This article is part 6 in our newest series on intercession. To read part 5, click here.

For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he sees (Isaiah 21:6). 

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If you pray, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “watchmen on the walls.” In biblical times, a watchman was appointed to oversee from the city’s walls or a tower. Their role was to watch for any approaching danger or potential threats and, if needed, sound the alarm to warn the people before anything occurred. 

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Ezekiel was a prophet and priest, but the Lord called him to be a watchman for Israel. “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). His role involved warning others by declaring the Word of the Lord and portraying prophetic acts before the people. While not everyone will be asked to do those things, we can pray as watchmen when we intercede before the Lord. Here are the biblical qualities the Bible lists.

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed and stationed watchmen who will never keep silent day or night; You who profess the LORD, take no rest for yourselves, And give Him no rest [from your prayers] until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise on the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7). 

In this case, Jerusalem had watchmen interceding for Israel day and night. The Lord had made a covenant promise to the nation, and these people would not stay silent until the Lord did what He said He would and made Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Likewise, America must have people, men and women, who make intercession on behalf of the nation. 

Intercessory prayer is not passive. A watchman reminds the Lord of His covenant promises. We continue to pray, even in the night watches. We wait with hope and expectation in the Lord, because He who promises is faithful to keep His word. Watchmen will not keep silent. Just like the widow who went before the unrighteous judge in Luke 18. The parable is about the persistent widow who kept coming before him, demanding what was due, until he grew weary. God is not an unjust judge. He will not grow weary of our continual asking as we stand in the gap for our nation. Persistence is needed for intercession. In Luke 18:1, Jesus told them the parable so they would pray and not faint. 

Watch and Pray

Every Christian has a personal responsibility to watch and pray for themselves; that’s why Jesus warned his disciples in Matthew 26:41. We are responsible for staying spiritually alert and aware of the dangers around us. “Watch” appears 88 times in the Bible, most often in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. 

Watching and being alert is good, but watching and praying together is better. One keeps us alert and ready to intercept our enemy’s traps, dangers, and plots. The other keeps us dependent on God. We know where our help comes from and that nothing is impossible with Him.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2). 

In Nehemiah 4:1-8, the men were rebuilding the walls, but Sanballat and his men were furious that they couldn’t deceive Nehemiah or convince him to stop building. When that didn’t work, they resorted to threats to intimidate the people, and Nehemiah responded in verse 9.

“But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” 

They did not back down or give way to fear. The first response was to pray to God about the threats they received, and then they set a watch day and night (watchmen) to look out for any signs of threats. Nehemiah stationed these men in the exposed gaps in the walls that could have given the enemy access; they literally stood in the gaps for their families and their nation. 

When the Watchmen Fall Asleep

For the leaders of my people— the LORD’s watchmen, his shepherds— are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming (Isaiah 56:10). 

In this chapter, the Lord was not happy that the spiritual leaders and watchmen of those days were slacking off. They were called to see from the heights, but the Lord called them blind. They were apathetic to the corruption and injustice around them, and because the leaders were blind, the nation was open to judgment. 

The Lord called them silent watchdogs who give no warning when danger is near. That paints a powerful picture. No one would buy a lazy dog that loves naps to guard their home. Yet these watchmen had grown silent; they no longer warned the leaders or cried out to the people about the Lord’s ways or the consequences of their sinful actions.  

They loved to sleep, meaning they had grown comfortable with the sin around them. When the watchmen of a nation fall asleep, when spiritual leaders no longer cry out, when prayer halts, spiritual and moral decay increases. We must be a people who remain awake and who watch, pray, and never grow silent.

Not On My Watch

Jesus often told his disciples to watch for the Lord’s return. As Matthew 24:43 says, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.”

We all have a target on our backs, especially those in positions of authority, whether governmental or spiritual. A thief is after us, set to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). Not only did our Lord Jesus come to give us abundant life, but he also said that if we had known the hour the thief was coming, we would never have allowed him to break in. None of us, in our right minds, would leave the door unlocked when we aren’t home, or leave our doors and windows open at night, because it gives a thief easy access. But when we are spiritually asleep, apathetic, prayerless, we do the same thing, not just in our personal lives, but in our churches, cities, government, and nation.

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] (1 Thessalonians 5:6 AMP). 

The need for watchmen who will not go silent in prayer, and for those who will remain alert and sober-minded for our families, our cities, our churches, our nation, and our leaders, has never been greater. Will you say yes to watching and praying? 

Father, 

We come before you and cry out for our nation and leaders. We ask for eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is speaking to the church. We ask that any hearts of stone, hardened by bitterness, offense, unforgiveness, or unbelief, become hearts of flesh again. Awaken the watchmen who have fallen asleep, call them back to their post, and back to the place of prayer. 

Lord, help us be sober and vigilant, so we give the thief no access to our lives, churches, cities, and this nation. We know that according to Your word in Psalm 127:1, unless You watch the city, the watchmen stay awake in vain. Continue to watch over America and our cities; hear our prayers for the nation to see Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, in Jesus name, amen. 

How are you praying about this issue? Share your scriptures and prayers in the comments below.

IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: Antonio Garcia Prats from Pexels via Canva.