Overwhelming Joy Ministries
Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Flagging - the Art of Hearing His Voice

One beautiful spring day in May, I went to visit one of my dear friends, Brenda.  I had originally come to her house for a time of worship and intercession, but the Holy Spirit had other plans.  Brenda had just returned from a conference.  She was “floating on cloud nine”.  We began our usual worship time and I ended up sunken into her couch, heavy-laden with the presence of God.  I had my eyes closed and was deep into worship, when suddenly I started feeling a gentle breeze blow over me.  With each wave of this breeze came a strong anointing of peace.  (I was in the middle of a trial of my faith.)  I opened my eyes expecting to see an angel.  Instead, I saw Brenda waving a red metallic flag over me while she prayed.  I had seen choreographed flagging before, but never realized that flags could be used as tools of intercession, healing and deliverance.  At that moment, the Holy Spirit placed a desire in my heart to learn more about flagging.

Immediately, I went on-line in search of flags and information about flagging.  I started my investigation on the website of a young lady in .  Her ministry was named Kingdom Celebration Worship Flags.  That sounded good to me, so I ordered a set of flags in every color she had.  I took my new purchases to the church I was attending and my “waltz with the Holy Spirit” began.  The Holy Spirit and I began having wonderful fellowship as I looked to him for guidance.  (This was all so new to me.)  With each song the praise team sang, He would tell me which colors to use and how to move.  It was so exciting and so much fun to flow with Him in worship.  I flagged by faith knowing that He was doing a work in me as well as the congregation.  Angels came and we all entered into gloriously anointed praise and worship.  As I worshipped, more and more curiosity enveloped me.  Again, my search began to find out more about this wonderful expression of praise, worship and intercession. 

I went to the internet and found a website entitled “The Foolish Things”.  I always considered myself to be an instrument God used to express the foolish things, so this was the perfect website for me.  On this website I gained more insight into the meanings of the colors of flags and the movements I was making.  When I began reading the information on the website, I was truly amazed.  The information I read on this website described the movements I had been making to a tea.  They had given scriptures that further explained each movement.  My flagging became more focused at that point because now I was flagging with understanding.  The pictures on this website of the flagging moves were taken in a beautiful church in Florida.  The sanctuary was full of windows that revealed the remarkably beautiful plants that grow in that state.  I remember remarking out loud, “I will go there some day.”  And low and behold, a few years later I started dating a gentleman in Florida.  I flew down to visit him one weekend and visited his church.  You can imagine my amazement when I walked into that very church I had seen on the website, “The Foolish Things”.   God directs our footsteps!  The Holy Spirit knows all along where my destiny path would lead me.  I learned so very much from the flag team in this church.  A precious lady named Linnie took me under her wing as I learned more about dancing and flagging to and for our Lord.  Linnie had written an instruction manual on the purposes of flags in celebration and warfare.  I have learned a great deal from her manual.  When I do detailed instruction on flagging, I use it.  (It is no longer in print.  I am glad I own a copy.)

Now that I have given you a summary of my entry into the gift of flagging and interpretive dance, I want to briefly go into some of the strategies of flagging that I have discovered.

Strategy #1:  Always stay aware of people and objects in your proximity when flagging.  It really hurts to get whacked with the wand that holds the flag.  The enemy uses this to cast an ugly shadow of offense on the flag ministry.  He’s afraid of it you know.

Strategy #2:  When flagging, in my mind’s eye I am before the throne of God.  My focus is on Him and His joy and delight.  Flagging is never to be done out of a spirit of performance.  The enemy will try to get your focus off of the Lord onto bringing yourself glory.  Once you start flagging under the anointing, you will get noticed.  Pray for the grace and strength to not allow the enemy to promote his character and tactics.

Strategy #3: Gain an understanding of the biblical meanings and interpretations of colors.  God continually communicates with color.  There are several good websites and books about color.  I use www.ihsworshiparts.com  a lot. I like the way they express the meanings of colors.  Also, Sharon Busby has written a good book on colors and flagging.  Her book is sold on www.flagsforworship.homestead.com  

Strategy #4: I have flagged over people while praying for them in order to bring healing and deliverance.  This type of flagging is described in the following passages:

May He grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans. We will [shout in] triumph at your salvation and victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. ---Psalm 20: 4-5 AMP

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]. --- Song of Songs 2:4 AMP

Strategy #5:Flagging can be used as an expression of intercessory warfare for breakthrough and deliverance.

Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Cast up, cast up the highway! Gather out the stones. Lift up a standard or ensign over and for the peoples. ---Isaiah 62:10 AMP

[But now] You have set up a banner for those who fear and worshipfully revere You [to which they may flee from the bow], a standard displayed because of the truth. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! That Your beloved ones may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer us [or me]. --- Psalm 60:4-5 AMP

When praying and flagging by faith, certain motions stir up the heavens and call the angels to war.  For example:  making fast circular motions in the air that look like tornadoes stirs the heavenlies and whipping your flags in front of you making an X is saying no to the enemy.

Strategy # 6:  I often paint pictures of the songs the worship and praise team are singing with flagging movements.  This is where you flow with the Holy Spirit and dance with Him.

Strategy # 7:  He is Jehovah- Nissi.  (the Lord our banner)  In Exodus 17:8 – 16, we see the story behind this name of God.  As you recall the children of Israel were in an intense battle with the Amalekites.  Moses determined the outcome of the battle. As long as his hands were up-lifted, the Israelites prevailed in battle.  With help from his brethren his hands remained uplifted during the whole battle and they won the victory. Moses built an altar there and named it “the Lord our banner”.  Do you ever feel like a soldier stranded behind enemy lines?   Take refuge in Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord your banner.  When flagging, I wave my flags over my head like helicopter blades to declare the victory of Jehovah-Nissi.

Oh my, I could go on and on, but this is suppose to be an article and not a book.  (SMILE)  This article is a very brief overview of a very broad topic.  I hope that you have been stirred in your gifting.  Go on an adventure with the Holy Spirit and press into Him to lead you down a path of sheer delight in His presence.

I want to end with this story about one of my most heartfelt flagging experiences.  I was at a conference for the healing of the broken-hearted.  JoAnn McFatter, Steve Swanson, and Steve Mitchell were leading praise and worship.  I was flagging and soaring high on the wings of His love.  Over in the corner o f the sanctuary sat two young occult members.  God had drawn me to them earlier in the conference.  (I minister inner-healing and deliverance, also.)  I had talked with them about the great love Jesus had for them.  Anyway, as I was flagging the Holy Spirit told me to get my blood flag in one hand and my silver flag in the other hand and start interceding for this couple.  As I whirled around in a circle, the Holy Spirit told me to gently bring the silver flag over the blood flag.  I began weeping as I prayed, “Lord help them to see that you have redeemed (silver) them with Your precious blood.  It is not by any other blood that they will gain freedom.  Only Your blood, Jesus, can bring life…”  I talked with the young couple after the conference was over and was very honest with them.  But, I was consumed by the overwhelming love of Jesus Christ as I spoke.  I know some day that they will be free.

Biblical Sybolism of Color (Download from 'In His Shadow Creations')

Biblical Numeric Significance (Download from 'In His Shadow Creations')

Worship Resources

More on Flagging and the use of colours:
www.ihsworshiparts.com

www.flagsforworship.homestead.com

Other useful resourses:
Kathie Walters of Good News Ministries
www.goodnews.netministries.org/kathie.htm
John Crowder is the founder of Sons of Thunder
www.thenewmystics.org
Ryan Wyatt's ministry
www.abidingglory.com

 

 

More info from In His Shadow Creations:

Flags in the Bible

Biblical Symbolism of Color

Biblical Numeric Significance