has the power to break such attachments.
We may be spending too much time trying to convince people in power to do the right thing while aiming our efforts for change at the wrong target. Those who have attached themselves to the victims of their deceit need to be our primary focus. Only when these demonic attachments are broken will we see real change take place.
Perhaps there’s also a point of jurisdictional authority at work. The governor INVITED Paul and Barnabas. That opened the door for their exercise of authority.
Some Christians get frustrated because they pray prayers, bind and loose, and make proclamations over matters at a distance – – and NOTHING happens. They have no authority to act.