On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed a resolution that allowed the country to adopt its first official flag: the 13-star-and-stripe banner. Later, an act of Congress, signed by President Harry Truman in 1949, designated the anniversary of this resolution as National Flag Day.
This act was signed 70 years ago this year.
Also, three years before President Truman signed this act of Congress, President Trump was born … yes, on National Flag Day 1946.
God birthed both an act and a promise—signs of opportunity for complete restoration—victory through unity in Christ for our nation.
Songs 2:4 assures us that God’s banner over us is love.
According to Strong’s Concordance, “banner” can mean “sign, signal or standard.”
Moses experienced God raising up a standard of authoritative triumph in Exodus 17:15 as he surrendered to divine victory to rule over a nation of wandering Amalekites at Rephidim. As a sacrifice and a remembrance to God, Moses built an altar there, naming it “The Lord Is My Banner.”
Prominent Episcopalian, lawyer and poet, Francis Scott Key, knew Jehovah-Nissi’s miraculous victory too.
Anchored eight miles away from Ft. McHenry, on a sloop, during the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814, Key wrote the poem that became our national anthem.
Key witnessed local commissioned seamstress Mary Pickersgill’s two wool 15-star-and-stripe banners reign over the fort—a small “storm” flag, which measured 17 by 25 feet and flew during the bombardment by the British, and a larger garrison flag, which measured 30 by 42 feet and was raised the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, when the British retreated.
Key saw the battle from darkness to “the dawn’s early light.”
Moses saw the battle from morning to sunset, when a new day begins, according to the Hebrew calendar (Ex. 17:12).
Jesus is the standard Father has raised up for our new beginning (Isa. 11:10). What is Jesus, our miracle-sign, birthing through you to co-rule and co-reign over in this new day? Do you see His victory as your co-labor with Him?
Prayer
Lord Our Banner (Jehovah-Nissi), Thank You for Your banner strategy of victorious love for me. Help me to be brave like Moses and Joshua in prayer and Word. Help me to trade in my stones of hindrance (Isa. 62:10) for Your stone-of-treasure foundation (Isa. 54:11). Open my eyes to see Your compassionate banner of love and victory over me during and after my storms—the resurrection of new life evangelism that flows from You, through me and beyond me for Your glory, honor and greater good of nations. Thank You for making me into a glory carrier for Your Great Name. Amen.
Scriptures
“On that day, the root of Jesse will be lifted up as a miracle-sign to rally the people. Gentiles will diligently seek him, and his resting place will be glorious!” (Isa. 11:10, TPT).
“He will appear as your righteousness, as sure as the dawning of a new day. He will manifest as your justice, as sure and strong as the noonday sun” (Ps. 37:6).
“All the enemies of God will perish. For the wicked have only a momentary value, a fading glory” (Ps. 37:20a).
“But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light, and their way shines brighter and brighter until they bring forth the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18).
“You unhappy one, storm-tossed and troubled, I am ready to rebuild you with precious stones and embed your foundation with sapphires” (Isa. 54:11).
“Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. … you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious” (Eph. 6:10b, 13b).
“Pass through, pass through the gates, and go from old to new. Prepare a new path for the people. Build! Build up a highway for them to come to me! Remove every hindrance and unfurl a banner for the nations!” (Isa. 62:10).
“But you, O Lord, your mercy-seat love is limitless, reaching higher than the highest heavens. Your great faithfulness is infinite, stretching over the whole earth” (Ps. 36:5).
Excerpts From “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam/ In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner, O long may it wave/ O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land/ Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just/ And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave/ O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
Margaret D. Mitchell is the founder of God’s Love at Work, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that champions Christian women and their outreach in the world with the love of Jesus Christ. Follow her revelatory writings at godsloveatwork.com and margaretdmitchell.com. Find her on Facebook at facebook.com/margaret.d.mitchell and facebook.com/godsloveatwork/
This article originally appeared at margaretdmitchell.com.
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