With every passing day now, we can see the signs. The time of Jesus’ return is almost upon us. And with every tick of the spiritual clock, I am more keenly aware that you and I were born for this hour. We have been sent by God to do the Kingdom work that must be done in the final days of this age.
We’re not on the earth in 2012 by chance. God predetermined our allotted period of time and the boundaries of our habitation (Acts 17:26 Amp.). Before the foundation of the world, He chose us and approved us to put Him on display at this exact moment in history (Jer. 1:5, Eph. 1:4). He strategically equipped us and positioned us to fulfill His divine purpose.
And a primary part of that purpose is this: we are called to watch and pray.
Scripture after scripture confirms it. Whether the words come directly from the lips of Jesus, through the apostle Paul, or through the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, the Lord has said to us time and again:
- Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matt. 24:42 KJV)
- Take ye heed, watch and pray. (Mark 13:33 KJV)
- Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thess. 5:4-6 KJV)
- Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Eph. 6:18 KJV)
- 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. And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Is. 62:6-8 KJV)
- Watch ye therefore, and pray always. (Luke 21:36 KJV)
Other aspects of the work God gives us will vary. He will lead me to do one thing and you to do another. But in this, we are all the same. God has called us to be watchmen.
Spies Behind Enemy Lines
What, exactly, are watchmen? In Old Testament times, they were the sentinels who stood guard on the walls that surrounded the cities. They served as extensions of the king, assisting him in his work of keeping his kingdom safe and prosperous.
The word watchman in Hebrew is derived from watch which means to see, have vision, keep, look after, hedge about, give voice, warn, or be lifted high in observation. The word can also mean to spy. I especially like that definition! It vividly portrays what we, as pray-ers, are called to do.
Like spies, we receive instructions from our heavenly Commander in Chief. We watch for God to speak to our hearts and reveal His will, as Psalm 5:2 says. Then, by the power of the Holy Ghost, we slip behind the enemy’s lines, detect his movements, and cut him off with our prayers before anything bad can happen.
Over the years, I’ve known some wonderful spiritual spies. People like Sister Jeanne Wilkerson, for instance. She’s gone home to be with the Lord now, but in her day, she was a great watchman. Among my favorite stories about her is one my prayer mentor, Phillip Halverson, used to tell about how she once saved his house from a tornado.
The tornado hit Tulsa where the Halverson’s owned a home while they were out of town at a prayer conference. They returned to find a mess in their area of the city. Debris lay scattered all around but their house was virtually untouched. Only three tiles were torn off the roof. Brother Halverson could see the evidence of divine intervention so he asked, “What happened here, Lord?”
“Jeanne Wilkerson was watching,” He answered.
Sure enough, when Brother Halverson called her, she verified it. “The Devil sent a horde of demons here to destroy saints’ houses,” she said. “But nary a one of them was touched because I was watching all night.”
(Minneapolis: Lynne Hammond Ministries) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”