Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is My Banner (Cassandra Nader)
What does a flag really do? What does it represent? What is its purpose? Lets look at its definition:
Flag (noun) :
1. a piece of cloth, varying in size, shape, color, and design, usually attached at one edge to a staff or cord, and used as the symbol of a nation, state, or organization, as a means of signaling, etc.; ensign; standard; banner; pennant.
Ok, so its used as a symbol, a means to represent a state or organization. That seems like a simple enough explanation. It can also be called a standard, or a banner. These words should be familiar to most anyone in the Apostolic movement, as we use the word “standard” to refer to our way of dress. So let’s look more at what “standard” really means:
standard (noun)
1. something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
2. a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment:
3. an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.:
4. standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable
But what does this really mean? In the book of Numbers, the tribes of Israel are set apart to the place appointed for them around the tabernacle, and each tribe was designated by its standard, or banner. -Numbers 1:52 “And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.”-
This way everyone knew their place, where they were to make their camp. -Numbers 2:2 “Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.”-
These designations were for every family, Numbers 2:34 “And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.”
These standards also referred to the armies of each tribe -Numbers 10:14 “In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: ….”
So what does all this mean for us as Christians? What should it really mean to us, to have standards? Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We are buried in Christ’s name in baptism, we carry that Name with us when we rise from the watery grave.
We are to represent Christ on a consistent, daily basis, both in our public and private lives. Leviticus 11:45 “For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” We are commanded to be holy (that’s right, its not a suggestion, it’s a commandment)
The standard (refer back to Numbers) was for every family, and everyone in the army - 2 Timothy 2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
We have been chosen to be soldiers of Christ, to fight for the side of Truth.
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, ….”
Yes we have a standard of dress - women in skirts, uncut hair, no makeup/jewelry, etc and men who are well groomed(short hair, clean shaven) dressed appropriately as men (that’s right guys, put DOWN the skinny jeans and back away!). We as apostolics are identified as women who act and dress as women should, and men who act and dress as men should.
But it should be more than our outside appearance, it should be what is in our Hearts. -1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.-
We are called to Holiness, to be holy as He is holy. To be Holy as He is Holy is applied to all aspects of our life, not just dress, it is applied to our character and our attitudes. We should wear Holiness on our hearts.
What is in your heart reflects on the outside -Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
If the standard is not something you have in your heart, it means nothing, it becomes empty. If it is only something on the outside we become as the Pharisees (Matthew 23:27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
Why, Brothers and Sisters, do you think it is acceptable to call yourself Apostolic, to call yourself a Christian and yet you do not follow Christ? Why do we think its ok to ride the fence, and (more often than not) cross the line? You think you can dress just “holy” enough to get by at church, but still worldly enough to fit in?? You can look the part on Sunday, even though only God knows what you might’ve been doing Saturday night.
This generation needs to stand up and make a choice, to live for God fully, or not. We need to stop playing games with our souls, and the souls of those who see us everyday. We can no longer blur the lines between what the world says is acceptable or modest and what God has set before in His Word.
I choose to be set apart for Holiness, to turn my Heart toward God. I have set up my camp and I hold up the Banner of Christ.
Psalm 20:5 “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners…”
Psalm 60:4 “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.”
In a battle the enemy sees the banner the approaching army carries. When it comes time for the final battle, what side will you be found on? What Banner are you carrying?
Flag (noun) :
1. a piece of cloth, varying in size, shape, color, and design, usually attached at one edge to a staff or cord, and used as the symbol of a nation, state, or organization, as a means of signaling, etc.; ensign; standard; banner; pennant.
Ok, so its used as a symbol, a means to represent a state or organization. That seems like a simple enough explanation. It can also be called a standard, or a banner. These words should be familiar to most anyone in the Apostolic movement, as we use the word “standard” to refer to our way of dress. So let’s look more at what “standard” really means:
standard (noun)
1. something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
2. a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment:
3. an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.:
4. standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable
But what does this really mean? In the book of Numbers, the tribes of Israel are set apart to the place appointed for them around the tabernacle, and each tribe was designated by its standard, or banner. -Numbers 1:52 “And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.”-
This way everyone knew their place, where they were to make their camp. -Numbers 2:2 “Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.”-
These designations were for every family, Numbers 2:34 “And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.”
These standards also referred to the armies of each tribe -Numbers 10:14 “In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: ….”
So what does all this mean for us as Christians? What should it really mean to us, to have standards? Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We are buried in Christ’s name in baptism, we carry that Name with us when we rise from the watery grave.
We are to represent Christ on a consistent, daily basis, both in our public and private lives. Leviticus 11:45 “For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” We are commanded to be holy (that’s right, its not a suggestion, it’s a commandment)
The standard (refer back to Numbers) was for every family, and everyone in the army - 2 Timothy 2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
We have been chosen to be soldiers of Christ, to fight for the side of Truth.
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, ….”
Yes we have a standard of dress - women in skirts, uncut hair, no makeup/jewelry, etc and men who are well groomed(short hair, clean shaven) dressed appropriately as men (that’s right guys, put DOWN the skinny jeans and back away!). We as apostolics are identified as women who act and dress as women should, and men who act and dress as men should.
But it should be more than our outside appearance, it should be what is in our Hearts. -1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.-
We are called to Holiness, to be holy as He is holy. To be Holy as He is Holy is applied to all aspects of our life, not just dress, it is applied to our character and our attitudes. We should wear Holiness on our hearts.
What is in your heart reflects on the outside -Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
If the standard is not something you have in your heart, it means nothing, it becomes empty. If it is only something on the outside we become as the Pharisees (Matthew 23:27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
Why, Brothers and Sisters, do you think it is acceptable to call yourself Apostolic, to call yourself a Christian and yet you do not follow Christ? Why do we think its ok to ride the fence, and (more often than not) cross the line? You think you can dress just “holy” enough to get by at church, but still worldly enough to fit in?? You can look the part on Sunday, even though only God knows what you might’ve been doing Saturday night.
This generation needs to stand up and make a choice, to live for God fully, or not. We need to stop playing games with our souls, and the souls of those who see us everyday. We can no longer blur the lines between what the world says is acceptable or modest and what God has set before in His Word.
I choose to be set apart for Holiness, to turn my Heart toward God. I have set up my camp and I hold up the Banner of Christ.
Psalm 20:5 “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners…”
Psalm 60:4 “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.”
In a battle the enemy sees the banner the approaching army carries. When it comes time for the final battle, what side will you be found on? What Banner are you carrying?