# HIS BANNER OVER US IS LOVE ## Introduction I welcome you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus to this brand new month, the seventh month in the year, the month of July, 2017. If we are to use the contemporary language of the popular game of football, we are now in the second half of the 2017 game. Without any iota of doubt in my mind, our Lord has been faithful, gracious and merciful unto each and every one of us in the first half, and His faithfulness will endure for this second half of the year in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and affirm the faithfulness of the Almighty God and therefore decree that His grace will increase, His blessings will abound, His glory will glow and His love will radiate in your lives in this new month of July 2017 and beyond in the name of Jesus. Amen. ## God is Love It is good to know, praise and worship our God because of His many attributes. One of the dominant attribute of God that our Lord and Saviour Jesus revealed to the world during His mission here on earth is the fact that God is love: *"Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love"* (1 John 4: 8). In this wonderful revelation, Jesus taught all of us to pray to a divine Father rather than a supreme being ever so eager to avenge human beings for our wrong doings or a remote being too majestic, mighty and holy to interact with mere sinful creatures like us. ## The Depth of Divine Love As Christians we know very well the Bible verses telling us that God is love and that God loves us. We sing these truths in our songs and hymns. Sometimes though we are not so sure of this Divine love especially when things go contrary or when we are being disciplined as a loving gesture by the Divine Father. What is not well known is the depth, width, height and length of divine love. Due to our human limitations and humanity flawed concept of love, we simply do not appreciate how dearly and passionately God loves us. ## The Theme for July 2017 Therefore, Children of God, the divinely inspired theme for our Church for the month of July 2017 is 'The Love of God.' Brethren, love is going to be in the air in this new month. That is, Divine love will be all around us. Hence, we will hear messages about our heavenly Father's love for us. We will feel the effect of His love in our lives. I declare and decree that the steadfast love of God will be manifested in our lives in very vivid ways in this month and beyond in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and decree that the unchanging, unconditional, unrelenting, unlimited, unfailing and uncomplicated love of God will guide and define your destiny from this month on in the name of Jesus. Amen. ## The Promise: His Banner Over Us is Love As expected, great promises of love is embedded in the divinely inspired theme of our Church this month. We will only mention two this morning. One of the promises is found in Songs of Solomon 2:4: *"He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love."* This biblical verse has inspired a song titled "His Banner Over Me Is Love," which first stanza reads: *His banner over me is love,* *His banner over me is love;* *He brought me into His banqueting house,* *And His banner over me is love.* The divine promise for you this month is that God will bring you to a banquet where He will lavishly bless you. In this banquet, 'everything will be mega mega.' While there, God will set His banner of love over you such that all will see it. The banner of love will provide you security by instilling fear into all those who may have an evil design over you. I declare and decree that in this new month, God will bring you to a banqueting house for blessings, good health, spiritual refreshing and joy in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and decree that in the new month the divine banner of love over you will announce you as a beloved child of God and make you untouchable for Satan and his minions, in the name of Jesus. Amen. ## The Promise: All Will Be Well The other promise is that, starting from this new month, by virtue of the love of God which you will experience in a significant way, wonderful things you never imagine would happen in your life. The song writer, Ms Peters, put this very succinctly in her lyrics of the hymn titled 'Through the love of God our Savior': *Through the love of God our Savior,* *All will be well* *Free and changeless is His favor,* *All, all is well* *Precious is the blood that healed us* *Perfect is the grace that sealed us* *Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,* *All must be well.* ## Declarations and Decrees Brethren, in this new month as you go about your journey in this pilgrim way which you have not passed through before, through the love of God, I declare and decree that you will overcome your challenges in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and decree that no matter what the world may throw at you, you will be victorious in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and decree that the grace of God will abound in your life in the name of Jesus. Amen. I declare and decree that the strong hands of the loving Father will shield and protect you in the name of Jesus. Amen. And so shall it be in the name of Jesus, Amen. ## Conclusion Children of God, as we embark on this journey through the month of July under the theme "The Love of God," remember that His banner over you is love. This banner provides protection, announces your identity as God's beloved child, and ensures that all will be well in your life. May you experience the depth, width, height, and length of God's love in unprecedented ways. May His love guide your steps, protect your path, and bless your endeavors abundantly. In Jesus' name, Amen.