Fifth Banner

The Fifth BAD, is the Banner Accompanying Denial

This fifth and final banner totally knocks us off every conceivable and inconceivable thoughts and ideas we have been holding about our Sovereign Lord and God. Throughout, we have known that the power of the Philistine army to defeat God’s people, has come from God Himself. In other words, God’s direct and deliberate Hand has been against His people, thus He has given them over to their enemies. God’s ways of punishing and His wisdom in the same, are not ours and we will never ever comprehend them, try as hard as we may. We simply depend on the teaching, enabling, revealing and understanding of the Holy Ghost, as He sees fit.

Yesterday, we saw how the Philistines dealt a defeat, to the Israelites, almost eight times worse, in terms of the men they killed. Not only is that the case, but the defeated children of Father God are dealt a triple whammy, as it were.

Yes, they lose almost eight times the number of soldiers they lost in the first battle, – from losing 4000 to losing 30000 – by the same enemy. Now, they are denied. Look at the state of Israel. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. 1 Samuel 4: 11

If this is not the picture of God’s denial, I don’t know what is. God has denied them every single blessing that has been given to them, because of their utter disobedience and rebellion.

Who is able to do such a thing? Only God can deny His children what He has for them. The fact remains that the Israelites are a people of Covenant, between God and themselves. They know that if they do not follow God, and break Covenant with Him, He will punish them.

Eli is the aged priest, whose eyes have now gone blind. His two sons have been carrying the duties of priest in place of their father, but they are totally bad and are making a mockery of God’s Holy service. They are not soldiers, just priests, but they are killed in this battle.

Sadly, this is what violently rocks and fatally shocks the entire camp at Ebenezer and the entire nation back home at Shiloh. The Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, which was brought specifically to secure their victory over the enemy, has not only, not done so, but it has been captured by the enemy. The enemy has control of the power source of the people of God.

God Almighty has denied His people power over their enemy.

God Almighty has denied His people protection from their enemy.

God Almighty has denied His people privilege, that of having His functioning Presence with them, to defeat the enemy.

A Banner Accompanying Denial has been blown up before us. What is your response? What words of warning has the Holy Spirit pierced you with? Whatever they are, surely, He has impaled your heart and mind with the evidence that God is LORD and there is no other God or Power beside Him. He is Omnipotent and no impotent can stand up against His ways. To stand under the banner of Omnipotence and act as though God does not care about obedience and faithfulness to His Covenant, is to be, of all people, most pathetically deceived. God is, All Truth, All Good, All Right, All Light and All Power. He cannot but work His Will and His Way as He sees best.

Today, the banner says: We, the children of God, are a Denied people.

Be it known, and take warning! These banners need not be of you. Through deep repentance from the first defeat, God would honour His Word that if we, His people, would turn from our disgusting, self-tempered, self-righteous, haughty ways and obey Him in thought, word and deed, He will hear our prayers for change, heal our maladies and help us to love and serve Him, as pleasing unto Him.