How do We Watch Out?

Our Intercession blog is Alive! – find link to your right è

Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.

Good morning.

Jesus told His disciples: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” (Matthew 26:41). Paul encouraged in Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,” and Jesus warned in Luke 21:34-36: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

There are many indications that the end is near. Jesus cautions the hearers to take care not to be so self-centred and involved with all kinds of carnal and materialistic activities that we won’t realise Jesus has come and that the end-time activities, such as the coming of the anti-Christ, has started to take place. Jesus used the words ‘be always on the watch’. The word ‘always’ means what it says – i.e. never not be on the watch.

What does it mean to be on the watch? I take it that when you walk through a dark alley in a crime ridden area of a city, you will have your earphones with your favourite music on your ears and happily whistle with it. No? Your ears will be focused on every little noise and you will constantly look around you whilst you walk as fast as you can to get through the alley, won’t you? When we watch in our walk with the Lord, we watch out for anything that could hinder our relationship with Him, for only those who does the will of the Father in heaven will enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21).

What must we watch out for? There are plenty of things, and I would summarise it as temptation to disobey the Lord and to not act in faith.

How do we watch out? The Lord wants us to continuously monitor our relationship with Him. He’s coming for those who expect Him and are ready for Him, which is why Jesus told of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:1-13&version=NIV. This parable ends with these words: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” We need to watch our attitude and conduct closely, e.g. I had some persecution lately and my first carnal reaction was to feel sorry for myself and sulk. I just wanted to pack up and go and told myself it’s not worth the while, etc. etc. The Holy Spirit quietly nudged me and asked what I was doing. When I realised what I was thinking, I checked myself and started to replace my carnal thoughts with declarations of who Jesus was: I’m more than a conqueror in Christ, the joy of the Lord is my strength, perfect love drives out all fear, the peace of the Lord guards over my heart and my mind, etc.

In Christ we are more than conquerors, but outside of Christ we are of the sinful nature. We are not automatically in Christ. When we are born again we are saved, but still need to consciously stay in Christ to have all the benefits Christ offers us. That’s why we must watch. We must watch that we do not act carnally, i.e. slipping into self mode, but that we keep acting by faith, staying in line with Christ, walking by the Spirit. The groom, Jesus, comes for those who are in Him, look out for Him, and expect Him – the wise virgins.

Lord, teach me to watch where I am in you.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

If you benefited from this, why don’t you link it to your Facebook or Twitter or forward the e-mail reminder to make it available to your friends? You can also use the e-mail link to pass it on. Please pray as well for its distribution to those who need it and feel free to ask questions or discuss thoughts.