NAME: RALPH M.

MALICSI
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Chapter 1

INTRODUCING UNDER COVER

John Bevere, at the start of his book equates the words under cover to protection and freedom. He explains
that “the one who is under cover is the one under God’s authority.” Protection comes when God takes control
over our lives. God, the Maker of the whole earth, universe… the whole you.. gives you protection if you come
under His protective arms. Just as a State cannot fully protect its citizens, when they are in another country.. God
cannot also protect us if we go out of His protection and authority.

Authority

Bevere further explains the concept of authority. Personally, I equate authority with power. People in the
government who has authority has power. They have power to restrict, power to command, power to get things
even without my agreement. The government gets taxes from me even if I frown at the amount they take from my
salary… especially since the money I work hard for is just corrupted by some selfish politician.

In an essence, our relationship with God is like that. Whether we like it or not, He has the authority… after all He
is our Maker (see the book of Genesis chapters 1-3). On the other hand, humans have the innate nature of taking
over.. wanting to be like God as Eve and Adam have done in the garden of Eden. We do not want authority. We
want to be the boss. What we fail to see is the big difference between God and the government, for instance.
Government and all human institutions are flawed and far from perfect.. but God is never flawed and He is perfect
in every way.

RESPONSES TO AUTHORITY

Hopelessness

Sometimes, we grow tired and helpless since we face difficulties submitting to God’s authority. There are
moments when we become hopeless and frustrated with ourselves because we fail God every time. I have been
there. Sometimes, I still go back there.. as God prunes all the bad things about me.. sometimes.. I still find myself
in the pits of hopelessness. Have you been there as well? Have you experienced troubles acknowledging the
authority of our Maker? Though spot isn’t it? As humans, we want to take over all the aspects of our lives –
finances, career, family, love life, studies, business.. and a whole lot of things. There are moments when God
doesn’t want you to have the rich-and-the-famous-lifestyle, but you insist. There are times when you REALLY.
REALLY. REALLY. like a guy/girl.. but he/she is not the one says God. Some people, on the other hand,
experience pursuing a great career and then God calls them into the ministry… It is difficult to obey an
authority… but it will save us from a whole lot of trouble.

Rebellion

John Bevere asserts that “what causes many to drift in their walk with God” is REBELLION. Rebellion is going
against what God desires. Lucifer did it. Adam and Eve also took part of it. Many other men and women followed
them after… including John Bevere and myself.. Rebellion comes subtly, as Bever explains, it is not blatant. So if
you and me are experiencing subtle rebellion now, let us be open to the word of God. Let it act us a blade ready
to pierce our hearts where it needs to be pierced. Let us receive correction.. for heeding correction leads to
repentance and repentance leads to life..

Get the Shots

John imparts a story about him getting immunization as a child. He said that he didn’t want it at first, cause he
knows he will get hurt. However, after his parents explained that it is needed so that he wouldn’t acquire a
disease that can take his very life, he agreed.. seeing that prevention is better.

In the same way, let’s also get the shots. Accept the sting. Deal with the pain. If there is something wrong with
our lives right now… let’s turn it over to God.. let’s be brave enough to deal with it.. As John says: “I knew the
 NAME: RALPH M. MALICSI
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shot would be somewhat painful, but it would keep me from experiencing much greater pain from contracting a
dreadful and possible disease.”

Don’t wait for the disease to engulf your spiritual life. Get the shots. Change your heart. Accept discipline. God
disciplines those He loves.

“Often the painful words, not the smooth ones, ultimately bring the greatest freedom and protection.” – John
Bevere.

*As Christians we must recognize that we are under God’s authority for us to easily abide to
those authorities that were assigned by the LORD in our lives.
Remember this when you encounter any uncomfortable, or even painful, immunizing truths from
the word of God. Know your heavenly Father’s ways are perfect, and what may at times look presently
detrimental or hurtful will actually be His positioning for protection, blessing or
another salvation. Neverforget his love for us is pure, complete and everlasting.*
We may experience hardship but it’s molding us to be Christlike. Helps us to deepen our trust to
Christno matter what happens until the day that we will see Him again.

*As a Christians a Rebellion is opposition to authority. Rebellion can become violent, as in “an
armed rebellion broke out in the city,” but it can also remain unexpressed. Rebellion always begins
in the heart. Rebellion against God’s authority was humanity’s first sin (Genesis 3) and continues to
be our downfall. Our sinful natures do not want to bow to the authority of another, even God. We
want to be our own bosses, and that rebellion in the human heart is the root of all sin (Romans
3:23).

Rebellion against proper authority is a serious matter in God’s eyes. The prophet
Samuel confronted King Saul with these words: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better
than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel
15:22–23). Rebellion is linked to pride in this passage, and both sins are equated with witchcraft
and paganism. Because of Saul’s persistent rebellion against God, he lost the throne and his royal
dynasty was cut short. God gave the kingdom to a shepherd boy named David (1 Samuel 13:14).
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CHAPTER 2
IT’S HARD TO KICK AGAINSTS THE GOADS

It is hard to understand kingdom principles with a democratic mind-set

*We should always keep in mind that the enemies’ temptation will always look desirable and good
for us to be tempted. Do not be deceive Romans 12:2 (NIV)2 Do not conform to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. It is hard to understand
kingdom principles with a democratic mind set.

*Because we have principles, God ’s principle that supersedes any authority on this world and
this world’s wisdom is foolishness before the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:19) Our provision as well as
protection could be blocked or even cut off as we disconnect ourselves from the Source of true
life. Warning: Deceptive path of self-rule.

*It is true that we have free will but it is not an excuse for us to disobey God. Often this free
will causes us not to trust on Him to the extent that we choose to abandonour relationship with
God and to spend our time with worldly matters.

“There is freedom in submission and bondage in rebellion”

-
“For there is no authority except from God , and the authorities that exist are appointed by
God- Romans13:1-2Warning: Two headed organization is doomed for division.*
Divisions not just in Churches open an opportunity for the enemy to attack us. Submission leads
to true obedience. Romans 16:17New International Version (NIV)17 I urge you, brothers and
sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are
contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

God’s commandments and teachings of jesus Christ are simple and straightforward. Yet we in
democratic mind-set are so used to debating issues, giving our own thoughts and opinions on
scripture resulting many times in a weakening or misunderstanding of what God is trying to
accomplish. The sad thing is most Christians are sold out to the idea of Democracy for they follow the
cultural trend of this society. That is if we don’t agree with authority, we can challenge it through complaint
or protest. if this goes on, we will start resisting the authority and worst, will start to totally ignore its
existence. We have to stop thinking like democrats and to start thinking like citizens of this far
superior kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God, also called Kingdom Of Heaven, in Christianity, the spiritual realm over which
God reigns as king, or the fulfillment on Earth of God’s will. The phrase occurs frequently in the New
Testament, primarily used by Jesus Christ in the first three Gospels. It is generally considered to be
the central theme of Jesus’ teaching, but widely differing views have been held about Jesus’ teaching
on the Kingdom of God and its relation to the developed view of the church.

Though the phrase itself rarely occurs in pre-Christian Jewish literature, the idea of God as king was
fundamental to Judaism, and Jewish ideas on the subject undoubtedly underlie, and to some extent
determine, the New Testament usage. Behind the Greek word for kingdom (basileia) lies the Aramaic
term malkut, which Jesus may have used. Malkut refers primarily not to a geographical area or realm
nor to the people inhabiting the realm but, rather, to the activity of the king himself, his exercise
of sovereignpower. The idea might better be conveyed in English by an expression such as kingship,
rule, or sovereignty.
 NAME: RALPH M. MALICSI
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The Democracy His work will shake any reader, secular or faithful, to rethink the relationship between
one's citizenship and one's faith.

“Christianity is the fullness of truth,” he writes. “The loss of this grand and exhilarating perspective is
another casuality of modern Christianity and its principled embrace of human rights.” Democracy
requires a strong, not enervated, Christianity, “because its moral claims cannot be vindicated by
secular and rational means alone.”

“ Christians should enter into a prudential relationship between their primary citizenship in the City
of God and a political order that would not necessarily possess the attributes of modern liberal
regimes. Christianity must exhibit a hierarchy and transcendence that egalitarian political orders must
disdain. For the good of both realms, they must remain separate, until we enter ”a new historical
stage.
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Chapter 3
SIN DEFINED
The church often veers away from the core definition of sin. We do not
connect with its true meaning

Sin-rejection of the law, or will, of God and the substitution of the will of self.
- Not submitting to divine authority

Matthew 24:12-13 (NIV)

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,13
but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. *Keep fighting the good
fight of faith.

Warning: Lawlessness is going to abound the church in the last days

Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

True and False Disciples
21”Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the of heaven, but
only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. *We believers
should delight in his will.

 When the word gets painful, God is saying: I want to protect from
greater pain in the future.

 Disobedeince is when you think you know as much or more than God
and so you bring God down to your level. A manifestation of rebellion.
Lowering God’s glory and making him more manageable.
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Chapter 4
THE SECRET POWER OF LAWLESSNESS
Revealed, not communicated, Knowledge is our greatest guard against
deception

Warning: The reason for perilous times would stem from widespread
deception within the church.

Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)

Take up your cross and follow jesus

24 Then jesus told his disciples, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me.25 for whoever would save his life
[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what
will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what
shall a man give in return for his soul?

We must love truth more than anyone or anything else. We must passionately
desire his will more than our comfort or lives. Then we will delight in putting
our personal desires aside for his wishes. We will take up our crosses and deny
our rights and privileges for the sake of fulfilling his will.

Ignorance – opened them to deception, the secret power of lawlessness

- Breeding ground for deception *That’s why we must be knowledgeable,
read and God’s word day and night

THE LIGHT OF HIS TRUTH EXPOSES AND PROTECTS US FROM ANY LFE
Knowledge is our greatest guard against deception
There is nothing good outside the realm of God’s will. It may appear good, but
if it doesn’t line up with God’s will, make no mistake, there is nothing good in it
for us.
Learn from the first Adam’s fall, and follow hard after the last Adam’s
obedience.
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Chapter 5
THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE I
Faith and obedience are inseparable because obedience is evidence of true
faith

Warning: Some people subconsciously reason that any consequence of their

disobedience will be outweighed by what they perceive as the immediate gain
of their decision. *We should be careful of this thinking
God does accept us if we repent.

Exodus 20:20

Warning: Do not replace obedience with reasoning

Purity of childlike obedience like abel
True faith operates out of obedience rather than a sense of right and wrong.
Warning:Anger fueled with pride, and pride rejects God’s will or ways in order
to cling on it’s own.

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP IS OBEDIENCE

Although the law of the spirit of life makes us free from the law of sin, the law
of sin remains intact. Our protection or mastery of it comes from true faith or
obedience.
Obedience is the evidence of true faith
Sin is mastered through obedience
Warning: If they rebel against God’s direct authority, they reduce the image,
authority and power of God to a more manageable level and thus increasingly
becoming irreverent.

God graciously attempts to open our eyes to areas of disobedience but as with
cain, we will not see truth until we first humble ourselves.

Authority in kingdom of God speaks about God’s protection, provision and

presence.

The wisdom of God line up with his character, which is love.

Authority are directly placed by God and we must obey it.

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Chapter 6
THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE II
Partial obedience is not obedience at all in the eyes of God

*Keep in mind partial obedience is not obedience at all in the eyes of God

We learn that partial obedience is not obedience at all in the eyes of God. In
fact, almost complete obedience , even 99 percent, is not considered
obedience, rather, it is rebellion. * this is the lord’s standards

The moment a person disobeys the word of God clearly revealed to him, a veil
distorts and contructs his view. It is deception

Warning: *Justifying our sins

Warning : Repeated disobedience causes wandering *and when we wonder
we get sidetracked with the path that god laid before us.

Promise : He lifts his hand of protection and allows the enemy to bring on us
what obedience would have protected us from.

Warning: A man with an unrepentant heart diverts blame to others when

caught in disobedience, thus failing to take responsibility for his own actions.
Warning: For you are a slave to whatever controls you in deception truth
became a lie, and the lies become the truth.
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Chapter 7
BEWITCHED
The Light of God’s Word exposes deception and discerns the thought and
intentions of the hearts of men.

Radical disobedience opened the door to a radical plague but it will be stopped
by radical obedience

Warning: Rebellion or disobedience places a person under witchcraft

Focused on this: Whenever we disobey what God has revealed to us, we bring
ourselves under the influence of a witchcraft curse. Why? Because rebellion
is witchcraft *Disobedience opens us to troubles and deceptions
e
Deceived captives blame others in order to hide from their own disobedience,
and doing this blinds them to exactly what they need to be free. *Resist the
Devil (James 4:(NIV)7 Submit yourselves, the, to God. Resist the devil ,and he
will flee from you.)

Obedient people also suffered by God’s will the difference we could see is that
in those who are obedient there I spiritual progress, may you use these truth
to judge yourself and get back on the path of lfe.
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Chapter 8
DOES GOD KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE?
If we learn how to obey God, we will have no trouble recognizing God’s authority on
another.

13 Let evetyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except
that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2
Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling aginst what God has
instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

Four division of delegent authority:

> Civil
> Church
> Family
> Social

Every soul is to be subject to authorities because God has appointed all govering authorities
in our lives. When we opposed God’s delegated authority, we oppose God himself.

If we learn to obey God, we will have no trouble recognizing God’s authority on another.
> Submission
> Obedience

Leaders who are harsh and downwright evil? *It may be hard to take in but as what Apostle
paul said in 1 corinthians this happened for us to take it as our example in dealing matters in
this world (1 Corinthians 10:11)
*Take for example the life of joseph he was sold by his brothers in Egypt. Many hardship fall
in this man’s life but he was able to understand that this happen for a reason or purpose .
He was able to recognice God’s authority through his brothers.

God is the one who brings judgement on authorities. We are commanded to pray for those
in leadership and to honor and submit to their authority, if there is need of judgement, God
says we are not to make room for it. *God alone has the authority to judge (James 4:12)
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Chapter 9
HONOR THE KING
We must learn to honor, to revere, respect; to treat with deference and submission, and
perform relative duties to-those who are in authority

1 peter 2:11-12
“For even when we do submit and obey , we may still be accused of doing
wrong”

Reminder: you are really serving God ephesians 6:5-8 (NIV)* the harder we try
to obey, the harder it comes to see true authority know that we are serving
God.
5
slaves , obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of
heart, just as you would obey Christ .6Obey them not only to win their favor
when their eye is in you, but as slaves of Christ , doing the will of God from
your heart.7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the lord, not
people,8bacause you know that the lord will reward each one for whatever
good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Massage: A lack of spirit of the fear of the lord is evident when we do not
revere authority the fear of the lord causes us not to judge by natural sight or
hearing Do not view God’s kingdom through democratic mindset.

Warning: People who lead occult organization are not to be submitted to or

obeyed it is unwise to flippantly mock any form of leadership, even if it is form
darkness.
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Chapter 10
DOUBLE HONOR
Many times God will send us what we need in a package we don’t want

Romans 13:(NIV)
7
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; If revenue,
then revenue, if respect, then respect ;if honor ,honor.
Don’t judge or expose soething you’re not sure of .1 Timothy 5:19 a witness is
one who can produce evidenece, not hearsay.

Give great honor will be your portion.

Seek to honor the men and women who labor among you in the word of God.

Peter tells us to “honor all people , love the brotherhood, fear god, honor the
king “(1 peter 2:17).The idea of honoring others, especially those in authority
(The king), comes from the fact that they represent God’s ultimate authority.

A classic example is the command to “submit to the governing authorities

because they have been established by God”(Roman 13:1-6).
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Chapter 11
OBEDIENCE AND SUBMISSION
We can obey not necessarily be submissive

Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

17
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they
keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their
work will be a joy , not a burden , for that would be of no benefit to you.

Isaiah 1:19-20 (NIV)

19
if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;20 but
if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

1 chronicles (28:9)
“And you , my Solomon , acknowledge the God of your father , and serve him
with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind , for the lord searches
every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,
he will be found by you ; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

*we are often not fed (spiritually ) because of our bad attitude toward the
authority that God had put us under.

> Obedience deals with our responsive actions toward authority.

> Submission deals with our attitude toward authority.

Good intentions will not stand the judgement of God. Only true faith, which is
Evidenced by corresponding works of obedience, will stand.

The only exception to disobey is when our leaders directly tell us to sin but
always remember that we are still to keep a humble heart and submitted
attitude. There are blessing in obedience.
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Chapter 12
WHAT IF AUTHORITY TELLS ME
What we are after is a revelation of authority, which is a revelation of God
himself, for he and his authority are inseparable
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Chapter 13
UNFAIR TREATMENT
To be broken does not mean to be weakened.
It has to do with submission to authority