Throughout history, there are certain “set” times when God highlights
specific themes, previously held in relative obscurity, and releases a fresh
revelation of their full intent.
Today, as trials and tribulations escalate, the term to “Watch” and
the role of the “Watchman” is such a theme.
God is marking the somewhat hidden ancient call and role of the
watchman and bringing the into the forefront of hearts and minds of Christians
seeking the Lord in these days of accelerating adversity.
The loss of the full understanding of this function, personally and
corporately, has catapulted the world into an ever-increasing conflict between
good and evil.
Now is the time of restoration.
Below, the biblical characteristics of a watchman is reviewed to lay
foundations for those who are being called into this reality today as God
prepares His bride for His return.
Overview
There is a distinctive call to “Watch” today as end-time prophetic events
unfold.
As we will see, the term “Watch” is not simply praying, worshiping,
and declaring. There is a diligent searching the horizon for the concerns
of God, understanding His will, declaring His will/word, and
acting.
A distinctive concern for watchmen is the moral and ethical condition
of society.
The church today is being called to be a beacon
of light in ever increasing darkness as Jesus exhorted, “Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
in heaven,” Matthew 5:16.
Isaiah prophesied the relentless call of “Watchmen” in
Isaiah 62:6, “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they
shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the
Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He
makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth,” Isaiah
62:6-7
Interestingly, these very words were spoken in Jewish synagogues
around the world on 9/11/2001.
God was prophesying His answer to the gruesome attacks that opened a
significant gate of lawlessness and terror upon the earth.
The call of the watchmen was to be relentless
until “Jerusalem is made a praise in the earth,” which depicts
the time of Jesus’ millennial rule and reign on the earth.
Though we are all called to be “Watchmen,” this
mandate and call is being ushered forth to those who will receive it and carry
it.
God is now preparing a company of “Watchmen” who have
received the vision and understanding of the import to build community, connect
and intentionally collaborate across their cities, regions, nation, and now the
nations.
Isaiah prophesies the time when, “Your
watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing
together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back
Zion,” Isaiah 52:8.
This process is now underway. Watchmen are being called to
connect and build a community that will prepare an awakened, alert, and ready
bride.
These are basic distinctive of Watchmen.
Intimacy with God
· Worshipers and Lovers of Jesus: In
order to stand as a watchman, foundations of worship and prayer and intimacy
with the Lord are critical in order to know and discern what the Spirit of the
Lord is saying.
We are thankful for the House of Prayer movement that has prepared
solid foundations for Watchmen to now arise in a trained, unrelenting,
faith-filled stance before the Lord.
Jude is a book that describes the contending of watchmen against the
darkness that would cause the body of Christ to go astray.
Jude 20-25 describes the stance:
o Jude 20-23, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of
God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others
save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled
by the flesh.”
o Also expressed in 1 John 4:17-19, “Love has been perfected
among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as
He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love
casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been
made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” (Colossians 2:6-10, 2 Corinthians 13)
o Luke 12:37 promises “Blessed are those servants whom the
master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you
that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come in and
serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the
third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”
Build Community through Relationship
· Strong Builders: Watchmen
today have learned the value of collaboration and cooperation. Watchmen know
the import of working through relationships both in and between
ministries.
Understanding how to build a culture of honor, lest the “wall
be broken down,” is vital for watchmen to function.
o 1 Peter 2:5 expresses the concept of building well, “You also,
as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
o Daniel 11:32b: “but the people who know their God shall be
strong, and carry out great exploits.”
o Nehemiah 4:19-20, “Then I said to the nobles, the rulers and
the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are
separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the
trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
· As relationship is vital, watchmen value life-giving
communication: As watchmen, there is a vital
need to communicate. As such, there is great need to know the heart and
will of the Father.
Watchmen are to give both warning and rejoicing/announcements/blessing
but they are not to join in with the accuser. One leads to life, the other
leads to death.
Watchmen guard their tongue and use it to speak the purposes of God
which will always lead to life, even if it is a warning.
o Isaiah 58:9, 11-12 exhorts and promises, “If you take away the
yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness… The
Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and
strengthen your bones… Those from among you shall build the old waste places;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called
Repairer of the Breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”
o Issue Warning: Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have
made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My
mouth, and give them warning from Me.”
o Titus 3:1-2 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and
authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one,
to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”
· Are Connected with each other
o Isaiah 52:7-8 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of
good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ Your
watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing
together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion”
Relentless in their Call
· Relentless: Watchmen are relentless in their
pursuit of the Lord and as such are discerners of the times.
o Habakkuk 2:1 “I will stand my watch and set myself on the
rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I
am corrected.”
o Isaiah 62:6-7, “I have set watchmen on your walls, O
Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make
mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He
establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
o Isaiah 21:8b “O Lord, I stand continually by day on the
watchtower, and I am stationed every night at my guard post.”
o 1 Chronicles 12:32a, “Of the sons of Issachar who had
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.”
o Daniel 2:21-23, “And He changes the times and the
seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret
things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. ‘I
thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and
might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made
known to us the king’s demand.’”
o Daniel 7:21-22 “I was watching; and the same horn was making
war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days
came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the
time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”
When Nehemiah re-built the walls of Jerusalem, families worked
together through relationship utilizing an effective communication
system.
Families were positioned and set into position. As they were
positioned, a communication system was created to help guard, defend, and keep
their work.
Nehemiah 4:19-20 states, “Then I said to
the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and
extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you
hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for
us.’”
Additionally, these families were given tools to build and weapons to
defend themselves, verse 13.
So it is today, watchmen are being called to build their ramparts and
connect across the nations.
Families today represent churches, ministries, prayer groups, houses
of prayer that are committed to community and corporate prayer.
They also represent the Habakkuk 2:1
verbiage ramparts, “I will stand my watch and set myself on
the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer
when I am corrected.”
Scriptures prophetically declare this end-time mandate for relational
strength and communication.
· Isaiah 52:8-10 “Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with
their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye
when the Lord brings back Zion. Break forth into joy, sing
together, You waste places of Jerusalem for the Lord has comforted His
people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy
arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the
salvation of our God. (Also
Ezekiel 1:20-28)
Watchmen across the nations will see “Eye to eye,” when
Jesus returns.
We are now in the preparation stages for this process to emerge.
As relationships build and ramparts connect, prayer walls across the
nations will catalyze the emergence of the ready and alert bride to truly be
a “House of prayer for all nations,” Isaiah 56:7.
This call of the watchmen will transpire across the timeline of God’s
end-time plan.
Those called into this movement will be part of His plan in preparing
an alert and ready bride who is connected and communicating across the
nations.
There is coming a time when a cry will be heard
at midnight, “Behold the bridegroom is coming go out and meet him,” Matthew 25:6.
Where is the cry coming from? The bible does not say, but very
possibly it may be coming from the watchmen who are watching in the night
across the nations of the earth.
At the very least, they will have oil in their
lamps with wicks trimmed and ready for they have heeded the words, “Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is
coming,” Matthew 25:13.
"Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the
people, 'The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far
from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the
trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.'” Nehemiah 4:19-20
The Global Watch is a family of
watchmen building and connecting communities of committed prayer to empower the
Church for the last frontiers of the spiritual harvest and the end-time glory
of the church.
For the Spiritual harvest:
Jesus said, "Do you not say, ‘There are
still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up
your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!"
John 4:35
"For I do not desire, brethren, that you
should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own
opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of
the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved." Romans
11:25-26
"Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations." Mt. 28:19
Ready the church to be the alert and awakened
Bride
"On that day I will raise up the
tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will
raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of
Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Amos 9:11-12
"My house shall be called a house of
prayer for all nations." Is. 56:6-7, Mt. 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lu 19:46
"The work is great and extensive, and we
are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the
sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for
us." Nehemiah 4:19-20
"Your watchmen shall lift up their
voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to
eye when the Lord brings back Zion." Is. 52:8
Habakkuk
was watching and listening for the Word of the Lord. The Spirit said,
"Write the vision." To write is to describe clearly. You must
describe clearly the vision or revelation you have from God. Seek Him to
understand what you must do to walk in what He is revealing to you. In the time
of personal visitation, the Holy Spirit speaks and breathes into you fresh
vision and revelation. Those divine impartations will come to pass if you will
cling to them and not cave in.
Today, as the Holy Spirit works through His
people, He is infusing a renewed inner strength, a fresh vision for His plan,
and enhanced revelation of His Word.
To write is to describe clearly. You must
describe clearly the vision or revelation you have from God.
To wait means "to adhere to."
The Holy Spirit wants to strengthen your
position in Him — strengthening your grip on the things you have known and
drawing you into things you have not yet understood.
