What is a Watchman Prophet?
GNOW Team
What is a Watchman?
"Watchman" is a Biblical concept of how the Lord appoints people to stand in a specific place or time guarding and in watchful alert. This Watchman place is therefore a very broad concept of spiritual engagement. A Watchman is a Prophet, gifted with spiritual discernment that needs to be trained and refined according to their calling.
You can stand watch over a place or group that is very personal: your family, your community, your workplace, your church.
You can stand watch over an organisation, the Church, an area of business or service, another nation or people group, international regions, or the Global.
Most Christians are called to act as a watchman in some capacity, but the way they operate will look different if they have a specific Watchman call. All are called to watch and pray, but some will carry a weight of authority and responsibility in their sphere that is their primary call.
Four Biblical expressions of the Watchman Calling
- The Pastoral Watchman - Bringing warnings to the Church and world calling for righteousness (Ezekiel 33)
The Church needs those who are aligned to God’s heart, watching for dangers of compromise, ungodly attitudes and the spreading contamination of unrepentance. This isn’t a policing role, with harsh judgement of individuals and religious attitudes, but to prepare the Bride, to ensure that the people of God have oil for their lamps!
- The Promise Holder - Reminding the Lord of His promises according to Isaiah 62:6-12
The Church also needs those who stand before the Lord and declare His greatness and hold fast to His promises until they are accomplished. The Lord is looking for those who will stand in unwavering trust of His promises and seek for His Will to be done.
- The Sentinel Prophetic Watchman - Strategic watch from a long view, big perspective (Isaiah 21)
A Sentinel stands watch from a set vantage point, looking ahead for blessings, opportunities and dangers. They will assess and analyse what they are shown by the Lord and understand the territory they oversee. They will be alert to bring warnings to the Church of strategically important events, which may not be immediately impacting but need to be prepared for. They will know times and seasons and be able to advise on the required response.
- The Gatekeeper Prophetic Watchman - First responder, position of guarding and gathering people to stand in the gap (Nehemiah 4:16-23).
The role of the prophetic gatekeeper is one who is ready to respond when a threat emerges. They aware of what is happening around them and have the authority to communicate to the leaders when there is a threat or an opportunity. They will bar the gate to enemy forces but open it to those who carry blessing. They will be Prophetic Intercessors who are able to call together prayer warriors to respond in prayer and spiritual warfare.
It is these last two roles that the Lord is emphasising in these days. These are specifically prophetic roles, called and positioned to gather together those in the church who will respond in prayer and spiritual warfare. They will work together in strategic partnership to prepare the church and respond to the issues.
Prophets may be both Gatekeepers and Sentinels at the same time, but it is important to know which position you are standing in when the Lord reveals something to you. Then you will know if this is something that needs a rapid action response or a strategic preparation response and will be able to share with clarity. Prophetic Watchmen need to have trusted relationships with the five fold leadership of the church in order to operate with the right authority.
The Global Watchman
There are two primary focuses for Watchmen – the Church and the Community. These can be with a local, national, international or global perspective and that will significantly impact how and when a prophetic warning is received and released.
A Global Watchman will be positioned to watch the interconnecting events and attitudes across nations and regions. They have a perspective that understands the impacts and opportunities within the global community, from small crises to massive disasters. They are likely to be naturally strategic thinkers with the ability to recognise and prepare for local and international issues that affect and influence the global communities and the global church.
Most of the time a Global Watchman will operate from a Sentinel posture, watching for the broad impact issues and long time-frame situations. They will not be alarmed by crisis events, with clear revelation and discernment of what is happening strategically in the earth.
They will also stand as Gatekeepers, alerted by the Lord to immediate dangers that affect our world. This revelation comes with an intercessory mandate that enables a Gatekeeper to respond and raise up others in strategic spiritual warfare.