This is the Year of the Watchman

Israel had sentries that would stand on the walls of the cities and watch. They would watch for enemies. Watchmen were positioned all over the walls and if they saw anything suspicious or saw enemies approaching the city, they sounded the alarm. The Lord uses that picture to describe spiritual watching, spiritual walls, and listening. We are not just to watch for enemies, but also for what the Lord is saying. One of the things the watchmen would do was not to just watch for enemies, but to recognize messengers and those who were friendly coming to the city. There were messengers that would run from city to city. The watchmen had to give the okay to let them in. 

All of that is important—being watchmen for our families, our communities, our congregations, our businesses, cities, and nations. The facet that I think is most important is the offensive aspect of being a watchman. There are words in Hebrew where this is not only defensive, used as “to guard, protect, keep and preserve”. There are offensive terms, such as “to spy”, as in spying on an enemy so you can ambush them. It can mean “to lay siege to a city”. When you surrounded the city to cut off supply lines so you could capture the city, this term is used. It’s the same term, because you are watching the city so you can take it.

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” (Ezekiel 3:17; ESV)

“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest.” (Isaiah 62:6; ESV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  • What is your assignment from the Lord to watch over?
  • Write down what you are seeing.
  • Ask the Lord what His plan is that the enemy is trying to stop.
  • Command the enemy to reveal himself. Command his plans to be uncovered. Command him to cease and desist.
  • Call for the people of God to work with the Holy Spirit to stop the enemy in his tracks.
  • Declare the plan of the Lord to be established!
  • If you have a place of influence, make these things publicly known. Do not let the enemy be able to continue lurking in the darkness, hindering God’s work!

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, I believe You have given each of us something to watch over. You have given us a time and a season and a place of influence where we can see what You want us to see. As we take our positions, You make sure we see what we need to see. We can sound an alarm to those we are connected with. We want to know what Your plans are. Then, show us how the enemy is working to prevent them. Where is he coming in? How can we stop him? Show us before he even has a chance to work his evil plans. 

We say, “Satan, reveal yourself and your wicked plan. You are up to no good and we want to see the full extent of what you are up to. We command you to get in the light. Stop, in Jesus’ Name! Cease and desist! All of your plans will fail, as we war against You in the authority Jesus has given us.” 

Lord, we say that no plan of darkness will be effective where You have uncovered it. We have not seen, because we have not positioned ourselves to watch. We haven’t heard, because we haven’t positioned ourselves in an intimate place with You to hear. You want us to watch with You. You want us to warn those in our realm of authority. You want us to war in intercession until our enemies and the enemies of this nation are defeated. You are saying that it is time! Lord, let us watch and pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Today’s decree:

Let the Lord’s watchmen for America watch, and let the siege against our spiritual foes be effective!