Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner…”
Exodus 17:15
Jehovah Nissi…
what an inspiring name for our God!
Its translation is “the LORD is my Banner.”
Ok…so what does that mean?
In a word: victory.
When Moses spoke these words, he had just seen God miraculously defeat Amalek on behalf of His people, the Israelites. Beyond simple defeat, God also promised to “utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
It’s easy to be lulled into thinking we don’t have enemies the way the Israelites did in Bible times. No one is throwing us in a lions’ den or casting us into a fiery furnace. There are no giants taunting us, beckoning us to come out and fight.
So where’s the application for twenty-first century stay-at-home moms? Or working moms? Or young singles? Or retirees? What does this mean for those of us who will never engage in battle with Amalek…or anyone else for that matter?
Our enemy is different…but he’s still an enemy. And guess what? He’s even more insidious, even more sinister, even more destructive than those faced by the Israelites.
The flesh-and-blood enemies of God’s people were primarily seeking their physical defeat — power over them, political gain at their expense, or their physical deaths.
Our enemy seek to destroy our very souls, and the souls of people all around us…including those we love most.
SATAN.
Satan has positioned himself as God’s enemy; since God loves people, Satan becomes our enemy in his quest to destroy all that is precious to God. And what are his primary tactics?
Sin and self.
He’s always prowling around, trying to ensnare God’s people in sin. One of his favorite ways of accomplishing this is by using our fleshly selves against us.
What are you battling right now? What weakness has Satan exploited, luring you into sinful actions, enslaving you to evil habits? Substance abuse? Gossip? Anger? Greed? Pornography? Hatred? Gluttony? Lust?
Perhaps you’re battling depression. Defeat. Doubt. Despair.
Perhaps you’re battling depression. Defeat. Doubt. Despair.Jehovah Nissi means your God accompanies you in your battles. He’s fighting alongside you.
And with Him on your side, victory is guaranteed.
You can have victory over Satan and sin and self…just keep fighting. Your God is fighting with you.
Perhaps you need another flesh-and-blood person to come alongside you — Moses didn’t hesitate to ask for help when he grew weary (Exodus 17:12). How much more do we need help from each other when we’re weak from fighting spiritual battles?
The path to victory often isn’t a faultless one. If you fall, get up and keep fighting. After all, “a righteous man falls seven times and rises again” (Proverbs 24:16).
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