WATCHMAN

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me” – Ezekiel 3:17

The watchman is always the first to sight any danger, the watchman is always the first to notice strangers, the watchman is always awake on his duty post, the watchman is effective when his vision is clear, the watch is what the Lord has made you O minister. The watchman stays in the watchtower, far above where others are, the watchman is the one who communes with the Lord from above to see the threats or dangers that may lay siege to the kingdom.

We are in the time where watchmen have abandoned their watchtowers; ministers have descended from the holy hill and are dining with men and don’t seem to be disturbed by several doctrines and wolves that have come in to take the sheep. The watchman has abandoned his duty post and put the soldiers at risk, he can’t endure the lonely nights at the tower; he can’t endure the cold of the vigil. The one who goes to the tower hears nothing; the one who seem to be in the tower cannot sense any danger. The city is besieged and no one is doing anything. Where is the watchman?

Any town’s security is as good as the men who man the watchtowers, if the men are alert, they will warn the people of the wrath to come. You can’t put a blind man at the watchtower; you can’t put a mute at the tower. A man who is easily distracted cannot be at the tower; a man who doesn’t understand cannot be at the tower, a man who is undiscerning cannot be at the tower. It is a risk; it will cause a security breech. Our ministers are sleeping, the ranks are constantly broken, sin is evading the people every day, people are under the captivity of Satan and are constantly under the threat of the wickedness – yet the watch man cannot see and he cannot cry.

If ministers don’t stand at the tower, they won’t be able to give the men of the city any message; you can’t be at the same level of the people and expect to see threats or receive anything. Habakkuk got the vision while he was standing at the watch. When will you begin to watch and pray, O minister? When will you deny yourself some sleep and be at your duty post? There is a necessity laid on you – if you don’t warn the people, their blood will be required of thee.
Stand guard, watch, pray. The Lord requires this of you!

WHAT OF THE NIGHT?
“The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, ‘Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?’ The watchman said, ‘the morning comes, and also the night, if you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back’” – Isaiah 21:11-12

Dear watchman, what of the night? Are you aware that the enemies sow tares when men are asleep? That your labours not count for nothing, you need to be alert and pray against those who sow tears. Dear watchman, has sleep overtaken you and you blame it on the flesh? Watchman, you’re wondering why you fall to sin at the simplest of temptations; don’t you think it’s because you are not watching at night. Does it seem like your flesh isn’t cooperating you and you prefer to be in the comfort zone. This article may not apply to everyone, but I am sure it’s for a minister out there as it is for me. Now is the time to awake from your slumber, the night is indeed far spent.

While the people are allowed to sleep and relax, the watchman must watch at night; he is not just watchful for the people only, but also for himself, blessed is the man whom the master finds watching. We are the season where sorrows abound, but for joy to come in the morning there should be ministers who will travail, else the night of sorrow will linger more than expected. Don’t be fooled brethren, I am not referring to dark clouds to symbolize the night; but when frustration seems to be the company and misery the companion; then you are experiencing the night. You must watch and travail for the morning of joy to come.

Oh watchman, the virgins all slept off, but a voice awoke the wise from their slumber, a voice was heard that the bridegroom comes. You have not warned this people that rapture will soon occur, your voice doesn’t even ring in the conscience of men; your voice has not awoken anyone – we can’t all be sleeping. There are some who depend on the watchman  to know that they are safe; warn the people of impending danger that has made the innocent guilty, warn the people of the ease that has permeated the fabrics of the church, warn the people that their soul is precious to God; tell the people... take a word from the Lord.

“Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven” – Dan 2:19

I’m not in any way implying that it is only at nights that things are revealed, but I am sure that a man can find quiet, most times at night and can be more disposed to hear and understand when the mind is at rest. Do not be deceived many things go on at night, just as it does in the day; the minister must be watchful – you must be in the Spirit even at night; you must commune with the Lord even while at sleep.

Watchman be awake, watchman watch for your people; watchman be awake and hear, watchman; the people expect you to have a message when they wake – watchman, what of the nights? Watchman; can you see?

DON’T WATCH IN VAIN
“Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who builds it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” – Psalm 127:2

Wisdom entails that watching is not a total guarantee for safety; one must be equipped to adequately repel an attack when they occur. Sometimes, seeing danger without ability to repel them is just good for nothing. Everyone must know that if the LORD is not on guard with him or her; they will be doomed. There are several people who suffer from insomnia and they use such time in wondering and suspecting – they may feel they are praying, but might just be passing out time. Everyone who watches must engage the Protector-General of the universe. You must know that there is God who has been watching ever before you started watching; you must know that there is one who is strong and mighty to dislodge all the attacks that can appear.

A watchman can be helpless, a watchman may not be taken seriously; but when the watchman has God on His side; He is protected and also taken seriously. There are some watchmen who constantly come to instill fear in people but are never authentic in their delivery; they see all sorts of demons in everything, but never bring comfort to the people; they insinuate more than they are led; their visions are blurred because they have left God behind in their affairs. The One who keeps Israel never sleeps neither does He slumber.

“Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, ‘will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?’ and of his servants said, ‘none, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom’” – 2Kings 6:12

Elisha was the watchman for Israel, the King of Syria couldn’t understand who the spy was, and he was confused how Israel got to know their next strategy. Let it be known to the minister that the devil constantly wants to wage war against the people of God; it is your duty to bring it to the notice of the people. Fortunately for us, the strategies of the devil aren’t new – his schemes haven’t change – in fact, no minister should be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Whether by revelation or by insight in the Word; the Lord delights in making the strategy of the enemy known; you only need to cooperate with God so that the people will not be given as a prey to the teeth of the enemy. No wonder Elisha was bemused when the son of the widow died and he wasn’t aware; he felt that occurrence was strange.

The Lord will not do a thing without first revealing unto His ministers; the ministers only have to be watchful and discerning (Amos 3:7)

WATCH FOR THE MASTER’S RETURN
“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” – Matt 24:42

Ministers are not just meant to watch for threats or for visions; they are meant to watch for the Master’s return; because we do not know the time, we ought to be at our duty post, the ministers are supposed to constantly ring it out in the hearts of men, make them conscious about the soon coming King. We are expecting our Saviour; we have to be alert and ready.
I know this may not sound popular, it may bore you; but any believer who have stopped expecting the return of the Lord has become lose and entangled with the affairs of this world.

No one knows the hour, yet we must keep our lamps burning, no one knows the hour, the minister’s oil must not run dry. The return is imminent, if the watchman cannot see it then, this can only mean calamity upon the congregation; please – stay on the watch. We don’t know the time.

To watch for the Master’s return is not an aimless gaze into heaven; to watch for the Master is walking in the consciousness of His life, doing the things He expects of us; being occupied in His business; telling people that, there’s a place called heaven and there’s an event called rapture. The truly regenerated man; cannot shake of the thought of heaven, the truly regenerated man cannot excuse heaven for chance; the thought of the Master’s return keeps the born again broken to the Lord’s bidding. It is not out of fear of missing out; but a deep longing to return home.

I watch for the Master
I Hope for the Master
I want my Lord’s return
I want a changed body that doesn’t war against my members
I want that body that won’t decay
I want to worship with the elders
I want to behold the Saviour
I must watch
You should watch
Let’s watch for He cometh quickly
Heaven is sweeter with you there!

I love you and God bless

Akinsuroju Femi
© The Fundamentals