Simply stated, a watch really takes our prayer life and relationship with God to a higher level of accountability and responsibility personally and corporately with others.
The basic principles of a watch are as follows:
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Intimacy with God
Habakkuk 2:1 “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me.” -
Attentive accurate Focus
Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for you do not know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” -
Corporate Interaction and Relational Effectiveness
Nehemiah 4:19 “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
The Hebrew words for watchmen, natsar, shamar, and tsaphah, relay both an offensive and defensive stance in prayer. The Greek words, gregoreuo, and agrupneo refer to protection and connote an alertness in prayer to protect the purposes of God and His Kingdom. Taking these meanings together, a “watch” position in prayer is an alert, offensive, and defensive stance in prayer for our relationship with God and for the advance of His Kingdom. It carries a connotation of responsibility in our relationship with both God and men to alert and contend for the ultimate advance of His Kingdom.