Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Psalm 104:1-4 KJV

Paul wrote that whoever we present our members to obey, we are their slaves (Romans 6:16).  There is no difference if we do it entirely knowingly or whether we do it by instinct.  Jesus said that whoever sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34).

God covers Himself with light as a garment.  It robes Him, like a cloak.  He surrounds Himself with the glory, majesty, and splendor that is due Him, for He is God.

But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man…

1 Corinthians 11:3 (portion)

Paul gave the key to being underneath pastors and others in Christ’s church a the verse before this.

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1

As we looked towards ourselves to hate our flesh and hate our flesh-based, soulish life, the only true leadership is the one that is “invisible”.  As Paul wrote, imitate me as I imitate Him, follow me as I follow Him.

One of the most important things when ever anyone looks up to you in the Gospel is to be transparent.  It is only as we follow Christ, that they can see our dependence and continual seeking, that they see what true ministry really is.

Jesus’ mighty works were known by the multitudes, but His ways were known to the disciples.  Many a night, if not all nights, He sent them away to pray.  Or, He rose early and went to seek the Lord in solitude.  No record exists for us of what those prayer times looked like, for the most part, as they are the intimate longing and desperate cries of a man crying out for Heaven (Hebrews 5:7).

It is as we seek Him, day by day, that we are filled, for He said, apart from Him we can do nothing.  While He was with them, Jesus kept His disciples He said by the name that He had been given (John 17:12).

As we imitate Him, and as we are Christ to the world, and as we yield to Jesus, He speaks His words through us.

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 17:17

We are agencies of authority.  We have powers and spirits and gifts, as well as finances and natural abilities, at our digression and we are subject to our head, Christ Jesus.

As we choose to submit our what we have, His promise is that as we are faithful in the little, and in the mundane, He will give us greater and greater things.  But, just as if we are unwise stewards in regards to our finances, we would be so in the same regard when it came to the things of the Kingdom.

In the Kingdom, there is order, and there is responsibility.  As we are faithful, He promotes us in due time.

If there is no testing, there is no qualification.  If there is no requirement to be faithful, there is no way to be distinguished as more faithful.

In the Kingdom, advancement is in the laying down of one’s self, submitting ones self to God, and being diligent to stay doing what God has called you to.

And, while Kingdom order may or may not involve positions recognized by men, it is always marked by God’s divine approval.

The least in the Kingdom may or may not look like something on this Earth.  As with the woman with two mites, she was faithful with all.  She gave of everything, possibly to her own hurt if not for God.  And, this caught the Teacher’s eye.

An eye that looks to leadership with any other mind is not the eye of the disciple.  The administration of a revelation that does not have this heart is not the pure heart of a shepherd.  While we all are at levels of learning and sanctification in His Truth, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.  The greatest heart is the servant of all, serving always in meekness, gentleness, and all wisdom.

Covering, if you want to call it that, is like a hen covering her chicks.  She covers and protects them and keeps them safe until they are old enough to care for themselves.  After that, what more can she do?  She is no more prepared than them, except as concerns wisdom, experience, and knowledge.  And, in the Kingdom, depth of anointing in God.

What you submit to, you become a slave to.  If you submit yourself to the emotional life of a leader, even a good seeming leader, you will always fall prey to their own bondage and weaknesses.  Whatever bondage is in their life to keep them from giving up their own life to Jesus will become your newest greatest blind spot.

But, so much as you submit to Christ within them, and they endeavor to only point the way to the Master as transparently as possible, we have become Christ’s disciples, and the Gospel is advanced.

The Kingdom of God is at Hand.  And, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Colosians 2:3).