When it comes to house churches, prayer is not a “ministry department.” It is the engine room, the fire on the altar, and the spiritual defence system of the community. In a simple church setting without heavy structure, budgets, or institutional buffers—prayer, intercession, and watchfulness become even more vital.
This is why God is calling for house churches that will function like 24 hour prayer homes. Places where prayer becomes essential. The early believers met in homes, but they were marked by persistent prayer. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves… to the prayers.” Notice the word devoted. Prayer was not occasional, it was foundational.
The need for prayer warriors and true intercessors is of critical importance in the end times. The end-time remnant, therefore, the true Bride of Christ, is going to need a lot of prayers to remain standing, to endure, to overcome and also to fulfil its task of fulfilling the Great Commission. A lot of fervent prayers are also needed to pray for the lost, the forgotten, the broken, and the downtrodden.
It says in “James 5:16: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” We are involved in a spiritual war (whether we like it or not), and we live in terrible and perilous days of darkness, but those who seek His righteousness and follow God can stand upon the Word that one’s prayer avails much! Prayer of the righteous will thus be useful and beneficial, all to the glory of God.
One man who knows about the power of prayer in difficult times is John Knox, who was born in Scotland in about 1514. Converted to Protestantism from Roman Catholicism in 1543, Knox lived during a time when it was often very dangerous to be a follower of Christ.
When the Roman Catholic Mary Tudor (also known as “Bloody Mary” because of her ruthless persecution of the Protestants) became queen in 1553, Knox, who was in England at this time, was forced to hide. He eventually landed in Geneva, where he met John Calvin, who became his mentor. Knox returned to Scotland in 1559, the year after Queen “Bloody Mary” died and was succeeded by the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. He remained in Scotland, bringing reformation to the church until his death in 1572.
Today, people remember Knox as the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland and the founder of Scottish Presbyterianism. But what others don’t realise is that by the end of his ministry, he became better known for his prayer than for his other ministries. The devout Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, is reputed to have said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.”
She saw the impact of Knox’s prayer. From a human point of view, it was the prayer of Knox that sparked the Reformation in Scotland. His prayer became the fuel of the ongoing reformation during his time. His prayer shook the land of Scotland, causing a revival among God’s people.
Perhaps of all the prayers of Knox, “Give me Scotland, or I die” is the most quoted one. It was not an arrogant prayer but a passionate plea, showing his intense desire for the conversion of the people of Scotland. His prayer was an expression of his great confidence in God. His prayer also echoes the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Romans 10:1, “my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”
Knox remained prayerful even to death. It is said that during his dying hours, he was much engaged in meditation and prayer. Knox was not perfect, but we can definitely learn from his prayer life. Prayer is not an option for the believer. It is a necessity to fulfil God’s purposes in the world and in our individual lives. Time spent in prayer is not time wasted but time invested. As we embrace the will of God, as we live before Him in the righteousness of Christ, as we seek to fulfil His purposes, nothing will be able to hinder our prayers, and we will begin to understand Jesus’ saying, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Indeed, we need prayer warriors like John Knox! We need true intercessors who have spent time at God’s feet, lifting up the Bride, and praying for the lost to find their home in Christ! And such intercessors and prayer warriors I believe are forged in house church environments.
It says in “Ephesians 6: 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— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
We often read about the armour of God, but so often we neglect a very important piece of the armour – prayer! And remember, the armour of God is critical to understand and grasp because in this spiritual war, we always need to wear it and keep the armour polished and functional. We are urged to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
A dedicated and functional prayer life is vital in our dangerous times, as we continuously seek the Lord’s will, His ways and His truth. And when we speak by the Spirit, this can imply always praying as led by the Spirit, or speaking in the heavenly languages as given by the Spirit. Either way, Romans 8:26 holds true: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” The most powerful prayer is one prayed in the Spirit, even if it is in your earthly language, because it is driven by God Himself. There is great power in prayer!
Prayer is of critical importance! After all, there are dozens of real-life accounts in the Bible where Jesus and other disciples battled in prayer. God shut the heavens and prevented rain from falling for three years at Elijah’s request. He parted the Red Sea for Moses to lead His people through. He cast out demons; Jesus healed the sick and gave sight to the blind, and on more than one occasion, raised people from the dead, like Lazarus.
The power of prayer isn’t in the words you utter. It’s not about what you pray or even how you pray. Prayer can be defined as talking to God, but it is much more than that. Prayer is an act of worship that glorifies God and reinforces our need for Him. Through living a life of prayer, we communicate with the very source of and purpose for our existence. Prayer flows from intimacy, from fellowship with God and a deep love for Him.
David was one of the greatest men who ever lived. He was a man after God’s heart. He was a descendant of Abraham, Israel and Judah. He was a great warrior, builder and king. He was the first of his dynasty, which was chosen by God to bring forth the Messiah, the ultimate King of Israel and the nations. David was a prophet. And he was a poet and musician. And he prayed a lot – about everything. He wrote down many of his prayers and put them to music, creating the Book of Psalms.
He wrote most of the book of Psalms, which has been the prayer book of Israel and the Church for 3,000 years. David knew how to pray.
Following Pentecost and at the time of the birth of the Church, in Acts 2, we read of how the disciples would regularly meet to fellowship. The church experienced a vital growth, not only because it adhered to the truth, but because it continued steadfastly in prayer. When facing great danger, the early disciples sought the Lord and prayed. Yes, prayer is powerful! It is also vital, and as believers in Christ, we need to pray more. As believers, we are constantly facing threats, so as the corporate Bride, we need to seek the Lord in prayer. This calls for unity, just as the disciples, in the beginning, were united with Christ and each other.
Years ago, the Lord placed in my heart the absolute necessity for 24-hour prayer houses. God calls for a praying Bride, who seeks His will day and night. The devil knows that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. He wants believers to stop praying or to pray less. He keeps us busy, for if we start praying collectively as the Bride, then surely the gates of hell shall be shaken!
Our English word “intercession” is derived from the Latin for “to come between,” which means both “obstruct” and “to interpose on behalf of” someone. Christ stands between us and the Father. That’s why we pray “in Jesus’ name” because it’s by His sacrifice that we are made righteous and can approach the throne of God. Believers are, therefore, able to bring the needs of other people before God through Christ.
While we may not all be gifted as intercessors to be steadfast in prayer (Colossians 4:2), we are all called to pray. Paul exhorted the church to pray that he would boldly declare the gospel (Ephesians 6:19). He told the church to pray for one another with “supplications […] and thanksgivings,” (1 Timothy 2:1), and he prayed for them too. “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfast hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2). We all need intercession, even believers. Paul was moved and encouraged by prayer on his behalf.
You can say intercession is a prayer that pleads with God for your needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God’s will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass. Intercession is warfare — the key to God’s battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not of this earth. Intercessory prayer takes place in this spiritual world where the battles for our own lives, our families, our friends and our nation are won or lost.
Intercessory prayer is simply a pointed, persistent pleading on behalf of someone else for a deep need. Specifically, in the New Testament, we read that Jesus and the Holy Spirit interceded on behalf of God’s people for various reasons. The reality is that we need a lot more intercessory prayer in the Body of Christ, and especially intercessors to heed the call for 24-hour prayer houses. We live in times of so much deception that all believers need prayer right now, and we need to pray day and night for the lost and the broken.
Remember, the Lord or the devil doesn’t sleep. While we are human, we are also many in the Body of Christ. More than ever, there should be greater unity in the Body of Christ, where together believers take hands to pray and to stand in the gap. Through prayer, particularly intercession, the Body of Christ truly takes up its place on the watchtower while the spiritual war wages and the ancient dragon seeks to devour. In prayer, we must declare God’s will, His glory and truth.
Intercession is vital these days as it has always been important throughout the Bible. Abraham interceded on Lot’s behalf to save him from the destruction of his home town (Genesis 18-19), Jonah (though begrudgingly) interceded for the town of Nineveh (Jonah 3), and in the greatest act of intercession, Jesus came down to earth to live as one of us and interceded for our salvation (John 17:20-26; Luke 23:34).
As believers, we are not praying enough. 24-hour prayer houses are of critical importance, for the devil is on a rampage to destroy, kill and steal. Now is the time to pray for the youth, marriages, the Bride of Christ and for those still lost in the wilderness. It is time that all believers continue steadfastly in prayer, with the intercessors at the forefront of this mighty battle.
There is great power in prayer. We cannot only be occupied with preaching and teaching God’s word, but we need to pray the word, and we need to seek the face of the Almighty day and night! 24-hour prayer houses. It is time. In every city and every town. Constant prayer across the globe, interceding and seeking the Lord’s will and that His hand shall move in power.
Ezekiel 22 says the following: “30 I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].” Ezekiel 22 summarises the sins and abuses of the nation. As punishment for Israel’s sins, God says He will disperse them among the nations. In the ancient world of the Bible, cities had walls surrounding them to protect them from enemies. When the wall was breached, the city was vulnerable to destruction; the only way to secure it was for people, at times, to risk their lives by literally standing in the gap in the wall and fighting the enemy. Another option was for the gap to be repaired as soon as possible. If a breach were left unattended or unrepaired, the city would fall.
So in Ezekiel 22, the “gap” here represents the danger facing Jerusalem: God’s wrath is about to break through in judgment on the sinful city. So the Lord asked if there was anyone who would, in righteousness, intercede on behalf of the city and seek God’s mercy. If the gap is not repaired, then destruction is imminent. God searched for such a defender, but He could find none. It seems that, if someone had been willing to “stand in the gap,” the destruction of Jerusalem could have been avoided. Since no one was available or willing to defend the breach and rebuild the wall, judgment fell.
This is similar to the Genesis account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God reveals to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed for their grave sins (18:20). Abraham pleads for the lives of any righteous people living there, especially the lives of his nephew, Lot, and his family.
Still today the question echoes of who will in this last hour of perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1), like Abraham, be willing to stand in the gap of the Church? Make no mistake, there are plenty of “gaps” in the church walls, and the church is facing the danger of being overrun by the enemy and even judgement at the hands of God for her idolatry, treachery and devious ways.
There is just no more room for us to argue that it is OK with the church. The enemy is no longer at the door but has been allowed to breach the walls. Sin, iniquity, witchcraft and all other forms of rebellion and carnal behaviour are evident in this Church, once described by Augustine as the City of God. It is time to again take a stand on the walls and declare God’s Word and God’s Truth. It is time again to stand at the city gates and declare what is proper, holy and pure. It is time again to stand in the gap, and to defend God’s holy ways and truth no matter the cost. Who is prepared in this hour to be true watchmen, to be a rebuilder of what is broken and a restorer of what the enemy (John 10:10) has stolen and trampled upon?
Why prayer is crucial in house churches:
• Keeps Christ central instead of personalities • Prevents drift into casual fellowship only
• Sustains spiritual fire in small gatherings • Discerns direction without bureaucracy
In a house church, prayer replaces machinery. It becomes the primary way the Head leads the Body. Intercession is standing in the gap, before God for people, and before people on behalf of God. In small communities offense spreads faster, false doctrine spreads faster, and personal wounds affect everyone. Spiritual warfare can feel more direct. Intercession covers these vulnerabilities.
Every healthy house church needs people who pray before conflict erupts, discern attacks before they manifest, and carry the burdens of others quietly. Intercessors are often unseen stabilisers. In a spiritual sense, the Lord is calling for watchmen, and in truth, every believer is a watchman. We have all, in varying ways, been tasked to keep guard, to watch, to be alert and to be aware of any dangers or threats against the Bride of God, against our families, our nation, our marriage and our very own lives. We need to stand guard against what is false, what is deception, counterfeit, unholy, profane, carnal and rebellious in nature. Ezekiel 3:17 says, ““Son of man, I have made you a watchman.” A watchman watches for danger, sounds the alarm, and warns before destruction.
In a house church context, watchmen help discern spiritual atmosphere shifts, doctrinal compromise, unhealthy relational patterns, and outside influences. Without watchfulness, intimacy can become vulnerability. There’s a danger here too. Watchfulness must not become suspicion, control, or hyper-spiritual fear. True watchmen are humble, submitted to leadership, anchored in Scripture, and motivated by love. Intercession should create peace, not anxiety.
In a healthy house church apostolic voices bring direction, prophetic voices bring alignment, pastoral hearts protect people, teachers anchor doctrine, evangelists push outward, and intercessors guard inward. They are not competing roles — they are protective layers. In house churches, dedicated prayer rhythms (weekly or daily) should be considered, along with rotating prayer leadership, quiet discernment times before decisions, encouraging prophetic impressions to be weighed, and private intercessory teams who carry burdens. We are not talking about formal departments, but living spiritual culture. House churches thrive not because they are small. They thrive because Christ is truly Head. Prayer keeps Him central, intercession builds unseen walls, and watchmen guard the gates.
We find watchmen of all kinds of nature, and of calling and of importance and of ability. Just as in the days of Israel, we too find in the church-appointed watchmen who keep watch over the local congregation from an external point of view similar to one standing on a rooftop gazing over the fields, and we also find those watchmen who are more internally involved in the flow of spiritual matters, making sure that no idolatry, rebellion or lawlessness takes hold internally.
We also find watchmen who keep watch and guard corporately over the Bride, and we also find watchmen who are stationed in the “countryside”, meaning the marketplaces of this world, where a lot of the saints are in operation. The end-time remnant will be characterised as a people who watch and pray. Jesus used the phrase “watch and pray” on a couple of different occasions. Once was the night before the crucifixion. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed that “this cup be taken from me” (Matthew 26:39). After the prayer, He found His disciples sleeping. He was grieved that they could not even pray with Him for an hour and warned them to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Another occurrence of the phrase “watch and pray” is found earlier in Jesus’ ministry when He prophesied about the end times. Luke chapter 21 details many of those events, and Jesus warns that they would happen suddenly: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34). He then says, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (verse 36).
The word translated “watch” means “to have the alertness of a guard at night.” A night watchman must be even more vigilant than a daytime guard. In the daytime, danger can often be spotted from a distance. But at night everything is different. A night watchman must use senses other than sight to detect danger. He is often alone in the darkness and without the defences, he would otherwise employ. There may be no indications of an enemy attack until it happens, so he must be hyper-vigilant, suspecting it at any moment. That is the type of watching Jesus spoke about.
Jesus warned us that we are too easily distracted by the physical and will be caught unaware if we do not continually discipline ourselves. In the Garden of Gethsemane, sleepiness overcame the disciples. Their physical need overpowered their desire to obey Him. He was grieved when He saw this, knowing what was ahead for them. If they did not remain spiritually vigilant, in tune with Him (John 15:5) and ready to deny the flesh, they would be overcome by the evil one (1 Peter 5:8).
Jesus’ disciples today must also watch and pray. We are easily distracted by this world, our fleshly needs and desires, and the schemes of the enemy (2 Corinthians 2:11). When we take our eyes from Jesus and His soon return, our values begin to shift, our attention wanders, and soon we are living like the world and bearing little fruit for God’s kingdom (1 Timothy 6:18–19). He warned us that we must be ready at any moment to stand before Him and give an account of our lives (Romans 14:12; 1 Peter 4:5; Matthew 12:36).
We can only remain faithful when we are devoted to prayer. In prayer, we continually allow God to forgive us, cleanse us, teach us, and strengthen us to obey Him (John 14:14). To keep watch, we must pray for endurance and freedom from distractions (Hebrews 12:2; Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18). We must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). When we live with the eager expectation of the Lord’s return and expect persecution until then (2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 24:9; 1 Peter 4:12), we are more likely to keep our lives pure and our hearts ready to meet Him.
We after all need the discernment of times and seasons and so we need to know what is also happening in the world and how it affects the church – especially when it comes to the economy, philosophy, religions and politics. Such watchmen were of critical importance during the hundreds of years of religious conflict and in the turbulent ages when the world saw many social, political and economic upheavals that threatened to destabilize the church.
And why must we watch and pray? Because there is a clear and intentional onslaught against the spiritual ‘gates’. This has been revealed by the Lord. This is not an attack for the ‘now’ but an attack that has always existed. This is an attack that is escalating, intensifying and becoming more vicious than ever before. It is an attack to lead people away from God, thus an attack on the destruction of the person.
And we are talking here about the ‘gate’ – entry point – of nations, of cities, of homes, of families, and our very lives. A gate is a strategic point. It is a point of legally ‘controlling’ what goes in and goes out of the ‘city’. The enemy is laying siege to gain entry, for once he has entered through the ‘gate’, he comes to steal, to destroy and to kill. For the Lord has shown the enemy has come like an assassin, like a thief and as a destroyer.
Let us first understand the importance of a gate in the Scriptures. Besides being part of a city’s protection against invaders, city gates were places of central activity in biblical times. It was at the city gates that important business transactions were made, the court was convened, and public announcements were heralded. Accordingly, it is natural that the Bible frequently speaks of “sitting in the gate” or of the activities that took place at the gate. In Proverbs 1, wisdom is personified: “At the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech” (verse 21). To spread her words to the maximum number of people, Wisdom took to the gates.
The first mention of a city gate is found in Genesis 19:1. It was at the gate of Sodom that Abraham’s nephew, Lot, greeted the angelic visitors to his city. Lot was there with other leading men of the city, either discussing the day’s issues or engaging in important civic business. In the Law of Moses, the parents of a rebellious son were told to bring him to the city gate, where the elders would examine the evidence and pass judgment (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). This affirms that the city gate was central to community action. Another important example is found in the book of Ruth. In Ruth 4:1-11, Boaz officially claimed the position of kinsman-redeemer by meeting with the city elders at the gate of Bethlehem. There, the legal matters related to his marriage to Ruth were settled.
As Israel combatted the Philistines, the priest Eli waited at the city gate for news regarding the ark and to hear how his sons fared in the battle (1 Samuel 4:18). When King David ruled Israel, he stood before his troops to give instructions from the city gate (2 Samuel 18:1-5). After his son Absalom died, David mourned but eventually returned to the city gate along with his people (2 Samuel 19:1-8).
Therefore, in essence, to CONTROL THE GATES OF ONE’S ENEMIES WAS TO CONQUER THEIR CITY. Why? Because it was the place of trade, commerce, and where the judgment was passed. Part of Abraham’s blessing from the Lord was the promise that “your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies” (Genesis 22:17).
When Jesus promised to build His Church, He said, “The gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). An understanding of the biblical implications of “gates” helps us interpret Jesus’ words. Since a gate was a place where rulers met and counsel was given, Jesus was saying that all the evil plans and schemes of Satan himself would never defeat the Church. Thus, for those who are the Blood, the devil cannot rule, and he cannot control or take up a place of dominion (manifested in the old days as taking control of trade and commerce).
So let us understand, a gate is of great significance. Again, to control the gate means you control the “space” behind the gate. To control the gate(s) of a nation means you can control the nation, for it means you can control governance, business, and even launch an attack against the spiritual strongholds within the nation.
We need watchmen and prayer warriors to stand guard over the gates of homes where house churches have been born. We need to guard against demonic infiltration and internal disruptions. We need to pray for revival, for growth, for the Spirit to move, for sound doctrine, and for the fire to burn on God’s altar. Yes, we need to pay and guard against abominations, heresy, false altars, deceptive doctrines, and the exaltation of man. House churches need to be safeguarded and protected through prayer and ‘watching’. If we don’t, the enemy will seek to enter and control the environment within. This is when discord erupts, and the poison of the devil pollutes the well of God’s living waters.
Let us remember the truth that the devil roams like a lion, seeking to devour and to destroy (1 Peter 5:8). This Scripture also speaks about being alert, because the devil is always looking for ways to attack our gates, to attack our homes, our lives and our families. He is constantly roaming like a roaring lion, trying to impart fear, trying to confuse and to deceive. The very tactic of the devil is to lure us away from the Lord, from His Truth and from His Kingdom so that our ‘gates’ of our nations, the churches, our homes and our lives are exposed to the infiltration, infestation and corruption of the devil. He wants us to move away from the Light of the Lord, from the Blood and the Covering of the Lord by moving into the carnality and depravity of the world. For then the devil can attack and devour and destroy.
Now, let us understand the enemy can either lay siege to a gate or take it by force or the gate can be so seductive that he is ALLOWED LEGALLY through the gate. The enemy is a sly fox, and the reason why there are so many false doctrines and teachings in churches today is that the devil has been allowed through the gate. And once the enemy gains LEGAL entry, he can operate legally to destroy, kill and steal. This is why we need to pray over house churches and the gates, so that no legal ground is given.
This is what happens in countries throughout the world, where the church has not been a watchman and so has allowed the enemy into the nation, into the government and into commerce. The result is a corrupt nation that suffers violence, lawlessness and anarchy. Why? Because the enemy has been allowed to enter through the gate. Let us understand, the enemy wants to enter through the gate. He wants to control us. He wants to come into our homes and into our families. As Christians, we must be careful and not allow him in, but so great are the onslaught and so intense the attack this is what is happening. If we give way, if we compromise, then we give the devil a foothold.
Just so, our hearts, our minds, and our senses are all gateways into our soul and spirit. All believers in one sense or another are watchmen, firstly as a watchman over our own lives, for it says in Proverbs 4:23: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. We are called to firstly keep guard over our own hearts, but also to stand guard for our brothers and sisters regarding dangers, threats and any other disabling forces and lastly to keep a watch over the lost who are still held captive by the darkness.
We need to be so aware of our spiritual walk and we need to keep guard over our own “gates”. We need to aware and be alert to every danger and threat that attempts to steal God’s presence. We need to be wary and alert to such pitfalls, temptations and tests that rise against our brothers and sisters in Christ and we need to be discerning regarding those who are still lost and who are looking to find their way.
It says in “2 Timothy 1: 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. 13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
In the days of Jerusalem, we find the Lord called for watchmen to stand guard on the walls, at the city gates, on the ramparts and in the countryside – these watchmen were tasked to discern danger, to discern any form of external or internal threat and they were tasked to provide an additional sense of security and peace. The Old City walls contained 43 surveillance towers to guard the 11 gates, illustrating the importance of standing guard over the gates. The concept of watchmen is, however, not only pertinent to Israel’s history – during all the wars and conflicts, armies have used sentries and watchmen to keep guard and to stand at the post regarding any dangers.
We read of such watchmen in “Song of Solomon 3: 3 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city”, and also in “2 Samuel 18: 24 While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out to the king and reported it.”
A prophetic action of a watchman is found in “Isaiah 21: 11 A prophecy against Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” 12 The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.” And also in Hosea 9:7-9: 7 The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac. 8 The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God. 9 They have sunk deep into corruption, as in the days of Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.”
We find in the Bible that Ezekiel was charged as a prophetic watchman, meaning one who watches for any internal or external threats spiritually, and he was tasked to keep watch over God’s pending judgment as Israel slipped deeper into idolatry and spiritual rebellion.
We perceive therefore that Ezekiel was tasked to warn the people against the “sword”, against wickedness and against idolatry. Ezekiel, therefore, understood that he was called to keep guard against wickedness in the sense that the wicked ways of the people invited judgment in the form of the sword. And the words of the Lord are quite harsh, for He warns Ezekiel that if he fails to react to what he sees and he fails to sound a warning then the blood of those who perished are on his hands.
So yes, the onslaught is real. We live in a world of great depravity, where the truth of God has been abandoned for New Age teachings, secularism, and the exaltation of the Self. We live in a world of 2 Timothy 3: But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
We need to be alert, we need to be sober, and take guard against the ways of the enemy who seeks to infiltrate, manipulate and cause destruction, and death. It says in “Revelation 22 of the Perfect Life, thus the end of all (the New Jerusalem) and God’s final establishment of rule: 3 There will no longer exist anything that is cursed [because sin and illness and death are gone]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve and worship Him [with great awe and joy and loving devotion]; 4 they will [be privileged to] see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.” Only then will there be no more need to stand guard over the gates, but until then, when darkness is no more, we must remain vigilant and on guard.
Yes, we need the watchmen to arise! For the Lord has shown this is a relentless attack – an attack upon attack. And we need to take note of what the enemy is doing lest we be swept away by the demonic onslaught. This onslaught comes in the form of anything unnatural, unholy, immoral, false, counterfeit, and deceptive. It is an onslaught of great darkness and spiritual destruction. We need to realise modern-day warfare is very similar to spiritual warfare. Let us arise, until sheep become lions, until children become men, and until warriors take their place on the Lord’s battlefield. Let us arise with the song of Psalm 24 in our hearts. God is indeed calling an army who is willing to watch and pray, to discern, to “see”, and to keep guard.
The House Church Blueprint was Written by Riaan Engelbrecht
