I believe that God is in the habit of raising WATCHMEN.
There are people he calls to watch over, look after, and see things go how they are supposed to go for specific areas.
If it’s true that we are in a battle, how much better is it that there are watchmen in place to SEE the areas where the enemy is moving, to ALERT the others about what they see, and to step into action?
The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel was just such a watchman.
God had appointed and anointed him to be a watchman over the people and nation of Israel.
Ezekiel 33:1-7 NLT
[1] Once again a message came to me from the LORD: [2] “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.
The NKJV uses the word territory.
The inference is that we have a territory.
There is a specific place and people that BELONG to us.
For most, the specific place that belongs to them is their family.
Your family is on the personal level, but there is also a corporate level.
For the church, our territory, or “OUR” LAND, would comprise our community, the officials of our community, our schools, the children and teachers, faculty and staff, and our community’s authorities.
Now, we are not responsible for whether or not these people choose Jesus, and I don’t think we can scripturally declare that everyone “HAS” TO BE a watchman.
But I do feel that if the Lord has allowed you to live in a place of blessing, peace, favor, and goodness, it is in keeping with what God would desire for you to take responsibility to ensure that your territory is OK.
The church is the gatekeeper of what happens on the earth. Much like the nation of Israel, the church helps oversee the events and happenings that occur on the earth.
If the church doesn’t rise and become watchmen and watchwomen, WHO ELSE WILL?
If the people of God will not get up to become those who care for what takes place, WHO ELSE WILL?
[3] When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. [4] Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. [5] They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. [6] But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’ [7] “Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.
God is raising his remnant in this hour. We are not a remnant of passive “sitters,” but we are a mighty remnant warrior army, and the Lord desires to use his army to invade (spiritually speaking) all the spheres of the earth.
The remnant is the intercessors.
The remnant is the prayer warriors.
The remnant is those who hear God’s voice clearly and act upon it in faith.
God is raising a remnant! The truth is, we ARE in a battle.
We see it all over the media:
• Homosexuality
• Perversion
• Acts of violence
• Illegal activity
• The propagation of lies, especially in our public schools and among children and university students.
Satan is doing all in his power to grasp a generation, TURN them from God’s potential of light in their lives, and cause the darkness of deception to be all they know.
What will stop this?
What will slow the tide?
The CHURCH is the watchman, the intercessor, and the remnant warrior God is raising to deal with the deception in our generation!
Scripture declares to us:
Matthew 16:18-19 NLT
[18] Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
We have a clear promise of victory over the darkness. However, the powers of hell will not STOP THE CHURCH. Expressly, KJV declares the “gates” of hell will not prevail!
The church is the gatekeeper of society.
What will happen in the culture and the next generation if the church fails on her watch?
We already see much of what is taking place because the church has been overly concerned with our own blessings and possessions.
Depravity is taking hold.
Today is the day for the church to rise and become the gatekeeper over our territory that God calls us to be!
How do we do it?
It is a spiritual act and a spiritual battle.
[19] And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
KJV uses the terms “binding” and “loosing,” but I think it is probably clearer to view it through this translation. The church is responsible for forbidding things on earth that should not be taking place, and the church is accountable to PERMIT things that should happen.
We must become aware of the leading of God’s Spirit in our church, family, and personal life.
Why? Because when we hear the voice of God concerning something, we are to WARN, ALERT, BLOW THE TRUMPET, but then, as the New Testament church, we have the authority to FORBID and to PERMIT.
Jesus declared:
Luke 10:19 NLT
[19] Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
We wield our authority through prayer by asking God to PROTECT THOSE UNDER OUR CHARGE.
• Our family
• Our kids
• Our spouse
• Our church
• Our schools
• Our community leaders
• Our spiritual leaders
It is on us to pray the prayers of covering and protection over those whom we have charge. God listens when you pray. Heaven takes notice of your faith to step out and pray the prayer of protection.
Who knows what satanic plans you and I will be able to STOP if only we take the time to pray!
• Our community is not immune to violence.
• Our community is not immune to the deception of the devil.
• Our community is not immune to threats and the clashing of political ideas.
Our communities are the grassroots that Satan tries to attack to take back ground.
What stands in his way?
YOU DO.
THE CHURCH DOES!
We HAVE TO DO OUR JOB!
But it’s not only a prayer of protection. Again, scripture is giving us the words to say.
The church has authority over its sphere of influence to look around, be led by the Spirit, SEE what Satan is up to, and DECLARE BY FAITH AND WITH OUR MOUTH:
“I FORBID the devil and his demons from operating in _______________________ (this place) in Jesus’ name!”
The church needs intercessors because we are the gatekeepers.
We are the gatekeepers, the ones who OPEN and who CLOSE. To FORBID is to CLOSE THE GATE so that the evil cannot come close to what we care for and love.
But we are also here to listen to the Spirit, and by faith, we PERMIT things within the sphere of our influence.
We SEE what the Lord is up to, and we can DECLARE BY FAITH AND WITH OUR MOUTH:
“I PERMIT the plans of God to come into being in Jesus’ name!”
At first thought, this might sound presumptuous, but all it means is that we have the authority to AGREE WITH WHAT GOD IS DOING.
There is power in agreement.
Scripture declares:
Matthew 18:19 NLT
[19] “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.
If you can agree with your earthly brother or sister and God will do what you ask, how much more when you partner and agree with heaven?
So we see that we are:
• The gatekeepers
• The watchmen
• The intercessors
• The ones who forbid and permit in the Spirit realm.
What else is the church supposed to do?
I subscribe to the idea, which did not originate with me that the church also needs to become ACTIVE in participation within the community, the government, and every sphere of influence we can occupy.
We can no longer afford to sit on our seats and expect some unsaved person to come along and have just enough Jesus to do the right thing in government, community, school systems, the corporate world, or any other sphere of influence.
In the early church, the church turned their world upside down, and they successfully infiltrated every aspect of society.
And even in some of those places where they were not in charge, the Lord still used them to bring influence.
• Like Paul in his court cases
• Like Paul and Silas in prison
• Like Paul with the governor
Even as a prisoner, Paul understood the Lord was positioning him to be a gatekeeper, to forbid and permit, and to PRAY.
We must be ready to do all these things for the sake of God’s Kingdom and his glory!
