Psalm 20:5   
Raising our banners
      Have you been in a football crowd when the home team scores, or at an athletics event, or some other sporting experience when everyone jumps to their feet with joy? Joy can be an individual thing but it is best expressed corporately, it is infectious and inspiring when it is shared with others. How often do we shout for joy at the victory of our God and the victory of the Lamb? Is there corporate joy in our churches when the Lord prevails and victory against the enemy is won?  The Christian faith was NEVER meant to be experienced privately or personally, we are born into a body, placed in a family; the church becomes our household and here we laugh and cry together and share the highs and lows of the journey. 
The church is also a place to lift up our banners! This literally means flag waving but of a particular kind. If you read Numbers 1:52 you will find that Moses has been instructed by the Lord to conduct a census in the desert of all the people who came out of Egypt. The ancestral tribes are arranged into divisions and the fighting men are counted. Each tribe and family has its specific place in the camp that surrounds the tabernacle and each division of the people has its own standard or flag. The banner speaks of identity, it is a rallying point for soldiers, a call to a place of assembly and also a sign of proclamation. 
Isaiah the prophet refers to the banner of God on numerous occasions for the Lord will raise His banner, all the nations will be drawn to Him and the world will know who He is and where He is. Let’s not be afraid to stand beneath the banner of our faith, to wave flags, if necessary, in celebration of the victory of our God. “Lord let my life be a banner to the world.” This verse ends with a simple blessing, that the Lord will grant all your requests. Surely, He will protect and guide and prosper those whose allegiance is to Him alone and who are prepared to stand up for His cause. Praise his name!

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