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RAISING HIS STANDARD
3/21/00
Hi Loved Ones,
Recently in asking the Lord to send His quickened
Word to me, two intercessors received visions the same
week, of the Lord's banner and shared them with me. The
first one was given to Grandma Anna, my Mom:
"On Sunday, March 12th while in worship I had an open
vision. I saw an extremely tall flag pole that went into
the clouds. I couldn't see the top of it but I knew it
had a flag flying because of the cords at the bottom for
raising and lowering a flag. Suddenly I was lifted up to
see the top of the pole in the clouds. Waving in the
gentle breeze was a huge orange flag with a purple
circle in the center. Then I was down at the bottom
again. A Vine began rapidly to climb the pole. I was
carried along horizontally with the Vine and watched it
climb clear to the top. When the Vine reached the flag,
it changed form and wove itself into the material,
although it still looked like a Vine. The Vine moved
through the orange flag straight into the purple center.
It then branched into many vines in the material which
began to radiate outwards towards the edge of the flag.
When they reached the edge, they became regular looking
vines and shot into space. It was rather like watching
fire works. I watched them from the top and knew they
would hit the earth although I was so high up I could
not actually see that. From the directions they went, I
knew they had been scattered all over the earth."
[end of vision]
At prayer meeting the same week, one of our
intercessors shared her vivid vision of the American
flag raised up and waving in the clouds. People of
different ethnic backgrounds were singing "God bless
America" including a Jewish lady. Suddenly she exclaimed
that Jesus was coming back.
[end of vision]
I was also given a vision of this banner. The
following is an excerpt from my book, 101+ Ways God
Speaks (And How to Hear Him): "When I went to sleep on
November 14, 1985, I had a strong yearning for Jesus. As
I slept, He came to me and opened my eyes. I saw a huge,
gigantic banner unfolding across the sky. This was so
huge that it took the entire sky to unfold the banner
and display what was written: It said, "THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST." Suddenly I found myself in heaven looking down
upon a vast desert. It was dry, brown, flat, and
immense.
As I gazed upon the lifeless desert, someone was
standing above and behind me declaring the scroll of
Isaiah 35: "The wilderness and the solitary place shall
be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and
blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and
rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon
shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and
Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, the
excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and
confirm the feeble knees. Say to them of a fearful
heart, be strong, fear not: behold your God will come
with vengeance; He will come and save you. Then the eyes
of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf
shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame leap as an hart,
and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness
shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And
the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty
land springs of water..." (Isaiah 35 KJ)
After Isaiah 35 had been announced, I heard the Lord
say, "And the desert shall blossom as a rose. It shall
happen all at once, and it shall happen suddenly."
Immediately I saw the desert come to life. The sight was
astounding and oh so beautiful! Everywhere blossoms
emerged: this dry, lifeless region became a spacious
garden of color and beauty. Then I came out of the
gazing vision. As I woke, I was still in awe of what I'd
seen, because it was so beautiful. I knew the Lord was
speaking a promise of what He would be doing to our dry
desert like lives. He was going to rain His Presence
upon us and we would emerge with life and beautiful
blossoms."
[end of vision]
SYMBOLISM
THE FLAG:
The Old Testament speaks of the Lord raising up His
banner. Other meanings of this same Hebrew word are
flag, sail, flagstaff, signal, token, banner, pole,
sail, ensign, or standard. "All inhabitants of the world
and dwellers on the earth: When he lifts up a banner
(5251) on the mountains, you see it; And when he blows a
trumpet, you hear it." Isa 18:3 NKJ) (Some other
scriptures using this same Hebrew word 'nec' [Strongs #
5251] are: Isa 5:26, Isa 11:10, Isa 11:12, Isa 18:3, Isa
31:9.)
THE VINE:
The scripture says that Jesus is the Vine and we are
the branches: "Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches.
Whoever lives in Me and I in him shall produce a large
crop of fruit. For apart from Me you can't do a thing.
If anyone separates from Me, he is thrown away like a
useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile
with all the others and burned. But if you stay in Me
and obey My commands, you may ask any request you like,
and it will be granted! My true disciples produce
bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to My
Father." (John 15:5-8 TLB)
ORANGE:
The color orange is not literally quoted in the
scripture. However, the closest proximity is the color
amber. Amber is fossilized resin from tree sap. The
ancient Greeks and Romans regarded amber as a gem that
could be polished to a high gloss. The prophet Ezekiel
mentioned amber three times, (Ezek 1:4,27; 8:2) and
always in context with the appearance of fire. These
scriptures were in context to God's glory appearing to
Ezekiel and the cherubim bearing His throne.
PURPLE:
Purple was a most expensive and ancient dye coming
from a shellfish around the Mediterranean Sea. It is
said that a total of 250,000 mollusks were required to
make one ounce of the dye. Thus purple was associated
with royalty and the wealthy. Purple was found in the
high priest's clothing, the tabernacle and upon Jesus at
His trial. (Ex 39, Ex 27:16, Mark 15:17, Es 8:15, Lu
16:19)
THE UNFOLDING:
The fact that the banner was being unfolded, (as
though it had been rolled up like a scroll) to reveal
the words, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, represents the
"manifestation" of Jesus Christ, or the revealing of Who
He is to the world.
The word revelation, from Revelations 1:1 is the
Greek word (Strongs #602) apokalupsis (ap-ok-al'-oop-sis).
The meaning of apokalupsis is disclosure. It is
translated as appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation,
be revealed, revelation. It comes from a word meaning to
take off the cover.
This is the same word used in the scripture: "For the
earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God." (Rom 8:19 KJV)
Jesus said to Jerusalem, "For I say to you, you shall
see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in
the name of the LORD!' " (Matt 23:39 NJV) This banner
will unfold to the whole world, and Jesus is not coming
back until Jerusalem welcomes WE who come in the Name of
the Lord. He is going to manifest Himself through us, to
the world.
THE WAVING:
In all three visions, we saw the movement and the
folds of material in the waving of flag/banner. Although
the wind was invisible, its effects were not. It moved
the banner to and fro, just as His Spirit carries us.
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound
of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it
goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John
3:8 NKV)
In the Old Testament, the wave offering (also called
the peace offering) was presented to the Lord by raising
it above the heads of the priest and worshipper, and
waving it before the altar. It was then eaten by the
priest, the worshipper and his guests of non-officiating
priests, Levites and the poor. There were three kinds of
peace offerings: (1) thank offerings for His blessings;
(2) votive offerings accompanying a vow to God; and (3)
freewill offerings spontaneously presented in worship
and praise. (Deut 12:18; 16:11-14, Lev 7:12; 22:29, Num
15:3,8, Lev 7:16; 22:18,21)
It was quickened to me that waving of His banner in
these visions could have special significance to this
offering. This could be a parable of those called to be
priests and worshippers who have offered their lives as
sacrifices to the Lord and in turn the Lord hosts a
dinner with guests included, whereby all partake of the
sacrifice. These sacrificial ones will be raised up as
waving banners in His wind, and be meat to the world.
(John 4:34)
GOD BLESS AMERICA
In context with the other visions, the Lord will not
only raise up Himself and those that represent Him, but
also once again bless America and raise her up to
proclaim Jesus to the world. In the mid 80's I had a
vision of the map of America. I saw band members on a
field and they were outlining the map. They were all out
of line and it looked like a very disorderly map. Then
in the vision I saw the same scene as though a video was
rewinding. The members stepped into their place and it
formed a perfect looking outline of the USA. The Lord
has promised He will restore the years that have been
eaten by the cankerworms and He is going to rain upon
all flesh. (Joel 2:23-29) He will once again return
America to her godly heritage and she will be used to
bless even the Jewish people.
ISAIAH 35
He is raining His Presence upon us. Even now we are
experiencing His touch and reviving as. (Hosea 6:2,3)
More and more of His Presence will fall until it becomes
a deluge and even the most hopeless lives who are dry,
flat, barren and without hope will spring to life. We
will experience the glory of the Lord.
CONNECTING THE SYMBOLS:
The Lord is going to raise His banner as a sign for
all the world to see. This banner will be like an
advertisement, a sign to draw the unsaved. The banner
will be moved by His Spirit and unfold before the world.
Those abiding in His glory, His priests and kings, will
burst forth upon the world to share the heart of His
kingdom. This will happen as He rains His Spirit upon a
dry and thirsty world.
Lovingly,
Sandy
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