Are you a prophetic person? If so are you a watchman?

 Do you receive revelation on a daily basis or does it come infrequently? The answer to this question may determine whether you have the lone anointing of a watchman or another anointing.

  There is a lot of confusion about who and what is a watchman. Many prophetic people erroneously claim Ezekiel 3:17, Ezekiel's call to be a watchman, as their verse of calling when actually it is not their call at all. They may operate in the gifts of the spirit, 1 Cor: 12, or they may be called in other areas of the prophetic realm or even to be a prophet but not all prophetic people are watchmen.

   If someone feels strongly that they are a watchman, they may very well be one, but simply being prophetic doesn't make us a watchman. The call to be a watchman is not automatically included in all prophetic calls. Ezekiel was first called to be a prophet. His call to be a watchman was in addition to his prophetic calling. There is nothing special or super spiritual about being a watchman; it is simply a separate and distinct call.

 There are many prophets intercessors and prophetic people who, like Ezekiel, are watchmen as well as prophets or intercessors. But not all are both. There are those whose only call is to be a watchman and nothing more, these are usually not very well known because they may not have any other function. Watchmen usually operate in tandem with intercessors but may or may not be an intercessor.

   The most discernible difference in a person who is a watchman and one who moves in the spiritual gifts is that those operating in the gifts usually can and do move frequently in their gifts, words of knowledge, words of wisdom etc. Where as a watchman may receive revelation of tremendous value and in large quantity but may do so only once or twice in a year. These are truly watchmen on the wall. Not better than, nor less than other prophetic callings, just distinct in their difference.

  The real everyday life of a watchman on the wall in ancient times was not all that glamorous. They spent days on end without seeing anything of significance maybe even weeks or months might go by before they spotted any thing to report. But a good watchman was always on the lookout, never tiring or moving his steady gaze from the horizon just in case something or someone came into view.

    It is still the same today. A spiritual watchman is always watching and listening in the spiritual realm. He may hear the word of the Lord or receive revelation or foresight into coming events that is very important. When this happens he must report this to the proper authorities. Then his job is done. Like his ancient predecessors, he doesn't have the authority to call out the army or close the gates he simply reports what he sees to the elders or leaders. Then it becomes their responsibility to take the proper action.

     After he has done this he may go for many days, weeks or months before he sees anything to report again. During this time many will persistently ask "Has the Lord shown you anything?" or " What's God showing you now?" A mature watchman who has no present revelation will say "Nothing at this time" Those less mature may try to search out something and report erroneously. This can cause trouble in the camp.

   The point is that with a watchman the revelation comes at the proper time and as God wills. If the watchman has other gifts such as gift of knowledge, he may be able to find a word from the Lord for an individual or group but he cannot use his watchman's anointing for this because he can only report what is approaching on the horizon. A prophet though, may often give a prophetic watchman's report and then move into the gifts of the spirit with out anyone realizing he has left one anointing and passed to another.

  The watchman's revelation and subsequent report is vital to everyone. But revelations usually come to watchmen mush less frequently than it does to other revelatory people.  

  If you receive infrequent yet pertinent revelation chances are you are moving in a watchman's anointing.  If you don't receive any other word for a while don’t despair. God has not forgotten you. There simply is not anything of significance moving on the horizon in your section of the watch area. God is faithful and will give revelation and direction in the proper order and at the proper time.

  If you don't receive this kind of revelation, don't worry, just move in the gifts that you have but understand that you may not be a watchman. Not everyone is. Not every one is called to be a watchman, only those God so desires. What's important is for all Christians to seek a more intimate relationship with our Creator and use the revelation He gives as our own gifting and calling allows.