Years ago, my wife and I visited Nazareth and the guide pointed out a tower at a high point, declaring that was where the village's watchman stood in ancient times.
Watchmen were vital to the safety and security of towns in those days. They were able to warn villagers of potential danger so they could be armed and ready for an attack.
The watchman role should be important, too, among us who are prayer warriors.
The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:18: "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
And Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."
Praying to protect our families, friends and fellow believers against Satan's schemes should be one aspect of the intercessor's role, says Dutch Sheets, author of Intercessory Prayer. And some intercessors are especially equipped to be watchmen.
Sheets notes that biblical watchmen were tasked with keeping an eye out for animals and thieves who might make off with the village's crops along with giving an early warning of invaders. They watched the surrounding countryside constantly from a high tower or high walls.
So, what should we watch for?
Sheets says that one thing we should watch for is false messengers. Biblical watchmen could tell whether the messenger belonged to them from the way he ran towards them. If he was not familiar, they might be wary about his message.
"Seasoned watchmen are often alerted by the Holy Spirit, before they even have any concrete evidence, that certain 'messengers' are not to be trusted."
He acknowledges we can make human mistakes, but, through experience, he has learned to trust the misgivings of certain "watchmen" because they are usually right.
Certainly, false prophesies and doctrines have sprung up in the church over the centuries. False messengers can be very divisive.
Sheets says there is a difference between being preoccupied with Satan and being aware of him and his efforts to subvert believers. "Be infatuated with and in awe of Jesus - be aware of the enemy."
A shepherd guarding his sheep at night is another feature of being a watchman. The shepherd is watching for marauders and, at the same time, prepared to defend his flock from attack (Psalm 23:4).
There is a strong need for people to pray for God's protection against satanic attack. Pastors, in particular, are a major target for the Devil because they play such an important part in leading churches.
Sheets says that there is still another way to look at watchmen in the Bible. The word for watching in the Old Testament also suggests "laying siege" as in laying siege to a city. This is used as an army seeks to keep supplies from flowing into a besieged city.
The author writes: "God is giving us the ability - by his Spirit - to discern the enemy's plans, strengths, weaknesses and points of entry - to cut him off and take nations, cities and individuals through prayer."
This may take weeks, months or even years of intercession and that can be discouraging for many of us. But it is an important aspect of intercession.
He tells the story of Theresa Mulligan and her friend who prayer-walked a neighbourhood for a long time and stopped before every house, asking God to save the occupants. Soon, stories drifted in about people giving their lives to Christ - a colonel's wife, a teenager, a college student and others. Even after moving away from the neighbourhood, she continued hearing stories of people coming to the Lord.
This can be broadened to cities and nations - disputing the ground that Satan is claiming.
This kind of prayer has not been a strong point in my life.
But I have been sensing more and more that it is important to "watch and pray".
I need to be alert.
Watchmen were vital to the safety and security of towns in those days. They were able to warn villagers of potential danger so they could be armed and ready for an attack.
The watchman role should be important, too, among us who are prayer warriors.
The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:18: "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
And Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."
Praying to protect our families, friends and fellow believers against Satan's schemes should be one aspect of the intercessor's role, says Dutch Sheets, author of Intercessory Prayer. And some intercessors are especially equipped to be watchmen.
Sheets notes that biblical watchmen were tasked with keeping an eye out for animals and thieves who might make off with the village's crops along with giving an early warning of invaders. They watched the surrounding countryside constantly from a high tower or high walls.
So, what should we watch for?
Sheets says that one thing we should watch for is false messengers. Biblical watchmen could tell whether the messenger belonged to them from the way he ran towards them. If he was not familiar, they might be wary about his message.
"Seasoned watchmen are often alerted by the Holy Spirit, before they even have any concrete evidence, that certain 'messengers' are not to be trusted."
He acknowledges we can make human mistakes, but, through experience, he has learned to trust the misgivings of certain "watchmen" because they are usually right.
Certainly, false prophesies and doctrines have sprung up in the church over the centuries. False messengers can be very divisive.
Sheets says there is a difference between being preoccupied with Satan and being aware of him and his efforts to subvert believers. "Be infatuated with and in awe of Jesus - be aware of the enemy."
A shepherd guarding his sheep at night is another feature of being a watchman. The shepherd is watching for marauders and, at the same time, prepared to defend his flock from attack (Psalm 23:4).
There is a strong need for people to pray for God's protection against satanic attack. Pastors, in particular, are a major target for the Devil because they play such an important part in leading churches.
Sheets says that there is still another way to look at watchmen in the Bible. The word for watching in the Old Testament also suggests "laying siege" as in laying siege to a city. This is used as an army seeks to keep supplies from flowing into a besieged city.
The author writes: "God is giving us the ability - by his Spirit - to discern the enemy's plans, strengths, weaknesses and points of entry - to cut him off and take nations, cities and individuals through prayer."
This may take weeks, months or even years of intercession and that can be discouraging for many of us. But it is an important aspect of intercession.
He tells the story of Theresa Mulligan and her friend who prayer-walked a neighbourhood for a long time and stopped before every house, asking God to save the occupants. Soon, stories drifted in about people giving their lives to Christ - a colonel's wife, a teenager, a college student and others. Even after moving away from the neighbourhood, she continued hearing stories of people coming to the Lord.
This can be broadened to cities and nations - disputing the ground that Satan is claiming.
This kind of prayer has not been a strong point in my life.
But I have been sensing more and more that it is important to "watch and pray".
I need to be alert.
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