O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;

they will pray day and night, continually.

Isaiah 62:6

A watchman on a wall is one who is watching for two things: messengers and enemies. As we see in this verse, they are praying continually. This is in sharp contrast to the watchman in Isaiah 56:10 where they are described as blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger is approaching. They just lie around and sleep. They are useless and good for nothing. We don’t want to be this kind of watchman. That’s why we pray. We pray continually and we take no rest from our praying.

Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work.

Isaiah 62:6-7

What does it mean to watch for messengers? A watchman on the wall would alert the gatekeepers to open the gate for a messenger coming with an important message. Sometimes the messenger might be trying to lay a trap. It would take discernment. That’s where prayer comes in. The Holy Spirit can give us discernment. What we may think is a good thing to do or even pray, may be the opposite of where God is working in that moment. It is important to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. There is so much more to this than what I can write in this devotion. A book I would recommend would be Watchman Prayer by Dutch Sheets.

What does it mean to watch for the enemy? This seems more obvious. When the enemy was approaching, the watchman would alert the city so they could be prepared. We have an enemy that is out to steal and kill and destroy anyone he can. As we pray, we are in battle mode, fighting the enemy. We put on the armor of God. We aren’t ignorant of his schemes or intentions. We remain alert. We pray to God who is able to fight the battle and win! We put our trust in Him. We know that God is in control and that He will fight for us. At the right time, He will make it happen.

For I will plant them there with my own hands in order to bring myself glory. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.

Isaiah 60:21-22

The most important thing as watchman that we can do is continue to pray and never give up. Pray as long as it takes, knowing that God’s timing is the right time. Prayer always precedes revival. Pray with all kinds of prayers and requests. Don’t be like the watchmen in Isaiah 56:10. Don’t let complacency or tiredness keep you from praying. Don’t be blind or ignorant of the enemies tactics. Stay focused and persistent, not letting the Lord rest until He completes His work.