I recently had a day of doubt and feelings of disappointment. I think it was triggered by a feeling of hope deferred, it was real and tangible. It made me feel like shutting down and being self-absorbed.
However, what had me by morning seemed to lose its hold by afternoon. It all changed when I understood the truth of Psalm 60, as I encountered God's presence and joy, after prayer.
Can you relate to thoughts of doubt and despair arising like a thief that enters a house uninvited and steals things?
We must discern when a thief is approaching or trying to enter. We need to close that door and thief-proof our minds to these kinds of thoughts.
Press on despite setbacks
God gave me a divine appointment to further inscribe this truth in my mind, by meeting an acquaintance key cutter after I accidentally broke my key.
In the mall, as I had my key cut, I knew something was wrong. My friend, conscious of my concern, explained why his speech was slurred.
He told me he had suffered with Covid for four months. He endured 10 weeks of coma, two strokes and one heart attack. This greatly impacted his speech.
He said that while at hospital, every doctor expected him to die. But, then he praised God saying, I'm only alive and back at work because people prayed for me!
He went on to explain that so many issues continue to afflict him. Why, he said?! He was still struggling deeply with doubt or to hang on to God's goodness.
However, he readily accepted my prayer at the counter for full healing as we pressed in for God's full blessing.
I prayed with a grace from Psalm 60. Let me share.
See possibility in impossibility
Psalm 60 begins with David saying, "You have shown your people desperate times. You have given us wine that makes us stagger."
From these words we can assume he was experiencing serious defeat.
Ironically though, the background story to the text shows that David was also experiencing great victory in many of his battles.
Have you faced a contradiction like this?
There are signs of God's presence despite desperate circumstances, in finances, family, ministry, near death encounters perhaps like my friend, while still seeing some breakthrough.
I believe it is an invitation to see complete victory in all you face. David said, in Psalm 60, Lord, "you have rejected us, but now restore us, mend the cracks!"
The bottom line is he chose to trust God for restoration and full victory rather than give up.
Verse 4 reveals the key. It reads, "but for those who fear you, you have raised a banner, to be unwrapped against the bow."
Consciously raising God's banner can help remove the blindness by the devil's onslaught so we are restored to see grace and possibility in impossibility.
Fly God's flag high
In Numbers 21 a pole, another word for banner, is raised by Moses. All the sick and dying who had rebelled, who looked upon it in faith could be healed.
Jesus, in John chapter 3, verse 14, said, "Just as the Moses raised the bronze snake so I must be lifted up." Jesus, like the snake, bore the curse so we can be fully healed, saved and blessed.
Jesus revealed God's perfect standard or banner, through his great and victorious salvation. God wants us to trust him to rest in his victory.
In receiving his salvation and professing that hope and victory, Jesus becomes our banner over us of love.
I recently chatted to a cab driver talking about all the bad in the world. I shared, "We need love, don't we." I raised the banner high and shared Jesus, and he was saved. He hugged me at the end of the trip and marvelled that he had been seeking God privately.
Raise the banner to release your inheritance
The banner of the cross, is a bit like a big 'M' you see for miles, as you look for a McDonald's store. You go there with hunger and expectation for a nice bite.
Of course, through the cross we are filled with immeasurable satisfaction by comparison.
I want to testify that as I worshipped, I saw God's banner last Sunday at church, the word preached spoke deeply.
Then afterwards, someone who had stood next to me prophesied to me and shared that I would be meeting CEOs for ministry into the future, and that it had begun with two or three recently.
That was spot on. I had just met three CEOs the week prior and ministered the gospel!
Also, I had a God-dream just prior to that prophecy that brought marvellous confirmation and impacted my message to those CEOs.
When you raise the banner of Christ, you will see a release of your inheritance, your promised land.
Interestingly, after the banner is raised God makes a victorious declaration marking out his territories in Psalm 60 and verse 5: "God has spoken from his sanctuary: 'In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is mine...'"
That week, with Psalm 60 in mind, I prophesied to businessmen flying to the US. New clients were released supernaturally.
I am convinced when Jehovah Nissi shows up we are given our inheritance, assigned spheres and places where we are to shine for God's kingdom. For some it is in business, others art, others media. He knows where you need to be.
Go forth in power
David ends the Psalm restored, stating that "the help of men is worthless" in comparison to what he received from God.
That's where he wants you to be. Lord, I pray for all the readers to experience break through in the name of Jehovah Nissi.
Amen.
