Watchmen

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” – 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

I read an article recently that said that turkeys have a vocabulary of warning calls which they employ depending on the predator. One is always on watch to warn the flock as soon as danger threatens.

We are also to be on watch like the turkeys, so that we may warn our brothers and sisters of impending danger from predators. We are called to be watchmen, all of us, not to look out for number one only but to have such compassion that will allow us to keep watch over one another because the devil, our great enemy, is on the prowl. Please don’t believe, not even for a moment that he is seeking one person at a time, no way, if he could devour the entire flock in one fell swoop then he will. 

Understand too that our enemy prowling, means that he’s always on the ready to pounce at the slightest sign of weakness or inattentiveness. As he spots it, he will move in for the kill, so in order for us to not fall prey to him, we must be vigilant, standing “firm against him” and remaining steadfast in our faith. The devil is going all out to entrap you, he’s not holding back; he is watching, he is staying alert and he is keeping a close eye on you, just waiting for you to lose your footing and waver in your faith. We can be so easily distracted, and at times gullible and the devil uses these inherent traits of ours to his advantage. 

Throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New, we are constantly being warned to “Stay alert!”, “Stay awake!”, “keep watch over your soul”. The Message Bible translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:6 tells us to “not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart.” And Jesus explained to His disciples, in Mark 14:38 that “the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” How many times has your body betrayed your willing spirit? You’re eager to stay awake but your eyelids feel weighted and it’s a struggle to keep them open. It happens but when you are weak, in every manner, remember that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. 

Yes, you must find your strength for all things in God, including the strength to remain spiritually awake. Psalm 127:1 says that the watchman stays awake in vain unless the Lord is watching over the city. If God is not watching over you then what’s the point? You simply cannot do this watching, staying awake and being alert in your own strength. God is willing to keep watch over you but you have to pay attention to His Spirit’s urging, recognize the warning signs that He’s pointing out, notice the red flags when they’re hoisted and be quick to react accordingly. 

Spiritual darkness has a tendency to lull us to sleep and, like the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, we can fall asleep at the wrong time. That’s why, when you feel yourself drifting away you must begin to pray. That night in the Garden, when Jesus said, “be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it.” (Mark 14:38 MSG), is a message that rings true for all of us today. 

Amen†

Watchmen

Shelley Johnson June 26, 2017