BOLD Ministry

His Banner and Your Armor

You don’t even think about it, but the only reason that you can walk around the city today and not die from all the germs, bacteria and foreign elements that surround you is this thing called skin. And we all know that skin has seven layers; maybe the Lord is trying to tell us something? As soft as it may appear, it is highly functional and without it you would die in less than 24 hours.

In a similar way, there is spiritual skin as well. Paul writes about it in Ephesians 6. We have all had teaching on the armor of God, but I would like to approach it differently.

First: why is it that we are not told about this amour before the New Testament? There is a good reason: before we could put on ‘righteousness, we had to be made righteous, and that could not have occurred until Jesus died for our sins.

So then how did we do this thing without spiritual protection before the death of Jesus? I believe that before spiritual armor it was by virtue of spiritual banners: banners of blood and banners of praise. It was the blood of the innocent animals (Gen 3) which was shed to cover Adam and Eve, without it they would have died in a matter of days. And it was the praise which preceded the armies before they took Jericho. So now we understand the design and purpose of the banner: the banner of blood (Exodus over the door) and the banner of worship and praise. Just a side note about praise and worship: God is not lonely or depressed about His life if people fail to praise Him. No, you see praise puts us into harmony or alignment with the God of all Goodness. Praise releases the power and the glory of the King.

The banner of God does three things:
Banners are declaration of truth, and we understand that in John 8, that truth is what keeps us free.
Psa 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

Banners represent ownership and covering. A woman takes the man’s name because it is his name guarantees identity, provision and protection. The banner is not given to a slave but to the free woman.
Sgs 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love.

The banner of God releases revelation. In His presence, God reveals Himself and His plans and will for our lives.
Isa 13:2 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.