The Ministry of the Watchman

by Chip Brogden
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me” (Ezekiel 33:7).
The watchman is a prophet and intercessor called to bring the Word of God to Israel, the Body of Christ. We use the term watchman to include both roles of prophet and intercessor.

Most people liken the prophetic ministry to prophesying and speaking of visions and dreams from God. This definition is too narrow and opens us up to misunderstanding. The function of the prophetic intercessor, or watchman, is best defined as taking place in the course of four stages: Revelation, Intercession, Proclamation, and Restoration. We will discuss these areas more particularly in a moment.

We must use the Scriptures as our sole authority for defining and determining the job description of the prophet. Whatever the popular thought or current practice may be, we are not interested in mans notions of what a prophet should be or what everyone else is doing. Taking the passage from Ezekiel as a springboard, we make the following observations:

1) “I have set thee a watchman.” Prophets are not self-anointed. Prophets are not called by a denomination or installed by men. Prophets do not receive a prophetic ministry through the laying on of hands by another prophet (but it certainly may be confirmed by another prophet; that is not the same thing). One does not decide to become a prophet, neither may one volunteer their services to be a prophet.

God reserves the right to set His own watchmen, and this He will do according to His will, and according to His timing. We do not know why He chooses the ones He chooses. It is a work of grace. Many prophets are selected from birth or from childhood. John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit within his mothers womb. We dare not intrude into this holy work by setting up our own prophets or stepping into a place that God has not put us. It is Gods Hand, and no other.

2) “Unto the house of Israel.” The prophet speaks primarily to Gods people, the house of Israel. The New Testament church is the spiritual Israel of God (Galatians 3:3-9; 4:21-31). Watchmen do not speak to the world writ large, casting their pearls before swine. They are called to exhort, edify, rebuke, and build the Church of God, building upon the foundation that is laid already in Christ.

The prophet does not usually bring a one size fits all generic sort of message that speaks to the universe. It is typically a surgical strike, directed and honed to penetrate a particular thing in the Body of Christ, with Spirit-led precision that cuts through the formalities and niceties to get to the guts of the task at hand. The very nature of the of message cuts to the quick and makes some gnash their teeth. Even so, God has set Watchman in the Church for its own edification, comfort, and protection.

3) “Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” Why doesn’t God speak directly to His people? Why speak indirectly through a prophet? The prophet is called to speak warning. It presupposes that the house of Israel has sunk to such a low degree that God may no longer speak directly to the nation. He must use a man to speak to men.

We may argue that we are all priests and the Lord may speak to us just as He speaks to prophets. This is the spirit behind Korah’s Rebellion:

“And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?” (Numbers 16:2,3).

Let us not quibble about through whom the Word comes. The watchman is on the wall and is looking at things from a different vantage point. He sees things you cannot or will not see. Since God has set him there, it would be a mistake to ignore the warning he brings. If God can use a donkey to rebuke the madness of Balaam, certainly we should pay particular attention to one who comes to us in the name of the Lord.

Let us receive the prophet in faith and judge the message he brings with righteous judgment, not murmuring because God chooses to warn us through someone else and not directly. Usually it is because God cannot get through to us directly that He is compelled to send a prophet to arrest our attention. Prophets are a last resort, not a primary expression for God or the preferable vessel God would use. If we will not obey the written Word, God will send a prophet to speak the Word to our face. Thus it is that if they will not hear the LAW and the PROPHETS, they will not believe even if Christ should rise from the dead and tell them directly (Luke 16:29-31). To reject the one that is sent is to reject the One who sends (Luke 10:16).

This in a nutshell is the ministry of the watchman. The discharge of the burden of the Lord through the watchman may be properly classified as falling into four areas, in chronological order.

First, there is revelation. True ministry must be based upon God-given revelation, not theological degrees of head-knowledge. We may speak from knowledge but knowledge alone does not impart life. If it did only educated people would be saved. Christ says the Spirit quickeneth; the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63). That quickening is the operation of the Spirit to impart revelation to us. That, coupled with knowledge, is sufficient.

Prophets do not bring new truth. Revelation is simply a revealing of what is already true and bringing it to bear upon our heart and soul. Revelation is based upon insight into the written Word of God, not into visions and dreams and prophecies. These other things are simply tools for expressing the Word, they are not the Word; no more than the water hose is water, it simply delivers the water.

I am sure you have experienced revelation in the course of your Bible study. A passage may be read for years without making an impression upon us. One day the light of God shines upon the passage and we understand the meaning; we know the intent; we enter into the Spirit of the Word and it becomes exceedingly precious, meaningful, and real to us. This is revelation.

If it were simply a matter of study we could just say study your Bible more. But it is not more study that we have need of; it is prayerfully pondering and meditating upon the Word day and night until the Spirit bears witness with our Spirit and we discern the meaning by way of revelation. Christ spoke the Word, yes; but without the quickening Spirit mixed with faith in the hearers, it will not save. Hence, the prophet (and every minister of the Gospel) must have revelation into the Word to speak with authority and impart life to the hearers.

Let us only speak what God reveals to us by way of revelation. We will surely speak less, but our words will be all the more weighty and full of life. If an individual cannot wait upon the Lord and receive fresh insight into the Word and experience the quickening of the Spirit upon that Word, they cannot minister in any capacity and bear lasting fruit.

Once the prophet has received revelation, he must enter into intercession. We must pray for many reasons. For one thing, the revelation is known to the inner man but the mind is unable to express it. It is yet in an embryonic state and must be drawn out from the spirit. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out (Proverbs 20:5). As we wait before the Lord He will begin to give us understanding and words to express what we have seen. This process cannot be hurried. It may take days, weeks, months, and sometimes years to give expression to what we have seen.

Perhaps you have risen to speak or share something God has shown you. You know what you are trying to say, it is near and real to your heart; but after two or three sentences you seem to hit a brick wall. You find yourself talking in circles and take your seat more burdened than ever. There seems to be no liberty in your ability to relate what you know. This occurs when we have not lingered in prayer and received from God words and understanding with which to properly express what He has shown us.

And, we must pray not only for the proper words, but for the proper timing. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him (Proverbs 27:14). We must wait for Gods timing in giving the Word. Many prophets assume that when we have a Word from the Lord we may then take it and shout it from the housetops. This is not usually the case. Most of the time we are simply called to pray and intercede. If the Lord sends us to speak, well; if not, we will pray. You may pray and pray and pray without outward change. Then one day the Lord tells you to arise, gird up your loins, and get thee to Zeraphath. Then let us make haste. Until then, we will wait for His timing as well as His method of expression.

When the timing is right, then the prophet moves into the third stage of action, which is proclamation. Some think proclamation means prefacing things with Thus saith the Lord and speaking out in an authoritative voice. While this does happen it is not the only way, and probably not the best way.

Here is the situation. God has planted a word in our heart. We will be uncomfortable until we find release through prayer or through proclamation or both. Let me explain. If you are burdened of the Lord to intercede for an individual, your spirit will give you no rest until you have prayed through (some of you older folks knows what it means to pray through). Praying through is nothing more than making intercession until the Lord lifts that burden and heaviness off our heart. If we try to neglect or ignore the burden to pray it simply becomes unbearable. We must pray through to obtain release, just as opening the valve of a pressure cooker releases the steam and reduces the pressure.

The same is true of revelation. The prophets of the Old Testament referred to this as the burden of the Lord. Until we effectively discharge the burden we will be most uncomfortable. Jeremiah referred to it: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay (Jeremiah 20:9).

How do we discharge the burden of the Lord? After we have received revelation, and made intercession, we will know the best course. Sometimes we will find release through writing, such as Isaiah. On other occasions we may compose a song, as David. Or we may write poems and verse, as Jeremiah. We may act out the word dramatically, as Ezekiel. Or we may thunderously speak the Word as Moses, Elijah, or John the Baptist. We may speak in parables as the Lord Jesus. The tools, methods, and ways are different, but the underlying principle is the same. God will give different expression to the proclamation of the Word, and He will be pleased to use the prophets differently in accordance with their unique gifts and personalities.

But the work is not finished when the word is proclaimed. For the prophet is not merely interested in proclamation, but in the fourth stage of his ministry: restoration. Our mandate is to tear down, destroy, and level; afterwards we must rebuild and raise again. We must pray in the promises of God and keep watch over Gods people, encouraging them to full and complete obedience, standing in the gap to avert the very judgment we may have just pronounced upon them.

We should readily see that the ministry of the watchman is primarily one of hidden, secret prayer and fasting. The true test of the watchman is in the prayers that he utters privately, not the prophecies that he utters publicly. Let him fail or make a fool of himself in public and God will still use Him; let him fail in the prayer closet and he will be discarded as a prophet. Those who think the prophetic ministry is all about visions, dreams, prophecy and spiritual gifts had better rethink their position. It is self-denying, thankless, often unseen and unappreciated labor in secret prayer.

In summary, we conclude that if the Lord was pleased to set watchmen over Israel of old, He is certainly pleased to set watchmen over the Church today. But as we have seen, the ministry of the watchman is more likely to be found in the prayer closet than the pulpit.

May God give us grace and increase the ministry and operation of the watchman!

About the Author

CHIP BROGDEN is a best-selling author, teacher, and former pastor. His writings and teachings reach more than 135 nations with a simple, consistent, Christ-centered message focusing on relationship, not religion. Learn more »

20 Comments

  1. June spence

    Thank you brother Chip .This is the best article on Watchman I have read because you live it and it becomes alive when you teach it
    June

    Reply
    • Chip Brogden

      Thank you for reading, June!

      Reply
  2. Danielle Lepire

    Brother Chip,

    May the Lord Jesus continue to put the love for The Truth in your heart and in your mind, Amen!

    Reply
  3. Virginia

    Good day

    I’m not too sure how i ended up in your website but i believe it is God.
    I have been having dreams and visions and have been confirmed couple r times that God speaks to me in dreams and visions.
    But sometimes i struggle to understand,like recently i saw myself in a white bakkie driving with two men and suddenly the bakkie over turned took a different direction and it crossed over the fence ,we were passing the cows and flock of sheep.
    it then landed on a lost place with people that have been suffering and been chained and i started praying and delivering them,they were so happy because they have seen the power of Jesus that was there and freed them,i woke up with worship and prayers and i was told it was in Carltonville plot no 1,i have never been there,i do not know the place.

    Reply
  4. Bryan Nelson

    Before I even read this article or knew this site, God told me every last thing that was written here. I can NOT thank you enough for your words and teaching as they confirmed more the calling God in me to be a watchman. The circumstances are not important, but the more confirmations I receive the more I want to praise him! What an AWESOME God we serve!

    Now I have failed him, many times. I pray I am not too late to fulfill my calling, but until the end I occupy as directed and led. He will be faithful as always!

    Reply
    • Chip Brogden

      Thanks Bryan, glad you found confirmation here.

      Reply
  5. Karen

    Hi Chip,

    I really enjoyed your article.

    Reply
  6. Renee Robertson

    Chip, you have confirmed what has been in my spirit. I would also like to add that a true prophet is jealous for Gods honor and God’s glory ALONE – not their own.

    Reply
    • Bryan Nelson

      Amen!

      Reply
  7. Derrick L. Burnett

    Thank you brother for this article on Prophets-Watchmen. I too am seeking God for direction on getting out of organized religion and I really appreciate people like you. Continue in the things of God and keep the faith.

    Reply
    • Bryan Nelson

      Brother, he is faithful. I was an Assemblies of God minister a few years ago and God told me one night in prayer to resign and wait. Talk about a shock. But I did and I tell you I don’t regret that decision now at all. It has been rough, but God will lead you. He knows the desire of your heart. He put it there! Wait for him to act, be patient. For he is kind and gracious. Longing to bring your heart’s desire to pass.

      Reply
  8. Linda

    This summer, I was working at a job that was seasonal as well as physically, mentally and spiritually challenging. It entailed driving long distances, setting up and taking down a store front, setting up then filing heavy 4′ x 4′ wood signs at the end of the day and sales. I carried the signs up a staircase on my back, literally taking up my cross daily. I was the most physically fit I have ever been. For the most part, I had wonderful interactions with both the company owner and the customers I met and got to know them better as I took on a regular route. However, something else was occurring at the same time. There was a sense of menace accompanying it that I could not put my finger on. There were naysayers, murmuring behind my back and some truckers who were making me feel decidedly unwelcome whenever I had to stay in truck stops (requirement of the job) and I didn’t know why. I came to the conclusion that I was involved in a good old-fashioned battle of good versus evil — spiritual warfare. This type of battle is not given to the strong but to those among us called to stand in the gap on behalf of others but strong enough within myself to having done all— stand. It seemed as I drew closer to God in all things, the powers and principalities became stronger, harassing me more. I was feeling close to giving up when God gave me a word, “Angels of the North, South, East and West: People of the Watch, Gather!” I said this aloud before and after each day…Sometimes more than twice a day. I did this along with my regular prayers. I felt the presence of Christ, his angels and The Saints encamped around me daily and they comforted me when I was alone in the situation. Today, I found this website and read the above article. Thank you for the ministry you are providing to others.

    Reply
  9. BYRON LONG

    I am not sure of your scripture references that you have for (Galatians 3:39; 4:21-31). there is no 3:39 and I am not sure about the whole statement since the pearls before swine are in matthew 7:6. I like everything that I read and it has truely blessed me, and brought great understanding to me on the subject. thanks for your time and response, YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST BYRON LONG <<

    Reply
    • Chip Brogden

      Hi Byron, my mistake; it should be Gal. 3:3-9. It has been corrected. Thanks for being a careful reader.

      Reply
  10. Yolanda Botha

    This teaching brought great insight of how we as prophets should operate…i like the fact of be more in the prayer closets as pulpits. God bless ur ministry!

    Reply
  11. Gwen Dotson-Miller

    Thank you,so much for posting this Article. This Article alone has fed my spirit,and strengthened me in a way that only my Father God Almighty could do for me.He led me to this ministry and has given me the Bread I needed desperately for this time before Him in my life.Thank you for sharing this message, I have been in search of this message for so long,not sure what I was “looking for”,until it was revealed by His Holy Spirit.Thank you for Your obedience before our Father and knowing Him through your intimate time so effectively pure love to Him,to have received this very valuable revelation, in order to also share it to others such as myself. I thank you,and praise and honor our Father God. I am called and gifted in the Prophetic Office,and have had my time in the religious setting desiring with all my heart to be used as His vessel to serve His people,and through much pain,people pleasing,and other avenues of exploitation,I finally heard the voice of my Father God and my Lord,calling me outside of the tomb of the religious society to walk as He has called me. I at first “felt all alone”,but then He strengthened me to bring my emotions in subjection to the obedience of His Word-Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit,and is now leading me “freely by the power of His Holy Spirit”.
    I AM my Beloved and my Beloved is Mine,Jesus Christ the Lover of my Soul!
    God Bless you!

    Reply
  12. paulette

    Bro Chip, in response to Sharon I have been in ministry for 25 years in music and teaching.we will always meet people who are not yet matured in christ but we are encouraged to pray for them. I agree with her in the fact there is pride. But as we are made everyday more into the image of jesus we are to love them and pray that the work the holy spirit started he will perfect.If we leave them alone without prayer and love how will they learn the truth, we need more LOVE for others,were is the love that never gives up on us Jesus never did/.

    Reply
  13. Joy

    Hi Chip,
    I greatly appreciate your ministry and teaching, and especially the heart of love for God’s people that I see in you! (Which is the very first requirement for all of us who have been given to the Body for the purpose of equipping His people for the work of ministry – His Body being edified and prepared “by” that which “every joint supplies”) And the depth and fullness of good understanding I hear in this description of God’s purposes for the prophetic ministry among His people – the Body of Christ. Our task is that of “laying the foundation of Christ” (and what a joy it is! Even though at times it is very difficult too 🙂 One of the foundational truths for all of us who want to be a fully functioning part of His Body is that we need to be coming into true and ongoing fellowship with one another. That is, with all whose hearts truly are given wholly to God, who are earnestly seeking the fullness of His truth and His wisdom and His love – and His sovereign reign, His Kingdom, in our lives. Your webinars and the blog are an important part of that, calling people together in Christ, and learning more of Him. And now, how can we find a way to encourage continuing fellowship among ourselves, and “come together” in whatever ways that is possible, so that each one can begin to be “builded together” with the others as a “spiritual house, a place for Him to dwell”, and thus be a part of the ekklesia beginning to be established in the earth.

    Reply
  14. Sharon

    Hi Chip,
    I won’t be leaving too many more comments, as I’ve read almost all of your articles. Think I have 1 left to read. All of them have been really good.
    There is a great zeal in the church toward prophecy, and especially the young people want to be prophets. However, I feel that is mostly for 2 reasons. #1- the “prophets” out there are questionable as to whether they are true prophets of the Lord, and the whole prophetic ministry is being portrayed in a distorted way.
    #2- there seems to be alot of pride associated with prophecy- they seem to take the limelight, and the whole church seems to be running after the prophets.
    However, when you look in the Old Testament, the prophets were among the most ill-treated people in Israel. And the pain and hardship they endured was great. There is a world of difference between the prophets of the Lord in the Word, and the prophets of today.
    Of course, they’ll say, that was Old Testament. But even Agabus, in the New Testament, had a hard word for Paul, and also prophesied a famine (I believe-writing from memory). Although, it is true, the church did accept his word, and did not persecute him for it.
    I used to tell the young people, when I was still in church, that they didn’t know what they were asking for. Its true we are suppose to seek the gift of prophecy, but I believe we are to seek it with open eyes, and therefore soberly. It is not an “easy” gift to receive, as you know Chip, from your own experience.

    Reply
    • Lisa VanVuren

      I so agree with your post. True discernment is required in knowing truth from non. Speech will betray a person who claims to be prophet, first a prophet does nor proclaim what they are instead they say/do what God has called them to do. As Peter’s speech betrayed him after he betrayed Jesus when he was accused of being part of Christs group,…….so will s TRUE PROPHETS speech betray them They shall speak the language of Prophecy. There is a language attached to prophecy and one will identify with another. Once again prophets do not state that they are such, they are people of prayer, seekers of God;s Presence within the inner court and they will reflect being in His presence.

      Reply

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