You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. (Ps 60:4)

In ancient and modern warfare, banners and flags symbolize unity and strength of purpose. As Christian soldiers, we need to march on and uphold the banner that the Lord has bestowed upon us. In the battlefield, the banner supports the fighting morale and gives the hope of triumph. In our ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ is the banner which sustains our faith.

After the Israelites fought their very first battle against the Amalekites at Rephidim after they had crossed the Red Sea, Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner (Ex 17:15). The name Moses gave the altar reminded the people that the Lord was responsible for their victories. The word “banner” means “sign”. Put together, we may understand this victory as a sign for the Israelites that God was truly with them.

The apostles also experienced such a victory, as they joined together with one accord in one place on the Day of Pentecost and “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The Holy Spirit bore witness that the Lord’s presence was with them. When we receive the Holy Spirit today, it is also etched in our hearts that: the Lord is with us. And we, too, can proclaim in worship and in witness, “The Lord is my Banner”.

Before the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He promised His disciples that, in His place, the Holy Spirit as a Counselor would guide them into His truth, and empower them in their ministry. Today, the same Spirit functions the same way within us. If there is one who can teach us the deep things of God, it would be the Holy Spirit that He has sent. When we understand how the Spirit of God works to direct our lives, we will more clearly value our place and our ministry for Christ in this world.

By upholding the banner of victory, we are the Christian soldiers fighting for Christ Jesus and His gospel. We need to place the battle for lost souls as our priority. Engaging in battle for God motivates us to look up to Him and depend on Him. The presence and power of the Lord was the banner under which the Israelites banded together. Likewise, when we face the battles of life today, remember that the Lord is our banner and He can give us the victory.