Watching: Step 5 For Cultivating Daily Delight in Prayer
“Could you not watch with Me one hour?”
Matthew 26:40 (NKJV)
Step Five _________________________
Basic Definition
The Act of Mental _______________________
Action Focus: Sensitive ___________________
Key Word: __________________________
WATCHING: A Biblical Basis
Scripture:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude.
Colossians 4:2 (MSG)
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD.
Isaiah 62:6 (NLT)
O Israel, wait and watch for God—with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.
Psalm 130:7 (MSG)
The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem…
The LORD has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
Isaiah 52:8, 10 (NLT)
WATCHING in Prayer: An Overview
To watch is to be alert.
“Alertness” Defined:
“The ability to anticipate ____________ responses to that which is taking place around me; to ____________________ on what is happening in a situation so as to ___________ accordingly.”
Voices from the Past:
“We must not only be watchful in keeping the time of prayer but also be watchful during the prayer time so that we may really pray… We must watch in our prayer lest it become vague. It is evident that many matters need to be settled, many people require intercession, the central message of God must be revealed, and not a few problems wait to be solved; yet at the time of prayer, there does not seem to be any definite subject for which to pray, and there is a total lack of words to express our prayer. We struggle to say two or three sentences before we cease altogether. Clearly a satanic assault is involved here.”
—Watchman Nee
Summary Definition of WATCHING…
A time to ______________________
Voices from the Past:
“To pray correctly one must be mentally alert and vigilant. Much praying is hampered by a dull, drowsy frame of mind.”
—Dr. Curtis Mitchel
WATCHING: A Prayer Application
Develop holy __________________.
Voices from the Past:
“Always be on the alert to travel toward the goal of prayer, to disallow any unwanted words from mixing in, and to keep yourselves from praying prayers that are not prayers at all.”
—J. C. Ryle
WATCHING: A Life Application
Watch out for _____________.
Voices from the Past:
“If I can imagine what it must be like to be the one for whom I am praying, then I find that I can begin to intercede for that person. My imagination leads me on to want to be more deeply involved with him in his own life. This involvement leads to caring, caring leads to love, and love leads to intercession.”
—Anne Townsend
Where to Next?
WATCHING…
Four Ways to Get Started and Keep Going!
Following are four suggestions to help you personally apply this aspect of the 12 in daily prayer.
A Practical Prayer Summary
Step 5 in World-Changing Prayer
- Take a few moments during prayer to become spiritually alert. Watch for methods Satan may try to use to hinder your Christian walk that day. Prayerfully claim power to defeat Satan in each of these areas.
- Read denominational or missionary-evangelism newsletters/magazines to help become alert to specific needs in God’s work around the world.
- Prayerfully recall various news developments from newspapers, the Internet or television that deserve special prayer.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal further spiritual facts about these issues. This will aid you in praying more intelligently for these needs.
Afterthoughts...Ponder and Pray
Ponder Points:
Discuss (or ponder) why you think watching is something that should be an actual step during a time of prayer. Why is the Holy Spirit so vital in assisting the praying Christian in the act of watching (keeping alert) during a time of personal prayer?
Personal Afterthoughts
Prayer Points:
Looking back over the past 24 hours, can you think of something you have heard or read in the news that is worthy of your prayers of intercession? To “watch” is to let the Holy Spirit reveal the significance of such issues. Turn what you sense into a prayer of intercession.
