Isaiah 59:19-20
"So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the Lord."
Military units of all sizes carry a flag referred to as a guidon. In olden days, it was the standard upon which the forces formed when preparing for battle, and also rallied to in the midst of the battle. While the guidon is purely ceremonial in today's armies, it still symbolizes powerful forces.
In Isaiah's day, God prophesied of the coming of an army against those who rise against his people and to destroy those who embrace sin. The Spirit would raise the standard of God's armies, with God's forces led by the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus is seen as riding on a white horse, carrying the standard. He comes as commander of the armies of God, going into battle to rid the world of Satan and his demons, bringing eternal damnation to those who would stand against him.
I don't think we spend enough time thinking about the battle which is already raging around us, for the stakes are real, with the souls of people and the rulership of the universe in the balance. Instead, we worry more about what we can see and feel instead of the reality of spiritual things.
But because the battle is already formed and the forces engaged, we're liable to be wounded if we wander from the command of our Lord, for the Spirit's touch sustains those who rally to the Lord's standard.
LORD JESUS
Lord, I thank you for the Spirit which lifts the standard of the Lord over my life. I pray for the forces that are even now in conflict, that your angels will be victorious. I ask you to draw me to your standard and turn me back when I wander away from you. Amen.
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