“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” – Matthew 8:9 NIV
In the USA the chain of command is simple and efficient. You have the president who is the commander-in-chief (CIC). Every single soldier in the army is subject to him. They all serve under the pleasure of their commander-in-chief. Every single war that America has been a part of was ordered by the president. The Vietnam War for instance was not well liked by the soldiers and the citizens. Most of the soldiers who fought and lost their lives hated it yet still fought in it. Whether they believed in the war or not they fought because they knew that the instructions came directly from their commander-in-chief. Though they did not directly hear him give the instruction they knew every person they served under acted out exactly what the CIC had ordered. They know all the generals and captain don’t act out their own will but the will of the CIC.
Just like in the army, Christianity has the same chain of command. Every office acts out the will of the CIC (GOD). Every captain and lieutenant is placed and chosen by the CIC (Ephesians 4:11-12). They do not act unless instructed by their CIC. As a soldier in God’s army I have often found myself following instructions that I do not understand and sometimes agree with. I sometimes came to the point of almost being rebellious because a part of me sometimes thought the general conveying the instruction may have misinterpreted the instruction. It takes great humility to submit to these generals and captains because often times the CIC may give you an instruction through those vessels. The flesh sometimes doesn’t understand and wants to fight submission to this chain of command. The flesh wants to hear directly from the CIC and refuses to submit. What I have learned and I am still learning is that the CIC sometimes uses these seniors to teach me humility, especially in instances where the flesh sometimes feels like it should outrank the lieutenant giving the instruction (thinking of your self more highly than you ought (Romans 12:3).
The centurion in the above scripture respected and understood authority. He knew Christ was God’s servant and was given power to act out the will of His CIC. The same way he himself has authority over his men, Christ has authority given to Him by heaven. He understood that there is order in the kingdom and Christ was also subject to it. For me to operate in the authority of heaven I must be subject to it’s rules and regulations that govern it. I must execute instructions whether they come directly from the CIC or from one of his generals. I must realise that I’m not an illegitimate child but one who is a soldier and who is subject to the chain of command. When I serve my generals I honour my CIC.
For me to operate in the authority of heaven I must be subject to it’s rules and regulations that govern it.
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