“I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument.” Habakkuk 2:1 NET Bible
The ministry of a watchman is a form of prayer that is focused on praying for God’s purposes and protection over a specific people, geographical area and/or nation. It requires dedication, focus, consistency and perseverance. The watchman’s passion is to discern the will of God and pray it into existence. Simply put, the watchman is called to watch and pray. (See the blog post The Watchman Calling.)
While everyone is commanded in the Scriptures to be sober, vigilant and watchful for the purpose of prayer not everyone has a specific calling and gifting to be a watchman.
Those with a watchman calling could be likened to the person standing next to a wall who is graced with sufficient stature to simply look over the wall for prolonged views of the other side. For those without such stature extra effort is required with a leap or a ladder for even a limited view.
However, regardless of anyone’s calling, it is beneficial for all of us, watchmen and non-watchmen alike, to consider how to grow and function more effectively in the watching and praying ministry.
Here then, from a Biblical overview, are the four essential functions of the prayer ministry of the watchman. An effective watchman is engaged in . . .
1. WAITING upon the Lord. The overarching posture of the watchman and their first priority is always to wait upon the Lord. The waiting process is marked primarily by looking and listening to discern what God is saying. The prophet Habakkuk, himself a watchman, described it this way: “I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument.” (NET Bible)
Waiting is often associated with worship. “Praise awaits you, our God in Zion.” (Psalm 65:1 NIV) Worship invites God’s presence and with His presence comes the release of His revelation to the watchman’s heart. The Lord, through the prophet Isaiah in speaking of the watchman said “let him listen diligently, very diligently.” (Isaiah 21:7) That in a nutshell is the best advice a watchman can get!
2. WRITING down what the Lord is revealing, both for reflection and future action. This is the one aspect of watching that is probably most overlooked. But the Lord spoke specifically to Habakkuk, as He would to all of us regarding revelation that He gives us: “Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily.” (Habakkuk 2:1 NET Bible) Thank God for all the prophets and scribes of both the Old and New Testaments, who had the presence of mind to faithfully record what God was saying and doing.
God is still speaking today and we would do well to record the things He reveals to us as we watch and wait for Him. A written record allows time for reflection and further discernment as to how to pray. It also provides space to consider if God is giving direction for some specific action steps of faith that need to be taken.
3. WRESTLING with God for His purposes to be established in the earth and against demonic powers hindering the way. Isaiah gives us insight into the persistence in prayer that expected of watchmen by the Lord. “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7 NIV) Like Jacob wrestling with the angel, we as watchmen are to show the same tenacity in not letting go until He blesses. (Genesis 32:22-32)
And by the same token, as watchman like Daniel, we must relentlessly wrestle “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” until the enemy is defeated and the victory is won. (Ephesians 6:12 ESV & Daniel 10)
4. WARNING when necessary at the prompting of the Lord. Sometimes spiritual watchmen, like natural ones are responsible before the Lord to issue a warning. Several times in the book of Ezekiel we see God telling him “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.” (Ezekiel 3:17 & 33:7 NIV)
One caveat here would be that warnings should be given in the fear of the Lord and only after earnest waiting, writing and wrestling. The watchman should have, as Ezekiel did a clear word from the Lord to take what God has shown for prayer and share it appropriately. Cultivating a healthy fear of the Lord is the best way to insure God’s wisdom as to how to steward the revelation that He gives. (Proverbs 9:10)
If you have been called as a watchman, please take the time to share in the comment section below, any insights you may have from your watchman experience. In my next blog post I will share God’s leading in my life personally in helping me answer His calling to be a watchman.
Click Here for an email subscription to this blog
Tom, When I was in Vietnam we had “watch” duty at night. While the troops slept, we were assigned to stay awake, with careful attention looking into the darkness…The safety of the sleeping troups was our mission…After reading this blog I thought of the Watchman calling as being “for the safety/benefit” of those sleeping. Sometime the watchman gets upset with those who are not awake…this is wrong…we are watchman because of love for the sleeping. Their sleep is not sin….when the morning light shines…they will awaken….
About a month ago the word “Watchman” came to me. I usually listen and then wait until the meaning is clear. The word watchman first came to me and I was asked to let it be a parable to me. It was only the beginning of any understanding, and your blog has released a further understanding. I first was told that the Watchman is a parable of revealing an awakening. The first thought was that darkness/night is where most of humanity is and the watchman was one who awakened early to watch and then blow the trumpet when what He was looking for appeared. As often happens, I was shown that each man has the spirit of a watchman within them. Even though we are asleep to the ushering in of the new day, there is a call within us which is connected to the new day. A place where we understand the new day and when the morning star rises, we come alive with newness and understand that we are a part of the light of the new day. It is the awakening to our true self. Every man has the light within, yet sleeps in the night. Sleeping is necessary to have spirit strength for the new day.
When your word concerning the watchman call was expressed in this blog, it thrilled my heart to know that this call is coming to us. There is so much about the call of watchman and the daystar rising in our hearts.
As I write this I have been shown the four watchs of Mark 13..
First Watch — the evening (6:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
Second Watch — at midnight (9:00 – midnight)
Third Watch — at the crowing of the rooster (midnight – 3:00 a.m.)
Fourth Watch — the morning watch (3:00 – 6:00 a.m.)
I see you and your blog in the fourth watch….this individual call is to blow the trumpet in Zion…as is within you…to call us to awaken and pray…The final fourth watch which we have been prepared for through suffering and the darkness of night. The daystar arising in our hearts…The promise in the tabernacle of the daystar arising within us. This verse always comes to me as I pray..
“Awake oh Israel, put off thy slumber and the truth shall set you free…for out of ZION comes thy deliverer in the year of Jubilee….This is within each man…this Call to Zion and to the mountain with us….in our mind….The call of the new day/watchman is responded to by sleeping people. Sleeping is not a sin…it is our condition outside of Zion.. The light is within every man and when the trumpet sounds, all will awaken…
The necessary suffering which Richard Rohr talks about is the sleeping….the “darkness”
caused by God to initiate the awakening. The dark night…darkest just before the dawn.
So this calling of watchman has risen within us. We know that but for His grace we awaken.
We blow the trumpet in Zion…Zion is within every mans mind…The Spirit within…All we seem to have to do is be still in the tabernacle…let Spirit move through us as his dwelling place which is Zion…his dwelling on earth. The fourth watch is first seeing the morning star…then the light floods the darkness and the new day dawns. I love the House of Prayer…it is first of all us..and for each individual our bodies..and corporately it is his Body and his dwelling place on earth… What a call you have to be involved in this ministry..
‘Come bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord…lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord….
I have been given a picture of the tabernacle and its seven stages, pieces of furniture and seen it as a pattern for prayer…like a spiritual liturgy….I see it evolving into an experience of prayer, mediation and worship. As a like minded people would come in silence into the tabernacle pattern…in stillness listening and responding as a body…As a daily mediation moving from the altar of the blood…together to the holy of holies…I have experienced a progressive journey through the tabernacle pattern with…from the death, cleansing and washing, born of spirit, clothed as the priest, into the holy place…receiving light, the bread of His coming, and the altar of incense. At the altar of insence I often find deep prayer and worship. I have been given toungues combined with chanting I AM which takes me into preparation of entering the stillness and fullness of the Holy of Holies. The prayers of the saints…the “shift” of consciousness of God where the intuition overtakes the natural mind.
At this place the entering into the holy of holies becomes a deep exerience of awakening and light…I can’t explain how beautiful it is becoming…only to say I know you experience this in prophetic worship …this place where prophecy flows, wisdom comes from within each person and God speaks as Us and in Us…. It seems people who have had contact with the Tabernacle as a mediation pattern have this wisdom stir within them…It is not man teaching..only themselves rising into their true self and then hearing …The Spirit itself leading us into truth…”
Steven, I so appreciate your comments here. Much to think about in terms of the ministry of the watchman. I love the idea of the watchman’s love for the sleeping. Just like Jesus as he prayed in the Garden! Thanks for the info on the watches. The idea of seeing it as a parable of the necessary awakening and calling to the new day dawning is an encouraging word and testimony to the fact that the watchman calling and message is a work of the Spirit and not of the flesh. Blessings!!!
Praise God for Pastor’s blog & Bro Steven’s comment. Much to learn & do.
Yes tobe watchman for god into keeping the door of our life aways from the devil forces and all wicked life and be watching time to pray to keeping us us away from false doctrine who will destroy so much and be harm to the truth in Christ,thanks and bless and pray,keijosweden
Thank you for your blog and this post. Long ago in a dream I was called a seer, and I ran from that calling. Last Saturday the Spirit of Lord told me to tell all to pray in unity at the same time in their time zones. Everyone that is committed, pray at 8:00am, pray for wisdom, understanding, eyes and ears to be opened, pray for laborers and plead the blood of Jesus Christ for protection over the body. I asked God why now, the Spirit told me this prayer is for the watchmen everyone will not pray. Unity in the body.
Thank you for sharing your insight and faithfulness to answer God’s watchman calling in your life!
Thank you for writing about this.
Sometimes I seem to fall down on the job as watchman especially the writing part but I will not give in to complacency and thanks for your article
God bless you in your faithfulness to God’s calling. What a high and holy privilege to serve Him and His purposes in the earth. May the Lord strengthen you and encourage you in the New Year!