End Times Witnessing: How to reign successfully as kings

 The watchman woke these two days and had the urgency to search the Scripture for the conduct of kings. he was led to read about two kings: Uzziah and Solomon who both became kings at a young age and reigned for a long period. (Uzziah reigned for 52 years and Solomon reigned for 40 years).

Time is nearer to the end. All believers must take heed of what the Spirit of the Lord says in Revelation as follows. Are you ready for the new post? (as kings and priests to the Lord?)

_________the watchmen’s comments are in brackets

Revelation 1:4-6 (NKJV)

Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(The kingdom is forever and ever. Are you ready?)

1 Kings 3:3-15 (NIV)

3Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

(the king loved the Lord, as evidenced by his obedience in word and action to the Lord’s instructions)

4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

(the king could hear God speak to him)

6Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

(the king knows, remembers and pays attention to what God has done for his own father and he is thankful to God for all that God has done as promised for his father’s family)

7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

(the king is humble and has insight of his own limitations. He also knows the key to success is a discerning spirit with word of knowledge and wisdom! In short, being filled by the Holy Spirit and armed with the word of God, manifesting the gifts of the Spirit, is the key to success today)

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

(God speaks and the king continues to hear God. The king continues to believe and has received the promises of God by faith)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

(the king worships and offers prayers to God and draws close to God’s word and God’s presence, wherever he is.)

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2 Chronicles 26:3-15 (NIV)

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

(Success comes from God. The king has followed his father’s role model, doing what was right in the eyes of God. He sought God. He listened to the instructions of his godly teacher. This is the key of a king’s success)

6 He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

(Kings go to war against the enemies of God. God helps those who war according to God’s will and purpose. Kings who do not go to war in this way get into big trouble, as in the case of David during the time when he stayed in the palace when his armies went to war without him. He ended up being attacked in his body and soul by the spiritual enemy and committed the big sin in his life, adultery, murder and deception, causing wide open door to the enemies which later came in to attack his sons and daughter! Jesus warns: the enemy came to steal, kill and destroy!)

9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

(King builds defenses for his people in cities and in wilderness, digs into water sources, cultivates and produces food. This is exactly what Jesus does as the good Shepherd. He provides shelter, living water, and green pasture for His sheep.)

11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

(King raises, organizes, trains and equips his armies. He knows and supplies what they need. He makes sure he has powerful and ready support for all wars against the enemies. As long as he is helped by God he becomes very powerful.)

Watchman’s Adventure: One night journey from Lamentations to Revelation!

After midnight, while in a hotel room, the watchman could not sleep so he got up and read the Bible. He was led to read the following passages. It was like he was led through the whole salvation plan. He started from Lamentations wherein the poet prophet mourned the sad state of his nation and cried to God for help as he still had hope in the Lord’s mercy and grace (undeserved favor). Then he was led to read Mark on the full passage towards the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth: the humiliation He went through in the hands of human, His crucifixion, death and burial, and then His resurrection and the power and authority He gave to all believers to follow His footsteps.


After that he was led to read a warning message to a church urging repentance, as in Revelations 3:14-22. By the time he finished praying and proclaiming the word, he thought it was over and he could get to bed. But the Spirit said, carry on and read Chapter four. so he continued, ignoring his body and soul being drawn to sleep by then.

However, it was a wonderful surprise as he read on. Chapter Four brought him to the heavenly realm: “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” It was all about worship in heaven! So the watchman was elated. He has always wanted to go up there like John did and see! He prayed and was told he could ask about things for himself. So he did. At the end of his prayer he thought he saw a vision of the Lion of Judah in his room.

He was told by the Spirit to continue to read Chapter Five, and to his amazement and great joy, he found verse 5 says, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne,has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then he was led to read descriptions of his ‘job specifications’: ‘prayers of the saints’, ‘redeemed to God by His son’s blood’, ‘kings and priests to our ‘God’.

One final bonus for his night journey: he started to hear unusual sound. It sounded like rushing waters or winds or rustling leaves in the most pleasant ways. He thought it was rain as it originated from above and outside his window. He went to the window and looked out but there was no rain. The night was quiet and still. He listened for a long time and wondered what it was. When he decided to sleep, it stopped. The next morning he read the passage again and realized that it could be the sound of a mighty heavenly choir (made up of hundreds of thousands of angels, living creatures, elders in heaven, creatures on the earth, under the earth and in the sea)! (Rev.5:11-13)

Indeed, it was a very awesome night journey for the watchman in the Holy Spirit!

Lamentations 3 Hope in the Lord’s Faithfulness
1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
8 And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers.
58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life.
59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord. Be my judge, and prove me right.
60 You have seen the vengeful plots my enemies have laid against me.

(The watchman says: Indeed the Lord has taken up this petition. He has heard and adjudicated. He has even paid the penalty for all who believe in Jesus! Jesus alone has borne the rod thirty nine strokes of whipping on His back.)

Mark 15:16-47 Jesus was mocked, crucified, buried
16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters 18 Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 24 Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. 31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb.

Mark 16 The Resurrection
but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! 15 And then He (Jesus) told them (the disciples), “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

(The watchman says: The risen Lord has given His believers power and authority to do the work He has done on earth, even greater ones. This is the Kingdom on God on earth.)

Revelation 3 The Message to the Church in Laodicea
14“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

(The watchman says: This church is in deep trouble, being held bondage by a spirit of deception and a host of other evil spirits! Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) is outside and not inside. Can they hear His voice? Will they open the door? Are they willing to be corrected and disciplined? All these are the conditions set in this passage… O resist the devil and submit to God! Stop fooling yourself that you are already victorious if there is no Jesus (God) with you!)

Revelation 4 Worship in Heaven

1 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever).

(The watchman says: He always wants to go up there!!!)

Revelation 5 The Lamb Opens the Scroll

5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne,has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne…He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song with these words:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it.

For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus: …13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: …14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

End Times Witnessing: Today it is all about Life

TODAY’S food for thought for watchman: Why ponder over LIFE?

What makes the watchman ponder about life today?
In the past four weeks four persons with whom the watchman had acquainted passed away, all of whom (three men and one woman) died a sudden death, in their 30s, 40s and 50s. All were married with family. The three men came from one church.

The news had been saddening and even shattering for the unprepared.

The oldest man had had remissions from his previous stroke and his family was not prepared as he had recovered his functioning well for a number of years. He left behind his wife, adult children and young grand children.

The youngest man had good report from his yearly medical check-up until the sudden discovery of end stage liver cancer. He decided to join his wife and became a Christian after receiving his medical diagnosis. He left behind his young wife and two young boys.
The middle-aged man had rarely complained of medical illness until he suddenly developed liver ailments. He became a Christian earlier than the other two men did. He and his wife became estranged after years of unresolved family strife. At his death, the wife and daughter had already left him for over a year. His only son came home from another town to handle the funeral on his own.

The woman had heard the Gospel a number of times but had not pursued further. She befriended a devout Buddhist and lately opted to listen to the chanting of Buddhist monk daily until her sudden death (aneurysm in her brain). She left behind husband and two daughters.

Yes, the spirit of death came stealthily in the darkest hour of the night and took their lives unexpectedly.

Seeing death coming in like a flood, taking one life per week within a tiny community of familiar people, makes one notice how fragile the physical part of life can be. Even though he had not seen them for many years, he attended two men’s wake night services. Listening to the usual wake night sermons made him think of the words of Jesus about the meaning of life according to God. Where does life come from? Who can give life? Where does one’s spirit go when life on earth is extinguished?

It is time to read the word of Jesus again, this time, with belief in our hearts. Take heed what we hear today!

Watchman’s advice: You need to believe in the supernatural and spiritual reality to understand this. There is one crucial condition for entry to heaven, as stated below by Jesus, the Son of God Himself:

John 3:3, 5 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 10:39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Luke 10:25 [ The Parable of the Good Samaritan ] And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 12:15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Luke 12:22 [ Do Not Worry ] Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Luke 12:23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Luke 21:34 [ The Importance of Watching ] “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 3:15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.John 5:24 [ Life and Judgment Are Through the Son ] “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 6:27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus prayed this to the Father (God): John 17:2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

_____________________________Word of warning:
Romans 8:5-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
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Watchman’s comment: Often people do not know what they are worshiping. Letting one’s mind controlled by something (giving inroad to other spirits) that is not God leads to death. Very sad indeed. If you do not know God, seek to know Him. Meanwhile stay away from all forms of spirits (including spiritual philosophy).

Spiritual realm is real. God is real. Do not ignore this truth. Your family needs you. God loves you and wants you to have eternal life through His Son, who gave His life for you. Seek the true God who gives life now!

Watchman’s Adventure: Breakthrough from mental health into spiritual health perspectives

Having spent the previous night with brethren in Christ interceding, the watchman could still feel the heaviness in his spirit on the next morning. The more he hears of others’ familial problems, the more he realizes how much inroad the enemy has made into the lives of human beings. Practically every family (Christians no exception) has been infiltrated! The frightening part is that the Christians are not even aware of this spiritual infiltration and carry on their daily lives just like any other ‘dysfunctional’ pre-believer’s family, constantly in strife, division, anger, even mutual hatred and torment!

In mental health, such families are described as dysfunctional or malfunctioning. The members involved are described as having mental and emotional issues which require treatment (medicine and psycho-therapy). Such individuals are termed certain psychological terms (e.g. having depression, anxiety, mood disorders, personality disorders etc.). However, like studying and knowing medicine does not make one an effective doctor, having read and completed his postgraduate study including psychology and therapy has not made the watchman a more effective counselor. For years he has seen hopeless cases of human being forsaken by their families because they cannot be effectively treated to full recovery to fit into the society (to live the life their family expect them to live).

This significant group of human beings have their needs to be accepted by the society and their families and be loved too. They are often rejected, overlooked, and neglected by their families and the society at large. The reason why they are not easily accepted is because they cannot ‘function’ the way of the ‘norm’.

The family and society expect every one to fit into a pattern termed ‘functioning’. Deviations are termed ‘dysfunctioning’. Compliance to the ‘norm’ means ‘functioning’. The ‘norm’ is set by a group of people living together (e.g. a family, community, organization, society, nation).

What are the contents of the ‘norm’ of a family? Basic agreements and rules on hygiene, meals, housework, discipline, work and play, education and manners, relationship, communication, use of common resources and facilities, contributions, interactions, attitudes, values, beliefs, morals, behaviors, attitudes of living together and sharing, maintenance of the common living environment and shelter etc.

The watchman has found that in nearly every family there is a number (at least one-fourth) of people who cannot fit into the ‘norm’ required. Social, medical and psychological solutions cannot help those that he knows of. He has even once been given the task of rehabilitating an ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactive disorder) boy with LD (learning disorder) and OD (opposition disorder). For three years he battled with the symptoms with social, educational, and behavioral modification tools. He saw some positive physical results. But when the boy entered pre-teen, he rebelled in an uncontrollable way. He threw out everything he had learned. He obstructed violently against every effort to help him to ‘function’! He was hooked on to digital games like an addict to drugs (during which his heart rate went way beyond the ‘norm’ to dangerous high!)

The watchman was led to find a spiritual solution. The principal (a Christian pastor) of the boy’s school introduced him to a prayer house where the boy can receive prayers for supernatural healing and deliverance. The healing treatment consists of three parts: the presence of God (worship service), word of God (reading the Bible), and prayers. Nothing is out of the ordinary but people do get healed this way.

The only difference between such a place and the traditional church is the presence of God (in the Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit does the work of healing, deliverance and sanctification. The word of God does the daily washing and cleansing. The redemptive work of Jesus on the cross is daily remembered through the Holy Communion as taught by the Lord too.

Although the boy soon decided to re-join his own parents, the watchman has stayed on in his journey in the Holy Spirit. He has experienced personal breakthrough.

Indeed, knowing the reality of the spiritual realm and how a Christian believer can effectively overcome his physical realm difficulties with spiritual authority and supernatural power according to the word of God, is a great relief. Breaking through from mental health into spiritual (divine) health perspectives is an absolute essential for any Christian counselor.

The battlefield is in the minds. How do we reach the minds to do battle? Only in the Spirit. God’s word is the sword of the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit is another essential weapon!

_________________________________Bible verses
Ephesians 6:12
New Living Translation (NLT)

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:13-18
New Living Translation (NLT)

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
New Living Translation (NLT)

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

End Times Witnessing: “Do not scoff at spiritual matters!”

Today’s verse is on Jude 1. The passage is the entire Book of Jude. The watchman urges you to read and take heed today the importance to know and understand the spiritual realm is real.

Ponder and meditate on this truth: God is real, angels are real (good ones who minister to God and to believers; and bad ones-devil), heaven and hell are real, rewards and judgments are real. Prayers are real. Spiritual wars are real. The attacks by spiritual beings (devils) causing sickness on your bodies, minds and emotions are real. Eternal life and eternal death (by being forever separated from God) are real!


_______________________The watchman’s comment is at the end of the passage.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Jude 1
Greetings from Jude
1This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.
I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
2May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

The Danger of False Teachers
3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

8 In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) 10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. 13They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

16These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

A Call to Remain Faithful
17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

A Prayer of Praise

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
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Watchman’s comments: “They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.”

The reason why a group of ‘church members’ who even take part in Holy Communion with the believers of Jesus Christ, and yet live the life of the un-believers, is because they do not have the Holy Spirit in them.

They are not born again by the Spirit of God. It is natrural for them to be guided by their natural instincts and desires. It is natural for them to scoff at spiritual and supernatural things.

But these people will perish if they do not repent and turn back to worship the true God in Spirit and in Truth.

O, church goers, laugh no more of the spiritual matters. The Lord hears and sees you… (Even the devil and his demons see and hear you too, scoffers).

End Times Witnessing: God’s demand of a kingly man

 The watchman found the key of what the Lord wants in a kingly man. He was led to read the passage in David’s last words to his son, Solomon. In the last days, believers of Jesus Christ are required to reign as kings and royal priests. Indeed, we have become sons of God through being in Christ Jesus. This is the most honorable position and powerful status. We are princes by being members of the body od Christ!

But are we living the way of princes and princesses? Reading what David has charged his son how to be a kingly man in the eyes of the Lord, we can see how far we are short of this standard (the plumbline of God)…

Brethren, when next we sing or proclaim our royal positions, look deep into our lives and ask, am I living the life as described and demanded by the Lord in the following passage?

1 Kings 2 Amplified Bible (AMP)

1WHEN DAVID’S time to die was near, he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2I go the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man;
3Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may do wisely and prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,
4That the Lord may fulfill His promise to me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and mind and with all their soul, there shall not fail you [to have] a man on the throne of Israel.
1 Kings 2 New International Version (NIV)
David’s Charge to Solomon
1When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

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Watchman’s comment:
The name of Solomon means “peace”. Take heed how powerful our Kingly Ruler -the God of peace is! Watch how you live, live in obedience to Him!

2.Romans 16:20
And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
3.Philippians 4:9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

4.1 Thessalonians 5:23
[ Blessing and Admonition ] Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5.Hebrews 13:20
[ Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell ] Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

End Times Witnessing: how a young man described his diseased dad

On the previous night the watchman attended a wake night service for a solitary man who passed away for three days in his bathroom without being known. The estranged wife who took away their daughter could not be found for over a year. The only son came home after receiving the news was on his own to bear the whole burden of the funeral. He is a young man in his early twenties, newly graduated and found a job in a distant town. He was asked to say something about his dad and he spoke about three lines, “A traditional man who did not know how to express his love for his family. But he did help out (monetarily) whenever I needed. We never knew how precious he was until we have lost him. That was my dad.” (The service leader later consoled that because the man who passed away was a believer of Christ, and we are brethren in Christ, we will see him in heaven one day.)

Indeed, the silent demise of a lonely man makes the watchman ponder again on how to ensure one will be with Jesus when one leaves this lonely world, desolate and forsaken.
_________________________________

Today’s verse for the watchman relates to an earlier discourse with the class on Sunday. The class read verses on the kingdom of light as against the kingdom of darkness. Then they went on to read about the need to be born again by Spirit and water to see and enter the kingdom of God. The questions of who will see and enter and how to see and enter are of utmost importance at this end time.

When the watchman rose to intercede this morning he was led to read and pray on the following passages. He read the whole chapter five. However, he included only the verses on how to be born again and have eternal life.

1 John 5 (NKJV)

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

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Summary on how to be born again and who they become:

1.Believe that Jesus is the Christ.

2.Believe in the name of the Son of God.

3.Overcome the world, by faith.

4.Keep God’s commandments: love God and love His children.

5.Receive the Son of God (Jesus Christ) Who is Eternal Life.

6.Believe in the testimony given by: three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit

7.Believe in the testimony given by: three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water (see comment below), and the blood.

8.Knowing the above testimonies is essential for a believer in Christ: the trinity God (Father-Son/Word-Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit in believer, the daily washing of the water/word of God, and the blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus’ redemption/full salvation of us on the cross).

The watchman’s comment: the word ‘water’ signifies the word of God. He is reminded of the verse in Eph.5:25, wherein the Holy Spirit reminded husbands to love their wives,

“just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,”

He is also reminded of the deep cleansing by the word of God during the Water Gate Revival that happened in Jerusalem as excerpted below.

In Nehemiah 8, “all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses; And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.”
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The watchman comments: Have you ever wept when you hear the word of God? He remembered when he was a very young man he wept for weeks when he read the Gospel of John, as led by the Holy Spirit. Why did he weep? He was deeply touched by the Father's love!
The words became life and Spirit to him for the first time in his life. He then began a journey to seek God and encounter Him in many ways. His life was transformed when God met with him…

Watchman’s Comfort: Good news to those who are desolate today

The watchman decided to sleep early so he could rise early. Indeed it worked and overcame his recent inability to rise at the appointed hours to meet His Lord. This morning was the second experimental day and he was refreshed by the presence of the Lord (the Spirit of Christ).


He proceeded to intercede and read the words of God, listening to the Holy Spirit. There were two major events that needed fervent prayers and supplications, both of which required grace and mercy from God. As soon as he started he was led to read Isaiah. The book opened to chapter 62, from which flow beautiful, assuring verses for a person who really needs such comfort! The Heavenly Father knows exactly what one needs and sends forth His resources -His words! How wonderful and awesome our God is!

(He even posted watchmen on your walls to make sure you are well guarded!)

Isaiah 62 (NLT)
Isaiah’s Prayer for Jerusalem


1 Because I love Zion,

I will not keep still.

Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,

I cannot remain silent.

I will not stop praying for her


until her righteousness shines like the dawn,


and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.


2 The nations will see your righteousness.

World leaders will be blinded by your glory.

And you will be given a new name


by the Lord’s own mouth.

3 The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—

a splendid crown in the hand of God.

4 Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”[a]


or “The Desolate Land.”[b]


Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”[c]


and “The Bride of God,”[d]

for the Lord delights in you


and will claim you as his bride.

5 Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem,

just as a young man commits himself to his bride.

Then God will rejoice over you

as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

6 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.


7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,


until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

8 The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength:

“I will never again hand you over to your enemies.

Never again will foreign warriors come

and take away your grain and new wine.

9 You raised the grain, and you will eat it,

praising the Lord.

Within the courtyards of the Temple,

you yourselves will drink the wine you have pressed.”

10 Go out through the gates!

Prepare the highway for my people to return!

Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;

raise a flag for all the nations to see.

11 The Lord has sent this message to every land:

“Tell the people of Israel,[e]

‘Look, your Savior is coming.


See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”


12 They will be called “The Holy People”


and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.”


And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”


and “The City No Longer Forsaken.”

Footnotes:

a.Isaiah 62:4 Hebrew Azubah, which means “forsaken.”

b.Isaiah 62:4 Hebrew Shemamah, which means “desolate.”

c.Isaiah 62:4 Hebrew Hephzibah, which means “my delight is in her.”

d.Isaiah 62:4 Hebrew Beulah, which means “married.”

e.Isaiah 62:11 Hebrew Tell the daughter of Zion.

Amplified Bible Isa.62:4 "You [Judah] shall no more be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land be called Desolate any more. But you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land be called Beulah [married]; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married [owned and protected by the Lord]."

End Times Witnessing: Watchman’s testimony on UNDESERVED-FAVOR

On the Lord’s Day, the watchman woke and was led to focus on the heavenly Father’s ‘unfailing love” in his NLT Bible. He was quite surprised as he was ministering the word to an elderly bed-ridden man who had been shouting non-stop on the previous day. The watchman was also interceding for an impossible case.


But the prompting in his spirit was clearly “unfailing love”. It was not warfare weapon or any new way of casting out demons etc. He did not expect that “unfailing love” could be relevant at that point of time. But the watchman obeyed.

The outcome was equally if not more stunning. He received three undeserved-favors/grace of God within the short span of three days! When he looked up the NIV Bible, he discovered that the term “unfailing love” in another version of the Bible is “grace” in the NIV Bible. The Amplified Bible gives a even clearer definition as follows:

John 1:17 Amplified Bible (AMP) 17 For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The three favors are: The old gentleman indeed slept calmly and stopped his angry outbursts. The impossible intercession case witnessed a miraculous breakthrough that definitedly revealed the favorable hand of the Lord moving! The third favor came to him personally as a long waited impossible bonus breakthrough too -moving one gigantic mountain just in time as he has asked the Lord to remove it before end June!

When the watchman burst out with praises and thanksgiving in his heart to the Lord, a person who happened to be tidying up the work desk, picked up a book and reminded him that another intercessor who came in from outstation last Thursday for two days had given it to the watchman and said that the Holy Spirit wanted him to have it and also asked him to give a copy to another person too (who happened to be the one in the ‘impossible case’).

The watchman looked at the title and was speechless and in awe. The book is called, “FAVOR -THE ROAD TO SUCCESS -How to receive Special Favor with God and with People” (by Bob Buess)!

______________Bible Verses on “unfailing love”

Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps!
Genesis 32:9-11 (in Context) Genesis 32 (Whole Chapter)

Exodus 15:13
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
Exodus 15:12-14 (in Context) Exodus 15 (Whole Chapter)

Ezra 7:28
And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:27-28 (in Context) Ezra 7 (Whole Chapter)

Nehemiah 1:5
Then I said,“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Nehemiah 1:4-6 (in Context) Nehemiah 1 (Whole Chapter)

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,
Nehemiah 9:16-18 (in Context) Nehemiah 9 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 6:4
Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 6:3-5 (in Context) Psalm 6 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Psalm 13:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 13 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 18:50
He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
Psalm 18:49-50 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 21:7
For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

Psalm 21:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 21 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 26:3
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
Psalm 26:2-4 (in Context) Psalm 26 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 31:16
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:15-17 (in Context) Psalm 31 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 32:10
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Psalm 32:9-11 (in Context) Psalm 32 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:5
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Psalm 33:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
Psalm 33:17-19 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:22
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:21-22 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 36:7
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 36 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 44:26
Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 44:25-26 (in Context) Psalm 44 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 48:9
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Psalm 48:8-10 (in Context) Psalm 48 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 51:1
[ Psalm 51 ] For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 51 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 52:8

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 52 (Whole Chapter)


Psalm 62:12
and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”
Psalm 62:11-12 (in Context) Psalm 62 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 77:8
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Psalm 77:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 77 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 85:7
Show us your unfailing love, LORD, and grant us your salvation.
Psalm 85:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 85 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:13-15 (in Context) Psalm 90 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 94:18
When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
Psalm 94:17-19 (in Context) Psalm 94 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:8
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
Psalm 107:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:15
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
Psalm 107:14-16 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:21
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Psalm 107:20-22 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:31
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Psalm 107:30-32 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 109:26
Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Psalm 109:25-27 (in Context) Psalm 109 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:41
May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise;
Psalm 119:40-42 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:76
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
Psalm 119:75-77 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:88
In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
Psalm 119:87-89 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 130:7
Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
Psalm 130:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 130 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Psalm 138:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 138 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Psalm 143:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 143 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 143:12
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
Psalm 143:11-12 (in Context) Psalm 143 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 147:11
the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147:10-12 (in Context) Psalm 147 (Whole Chapter)

Proverbs 19:22
What a person desires is unfailing love ; better to be poor than a liar.
Proverbs 19:21-23 (in Context) Proverbs 19 (Whole Chapter)

Proverbs 20:6
Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?
Proverbs 20:5-7 (in Context) Proverbs 20 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:9-11 (in Context) Isaiah 54 (Whole Chapter)

Lamentations 3:32
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
Lamentations 3:31-33 (in Context) Lamentations 3 (Whole Chapter)

Hosea 10:12
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:11-13 (in Context) Hosea 10 (Whole Chapter)

End Times Witnessing: Winning wars Holy Spirit Way (Know endtimes wars & weapons)

Knowing what wars the end times believers will face and what end times weapons to use are of utmost importance now. The watchman is led to read the following passages from the New Testament, which is all about end times. Knowing what war will be carried out and how would the believers win gives one the confident hope to face the world’s end.

(His comments are in bracket.)
Luke 14:31
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (Always consider your strength before you go to war. This is universal. However, your strength is not physical, as evidenced from the following verses!)
Luke 14:30-32 (in Context) Luke 14 (Whole Chapter)

Romans 7:23
but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (War is on your mind. It is a real war. But you need inner strength to counter this war!)
Romans 7:22-24 (in Context) Romans 7 (Whole Chapter)

2 Corinthians 10:3
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (Apostle Paul went further to point out that the end times war now is not to be waged as the world does. Indeed, when war is waged by the spiritual enemy against your mind, you need spiritual means to fight this war!) 2 Corinthians 10:2-4 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)

1 Peter 2:11
[ Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society ] Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (Apostle Peter also pointed out the same arena for end times war against believers. It is a war against your soul – that is your mind and your emotion! It is not physical. The soul is a target of the enemy to capture.)
1 Peter 2:10-12 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 12:7
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (At last, Apostle John saw visions of a future war, the End Time War, which will take place in heaven. Spiritual beings are involved, between good and fallen angels. The outcome of this war will impact all living creatures, including human beings!)
Revelation 12:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 12 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Indeed, one outcome of this heavenly war will be persecution of believers of Christ on earth by the dragon-devil.)
Revelation 12:16-17 (in Context) Revelation 12 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:4
People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” (Apostle John also saw in his vision how there will be followers of the devil boasting away in their blind worship of him.)
Revelation 13:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:7
It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. (Apostle John also saw in his vision that the devil will have power to wage war against God’s people and to conquer them.)
Revelation 13:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 17:14
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (John also saw the outcome of the war: Jesus and His own followers will win over the Devil’s followers)
Revelation 17:13-15 (in Context) Revelation 17 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:11
[ The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast ] I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. (Jesus will lead the war and win!)
Revelation 19:10-12 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. (The enemy of God will try again but they will fail completely.)
Revelation 19:18-20 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (The weapons used are different too! take note that when the minds are captured, the wars are won!)

2 Corinthians 6:6-8(NIV) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; (Weapons of righteousness are used! )

Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (The Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God is the weapon!)
Ephesians 6:16-18 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Again, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the only effective weapon to be used for end times!)
Hebrews 4:11-13 (in Context) Hebrews 4 (Whole Chapter)

(As Apostle John has seen in the following visions for end times wars, the Lord win by using the Sword – the Word that proceeds from His mouth!)

Revelation 1:16
In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
Revelation 1:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 1 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 2:12
[ To the Church in Pergamum ] “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Revelation 2:11-13 (in Context) Revelation 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 2:16
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Revelation 13:9-11 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:15
Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Revelation 19:14-16 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:21
The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19:20-21 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

End Times Witnessing: Winning wars Holy Spirit Way (David’s case)

Lately the watchman received instructions on end times war strategies. he was not directly involved in warfare, but he was led to read and take heed. the following passage was on how david followed the holy spirit and won two wars against his long time arch enemy -the philistines. (the watchman’s comments are in bracket. )


2 Samuel 5:17-25
New Living Translation (NLT)
David Conquers the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. 18 The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 19So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

(David’s response to the bad news of his arch enemy mobilizing to capture him: 1. He went into the stronghold (physical and spiritual). 2. He asked the Lord for strategy. He was direct in asking: “Shall I fight? Will You let me win?” Take note that he knew and acknowledged that the winning key is in the hand of the Almighty God.)

The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”

(The Lord’s response to David: The Lord gave straight and precise answers too. “Yes, fight. Yes, I will let you win.”)

20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). 21The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.

(David’s response to the Lord’s assurance: He acted and won accordingly. He was quick to give full credit to the Lord although he did not see or hear how that could happen. He just believed the Lord’s promise by faith.)

22 But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 23 And again David asked the Lord what to do.

(David’s response to the second round of bad news: He asked the Lord again. To him, when being attacked, going to the Lord precedes counting military resources is a norm. He knew the Lord so well that he just sought the Lord naturally everytime he encountered a crisis.)

“Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. 24 When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.”

(The Lord’s response: The Lord told David a change in strategy. This time He wanted David to do it differently, with deeper spiritual discernment. He wanted David to know for sure that it would be the Lord’s heavenly army that would win the war! The Lord enabled David to hear the sound of His heavenly army marching, which would be the signal for David to join in with his ground troops. David’s obedience by faith the first time had pleased the Lord. He was now moved to a higher level of spiritual encounter with the Lord!)

25 So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

(David’s response to the Lord: He obeyed and did as the spiritual Commander-in-Chief commanded and thus won again! This time he was more assured as he could hear the Lord’s army sound in the spiritual realm).

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Summary:

1.Know and believe in God (through knowing and believing in Jesus, and knowing and believing in His word)

2.Believe that it is natural to go to the supernatural God everytime you encounter a war (physical, emotional, mental or spiritual attacks)

3.Ask in the Name of Jesus and you will receive answer

4.Believe in the Holy Spirit’s communicating with you

5.Obey and act on what the Holy Spirit has told you

6.Ask and receive your answer by faith (even if you cannot hear or see like what David did)

7.Always give credit to the Lord, Who is your Commander-in-Chief

8.Keep practicing and training your spiritual gifts

9.Obedience by faith brings one to a higher level of spiritual discernment and understanding.

End Times Witnessing: How a love-thirsty woman received the Holy Spirit!

Today the watchman has found wonderful fresh revelations in how patiently and determined Jesus is when bringing even a maritally broken (five times divorced) and sinful ‘lawless’ living Samaritan woman to salvation and in-filling of the Holy Spirit! Many want to receive the Holy Spirit but are still outside, thirsting and wondering why they are not in. But a thirsty woman has received by faith on her first encounter with Jesus. How did she do it? (or rather, how did Jesus evangelize?)


The Scripture: (comments from watchman are in bracket)
John 4:7, 9-14 (NLT)

7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

(Jesus took the initiative to approach the woman voicing out her need for her, “Please give me a drink.” He wanted her to ask Him!)

9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

(The woman was just like any natural human, absorbed by what she saw in the physical realm, her past experience and traditional culture and religious practice)

10Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

(But Jesus was not distracted from what He has intended to give her. He wanted to give her a gift, the Holy Spirit in-filling; He also wanted her to ask for this gift!)

11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

(The woman’s response to Him in her physical realm was no surprise. In hind-sight we can all see how she continued plodding away at the wrong track. But don’t we all?)

13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

(Jesus, undeterred by this Samaritan-Gentile woman mindset, continued to address her spiritual thirst, and explain patiently what the Holy Spirit is like and how He will meet her unquenchable thirst in her when she is filled! This is further described in the next section of the Gospel of John when Jesus was addressing the multitude of Jewish temple worshippers in Jerusalem)

John 7:37-39 (NIV) 37[ On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.]

John 4:15-26 (continue the discourse between the Samaritan woman and Jesus)

15“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

(The Samaritan woman’s attention was finally turned to what Jesus could give her and she asked Him for that supernatural Gift!)

16“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

(Jesus wanted truthfulness from the spiritually thirsty woman. She was looking for love in the wrong places to quench her thirst which can only be met by God in her!)

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,where our ancestors worshiped?”

(The woman’s response and attention turned to that of God, religion and worship. Despite her marital problems and then ‘lawless’ living, she knew about the key Jewish and Samaritan religious physical difference. Now she wanted to know more and how to worship God correctly. What a change!)

21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the One you worship, while we Jews know all about Him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

(Jesus came to the point of true worship: 1. Know the God-Person Whom you worship, not the place or physical church or congregation group; 2. Know God in the Spirit, and therefore could worship-join to Him, in spirit and in Truth-His word.)

(1 Cor.6:17 (AMP) 17 But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.”)

John 4: 25The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

(The Samaritan woman was thus saved! Her spiritual eyes were opened when she turned to the matter of knowing the true God and true worship, and she recognized and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, her Savior!)

(What a journey Jesus has taken to save just one thirsty soul! Of course, after her salvation, seeing and hearing her testimony, encountering Jesus themselves, many of her countrymen were saved.)

End Times Witnessing: How a rubber tapper entered the kingdom of God

The watchman heard a wonderful testimony given by a veteran woman evangelist last week. It answered his prayer about how anyone can enter the kingdom of God. One woman rubber tapper in Asia accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord one Thursday evening.


The next day the veteran evangelist visited the new convert to see how she was doing. The rubber tapper told the evangelist her testimony of divine healing and deliverance. She rose that morning and felt giddy and unable to go out to work. The work is done at night or in the early morning before the day’s temperature rises, so the latex will drip longer before coagulating and sealing the cut. So she used the name of Jesus to command all the unclean spirits to depart from her head. And it worked instantly!

The evangelist asked her how she knew how to cast out those demons. She said she remembered an incident that happened many years ago wherein a Christian pastor came to visit her son in the hospital and said the same command. She remembered and used the same words in the Name of Jesus and it worked.

The evangelist said that in all her years of pastoring this was the first time she witnessed a one day old Christian using the authority of the Kingdom of God by faith without doubt.

Truly a great testimony for all to emulate.

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What does John the Baptist say about entering the Kingdom of God? Believe in the Son of God, obey Him (His Word)! (John 3:27-36)

In the case of the woman rubber tapper, she forgets who she is in the physical realm (i.e. in the eyes of men, a poor, illiterate woman rubber tapper, who is among the lowest in the society). She believes in Jesus (the Son of God) who has saved her from that kingdom of darkness and translated her into the kingdom of God, and she acted accordingly, using the authority of the Son of God (as a son of God herself, led by the Holy Spirit)!

John 3: 27-36 New Living Translation (NLT)

27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”