Let the Watchmen Arise

Isaiah 62:6 “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,”

Pray - This morning I am going to speak for a few moments on the subject that I have entitled “Let the Watchmen Arise”

As I begin this morning, my desire is to awaken the watchmen, to serve as a resounding voice in the ears of the bride of Christ and speak with the urgency to understand the times in which we live. This morning, I want to serve as a reminder to those under the sound of my voice that we are living in a day where our homes, our families, our churches are under an onslaught of spiritual attack. We are individually and collectively under the influence of spiritual forces in our lives and the question this morning is what influence are you operating under.

If there is ever a message that you have turned off distractions, forgot about what you have going on after church and unplugged from everything for a few moments, I would ask you this morning to tune in with me for a few minutes this morning. I told you a couple of weeks ago, if we are going to win the battles we are facing we must understand first that there is a battle, second we must have a plan of defense through the battle and we have to believe and understand who and what enemy we are facing.

I have told you before, I do not believe in looking for a devil behind every door, however; I do believe it is imperative to grasp the brevity of spiritual world which is around us. We are living in an era where the anti-christ culture of acceptance or tolerance of the enemy has invaded the doors of our churches.

Living in a moment where it is what it is has become the prevailing thought pattern leading to a life of lack. Somewhere along the line many have slowly retracted from the front lines of battle, taken off their war clothes, laid down their spiritual weapons, stopped declaring victory in the name of Jesus, stopped pleading the blood of the lamb and declaring the word of God, surrendering and now tolerating the same demonic torment that the saints of old were willing to declare war against.

You must understand this morning that it is time for the people of God to return to as James tells us, submitting to God, resisting the devil and watching him flee.

The Lord is looking for a few good watchmen to remain on guard against the forces of hell. We must be A watchman in our home, a watchmen over our children, a watchmen who continues to stand guard, knowing that our God is mighty in battle.

I believe the Lord is looking for the kind of resolve we find in the early church in Acts, a church who would preach the gospel of Jesus and stand against the works of darkness at all costs. A church like we find in Acts 17:6 which declares, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

There is an onslaught against the church in America. There are ongoing surveys of Christians and Americans concerning their belief or unbelief in spiritual things. Depending on the publication and survey the results vary, however; all are consistently showing a rapid decline in the number of people believing in God; and somewhere around 50% of people truly believing in the devil.

There is a spirit of confusion that has been birthed in recent years born within an idle church where there has been more concern with church brand, the number of people attendance, programs, positions and titles than there has been about keeping the main thing the main thing. The healthy growth of a church is always important, but honey you can grow a huge church that is void of the yoke breaking power of God and the anointing of the Holy Ghost and you have nothing more than a social club.

Let me remind you the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians the 6th chapter: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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.”

It is time for the body of Christ to wake up from their slumber and begin to set the atmosphere for revival once again. It is only when the bride of Christ drops to her knees in consistent prayer that things will begin to change.

Listen, any time the watchmen relinquish their call to remain on the wall of prayer, the enemy will always take advantage of the situation. For we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices.

The word ignorant in that verse is derived from the Greek word “Agneo, which means without knowledge or understanding of. This is where the english word agnostic comes from. An agnostic person will say they are not sure if they believe in God or not but in reality the issue is they do not know Him or have an understanding of Him and therefore they are not sure what they believe. The word schemes comes from the word “noema” which literally means “thought”.

In other words, do not lack an understanding of the way satan thinks. For as 1 Peter declares, he walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

In John 10:1 Jesus says, ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold (who is the sheepfold?) (we are the sheep and therefore the sheepfold is referring to the people who belong to the Lord) Jesus said, he who does not enter by the door (who is the door?) (Jesus said I am the door, I am the way, the truth and the life), but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” And then he goes on in John 10:10 to say; “The thief (speaking of Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

So, anytime we come down off the wall of prayer, anytime we make a decision to let our guard down and stop being a watchman in our own life the thief is always looking for a way to climb through an open window in our lives. Listen, if you are blood washed, water baptized and filled with the spirit of the Lord Satan cannot directly enter and control your life. However; he is always looking for an open window to come up and get in your house but this morning I declare he has no business in my house, I am shutting the window!

I am telling your this morning as sure as I am standing in this pulpit it is time for the people of God to start checking our spiritual windows, locking our doors and ensuring that we are trying the spirits and seeing if they are of the Lord.

A watchmen must have the spirit of discernment in operation in their lives. Discerning right from wrong. Having an unwavering set of standards, knowing what they believe!

This morning, we still believe that this word is the divine, verbal inspiration of a Holy God. We still believe in one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We still believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary and that He was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. Furthermore, we believe that He ascended to heaven and sits today at the right hand of the Father as our Intercessor. We also believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God and is necessary for forgiveness of sins. We believe that justification, regeneration, and the new birth are the result of faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

We continue to believe in sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost. And we believe that Holiness is God’s standard of living for His people. Additionally, we believe in the baptism with the Holy Ghost and that speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I believe in water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized. I believe that divine healing is provided for all in the atonement. We believe in the Lord’s Supper and the washing of the saints’ feet. And finally, we believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again for a church without spot or wrinkle and the righteous will inherit eternal life while the wicked unsaved will inherit eternal punishment in a place called hell!

And then once we establish what we believe, we better have an understanding of the way the enemy works against us. Could this be why we are instructed to pray without ceasing, to remain in a spiritual state of mind.

So if I am to pray continually, I must create an atmosphere conducive to prayer, an atmosphere in which I am able to discern the works of the enemy in my life.

I want to let you know that atmosphere matters. The Holy Spirit is attracted to an atmosphere of praise and worship. An atmosphere where the body of Christ is living according to the word of God. The atmosphere in our homes and in our lives will determine the spirit that we are hosting and what has the influence in our lives.

Just as we can host the Holy Spirit we can also attract and host an evil Spirit. Make no mistake about it we are hosting some kind of a spirit in our lives whether we are aware of it or not. Satan is attracted to certain places where he can be comfortable.

There are so many things that we don’t even think about that gives the enemy access to our home.

We become easy targets, falling to the prey of our adversary whenever we cease to be aware of his presence in our situation. Hell will make gains against you if you neglect your responsibility to arise and remain on the wall as a watchmen.

We are living in a time where demonic activity, witchcraft, spells and all that are associated with that have become intriguing to people.

I recently shared a beautiful story on social media of a well known secular artist who had essentially given her time and talent to the enemy. Recently, she was born again and this past weekend she was baptized in water in a baptist church in Indiana. When asked about her transformation, she stated that for so long she thought entertaining the spirit world was cute and cool but she came to realize that we really are in a spiritual war and she decided it was time to serve an eviction notice in her home on the enemy.

As I said earlier we tolerate so many things in our lives and just kind of press auto pilot, living in a spiritual reactive mode when as I told you last week we have an arsenal of heaven on our side and therefore we should be a watchman on the wall, anticipating and preparing for whatever the enemy brings our way.

In so many homes today, the television is blaring as a babysitter for the kids, the parents are unaware of the anti-christ message invading their children’s minds, while the parents are fighting and bickering and we wonder why there is such confusion, strife and unrest in our homes.

We have let our guard down and we allow just about anything to enter our eye gate and our ear gate.

We have left the window open, it is time to climb back up on the wall and have a resolve that says, on my watch Satan will not control my life and my family! He may be looking for an entry way into my life but this morning I have come to serve notice on the enemy you can’t have my family, you can’t have my children, you can’t have my peace, you can’t have my health, you can’t have my joy. Today is a new day. Today is the day of salvation!

Oh worship team you better come back and slow me down this morning for I feel like preaching for just a minute!

I say this morning, it is time to flip the scrip on our enemy and begin to set up parameters in our lives by way of a blood line through the blood of Jesus. It is essential to start living in a state of consciousness about what is really happening around us.

I feel an urgency in my spirit to make us aware of what is happening. There is a wake up call going out from the throne of heaven and the Lord is looking for a response from His people.

My dear brothers and sisters let me remind you today that this word declares we are a royal Priesthood. The word priest here is more than a title but it speaks of our position with God. As a royal priesthood we have Ruling and Reigning Power over the enemy! As a child of God, we have a responsibility to maintain the spiritual health in our spheres of influence.

I believe in this season of shifting and change of atmosphere that it is time to once again gear up for the battle that we are in. It is so easy in this season to give into the weariness of the flesh, the desire to simply step back and retreat but we cannot retreat, for there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. Don’t you dare step down from your post on the wall, don’t for one moment stop fighting on behalf of your children, your grandchildren, your church that need the Lord.

This morning, we have the power to crush the head of satan with our heal. It is crushing time again, it is time to make the enemy wish he would have never messed with us.

We have all authority through the mighty power of the name of Jesus. When the enemy comes in like a flood, lift up your heal and crush him. When he comes against your finances crush him in the name of Jesus, when he comes against your marriage you better stand up and begin to crush him in Jesus name, when he tries to steal your health crush him in Jesus name.

If you are ready to take back some things the enemy has stolen in your life and begin to crush the head of the enemy again will you stand on your feet this morning as I get ready to close this service?

Honey, I know who I am and who I belong to this morning! Hell is not my future, Jesus is my future.

I am a citizen of heaven and therefore I am going to walk according to the authority and the decrees of heaven. Heaven says I am an overcomer, Heaven says my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory, Heaven says no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Heaven says, I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus, Heaven says I am the workmanship of His hand.

This morning, I declare that we will see a victory, I will not be dismayed for I know my God is with me. He is my rear guard and is always with me! I am not in this by myself this morning! Somebody simply needs reminded today that He is with you!

I am going to ask our prayer team to make their way to the front this morning as we get ready to open this altar service. Listen, as your pastor I can stand on the wall and pray corporately for each of you and I do but there are some places the enemy has taken a stronghold in your life and only you know about those places.

Places you haven’t shared with anyone and this morning I believe we can tear down some strongholds if we are willing to be the watchmen that God has intended us to be!

Maybe there is a stronghold of sickness, a stronghold of lack or depression, a stronghold of financial lack, a stronghold of attack in your home and on your children. Whatever it is this morning it is time to get back on the wall again. You can only remain on the sidelines for so long. A decision must be made and I believe now is the time.

(Salvation)