The purpose of this topic is to open our eyes to our place and bring us back to the consciousness of a core responsibility we have as disciples. For many people that might have been walking in this positioning as watchmen, this is to make it more obvious to you.

The place of a watchman is a strategic one. It is a huge responsibility that we must come to terms with as disciples. I will refer to disciples as, the called-out ones, the separated ones.

We are going to be answering some questions with God’s help,

Who is a watchman? A watchman is a person who keeps watch. One who guards. And what does a watchman do? Simply watch, guard. Another question we might want to ask ourselves is, what is he watching? What is he guarding? We will see this from the scriptures as we go on so we can position ourselves correctly.

One of the things I want us to take note of and never forget about God, who is the source of our existence, is that it is the nature of God to protect, watch over, and guard. Scriptures over and over again show that God always watches and guards. Let’s see some verses,

Psalm 127: 1

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

 

Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Psalm 121:8 - The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

As disciples, who have surrendered our lives to God and His will, who have been separated, set apart unto God, we carry this very nature.  So, we are watchmen. We watch, we guard. We carry this nature.

 

Also, GOD sets watchmen and He calls out disciples

In the Old Testament, we will see God setting watchmen over his people. Since it is a major attribute of God to watch, He also sets people who can watch for Him also, act in His place.

 

 

Isaiah 62:6

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence.

Jeremiah 6:17

Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

 

In the New Testament, we see that disciples were being called. They were people set apart from the people for a particular work.  A Disciple is one who submits to learn under a person, to pattern one’s life after such a person, operate like the person, and even do greater things.

 

Acts 13:2

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

 

 God is in the business of setting apart watchmen, people that will watch, and calling out disciples, setting them apart for a particular work.

 

I believe as we go on, we will understand more about what watchmen do and link it to being disciples because Jesus operated as a watchman and so did the apostles.

 

 

What are we watching? What are our core responsibilities as watchmen?

1. We watch that the word of God is not brought to shame. We are guarding the faith.

Guarding the word of God against shame; defending the truth of God’s word

 

2 Timothy 4:7-8 AMP

7 I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error]. 8 In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:6

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:6 AMP

⁶ So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise].

People that do night duties of guarding as we see around us cannot be given to sleep at the time when they should be guarding. They are alert to any sound, anything going on around. They do their best to keep awake. They do not hear a sound and imagine everything is alright. They check. This thing we are guarding, is it in order? Is it still alright? They may need to do patrols once in a while around to check. In the same way with faith, we will need to check, see, be alert, watch, and not be indifferent.

 

2. Watch in prayer/Intercession

 

Matthew 26:40-41

⁴⁰ Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? ⁴¹ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

 

It’s like saying, keep your gates locked, let prayer be the lock to your gate and still use prayer to do your patrol. By mistake, you will be invaded and not know.

It’s huge work to keep alert, to pray. It’s not easy. Sleep is a major problem aside from other distractions. Jesus came and rebuked his disciples- what? How can you be sleeping? Watchmen “do not sleep,” they watch in prayer.

 

 

Colossians 4:2

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

 

1 Peter 4:7

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

 

As Disciples positioned as watchmen, we must watch in prayer

 

3. Watch for what the Lord will say, settle down to hear the Lord because this is important in their place as disciples, as watchmen

 

Habbakuk 2:2

2 I will stand my watch, And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.

 

Spiritual watchmen stand on the walls of the city of God, paying attention to what God is doing and calling the people to respond.

 

4. Watch for the souls of the people

 

Ezekiel 33:7-9

⁷ “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. ⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. ⁹ Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul

The protection and safety of God’s people and His church is the true purpose of a watchman. They serve as our guardians. That’s why God set people to guard His sheep, His flock, to watch over them.

Watchmen are accountable to God that’s why God sets them over His people. He is not going to come and say, who did I send to warn the people? And everyone will be looking around like it was a general assignment. No! He will come to disciples, watchmen, set men, and demand accountability. People, He Himself has set. Because they are the ones that heard the word, saw the word, and are mandated to carry the word out and watch for the souls of the people.

5. Guard your own self

Galatians 6:1

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

 

Gal 6: 1 AMP

6 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.

 

Matthew 7:15

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

 

For people that watch a house at night, if there is an attack, the aim will be to defeat the watchman first, then free access is allowed to the house and the people in it. So, as a watchman, you must guard yourself with the truth. The whole armour is a complete package,

 

 

Eph 6: 13-18

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

 

 

Major attributes of a Watchman

• Vigilance. You don’t sleep when others are sleeping.
• Sensitivity. You hear what God is saying at all times.
• Spiritual leaders

 

Heb 13:17

¹⁷ Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

 

 

Was Jesus a Watchman? Being our perfect example, did He fit into this role?

From what we have looked at as the responsibilities and attributes of a watchman, definitely, Yes!

He was in tune with God, listening, watching for what God will say all the time

He watched for the souls of people. He declared the word of God. That is what He gave His life to

He prayed consistently

He led. He was a spiritual leader while on earth

He defended the faith. He spoke the truth whenever the Pharisees came up with certain questions and arguments.

John 17:12-19

¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify^[i] them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

 

Let’s pick some things from this scripture:

He was a spiritual leader for them and covered them in prayers.

Doesn’t this scripture sound like Jesus giving account? He was sent by God to watch these ones and He did. He taught them the truth of God’s word

Asides from that, He also sent them to do the same in the world, watch. That’s why He could rebuke them and say, watch and pray.

He was still praying for them that God would keep them, and still watch over them in the world

When we say spiritual leader, let’s not look more on pastors, ministers no! wherever God has placed you, the set of people He has assigned to you in whatever sphere of life are the people you are accountable for and watching over. Children, teens, adults, old people, business people, married couples. Let’s not forget this, so we can position ourselves in their lives well and completely.

 

From the life of the Apostles, were they watchmen? Did they pattern their life after Christ?

Yes!

Phil 1:15-16

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ^{16 [c]}The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice

 

Apostle Paul was speaking here about defending the gospel. He said he was appointed for what? The defence of the gospel.  Can you see the place of a watchman again? He was encountered on the road and called out, separated to do what? Become a disciple and watch. As mentioned earlier, God appoints watchmen, and He calls out disciples. He sets people apart for this work.

This is to say to us that this is a positioning that we must consciously step into.

 

What is required from us as Watchmen?

• Faithfulness

 

Luke 12: 35- 48

³⁵ “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. ³⁸ And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would ^[g]have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹ Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” ⁴² And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food ^[h]in due season? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸ But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

We are to give account to the Lord of how we have watched and guarded. And there is a reward for faithfulness.

As Disciples, we are watchmen, and watchmen are given to protection, defense, observation, warning, revelation, execution of written judgments upon principalities and powers, and establishment of  Christ’s government in the church and in the world.

 

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Benedicta Apeh!

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