Recognizing Real Generals in the Body of Christ

Today, they assign just anyone in position in the modern church. As long the person has titles, degrees, has passed certain denominational requirements or has leadership potentials recognized by men (or by the flesh), he is put in position and rules from there, even if he is not recognized in heaven as one. The Lord said listen to them but do not do as they do.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." [Matt.23.2-3]

There are two kinds of leadership in the church---earthly and spiritual. The first is man-made, the other God-made. It actually started in Israel in the Old Testament. For instance, King Saul was man-made while David was God-made. Saul was anointed with oil from a flask (man-made container) but David was anointed with oil from a horn (from an animal God created).

What makes you a man-made leader? Basically, it's when you reject God's Kingdom governance and systems and willingly submit to man-made church governance and systems (which are all worldly). But more importantly, it's not practicing what you preach. It's about godliness and character. You may be ordained by men or appointed by men, but if you live like Jesus and have his character, you are God-made.

In the New Testament, the law teachers and Pharisees were man-appointed while Jesus and John the baptizer were God-appointed. But often, the man-appointed call the shots in the physical realms and the God-appointed look like subordinates or underdogs, or worse, nobodies. Just compare how the Pharisees looked from how Jesus and John looked like.

Jesus once mentioned in passing how he contrasted man-made from God-made leaderships:

"What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’" [Luke 7]

1. "Reed swayed by the wind." It easily bends to pressure, especially from the world, because it wants to please it. It adopts the world's standards and ways to gain its approval.

2. "A man dressed in fine clothes." Its value system is based on what is seen with the eyes. It is impressed by materialism and the money-value system. If you have money and possessions, then you are blessed. If not, then God is not pleased with you or you probably are doing things wrong. I'm reminded of how they see small ministries as "defective" and big ministries as "blessed."

3. "Live in palaces." They are crazy about big things in ministry, like mega churches, mega attendance, mega memberships and mega offerings and incomes. They want big church buildings.

In contrast, God-made leadership is the complete opposite as modeled by Jesus and John and the apostles. It sticks to the spoken Word of God and uses God's standards alone as found in the Beatitudes and in many others in the Gospel and Scriptures, foremost of which is being poor in spirit. You are weighed solely by your quality of life in Christ and your character.

Real church generals recognized in heaven are often those who are unrecognized on earth. They usually hold no positions, live radically simple lives, low profile, meek, unassuming, often at the listening end of a conversation, easily mingles with the crowd, and seldom talk about themselves or what they do or have. Consequently, they are often belittled or ignored. Even Jesus "came to his own but his own did not receive him." John the baptizer told the religious leaders then how,

"..among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

Funny, isn't it? Heaven's highest and supreme General was right there in their midst and they didn't know it. Genuine generals of God are like that. So meek, simple and low profile. But Pharisees and law teachers were such that they couldn't see authority beyond their titles, degrees and religious positions. And if you're also like that, you're just a Pharisee in God's Kingdom. There are millions of Pharisees in God's Kingdom on earth, many of them acting like generals or assuming the position and being in command of thousands.

John easily recognized how Jesus was the Commander-in-Chief although Jesus didn't look like it physically. We should be like John. We should easily spot God's real church generals through the Spirit, not by how our flesh judges people. He even admitted that, though his ministry was older and bigger (Jesus then didn't have any disciple yet), he was not worthy even to be Jesus' slave to untie his sandals. He was not presumptuous or self-conceited. By this, John also proved that he himself was a true, high-ranking general in the Lord's army.

True generals of God live quiet lives but powerful in the spirit realms. Spiritual forces in the spirit realms easily recognize them as the devil recognized and respected Jesus and Paul but kicked out the seven sons of Sceva the priest [Acts 19].

So, for instance, a person may just be a janitor or errand boy in the mega ministry of a senior pastor or bishop. In the physical realms, the pastor or bishop takes the limelight. He is seen as highly respected giant, champion, or general of the church because of his huge church ministry, his church membership and income and his material possessions. Such is how the worldly modern church sees things, everything seen, weighed and judged through the money-value system. If you are yourself blind to the spiritual realms, you will follow suit.

However, if the janitor or errand boy has the right faith and connection with God and possesses His wisdom and operates in the Kingdom systems of God, he is recognized in the spiritual realms and is seen as a real church general in heaven. In the heavenly realms, he is a giant and champion. At his word, angels are deployed and devils bow. His prayers and worship are terror for the powers of darkness. His presence is torture for evil spirits---because Jesus is easily seen in him. When spirits see him, they see Jesus, not him. 

The senior pastor or bishop, on the other hand,  who knows nothing but the governing systems and human theology of his denomination is just a foot soldier or pawn in God's heavenly armies. He is not recognized in the spiritual realms as a leader or general. What more if he does not live by what he preaches?

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Nonetheless, that senior pastor or bishop should be respected in the physical realms. The janitor or errand boy must submit to him. 

It used to be that the church was led by genuinely anointed church generals who were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They operated in the supernatural ways and powers of God. Everything was spiritual, solely led by the Holy Spirit. But in the course of time, the church gradually became worldly and unspiritual. It subjected itself to worldly ways and standards and became powerless in the spirit realms.

If you are well familiar in the spirit realms, you easily spot a real church general. Looks and positions cannot deceive you. Just one look and you know a person is a general or a high-ranking officer in God's Kingdom, or if he is a mere foot soldier. Well, foot soldiers are also important, but they only become effective in the spirit realms if they are prayed for and supported by real church generals. Thus, pastors should be skillful in spotting real church generals who are in sheep's clothing. He should surround himself with these champions.

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