LIFTING THE BANNER OF THE LORD

Scriptures: Isa. 11:10 & 12, Isa. 12: 5-16, Isa. 13:2-4

One of our commission mandates in Holy Ghost Fellowship International is “Lifting the Banner of the Lord”; we are a fellowship of flag flying children of the Most High God. Hallelujah!

A banner is a flag; it is a standard, an ensign. A banner is a symbol of –

1. Royalty – Through what Jesus has done for us on the cross, we are not only kings but priests. It is because many Christians are not aware of this that they are always too much at ease with extending unholy handshake to people they should keep at arm’s length. A king is not an ordinary person. A king is a consecrated person. Upon the head of every God-ordained king, there is oil. Priests are very specially consecrated; the very moment you become a priest, you are bound to live a consecrated and a concentrated life. You can no longer do things anyhow the moment you opt to become a priest. Oil is for separation. Consecration means to be sanctified while sanctification means to be called out, separated unto God. You are God’s vessel and very special. You are no longer an ordinary person and no longer expected to eat swine’s food. Kings and priests don’t eat anyhow. Priests are selective, holy and bound by an oath of consecration.
2. Dominion
3. Peace – In the time of war, once you fly a banner, it signifies a truce.
4. Love – Song 2:4 says, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love”.
5. Mobilizing especially for war. Isa. 13:2-4 says, “Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my sanctified ones, … the LORD of hosts mustereth the host to the battle”. This prophecy will be literally fulfilled in this end-time.
6. Victory – When you fly the banner, it signifies a victorious army of the Living God; it is a banner of victory. Exo. 17:9-15. That was where the Lord was declared “Jehovah Nissi” – The Lord, our Banner.
7. Boundary – Isa. 59:18-19 says, “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay … when the enemy shall come in life a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him”. The Church is not doing this enough and that is why things are the way they are. It was because Adam failed to raise a banner that the snake entered into the garden. Today, a lot of things are out of order because most men have abdicated their priestly roles to their wives. While men are busy being strong and brave, they have left the home for those who are not well equipped to handle certain intricate spiritual issues. If people realize how dark the environment is, they will re-organize their priorities. You must recognize that the spiritual controls the physical; whatever defeats you in the realm of the spirit has finished you in the physical. The Bible states clearly that it was when men slept (not women) that the enemy came to sow tares.

Who can display the Banner?

The spirit of the end time is the spirit of warfare; the ultimate battle is about to be fought. The kingdom of darkness knows this very well and they are busy mobilizing. There is a big battle ragging over the airwaves, the children of kedar usually start enchanting into the atmosphere from 4.30am to 6.00am daily, while Christians are still sleeping. There is a serious bewitchment against Christians and it does not respect titles. In the natural army, it is not every officer that can fly a flag/banner. The Bible spells out the quality of those who can display the banner of the Lord.

1. Psa. 60:4-5 “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me”. Notice that the essence of lifting the banner is so that God’s beloved may be delivered. Those who will lift up the banner are those who fear God.
2. Truth is mandatory – Psa. 60:4 “… that it may be displayed because of truth”. Jesus is the truth and He will be flown as a banner over gentile nations.
3. Only those who have the nature of the Lamb will lift up the banner. The nature of the Lamb is meekness. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain. When the Dove descended on Christ after his baptism, the Dove never departed because the Dove met a perfect dwelling place. Today, the Dove is still looking for a resting place just as after the deluge in Gen. 8:6-12. I pray that the Dove will find a resting place in you in the mighty name of Jesus.

TO BE CONTINUED.