“Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 

There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies,

and AUTHORITY

to act for forty-two months was given to him.

And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God,

to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them,

and AUTHORITY

over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

-The Revelation of Jesus

Authority recognizes authority. So much so that even in the end days, the only way that the beast can do what it does, is that authority is given to him.  Even the beast in the end times will recognize that true authority can only come by submitting to authority.  This recognition then permits those under authority to understand the time and the season that they are operating under and when the timing of things is to occur.

One can not have true authority if one is in insubordination.  For this would violate the principle that things are under authority and that things, realms, principalities, rulers and kings are given authority and are under authority.  How can one then give a command and decree if oneself is operating in insubordination?  Rewarding insubordination would therefore let those under that level of authority know that the rules, laws and decree are now void and nullified.

The Kingdom of God does not work like this.  It gets its authority because it is the Kingdom OF GOD not of men nor of angels nor of principalities.  It is the Kingdom submitted and operating UNDER the authority of THE King.  It is this core operating protocol that then allows those in the Kingdom to also operate with authority themselves.  Operating outside these parameters and still claiming to be in the kingdom is called insubordination.  

Insubordination is exactly one of two reasons the kingdom and dominion was taken away from saul.  Samuel explained to Saul just how grievous this was, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and INSUBORDINATION is as iniquity and idolatry.”  Taking the mysticism out as much as possible, witchcraft is basically declaring and manipulating people to come into agreement with YOUR own will and desires.  INSUBORDINATION is as IDOL worship cause you then make YOUR own authority equal and at the same level as God’s.  In essence you have made yourself your own idol and equal to God.  Saying no to the command, the decree, the order, the mandate from those of higher ranking is text book insubordination.

We see the protocol in execution in the life of Moses, the consequence of his insubordination was he was NOT allowed to enter the promised land.  Let’s think about that for a minute, killing another human was not the disqualifier, but rather, the striking of an inanimate object.  At the surface level one seems more egregious over the other.  After all, striking to death a human surely is more severe than striking a rock, right?  The reason one is more than the other is because Moses knew better.  He literally spent time, a long time, in the presence of God on the mountain top.  As a matter of fact, God himself calls Moses HIS friend.  Despite all of these experiences and deep revelations,  Moses still chose his own will and disobeyed a direct order.  In doing so, he stepped out of authority and the consequences of the insubordination became real.

Just as one does not punish a child learning to walk when the child trips and a vase is broken, God knows the level of maturity one has been brought up to.  At the time of Moses striking down the Egyptian, the revelation of God to Moses had not occurred.   At the time of Moses striking the rock instead of OBEYING the order and speaking to it, Moses had seen the burning bush, the crossing of the sea, experienced God calling him His friend in front of his siblings, and had been up on the mountain, twice, to get the commandments.  One time, out of uncontrolled anger, he smashed the original tablets.  Then out of that never dealt with or healed the issue of his heart, his character, he acted again out and struck the rock rather than speaking.  But this time, Moses would be judged for the insubordination, for Moses now KNEW better.  And just as Samuel later revealed to Saul.  Moses found out that Obedience is better than sacrifice.  The consequence of such insubordination was such that not even 40 years of sacrifice in the desert and leading the Israelis to the promise could makes up for it.  Moses himself was not allowed to partake of the promise but rather just look upon the promise.

Elijah also knew of this protocol.  To teach this protocol to ELISHA, he first threw the mantel on him, but notice what Elijah says:

Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.

And he said unto him, Go back again; for what have I done to thee?

And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and [a]boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

-1 Kings

“What have I done to thee?”  Is Eljahs’ response to Elisha’s question.  It is not that Elijah did not know, it is that in the question was both the test and the answer to the nexus point in Elisha’s life that had just occurred.  The question?  “Do you recognize the timing of God to the calling in your life and do you recognize AUTHORITY?”  The answer, authority can only be obtained, IF authority is first recognized and submitted under.

Elisha recognized the timing, even if it meant STOPPING whatever he was actively doing.  Elisha recognized the cost, he slaughtered all the oxen, meaning that he did not leave himself a means to return to his former life and ways.  Elisha recognized the cost, everything.  Elisha recognized that to answer the call he already knew was on his life, meant he first had to SUBMIT to Elijah authority.

And after all this, it still was no guarantee that Elisha would receive the authority AFTER Elijah left.  Let’s read the exchange:

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

-2 Kings

See it?  Even with all the miracles and authority that Elijah exhibited AND Elisha witnessed first hand, the answer to Elisha’s request was “IF”.  The reason that Elijah and Elisha both walked in such power and display of signs and wonders is that BOTH understood, recognized and walked UNDER the authority of the Kingdom.  Elijah recognized that it was not HIS authority to grant such a request.  Elijah basically told Elisha, the authority is not for me to give but if GOD sees fit, this is the confirmation that your request is granted by GOD not man.  And out of all the other prophets that were there following and serving under Elijah, the mantel was shown to Elisha and HE still had the option to recognized and take up the mantel, he had to voluntarily CHOOSE to pick it up and this meant he was also willing to pay the price to wear the mantel.

Years later, Jesus speaks and says this, “I only DO what I see the father doing, I only SPEAK what I hear the Father saying.”  Jesus also said that the end would come when the gospel of THE KINGDOM would be preached throughout the earth and then the end would come.  NOT the gospel of salvation, or gospel of evangelism, or the gospel of speaking in tongues.  No Jesus came to display the KINGDOM.  He came to display that which is possible by being surrendered and submitted to and under the authority of the Kingdom.  Even in the garden, pleading for any other way and NOT to be separated from God, Jesus still submitted, “Nevertheless, NOT my will but YOUR will,” is what Jesus declared.

So central to the operations of The Kingdom is this protocol, that someone operating and functioning in the operation of this protocol is recorded in the gospels that made Jesus marvel through his actions.  Imagine you doing something that would make Jesus stop and Marvel!  That would be one amazing achievement!  Not even all the disciples that lived with him day and night, did this, and they raised the dead and casted out demons!

Then Jesus went with them: but when he was now not far from the house, the Centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore I thought not myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be whole: For I likewise am a man set under authority, and have under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh: and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him, and said to the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel.

-Gospel of Luke

Just on this one interchange, years of sermons can and have been made.  Notice what the centurion did not do!  He did NOT even go meet Jesus!  Even AFTER the miracle!  He did NOT go to Jesus and begged at his feet, he didn’t even send an “honorarium” for the great miracle worker to come and “bless his house.”  As a matter of fact the ROMAN centurion, didn’t even feel worthy to have Jesus come UNDER his house/his authority.  This understanding of authority made the soldier understand commands, obedience and insubordination.  It is this understanding AND actually operating in this understanding that made Jesus Marvel at.  The centurion being UNDER authority understood obedience to commands NOT being suggestions.  He also understood that the commands he gave would also be treated as such and not just suggestions.  The centurion therefore understood and RECOGNIZED true authority and basically displayed that JESUS had authority and only thing need was for Jesus to say the command, to “speak the word.”

So many claiming the name of God, are speaking and declaring so many things under "The Name of Jesus", but the fruit and results are evident what authority they are under.  So prevalent is this and will increase even more that Jesus himself said they will say, “didn't we do all these things in Your name?”  and Jesus will say to them, “I NEVER knew you.”   Definitely many will be in shock that day.  You see the NAME of something also declares its essence, character, function and purpose.  To claim to be under the name of someone, means that one recognizes the authority of that person.  Yet many’s hearts, and lifes are far from being submitted to that authority yet still claim to be under HIS name.  So many hours and prayers meetings are being held throughout the world “declaring things, in Jesus’ name.”  So many hours of “binding and loosing”, “rebuking and releasing”, “Stopping and halting attacks of the enemy”  Yet the situations and issues remain.  Ever wonder why?  You got it.  Insubordination.  99% obedience is still 100% insubordination, that is disobedience.  For one can’t not walk in authority if one oneself is also walking in disobedience of the same authority one claims to be under.  It is not only illogical, it is blatant disrespect and dishonor of the very authority one claims to operate under.

This insubordination is instantly recognized by the enemy.  We see this recognition of the enemy when the priest Sceva sons tried to operate in authority they themselves would not submit under.  The demons replied “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”  For you see the Demons, Angels and even the BEAST of the end times, recognize Authority and they also recognize insubordination to that Authority.

The Sons of God, that is those that are matured and walking UNDER the authority of the Kingdom, submit to the orders of the King, and commanding officer of the Kingdom.  This is what gives them authority, power, and ability to display the will of the Kingdom on earth.  It is also the very reason that many walk, preach, say, pray, “lay hands-on'' to many people but see no authority or power.  Narrow indeed is the road to walk in.  Paul expanded on this when he wrote down, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child.”

Children mature, as they mature, they increase in their knowledge, understanding and also adjust their character and behavior as they come into exposure of the expected behavior and character of the culture they are under.  The whole earth yearns not for the manifestation of the CHILDREN of God, but the SONS of God.  That is the Mature children that submit to the authority of The Kingdom and decrees of The King.  To do so, they know the King’s voice, they adjust their will to submit under the Will of their King and do ONLY what they SEE their father doing, not more, not less.

This is one of the reasons that Paul declares to the Ephesians to “Submit to one another.”  Because to walk in authority, you must also submit to the authority of another.  So submission to each other is the submission to the strength and insight of the other person's gifts and callings.  It is saying, I see the gift and strength of administration that you have, I will submit my prophetic gift UNDER your gift and honor the gift and calling GOD has given you authority of.  And why would we do this?  Paul finishes his thought why, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” 

In the fear of GOD.  That’s the reason that we are to submit to one another.   Rather than using our own wisdom, our own understanding, our own perspective, those that operate under authority, know that it is NOT their own strengths, abilities, or experiences that gives them authority.  Rather they understand that authority has been given to others so that by the submittal of one’s will to the strength of another’s authority, they begin to fulfill the prayer of Jesus, “Father that they be one, as You and I are one.” 

It is written that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  Mature sons of God, seek wisdom.  Mature sons of God, walk not in pride but rather in humility, that says, I submit to your strengths, I need help.  The mature walk in authority, cause they submit to authority and in doing so, obey fully, not just 99 percent.