Friday, January 20, 2012

THIRTY DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE - DAY 20

PRAY THE NAMES OF GOD


DAY 20


GOD IS JEHOVAH-NISSI (THE LORD IS MY BANNER)


The practice of going into battle with a banner or a standard before you, is as old as the Bible - literally!


The book of Exodus, Chapter 17:8-16 records the famous battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. It is famous because it contains the account of Moses high up from the battle. Whenever Moses held his hand up, the Israelites would be winning the war. When his arms grew tired and fell to his side, the Israelites started losing and would be beaten back!


Finally Moses' brother Aaron and Hur, came up to Moses and both men held up Moses' hands so he won't get tired.  Aaron and Hur did that until sundown and the great Joshua, God's General, had completely beaten the evil Amalekites!


The Lord told Moses to write down this account in a book (now called Exodus). Moses built an altar to the Lord and called it "THE LORD IS MY BANNER" or Jehovah-Nissi! He declared "He is my Banner, a Hand upon the Throne of the Lord!! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation"!

Amen.



As a side note, God did war against Amalek again in the Bible. There was a man in the book of Esther named Haman who tried to destroy the Jews again, just like his ancestors - the Amalekites. This was when God chose both Mordecai and Esther to save his people. God's woman - Esther- became the Queen of Persia!


THE LORD IS MY BANNER (or Standard).


His Standard goes before us today. You and I, who are saved, follow the Blood-stained banner of the Cross of Christ. The Cross is our Standard. Our spiritual hearts are the altars. Our bodies, the Temple (of the Holy Spirit). We sacrifice ourselves at this altar daily to our one True God. 


Father in the Name of Jesus, I thank You, oh God Most High, that You have given us the Victory against our own Amalekites - the modern day demons of sin, lust, greed and the flesh.


God, my Father, You are the Standard, the Plumbline of Truth, the Banner of Truth, Who goes before me and fights all my battles and wins them, just as You did for Your great general Joshua, who took Your people into Canaan, the Promised Land.


Lord, Moses held up his hands and Your Servant Joshua won the Battle. But, Lord, he needed help, because his hands got tired! Today, of Father in Heaven, we who wait upon You will never get tired, if we follow You as You said. We will run and never get tired. We will soar like the eagles.


Today, oh Lord, we fly under the Blood-stained banner of the Lord Jesus Christ...my Lord and Savior. Jesus set the standard when He gave all at the Cross, that we might be saved and grafted into the Kingdom. I accept that Standard for my life.


Jesus told me take up my own Cross daily and follow Him. That banner of the Cross goes before me as a symbol of my undying surrender to Him and my perpetual dying to the deeds of my flesh.


Jesus told me His Word is Truth and the Scripture cannot be broken. That banner of the Word of God is embedded on my heart and mind and goes before me as the Living Bible and Word in action, as I seek to walk in Christ's Light daily.


Jesus told me the Counselor, the Helper will come to lead me unto all Truth. That banner of the Holy Spirit has firm hold of my eternal soul and access to the very core of my being, in order that all 9 Fruits of the Spirit will shine through me, as a banner of Christ's Love and Salvation living within me.


I thank You God for that privilege.
I thank You God for that honor.
I thank You God for that Truth.
I thank You God for that free gift from You!


I lift up my hands in Praise as Moses did.
I will never tire of worshiping You in everything.
I will lift up my heart in Praise.
I will lift and exalt Your Holy Name daily, for it is Good and I will seek to inspire many to come to Faith and Trust in You, in the Mighty Name of Christ Jesus, the King, amen.


TOMORROW: GOD IS WISE

(image by bing images)



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