Date of message: 01 September 2002
Subject: The Names of God - YHVH Nissi

Shalom, Boker-tov ( good morning ),

Every year during the Singapore National Day Parade we get a glimpse of all the Colors of the various army units represented in the Singapore Armed Forces and for the soldier, he salutes the Colors with pride. Each Color is a flag representing that particular army unit and is unique. The Colors is usually borne by an officer specially chosen because of his physique and his bravery demonstrated during battles. The practice of having the Colors is rather steeped in tradition and it dated as far back in time as the first organized army.

Tradition had it that when an army went out of its base camp for battle the Colors would be at the forefront leading the whole column. Whenever the soldiers looked up and was able to see the flag still raised up, they knew that their side was still intact and therefore they would be encouraged to continue with the battle. The last thing that the army would want to see is for the standard bearer to be killed in action and drop the flag for that would result in the loss of morale to fight as a united force.

There is a beautiful account in Exodus 17: 8 -16 where the children of Israel were walking through the Arabian Wilderness and the Amalekite army came upon them and attacked them. While the two armies fought in the plains, Moses went up to the top of one of the hills nearby and lifting up both his hands, he called on the name of the LORD. And it was recorded in that passage that, as long as Moses' hands were uplifted, the army of Israel prevailed against the Amalekites. However, when Moses lowered his hands due to tiredness for lack of blood circulation, the Israelites would be losing the battle. Finally, Aaron and Hur, who were up on the mountain with Moses, decided that they would place a rock under Moses for him to sit down and they would each lift up one arm of Moses and thus the Amalekite army was completely overwhelmed. After the battle was finally won, Moses took stones and built an altar there on the mountain and worshipped God and he named the place YHVH Nissi - The LORD is My Banner.

Uplifted hands are a mark of surrender and as long as we surrender ourselves to the LORD, He will take charge of the situation on our behalf. The LORD is a perfect Gentleman; He does not fight with us over our lives. As long as we hold onto our own lives, He is gracious and will not interfere with the way we run our lives and we would then have to live with the consequences of our actions. However, whenever we surrender ourselves to the LORD and tell Him that, "on our own steam, we cannot run our lives but under His charge we will lay down our lives," He will rush in and defend His own for His honor is now on the line.
The LORD is My Banner. What a beautiful Name! When we lift up the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we tell the Father that we rely on Him. By His death on the cross, Jesus triumphed over the Devil. On the cross, our Lord Jesus let out a loud and majestic cry, "It is finished" ( John 20: 30 ). Because everything that was needed to satisfy the Law has been done and paid for on the cross, the apostle Paul declared in Ephesians 1: 19b - 23: -

" These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
" which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
" far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
" And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
" which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Because Jesus paid the ultimate price to satisfy all the demands of the Law, God Almighty has placed everything under the authority and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, since Jesus has all power and dominion, our victory over the Devil is also complete in Him. When we come before the LORD and call upon the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are sheltering under that mighty banner, the Name that is above all names.

The Devil does not want us to know that the Lord Jesus had already secured the victory on our behalf. Just as when the hands of Moses were lifted up, the army of Israel won over its enemies, the Hands of Jesus were lifted up for us on the cross when He was nailed there and He secured for all of us an eternal victory. When the army of Israel saw Moses' hands uplifted, they had the morale to fight and won. The hands of grace were pierced for us on the cross and victory was secured. When we see the finished work of Jesus on the cross and we put our trust in Him, we will enjoy the sweet victory won for us on Calvary. When the Devil knows that we know our position in our Lord Jesus Christ, he has no more hold over us and his torment will leave us forever.

The apostle Paul went on further and exhorts us that because of the victory of Jesus, God the Father has made us sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus ( Ephesians 2: 4 - 7 ).
" But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
" even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

" and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
" so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

It is wonderful to know that we do not have to fight our own battles alone for the Lord Jesus accomplished the victory and is now making the offer to everyone who would put their faith in Him. The moment we believe on the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, Jesus will come in, change our lives and give us the victory for His Name is far above all names, on Earth and in the heavens above.

Please take a few moments to pray this simple prayer of faith and invite Jesus to come into your heart and grant you the victory over all your problems and difficulties in life.

Our Heavenly Father, thank you that You love us so much that You sent us Your best gift, Your only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to die for all our sins. Thank you that He rose from the dead on the third day and He is now reigning with You in Heaven and that He will return soon to receive us and we be with Him forever. Thank you that because of that one death on the cross, Jesus was able to satisfy all the demands of the Law and as a result, all power and authority and dominion is now given to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus, thank you that You love me and because You died, I am now forever forgiven of all my sins - past, present and future. Come into my life and live in my heart, Lord Jesus and grant me your Shalom Peace; peace in my heart knowing that I am Your child and that I am a joint-heir with You of all the riches in Heaven.

Thank you that I am greatly blessed highly favored and deeply loved because of what You have accomplished for us on the cross. I ask and pray all these in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Name that is above all names, Yeshua Ha' Mashiarch Adonai. Amen.
If you have said the prayer above for the first time, welcome to the Lord's family. Know for a certainty that your sins are completely forgiven and that He is the Author of Peace. As you grow in the Lord each day, spend time reading the Bible to help you understand the extent of His love for us. I encourage you to join a local church so that you can receive good teaching and grow in all spiritual things.
The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace.
Numbers 6: 24 - 26

Have a blessed week ahead, Shavrou-tov
Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee
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