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In bible times, the watch, was a division of the night, to guard against robbers and wars. (Exod. 14:24) Guards were stationed at the gate of the city, and in the adjacent tower. (2 Sam. 18;24-27)
God has a watch of His own, and keeps this by day and by night. The Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
And in the morning watch, the Lord in the pillar of fire and of the cloud; looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfitted the host of the Egyptians, clogging their chariot wheels, so they drove heavilyl and the Egyptians said: Let us flee before Israel; for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians."
Today, we still have police; and military, whose job it is to maintain the safety of our cities and nation. In Israel ancient times, each night was divided into watches. We can see examples of this in
So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the out-skirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and they smashed the jars that were in their hands." (Judges 7:19)
John addressed this topic of watching in the book of Revelation, where God warns: Be watchful and strengthen those things that remain. The implication is that by failing to watch properly, there had already been losses. God was saying: If you don't want to lose all of it, give heed to this message in the mouth of my servant John. (Rev. 3:2) The bible has a good deal to say about "watchfulness." The first place we are to set a watch is over ourselves. Some people forget to do this fearless personal inventory, and they make their primary watch "the lives of others," that they might give an evil report. Let's set a vigilent watch first of all over our own lives.
I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." (Psalm 39:1)
The prophet Habakkuk said that he was watching to see what the Lord would say to him when he was reproved. How many today are looking for God's reproof in your lives? Habakkuk was! He wasn't merely looking for a superficial blessing from the Almighty. His attitude was that the "chastening of the Lord afterward produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those who are exercized thereby!
WATCHING IS A DISCIPLINE
Yeshua as our great high priest ever lives to make intercession for us. One way He does this, I am convinced; is by placing a burden of intercession upon the hearts of His people, for this situation or that. We read of the prayer life of Yeshua on earth having such an impact on the heavenlies and the angelic kingdom, for He said: I could have called 12 legions of angels. On the elements, for He calmed the wind and waves of a storm saying: Peace be still! This doesn't mean that He merely commanded and did not pray. For Yeshua, prayer preceeded any and all times of ministry.
One of the greatest results of our Master's prayer life, is seen in His own disciples saying: Teach us to pray! How incredible that the man or woman with a life of prayer, will mentor others to join the ranks of prayer, or to learn aspects of the prayer life, so necessary in not only praying effectively for others; but in being to be conformed to the image of God's Son.
The Psalmist David wrote:
"I watch and am as a sparrow alone upon a house-top." (Psalm 102:7)
Do you know the seriousness of watching? There's a watch we keep as a corporate group. But there is also a "watch" that is a lonely thing. God gives us this burden so that we will not be distracted, because the watch is so serious. Lives are hanging in the balance. You may say: Intercession isn't my ministry. If you are a believer, then God has called you to be conformed to the image of His Son, Yeshua/Jesus. Yeshua set a pattern of prayer that we would all do well to emmulate. At times He prayed with fellow believers, but many times He prayed as a discipline, alone! Yet He said: I am not alone, for the Father stands with Me.
WATCHING FOR OTHERS
The watchman on guard was to guard the gates of the city, and thus to protect it's inhabitants from the danger of sudden attack. Since I was a child, one of my favorite passages in scripture, is Psalm 91. This psalm covers anything and everything that could ever happen to you, including violent assault, theft, kidnapping, sickness, or any other thing. It covers those ominous events or trials that you can see approaching, as well as the calamities which you without any warning at all.
As you pray, you will feel that you are literally standing in this gate or that. In praying for the health of another, God will give you words of knowledge, and strongholds to assault as you pray.
WATCHMAN WHAT DO YOU SEE?
God has shown me many things, as I have watched in prayer. One of the strongest warnings is with regard to terrorism that accompanies the making of war. Eastern Europe has war-lord spirits that cause much unrest in that part of the world. Currently, in the CIS, an area of Europe, they have plans to revive the ancient Silk Road, that once connected China and Asia. For years leaders, especially in the CIS, have gathered to discuss the trade the restoration of theSilk Road will bring. They've been making preparations, laying fiber-optic cables, etc.
As far as war is concerned, this will enable arms, and military equipment to be moved more readily. This area is a hotbed of arms smuggling. Our nations tells us that the Iraqi War is immanent. With the probability of nuclear warfare, it is prudent to take supplements of POTASSIUM IODIDE. In the healthy body, with the proper amount of this nutrient, the thyroid becomes filled with the iodine, and is less likely to absorbe radiation. In the wake of the Chernobyl disaster, researchers learned that radiation causes an increase in thyroid cancer. Why not stand on Mark 16:16-18, as our best defence. "If I eat (injest) any ___ ly thing, it shall not hurt me. Also on the positive side, God has given us nutrients in the food He created to keep our bodies in optimum health.
Presently in our nation, the crime of child abduction has reached staggering proportions. Europe also reports the exploitation of children is at an all time high. Monies of this sort are also used by ones enemies to finance war efforts against a rival country. Our within our own nation, as well as Britain, and Europe, we are seeing so much child abduction. Remember, that during times of war, for terrorists to use assault "stradegies" to degrade and dehumanize or demoralize their enemies. Our children are precious to all of us. We have great need to "watch over" the children of our nation in prayer.
Our government has warned us that America now has the same type of suicide type terrorists, who blow themselves up, killing bystanders, that Israel has. What do we do about it as believers? We must be lead of God's Spirit. In John 16:13, God says that He will "show us things to come." Psalm 91, is also a marvellous promise with regard to God's divine protection.
The intelligence reports within the U.S. state that these exist within the USA, just as they do in Israel. But our blind side, unfortunately, has been the supposition that the child traffic rackets, are limited to the mafia or some such thing. In reality, we are seeing a mounting attack by ists to use this avenue to raise ready cash for their own war eforts, against us.
My family has been alarmed at the casual way people allow their children to wander about unsupervised. No Israeli in bible times, would have sent their children off to play in the direction of the Phillistine camp. Why? Because war against any country, is never just against the men of the nation as the fighting regiment. It always is directed towards women and children in subversive ways as well.
Assaults may not be as open and direct as a military campaign or offensive, but they are a strategic. We must be wise, and on the alert for the methods employed against those who are more vulnerable. If you must take public transportation, wait or walk in well lighted areas. Invest in mace or pepper spray cannister on a keychain. Be alert and aware of what's going on in your surroundings. At ATM's, if you are not comfortable using the machine because there's a suspicious stranger standing too near you, or a car waiting who you think could read the numbers you punch in, leave, and go to another bank machine, or return at another time. Let friends or relatives know your regular habits.
In the bible, God's Spirit comes on people to give them supernatural physical strnegth in their physical body. At times, by God's anointing, they used as weapons, whatever was at hand, and God made their endeavor mighty, by His strength, empowered and gave them copurage.
It is discouraging when we pray, and for all of that; our prayers do not seem to prevent, or to detour everything. Many years ago, I was given a vision concerning the safety of my son's family in Oregon. Although I warned him, this still was not sufficient to prevent a tragic auto accident in which my daughter in law was killed. What God did do, however was to prepare her heart, and she talked of the Lord in those last days on earth, and of what God was showing her spiritually.
In praying recently regarding the kidnapping of a young child, God seemed to concentrate my attention in prayer around West Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Every prayer matters to God, no matter how small, it seems. Let your requests be made known unto God.
