“For thus has the Lord said to me: ‘Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.’” (Isaiah 21:6; NKJV)
While many nations are being impacted by increased violence from radical Islamic terrorists, as Christians, we must prepare to individually stand guard over the spiritual walls of our neighborhoods and cities through intercessory prayer.
The Isaiah 21 passage I quoted from gives a picture of God in His mighty power, preparing to deal with the nation of Babylon. Babylon was such a dominant world power at the time that no one thought it could come down; however, the message conveyed through this chapter is, “There is no strongman or nation that God cannot deal with or pull down.”
We serve a powerful God who created the universe, and we need not fear the enemy, no matter how terrible they seem to be. The strongman of ISIS will one day come down and be defeated.
In the meantime, we need to watch, pray, and not give in to fear. We must be prepared to stand in the gap and form a hedge, or wall, of protection for the places where we live ( see Ezekiel 22:30). Remember, in the time of Nehemiah, the walls of the city of Jerusalem were broken down—it was defenseless against an enemy’s attack. Without walls, a city could not be adequately protected.
It is important to understand that, because you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the power and authority through prayer to protect the certain place where you live from the evil of terrorism.
Rather than cower in fear in our homes, we need to build spiritual walls of protection around our families, schools, public spaces, workplaces, and communities.
How do you become an active watchman?
- Sign up! Tell the Lord that you are willing to be called to prayer at any moment of any day.
- Develop a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Do not ignore the smallest prompting to pray, at all times, everywhere.
- Find scriptures to pray over your part of the wall. A good passage is Psalm 91. I have been told that Jewish rabbis suggest it be read in a time of trouble.
- Read stories of God’s intervention, such as the one I recounted in my first book, Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, about the way God answered the prayers of the British people and protected them against the superior air power of the Nazis. Stories like this will increase your faith!
- Form a prayer group for your neighborhood or community, or join one at your local church. Do not wait for someone else; be the initiator if you cannot find one. Find unique ways to pray if you have small children, such as starting a conference call or connecting with others via Skype and similar social networking venues.
- Prayer-walk your neighborhood, and ask God to expose any terrorist activity that might be in your area.
- Pay attention to any dreams God gives you, as He might be trying to protect you or your city through these “night visions.”
We can be confident that the weapons God has given us truly are mighty for pulling down strongholds (see 2 Cor. 10:4). We are called to be the watchmen, so let’s stand guard over our communities and cities!
Cindy Jacobs
Cindy Jacobs is an author, speaker, and teacher with a heart for discipling nations in the areas of prayer and prophetic gifts. She and Mike—her husband of 41 years—co-founded Generals International in 1985.
