From the bestselling author of Killing Kryptonite and The Bait of Satan comes the newly revised edition of John Bevere’s classic Under Cover . This impactful examination of leadership and authority will answer questions like: Ever wonder how to respond to a difficult boss? - Why you should listen to them in the first place? - What does God want me to understand about authority? By teaching us how to properly relate to leadership, John shows why living under authority is better than we think. The truth is, we will all one day have to follow the leader. Whether at school, at work, in the military, or even in the national political arena, the question of who will lead and who will follow is constantly before us. Your response will determine your future. John Bevere is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and evangelist, with more than 40 years of experience equipping believers to live out their faith with purpose and passion. Known for his ability to communicate challenging biblical concepts with clarity and conviction, Bevere’s books have been translated in over 130 languages and have sold millions of copies globally. Beyond writing, Bevere co-founded Messenger International with his wife, Lisa, a ministry dedicated to providing discipleship resources to the Church worldwide. Under Cover Why Your Response to Leadership Determines Your Future By John Bevere Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2018 John Bevere All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-7852-1861-6 Contents SECTION 1: INTRODUCING UNDER COVER, 1. God's Protection, 1, 2. It's Hard to Kick Against Nails!, 8, SECTION 2: GOD'S DIRECT COVERING, 3. Sin Defined, 25, 4. The Secret Power of Lawlessness, 37, 5. The Consequences of Disobedience I, 53, 6. The Consequences of Disobedience II, 63, 7. Bewitched, 79, SECTION 3: GOD'S APPOINTED COVERING, 8. Does God Know Who Is in Charge?, 95, 9. Honor the King, 110, 10. Double Honor, 125, 11. Obedience and Submission, 145, 12. What If Authority Tells Me ...?, 159, 13. Unfair Treatment, 179, 14. Self-Inflicted Judgment, 199, 15. One, 217, 16. Odds and Ends, 232, 17. Great Faith, 250, 18. Conclusion, 267, Discussion Questions, 270, About the Author, 275, CHAPTER 1 GOD'S PROTECTION Often the painful words, not the smooth ones, ultimately bring the greatest freedom and protection. Under cover — this phrase can apply to a vast number of situations. In its simplest form it could describe a small child nestled under the warmth and protection of a blanket, or behind the protective frame of a parent when in danger. A civilian description may include a city under police or military protection. It could describe an animal hidden away in a thicket, cave, or subterranean refuge. Or it could describe a family enjoying the shelter and safety of their home while a storm rages just outside. As a child I remember living in an area where we experienced frequent storms. We would watch the dark clouds roll in from our picture windows to the accompanying beat of distant thunders. In a matter of minutes the storm was on top of us in full force. Lightning flashes were followed by immediate explosive thunders. The rain sounded like thousands of tiny hammers pounding away at our roof. The storm actually made our house feel that much more safe and secure. Everything outside the windows was wet, cold, and in danger of fatal lightning strikes. Yet inside we were safe and dry shielded by our roof from the tyranny of the storm. We were under cover. Taking this point further, we can pull these two words together and come up with another term — undercover. This term describes the safety found in hidden identities. An agent who is undercover can move freely about without being apprehended by his enemy. His government has put him under the cover of an alias, and he is a free agent in a hostile area. In short, no matter how we use this word or phrase in its vast applications, they all seem to include protection and freedom. But how does this term under cover apply to Christians? David writes, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust' " (Ps. 91:1–2). Again we see protection for those under His cover. However, from the initial words of his statement, "He who ...", we discover the all important question, Who is under His cover? The book you hold in your hand is a quest for this most important answer. To put it briefly, the one who is under cover is the one who is under God's authority. Adam and Eve enjoyed freedom and protection in the garden under God's cover. However, the moment they disobeyed they found themselves in great need of the very thing they had voluntarily slipped out from under ... it was the need, "to cover themselves" (Gen. 3:7 NLT). Their disobedience to God's authority robbed mankind of the sweet freedom and protection they'd once kno