WATCHMAN

EXAMINING THE CALL TO WATCH AND PRAY

JIM LAFFOON

The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await
him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God. (Hosea 9:8)

The development and appointment of God-called watchmen and watchwomen is essential to

the health, safety, and expansion of Every Nation around the world. Before examining their
ministry, we will define the term “watchman,” both linguistically and practically. (Note: in these
class notes, the term “watchman” will denote both watchmen and watchwomen.)

THE DEFINITION OF A WATCHMAN

In Hebrew, “watchman” can mean keeping watch, guarding, or spying. Here is a description of
the term watchman from the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament:

Watchman ‫( ָצָפה‬ṣāpâ) means “look out or about, watch.” Derivatives of the word
“watchman” are: ‫( ִצִפּייָה‬ṣippîyâ) “lookout post” (Lamentations 4:17) and ‫( ִמְצֶפּה‬miṣpeh)
“watchtower, lookout point” (Isaiah 21:8; 2 Chronicles 20:24). ṣāpâ conveys the idea of
being fully aware of a situation in order to gain some advantage or keep from being
surprised by an enemy. The verb appears in the sense “to lie watching in ambush”; the
wicked watches the righteous to slay him (Ps 37:32). Conversely the wise woman watches
(looks to) the ways of her household; i.e., she diligently takes care of its every need
(Proverbs 31:27). So too Yahweh is alert to what happens on earth in order that he may
properly judge its inhabitants (Proverbs 15:3; cf. Ps 66:7). It also expresses the posture of
faith; Micah says, “As for me, I will look to Yahweh, I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me” (7:7). Dhorme takes the form in Job 15:22 as a passive ptc. (ṣāpû)
meaning the result of being looked over, “choice” or “marked.”

As a ptc. (ṣôpeh) it means “watchman,” one who was stationed on the wall and was
responsible to inform the nation’s leadership of any danger (cf. 1 Samuel 14:16; 2
Samuel 18:24ff.; 2 Kings 9:17–20). Failure in his duties often carried the death penalty.
The prophetic office is sometimes described in this language. To Ezekiel God says, “I
have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my
mouth, you shall give them warning from me” (3:17; cf. 33:7; Jeremiah 6:17; Habakkuk
2:1). If Ezekiel failed to give them God’s warning, he was liable for their lives; but if he
faithfully proclaimed the message, he was free from any further responsibility regardless
of the people’s response (Ezekiel 3:18–21). Although God was faithful in sending Israel
watchmen, many became blind to their mission (Isaiah 56:10). The failure of these
watchmen and the rejection of the true ones were major reasons for the downfall of Israel.

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 Conversely, the true prophets will be the watchmen who are first to sing. of the advance
of God’s new saving deeds (Is. 52:7–10).1

Practically speaking, watchmen are prophetic ministers and/or intercessors who have been
called by God—and at times, specifically appointed by Him—to provide intelligence and
security for people, churches, movements, cities, nations, and governments. This does not
mean, however, that every intercessor and prophetic minister has been gifted and called by
God to serve as a watchman. Watchmen are “gifted,” because it is virtually impossible to serve
in this calling without the revelation gathered through the gifts of knowledge, discernment, and
prophecy. Furthermore, the ways in which these revelatory gifts operate in a person’s life is also
crucial.

Jim Critcher delineates these ways (i.e., modes) in the Every Nation School of Prophecy manual.
He describes the four primary modes through which the revelatory gifts operate: (1) verbal—
through God’s voice; (2) visual—through dreams and visions; (3) visceral—through our
emotions; and (4) virtual—through ecstatic means.2

The verbal mode is particularly useful to our discussion of watchmen. Some prophetic ministers
receive a clear flow of revelation (Hebrew “naba”— to bubble up and/or boil forth) while
prophesying over Individuals, yet they rarely receive verbal revelation outside of these ministry
moments. When this is the case, serving as a watchman is very difficult, unless they are regularly
receiving visual revelation. While some prophetic ministers can develop additional revelatory
modalities through mentoring, others may simply not be spiritually wired for it. One man who
had the most extraordinary gift of personal prophecy said, “I never see a thing,” when it came
to visual revelation.

It is no different with intercessors. Some of them receive revelation through multiple revelatory
modalities, while others receive almost no revelation at all. Even without a consistent flow of
revelatory information, however, intercessors can still be incredibly effective, because they
receive requests, data, and information from other intercessors, watchmen, prayer ministries,
and other Christians. Though watchmen and intercessors receive information and intelligence
through the revelatory gifts, their responses vary, depending on their calling and/or gift mix.
Those who are gifted and called to be prophetic ministers typically release their burden through
the proclamation of what they see, but intercessory watchmen are not satisfied until they have
prayed over what they see.

1
J.E. Hartley, R.L. Harris, G.L. Archer, Jr., & B.K. Waltke (eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 773.
2
Jim Critcher, Every Nation School of Prophecy (Nashville, TN: Every Nation Publishing Company,
2015), 103-109.

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THE DESIGNATION OF A WATCHMAN

Before examining the deployment of watchman, we need to recognize the signs of this calling.
First, even in the early stages of their development, watchmen don’t just receive revelation.
Instead, they receive warnings. These early warnings typically come viscerally through feelings
of danger, grief, and darkness. As watchmen mature, these warnings become visual and vocal.
Some watchmen are even visited and warned by angelic messengers. In the end, however, it is
not the modality that matters, it is the message. (Note: Although watchmen are primarily
seen in Scripture as guards and protectors, their role also includes the perception of divine
seasons and opportunities.) Second, watchman carry a sense of divine assignment. These
assignments can include individuals, cities, churches, ministries, and nations.

[I believe that serving as a watchman for my Every Nation family is a divine assignment
for me. I believe this because (1) my assignment as a watchman has been validated by
the leadership of the EN family, and (2) the warnings I have given have proven to be
credible. As I have matured over the decades in my own calling as a watchman, I have
also discovered that I am typically aligned (watching mode) viscerally and assigned (who
or what am I guarding) vocally or visually. –Jim Laffoon]

THE DEPLOYMENT OF A WATCHMAN

THE PICTURES
In Isaiah 21:6-10, after an intense time of birthing prayer, Isaiah is posted as a watchman.

For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees.
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen
diligently, very diligently.” Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O
Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. And behold, here
come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the
carved images of her gods He has shattered to the ground.” O my threshed and
winnowed one, what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce
to you. (Isaiah 26:6-10)

In Habakkuk 2:1, the prophet Habakkuk goes to his watch post and stations himself there, in
order to discover what God will say to him.

I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower and look out to
see what He will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. (Hab. 2:1)

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THE PROCESS
The deployment of a watchman is normally a two-step process: employed, then deployed.

1. EMPLOYED (Called): Unlike Ezekiel, whose calling as a watchman was revealed to him
in a divine encounter with God, the calling of most watchman today is more a gradual
realization than an instantaneous revelation.

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the
word I speak and give them warning from Me.” (Ezekiel 3:17)

Typically, this awareness or realization that they are called to be a watchman and/or
intercessor comes as the Holy Spirit begins to reveal warnings to them. In some cases,
realization does not come until a trusted Christian peer or leader recognizes what is
happening and explains it to them. No matter how you are called, it is critical to have
both the witness of the Holy Spirit and the confirmation of the leaders God has placed
in your life. If God has truly called you, you will not be the only person He tells. If you
lack human confirmation to what you are hearing from the Holy Spirit, it is either not the
right time, or you have not heard right.

[In terms of my own prophetic calling, this is how it happened. Through a divine
encounter with God, I had been called to preach, but I had no idea what I had been
called to do besides preaching. Six years later, my pastor told me that I was a prophet,
and then my ministry call began to make more sense—Jim Laffoon]

2. DEPLOYED (Appointed): God has appointed, or posted watchmen (i.e., guards,

protectors) on the walls of Jerusalem. As intercessors, they are also commanded to cry
out in prayer day and night until God’s purposes for Jerusalem have been fulfilled.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet
till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch…
I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day
or night. You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest, and give Him no
rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. (Isaiah
62:1;6-7)

J.A. Motyer makes some astute comments on this passage:

The appointment of praying guardians (62:6–7)—Parallel with the second stanza,

in which the Anointed One prays, He now appoints those who will intercede
ceaselessly until the full work of salvation and righteousness is accomplished.
Before the first coming of the Lord Jesus there were such (Lk. 2:36–38; cf. Mt.
24:42; 25:13; Mk. 13:33–37; Lk. 21:36) ..., which is not descriptive of a situation
but impressionistic of watchful urgency. Watchmen (√šāmar) is ‘keepers,
guardians.’ Those who engage in prayer are the true guardians, and true prayer

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 is: (i) ceaseless (lit.) ‘all the day and all the night’; (ii) vocal, verbalizing the need
(never be silent, √ḥāšâ; cf. verse 1a); (iii) effective Godward (you who call on the
LORD/ ‘who put the LORD in remembrance’).

We do not conclude that otherwise He would forget, but that our prayers are, by
His will, in some way a vital ingredient in the implementing of His promises. Cf.
how the promise of Malachi 4:5 came in answer to the prayers of Luke 1:13.
Prayer is also: (iv) disciplined (give yourselves no rest); (v) urgent and pressing
(give Him no rest; cf. Lk. 18:1–8); and (vi) sustained (till He establishes, i.e. fulfils
all that was foretold in chapter 60 regarding Zion, the whole work of salvation
and righteousness in 61:10–62:1). Jerusalem is made the praise of the earth,
something the whole world gives praise to the Lord for, because in saving Zion
the world has been saved.3

Even as God appointed—and still appoints—watchmen to protect Jerusalem, I believe

He also assigns watchmen to churches, ministries, and nations. Practically speaking, how
does a watchman receive a posting or appointment? Being posted as a watchman usually
happens in one of four ways, but all of these forms of divine posting are integral to our
understanding of how God builds prayer shields. (The formation of these intercessory
shields will be examined in another session.)

1. A consistent burden from the Holy Spirit for a city, church, ministry, and/or nation
2. An invitation from a pastor or another Christian to serve as watchman; it brings a
consistent internal witness from the Holy Spirit
3. A specific posting from the Holy Spirit through the revelatory modalities
4. Asking God for a specific posting (In many cases, posting requests are based on
geography, church attendance, ministry affiliations.)

THE PRACTICES
Throughout the New Testament, we are commanded to “stay awake” by being spiritually alert
and vigilant. An example of these admonitions can be found in Matthew 26.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His
disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with Him Peter and the
two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, “My
soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me.” And going a
little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the
disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with
Me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed

3
J.A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1996), 507.

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 is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, He went away and
prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again He
came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, He
went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then He came to
the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at
hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going;
see, My betrayer is at hand.” (Matthew 26:36-46)

What was Jesus asking the disciples to do? Minimally, He was asking them to stay spiritually
alert and vigilant and to pray for Him. This connection with the disciples was so important to
Jesus that even when He was pressing into the heart of His father, He positioned Himself in a
place where they could still watch with Him.

And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed…(Lk.22:41)
Practically speaking, how do we fulfill this command? What does it mean to “watch and pray”
for someone or something, such as a region of the world, a country, a city, a church, or a
ministry? First, although the Holy Spirit can employ us any time He chooses, a usual “watch”
time is in the evening before bedtime. Second, while on watch, it is important to quiet your soul
and prayerfully watch over the people who have been assigned to you. What does it mean to
“prayerfully watch?” You can look at pictures of these people, or you can imagine them in your
mind. As you do this, wait on the Lord for a revelation about them. This can come through a
verse of Scripture or some other form of visceral, vocal, or visual revelation. Third, when you
receive revelation, pray accordingly. If it is serious enough that you are still burdened after
praying, you might alert other intercessors or seek the counsel of other leaders. If the burden
persists, you may even share it with the person.

[For example, at times while I am spiritually watching over someone, different parts of their
body will light up. When this happens within my own prayer ministry, it is typically an indicator
of an illness or disease. If these indicators persist, I will eventually go the person I am praying
for and ask them how they are doing physically. If I don’t have a relationship with the person,
I will go someone that knows them well or his pastoring them. —Jim Laffoon]

If you are serving on an intercessory team in your church, this type of revelation should be
submitted to the team leader or one of the pastors in the church. Even if the person you are
praying for is a close friend or family member, you must be very careful in sharing with them.
When possible, share this type of revelation in the form of a question. For example, if you are
deeply burdened about the function of someone’s heart, you might say, “I have been burdened
over your physical health in prayer; how are you doing?” At times, you may even be more
specific in your questioning.

Watchman prayer (watching prayer) is highly effective because it is proactive in nature, not
reactive. Many times, intercession is reactive; we are praying in response to something that has
already happened, such as when we are asked to pray for someone who is critically ill. Although

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this is a powerful form of intercession, there are times during watching prayer that we can see
the disease or illness before it manifests in the natural. This gives us a powerful advantage.
Proactive prayer is not just preventive, it is predictive. In other words, you see something God
desires to do, and you join in the birthing process.

“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things
like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to
the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the
womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. (Isaiah 66:7-9)

THE DEFENSE OF THE WATCHMAN

When it comes to the warfare that surrounds the watchman’s role, stealth and strategic prayer
are two essential practices for the watchman and/or intercessor.

STEALTH
The word “stealth” denotes secrecy, quietness and hiddenness. Have you ever heard God tell
you to hide? This command would typically come in the context of prophetic warfare and
intercession. There are times in prophetic/intercessory warfare when these traits are crucial. God
told Elijah to hide himself after he proclaimed a terrible judgment on the nation of Israel in the
days of Ahab and Jezebel.

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the
Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.” (1 Kings 17:2-3)

Elijah stayed hidden for approximately three years in obedience to this command, while Israel
suffered through the predicted drought. His obedience protected him from Ahab, whose troops
were searching for him throughout the Middle East. Elijah did not come out of hiding until the
Lord commanded him to (cf. 1 Kings 18:1-2). Why did the Lord command Elijah to hide for such
a long time? It is important to remember that Satan is neither omnipresent nor omniscient.
Unlike God, who is omnipresent (present everywhere) and omniscient (all-seeing and all-
knowing), Satan can be surprised. His forces are unable to prepare their defenses or even launch
a counterattack when you intervene swiftly and immediately go silent.

[When another intercessor and I were battling against a massive demonic spirit that was
trying to crush a number of our fellow ministers, the Lord revealed to me that I needed
to intervene swiftly and immediately hide when I was done. My intercessory intervention
was no more than a minute or two, in obedience to these instructions, and I immediately

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 stopped interceding when I was done. Using swiftness and stealth can enabled you to be
protected. —Jim Laffoon]

Throughout the book of Psalms, there are allusions to the safety that is to be found in God’s
presence; sometimes this is called “taking refuge in God’s presence” as an aspect of hiding.
Some example of this can be seen in the passages below. In these passages, we find that God’s
presence is a refuge, a shield, a battlement, a fortress, and a place to hide. Two of these
passages liken God’s protection to “coming under His wings.”

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge. I will take refuge
in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1)

He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His
faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. (Psalm 91:4)

But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. (Ps.
94:22)
Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. (Ps.
141:9)

Depending on the passage, these “wings” can either refer metaphorically to the wings of an
eagle (Ps. 91:4) or to the wings of the cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies
(Ps. 57:1). How can we experience the reality of these incredible promises? There are times
when you can just ask God, by His presence, to hide and protect you from your demonic foes.
As you sense His presence enveloping you, cease from all forms of offensive warfare and rest in
His protection. The next time you feel the beginnings of a demonic counterattack, and you are
battling back in prayer, ask God to hide you. Never forget that through the work of Christ, we
have access to the very throne of God.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Stealth is very important for us to practice. While we are serving as watchmen, the enemy of our
souls and his forces will lock onto the anointing and power emanating from our lives in order to
launch vicious counterattacks against us. Here is an example of modern “stealth” warfare in the
US Air Force: there are planes known as “Wild Weasels,” whose job it is to suppress the enemy’s
radar and anti-aircraft missiles. Once they have tricked the enemy into lighting them up with
their radar, the Wild Weasels—or other planes with them—launch HARM missiles, which are
designed to lock onto electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar. Once these
missiles destroy the enemy’s radar and missile systems, the enemy is then helpless. This warfare
is called “SEAD,” or “Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.” We also want to suppress our
enemy’s defenses!

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There are other times, however, where stealth alone will not be enough, and counterattacks
cannot be avoided. In these periods of sustained warfare, we must resist the enemy, knowing
that his ultimate defeat is sure. Strategic prayer is essential, and three of the most effective
forms of strategic prayer are praying in tongues, praying the Scriptures, and angelic
interventions.

STRATEGIC PRAYER
Strategic prayer is based on the authority we have in Christ. The essence of strategic prayer is
the fact that we have been given authority in Christ over every type of demonic spirit. In Luke
10:17-20, Jesus clearly defines this authority; He states that His promise of authority was not
exclusively for the twelve apostles. According to verse 17, He was addressing the seventy.

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your
name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority
to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing
will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your
names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20)

After putting things in perspective for them (e.g., “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven”),
Jesus explains the tremendous authority He has given them. Jesus promises them that they will
trample on demonic spirits (cf. Gen. 3:15, Ps. 91:13), overcome all the power of the enemy, and
nothing will harm them. This passage clearly promises believers authority over all the power of
the enemy, and this authority is not limited to a certain type of demonic being. It is also
important to recognize that the demons were submitting to the seventy through the authority
of the name of Jesus. In Philippians 2:9-10, Paul states that the name of Jesus is above every
other name. In other words, there is no being in heaven or earth that does not have to submit
to His name.

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth… (Philippians 2:9-10)

One of the reasons Paul emphasized the exaltation of Jesus and His name had to do with the
practice of magic in the ancient world. The pervasive use of magic made it imperative for Paul’s
audience to know that there was no name above the name of Jesus. This was crucial, because
they needed to realize that the name of Jesus was greater than the name of any god or spirit
whose name was invoked in order to curse, hex, or control them through magic. In Colossians
2:15, Paul describes the triumph of Christ over demonic powers through the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them,
triumphing over them by the cross. (Col. 2:15)

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This passage clearly states that Jesus disarmed the highest levels of demonic powers through
His work on the cross. F.F. Bruce, renowned New Testament scholar, outlines the implications
of Christ’s death in his commentary:

The message proclaimed by Paul to the Colossians remains the one message of hope to
men and women in frustration and despair. Christ crucified and risen is Lord of all: all the
forces of the universe are subject to him, not only the benign ones but the hostile ones
as well. They are all subject to the one through whom they were created; the hostile
forces are also subject to the one by whom they were conquered. Therefore, to be united
to him is to be liberated from their thralldom, to enjoy perfect freedom, to overcome
the powers of evil through participation in his victory. The redemption that is in Christ
Jesus is a cosmic redemption; its healing virtue streams out to the farthest bounds of
creation. But it is a personal and particular redemption too: the conqueror who is
enthroned at God’s right hand, supreme above the universe and filling it with his
presence, is at the same time enthroned as king in each believer’s heart.4

PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES—The sword of God’s Word has immense power. Applied by the
Holy Spirit, it is both a surgical instrument and a strategic weapon. Neither the darkest levels of
our old nature nor Hell’s most impregnable walls of resistance are safe from its probing, piercing
power. A pastor once said that the sword of the Spirit has two edges: one edge is for our flesh,
and the other edge is for our foe. The author of Hebrews describes the power of Scripture by
using the metaphor of a double-edged sword:

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. (Hebrews 4:12)

When the sword of the Spirit is used as a surgical instrument, the power of God’s Word is
released to expose and eviscerate the devilish power of our old nature. Meditation,
memorization, and reading are all excellent ways to apply the power of God’s Word to the
deeply rooted patterns of sin and deception in our lives.

The sword can be used as a strategic weapon as well. When Scripture is “weaponized” by the
Holy Spirit, it can become one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal. In Ephesians 6:17, the
apostle Paul uses a sword as a metaphor to describe this use of God’s Word as a weapon: Take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The sword
described in this Scripture verse is the Roman short sword, or gladius. It was created as a
thrusting or stabbing weapon, and it was 24-30 inches long. The Roman Legionnaires used this
type of sword for hundreds of years.

4
F.F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids, MI: William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984), 112-113.

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The “word” in Ephesians 6:17 is not logos in the original language, but rhema. Rhema, in this
context, connotes speaking Spirit-quickened words from God. In other words, God wants to
give us Spirit-anointed Scriptures to thrust deep into the heart of the enemy and his works. In
addition, although the term “Word of God” used here primarily refers to the Scriptures, it can
also be applied to prophecies, words of faith or knowledge, and other Spirit-inspired utterances.

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He used the “sword of the Spirit”
as a strategic weapon on three different occasions. He responded to each temptation with a
different Scripture. In response to the first temptation, He pierced the enemy with Matthew 4:4.
In this verse, Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3b: ... man does not live by bread alone, but
on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. In the Septuagint (the earliest surviving
Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word rhema is used, just like the earlier Scripture:

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

Jesus used three different Spirit-quickened Scriptures, one for each temptation. You can also
use a different “blade” (i.e., Scripture passage) for each battle you face. When you come into
conflict with the enemy, ask the Holy Spirit to quicken the very Scriptures you need to pierce
through the enemies’ defenses. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would remind us of His
words (cf. John 14:26). In Revelation 19, the sword of the Spirit is Jesus’s weapon of choice in
His final battle with the beast, the false prophet, and the huge army—gathered by demonic
spirits—who followed them.
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. His eyes are like blazing
fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows
but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of
God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in
fine linen, white and clean. 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… 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. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed
the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark
of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. (Revelation 19:11-15;19-20)

The secret to wielding this powerful weapon is found in John 15:7— “If you remain in Me and
My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” In the original
language, the word for remain means to “stay with,” “live with,” or “abide in.” In other words,
if we stay vitally connected to both Jesus and the Scriptures, we will have the both the
perspective and the power we need to effectively use the Scriptures in strategic prayer.

11
What does it mean to stay vitally connected to both Jesus and the Scriptures? Some Christians
love to worship and wait on the Lord, and many of them hear the voice of God regularly.
Although they read the Scriptures and may even meditate on them, they have never disciplined
themselves to become true students of the Word. They have neither an understanding of the
Bible’s content nor a grasp of its message. Other believers diligently study the Scriptures, but
they lack a life of true closeness (intimacy) with Christ. They rarely worship the Lord outside
church services, and they take almost no time to wait on Him.

On the other hand, when we are both intimate (close) with Christ and instructed in His Word,
we are enabled to effectively wield the sword of the Spirit. Intimacy (closeness) with Christ
creates the spiritual circuitry necessary for the Scriptures we have studied and stored up to be
quickened by the Holy Spirit into our minds, and then they can be released from our mouths.
For example, in a battle against condemnation and accusation, one of the “blades” of the Holy
Spirit is Zechariah 3:1-5.

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and
Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke
you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning
stick snatched from the fire?”

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said
to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to
Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Then I
said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and
clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by. (Zech. 3:1-5)

[In my own struggles with condemnation and accusation, I have studied this passage for
years. I understand both its context and the meaning what the Holy Spirit inspired the
prophet Zechariah to write. I have also studied the books of Daniel and Ezra. Without this
knowledge, I could never have understood the political and spiritual pressures faced by
Zechariah, Zerubbabel, and the other Jews who had returned from Babylon and
attempted to rebuild the temple. This study allows the Holy Spirit to more effectively
weaponize the Scriptures He has chosen for me to use in when I war in this area of my
life. –Jim Laffoon]

Never forget, the sword of the Spirit is most effective out of the mouths of those Christians who
have chosen to become both friends with God and students of His Word.

PRAYING IN TONGUES—The Greek text of the New Testament clearly shows that Paul’s
command to pray is a continuation of his clarion call to “… put on the full armor of God.” F.F.
Bruce discusses this verse in context in his commentary:

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 There is no obvious separation in the Greek text between this exhortation to prayer
and the immediately preceding encouragement to resist spiritual foes. The
imperative “pray” … renders the participle “praying” in the Greek. This might be a
further instance of the imperatival use of the participle; but, so far as the construction
goes, “praying” (with the following “keeping awake”) seems to belong to the series
of participles dependent on the imperative “stand” at the beginning of v. 14 (“having
girt,” “having shod,” “having taken up”).5

Although “praying in the Spirit” is not limited to the gift of tongues, it obliviously includes
the gift of tongues. F.F. Bruce’s remarks on this topic are also very enlightening:

Praying “in the Spirit” means praying under the Spirit’s influence and with His
assistance. “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also,” says Paul (1
Cor. 14:15), by way of response, it appears, to some who believed that to pray in a
“tongue” unintelligible to speaker and hearers alike was to pray “in the Spirit.” It is
no criterion of the power of the Spirit that the person praying does not understand
his own prayer. On the other hand, there are prayers and aspirations of the heart that
cannot well be articulated; these can be offered in the Spirit, who, as Paul says,
“himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26).6

Two Scriptures essential to this discussion are 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 and Romans 8:26-27. In
the first Scripture, Paul makes a clear connection between praying in tongues and praying with
our spirits; in fact, they seem synonymous to him. Paul also contrasts praying with our spirits and
praying with our minds.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I
will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit,
but I will also sing with my understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)

The phrases used by Paul— “praying in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18) and “praying with my spirit” (1
Cor. 14:14-15)—seem to be saying two different things. In reality, they are quite similar. Both
are clearly the work of the Holy Spirit. Gordon Fee, in his commentary on Corinthians, discusses
the similarities between these two phrases:

As suggested before, in the present context the difficult wording “my spirit prays” seems
to mean something like “my S/spirit prays.” On the one hand, both the possessive “my”
and the contrast with “my mind” indicate that he is here referring to his own “spirit” at
prayer. On the other hand, there can be little question, on the basis of the combined
evidence of 12:7–11 and 14:2 and 16, that Paul understood speaking in tongues to be

5
F.F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984), 411.
6
Ibid.

13
 an activity of the Spirit in one’s life; it is prayer and praise directed toward God in the
language of Spirit-inspiration. The most viable solution to this ambiguity is that by the
language “my spirit prays” Paul means his own spirit is praying as the Holy Spirit gives the
utterance. Hence, “my S/spirit prays.”7

In Romans 8:26-27, Paul describes the power of praying in tongues:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to
pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who
searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s
people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

A number of scholars believe the phrase “… the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless
groans” is the same type of praying described in 1 Cor. 14:2: “For anyone who speaks in a
tongue ... utters mysteries by the Spirit.” A similar phrase mentioned by these scholars is 1 Cor.
14:14: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful." One of these scholars
is Gordon D. Fee. In his seminal work God's Empowering Presence, Fee makes the following
comment:

“Several matters therefore join together to suggest that Origen (Early Church Father)
probably had it right, in understanding that these sentences as a whole, and this
phrase in particular to refer to a kind of private (to oneself) praying in tongues.”8

In addition, the Greek word translated “wordless” in the NIV can be interpreted as either
“silence” or “inexpressible” (no words for it). If the second definition is accepted as the
translation, this passage may be describing a person who cannot find words for what they are
feeling or facing. If that is correct, this passage could really be referring to tongues.
There is a four-step process in regard to the purpose and power of praying in tongues. As you
traverse the steps of reception, connection, and perception, as well as self-perception, your
direction will be determined, and your purpose and power will increase dramatically.

1. RECEPTION: The gift of tongues plays a critical role in solving our “spiritual reception”
problem. This is because tongues, a language given by the Spirit, bypasses our minds
and establishes direct communication with God. Spiritual reception problems can have
at least four sources (which will be examined later).

2. CONNECTION: Once connection and communication has been re-established with

God, self-perception and direction are possible. Romans 8:26-27 perfectly captures the

7
Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1987), 670.
8
Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2011), 580.

14
 sense of relief, faith, and connection experienced when we pray in tongues rather than
in our native tongue. Even if the "inexpressible groanings" referred to in this verse don't
specifically refer to tongues, the passage itself does explain the power of the Holy Spirit
praying through us. As God, the Holy Spirit knows our desires as well as the Godhead’s
divine desires and will for us. This enables Him to perfectly express our needs, even when
we cannot understand them ourselves. That is why tongues can create such a deep sense
of divine reconnection, peace, and faith. Is it any wonder that Paul said, “I thank God
that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18)?

3. PERCEPTION AND SELF-PERCEPTION: When connection and communication are

confirmed, it is far easier to perceive what we are facing. In other words, what is the
nature of your spiritual reception problems? What is its source? For example, when
pangs of guilt are piercing your conscience, is it the conviction of the Holy Spirit, or the
condemnation of the enemy? Correct spiritual self-perception is a vital step in the
process of receiving the direction we need.

4. DIRECTION: David’s experience at Ziklag powerfully illustrates the link between

connection and direction. David, facing one of the greatest leadership crises of his life,
sought connection with God before he attempted to receive direction from Him. It is
no different in our lives today. Once we find fresh connection with God, we can receive
the direction we need.

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each
one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found
strength in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of
Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, and David
inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and

succeed in the rescue.” (1 Samuel 30:6-8)

There will be times when our direction concerns spiritual warfare. In 1 Corinthians, Paul
uses boxing as a metaphor to describe his fighting style: “I do not fight like a boxer
beating the air.” (1 Cor. 9:26b) In other words, Paul does not miss his target. Although
Paul’s emphasis in the context of this passage is on training and vision, we must not
forget the importance of the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Without the target selection and
timing provided by the Holy Spirit, our spiritual battles can easily become an exercise in
futility—like truly “beating the air.”

Tongues can be also be used as a weapon in spiritual warfare. In 1 Corinthians 13:1, Paul clearly
states that tongues can be expressed in both human and angelic languages. Gordon Fee’s
examination of this passage is very helpful:

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 Our most likely entree into Paul’s understanding is to be found in his description of the
phenomenon in 1 Cor 13:1 as “the tongues of angels.” The context virtually demands
that this phrase refers to glossolalia. The more difficult matter is its close conjunction
with “the tongues of people.” Most likely this refers to two kinds of glossolalia: human
speech, inspired of the Spirit but unknown to the speaker or hearers, and angelic speech,
inspired of the Spirit to speak in the heavenly dialect. The historical context in general
suggests that the latter is what the Corinthians understood glossolalia to be, and that
therefore they considered it one of the evidences of their having already achieved
something of their future heavenly status.9

The distinction between angelic and human tongues is relevant to our discussion because of its
possible implications for spiritual warfare. As fallen angels, demons probably communicate with
each other in an angelic dialect. We know from Jude 9 that angels and fallen angels (demons)
can still communicate with each other, but at this point, we can only speculate on the impact of
angelic tongues on demons.

But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of
Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
(Jude 9)

We also know from Scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 14:2-18 that when we are speaking, praying,
or singing in tongues, our direction is primarily toward God. In fact, the only humans being
impacted by the tongues being spoken (other than the speaker) are those humans who
understand the language being used. Understanding (i.e., intelligibility) is only possible through
the gift of interpretation of tongues (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:11-13), or if the language chosen by
the Holy Spirit is a human dialect that people there understand (cf. Acts 2:8-13).

Would demons would be impacted more if they heard tongues being spoken in their own
language? Humans definitely would be impacted that way. Could the Holy Spirit further
weaponize “angelic” tongues by directing them toward the demonic entities against whom we
are wrestling in prayer? Have you ever experienced the language flowing out of your mouth
taking on a different tone and tenor when you are battling the enemy? Do your words become
more strident, demanding, and/or warlike? Sometimes, when we are engaging in warfare, there
is a shift from simply “asking” to “demanding,” and from light-hearted rejoicing to sober
rebuking.

Although this form of tongues is by no means common, we can wonder about its nature and
validity. Is this confrontation in an angelic dialect? If so, is this type of confrontation Biblically
valid? Even though Scripture commands us to “pray in the spirit with all kinds of prayers,” it is
impossible to either prove or disprove this form of the use of tongues from Scripture. While

9
Gordon Fee, God’s Empowering Presence, 890.

16
there is no example of confronting demons in tongues, it is never condemned or taught against
in the Scriptures.

Here are some facts that indicate it is at least minimally possible for the Holy Spirit to use angelic
tongues to confront the enemy. First, it is clear in Scripture that tongues can deeply impact
humans who hear them intelligibly. If humans are impacted, why not angels and fallen angels
(i.e., demons), who are also rational beings? Second, although there are no examples in
Scripture of demons being confronted in tongues, there are many examples of demons being
impacted by the presence, power, and person of God. The Gospel makes it clear that demons
were terrified of Jesus.

James 2:19 describes demons (fallen angels) as believing in the existence of God and trembling
in fear: You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Douglas Moo, in his commentary on the book of James, describes what the word “tremble,” or
“shudder,” means in the context of this verse:

Yet what is their reaction? They shudder. This verb, used only here in the NT, refers to
the reaction of fear provoked by contact with God or the supernatural. It occurs
particularly frequently in the papyri to describe the effect that a sorcerer aims to produce
in his hearers. Since ancient people often regarded the very pronouncing of the name of
a god as having the power to provoke fear and terror, the verb is particularly appropriate
in this context. What the word contributes to James’s argument is not so clear. It may
be just an “add-on” without any real importance in James’s argument—as the NIV
suggests by setting it off from the main sentence with a dash. But James might also want
to suggest an ironical contrast between the demons and people who have faith without
works: at least the demons display some kind of reaction to their “faith”! Another nuance
might also be seen. The word “shudder” can also be applied to the dread experienced
by sinful people who know they are deserving of judgment to come (e.g., Philo, The
Worse Attacks the Better, 140). So, James might be implying, as demons, knowing
something of the true God, yet lacking true faith, shudder in fear of judgment, so also
ought people whose verbal profession is not followed up with actions.10

Third, the experience of confronting demonic spirits in tongues is not uncommon in the lives of
mature intercessors throughout the Body of Christ. Their experience is subjective, of course, but
the commonality of this experience among intercessors is at least an indicator that the origins
of this form of tongues is probably divine.

Like all types of tongues, timing and use of “weaponized” tongues is dictated by the leadership
of the Holy Spirit. Do not seek to pray or speak in a certain form of tongues. Instead, as you
speak in tongues, let your cadence, tone, tenor, and style be dictated by the Holy Spirit. In a

10
Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company,
2000), 131.

17
matter of seconds, you may go from battling in tongues to celebrating in tongues and laughing
joyfully. No matter how the Holy Spirit chooses to use tongues in your life, never underestimate
the power of this amazing gift. (Note: we have discussed tongues in the context of prayer, but
tongues is also an extraordinary form of worship and praise.)

ANGELIC INTERVENTIONS: Defeating demonic powers through angelic intervention is the

normative pattern of Scripture. In almost every instance where a demonic principality is warred
against, it is an angel that is engaging them. The Old Testament’s clearest example of angelic
warfare shows that while Daniel is praying, two angels assault the demonic prince of Persia.
There is no evidence that Daniel ever realized the nature of the battle precipitated by his prayers
until the angel explained it to him.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind
to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard,
and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me
twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was
detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will
happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come…” So he
said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince
of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is
written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your
prince.) (Dan. 10:12-14;20-21)

Another instance of angelic intervention occurs in the Old Testament book of Zechariah. In a
vision, Zechariah sees that Satan himself has been behind the accusations that have brought the
reconstruction of the temple to a halt. As Zechariah watches the vision, Satan is accusing Joshua,
the High Priest of Israel, who seems helpless in the face of his accusations. The angel of the Lord
rebukes Satan and then rescues Joshua from his assault.

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and
Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke
you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning
stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before
the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy
clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine
garments on you.” (Zech. 3:1-4)

In a New Testament account of angelic warfare, Michael the archangel has been sent by the
Lord to ensure that Satan cannot steal the body of Moses.

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 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of
Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
(Jude 9)

When Satan and his angels rebelled against the Lord in Revelation 12, the battle to defeat them
was delegated to Michael and the angels.

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the
dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their
place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the
devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his
angels with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)

Revelation 20 demonstrates a powerful example of “binding the strong man” (in this case, Satan
himself). The responsibility for binding the strong man was delegated to an angel.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding
in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or
Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and
sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand
years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (Revelation 20:1-3)

Other than the battles of Jesus with Satan in the wilderness and in the Garden of Gethsemane,
every clear example of battling demonic powers in Scripture was conducted by angels. This
does not exclude the place of God’s people in confrontation of demonic principalities.
Ephesians 6:10-18 clearly shows that Christians are in a struggle against demonic powers and
principalities; the word “struggle,” in the original language, generally speaks of fighting or
battling. In the context of this passage, it speaks of ancient wrestling. Paul’s message is simple:
because you are in a wrestling match against demonic powers, you cannot wrestle like you would
against another human. You must learn to fight like a fully armed Roman soldier.

Paul’s choice of the Roman military as his metaphor for spiritual conflict should dispel any
notions of spiritual passivity or simply staying on the defensive. The Roman army was the most
feared fighting force in the ancient world; for one thousand years, except for a handful of
defeats, they were the undisputed champions of the battlefield. Through its armies, Rome
forged an empire. Paul’s repeated call to “stand” in this passage is not a call to living on the
defensive. Instead, it is a call to resist the enemy’s “schemes,” or strategies. These strategies
included the enemy’s plans to blind the eyes of the unbelievers we are called to reach (cf. 2
Corinthians 4:4).

Paul commanded us to put on the armor of God so that we can “stand our ground” when the
enemy attacks. This is more than a call to self-defense. What is this “ground” on which we are
called to take our stand? In one sense, it varies from believer to believer, because we have not

19
all been called to the same battlefield. Some believers may be called to become part of the
prayer shield around their pastor and his or her family. Others may be taking their stand against
the demonic powers controlling a distant nation. Wherever you have been called to take your
stand, it’s important that you know how to safely and wisely engage the enemy. One of the
most effective weapons when battling the enemy is the deployment of angels through
prayer.

In Psalm 91, we find an interesting interaction between humans and angels that results in the
defeat of demonic spirits. This psalm, along with passages such as Ephesians 6:10-18 and
Revelation 12, is one of the most important passages about spiritual warfare in the Bible. This
particular interaction between humans and angels takes place in Psalm 91:9-13.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no
harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His
angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so
that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent. (Psalm 91:9-13)

Other than trusting in God and walking in the reality of His presence (Ps. 91:9-10), is there
anything else we as humans can do, in our battles with principalities and powers, in order to
experience the full reality of angelic help? In verses 9-12, we find that those who trust in the
Lord will be supernaturally protected through the intervention of angels. This intervention is
both defensive (vs. 12) and offensive (vs. 13). As far as offensive intervention, we read that with
the help of angels, we can tread on lions and cobras, and we can also trample the great lion and
the serpent. (These deadly creatures mentioned here can serve as metaphors for demonic
beings.) It is also interesting to note the progression of power and strength in the metaphors:
from lion to great lion (age, strength, or prowess); from cobra to serpent (sea monster or
dragon). The promise of Jesus in Luke 10:19 may have been an allusion to these words: “I have
given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the
enemy; nothing will harm you.”

Marvin Tate, Derek Kidner, Carl Keil, and Friedrich Delitzsch comment on the power that
humans have against demonic forces—through their interaction with angels. Their remarks can
be seen below (from their specific commentaries on the book of Psalms).

The protective metaphors in vv. 3–12 give way in v. 13 to one of positive subjugation.
The person who is under the protection of Yahweh and under the protective charge of
his angels (v. 11) will have the power to tread down and trample deadly snakes and lions
(v. 13). Lions and poisonous snakes are dangerous animals who attack with little warning
from hidden places (for lions, see Jer. 25:38; Judg. 14:5), but they will be put down and
mastered by the person of faith—the language is metaphorical, of course, for all persons

20
 and powers which threaten human beings with lethal attacks (cf. Ps 58:4–6; Deut. 32:33).
For the verb ‫רמס‬, “trample,” in v 13, cf. Isa 63:3; more generally, cf. Isa 11:6–9.11

11–13. Miraculous protection. This brings the promise doubly to a climax, by revealing
the unseen host ‘sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation’ (Heb.
1:14, av) and by depicting God’s servants not merely as survivors but as victors, who
trample deadly enemies under foot.
13. These creatures are even more formidable than they seem from rsv, since adder
should probably be ‘cobra’ (peten; see on 58:4). Such terms are frequently symbols for
evil men and powers; cf. e.g. 58:3–6; Deuteronomy 32:33. Our Lord, in giving His envoys
a similar promise of the upper hand, warned them against the pride it could induce (Luke
10:19f.)12

V.13 tells what he who trusts in God has power to do by virtue of this divine succour
through the medium of angels. The promise calls to mind Mark 16:18, ὄφεις ἀροῦσι,
they shall take up serpents, but still more Luke 10:19: Behold, I give you power to tread
on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by
any means hurt you. They are all kinds of destructive powers belonging to nature, and
particularly to the spirit-world, that are meant. They are called lions and fierce lions from
the side of their open power, which threatens destruction, and adders and dragons from
the side of their venomous secret malice. In v. 13a it is promised that the man who trusts
in God shall walk on over these monsters, these malignant foes, proud in God and
unharmed; in v. 13b, that he shall tread them to the ground (cf. Rom. 16:20).13

The interaction between Jesus and the angels in the Garden of Gethsemane provides a model
for strategic level spiritual warfare. We find Jesus in a place of deep intercession and warfare in
Luke 22:39-46. The warfare is so intense that Jesus is described as sweating blood. In Luke
22:53, He described the demonic intensity He was experiencing with these words: “But this is
your hour—when darkness reigns.” At one point, an angel intervenes and strengthens Him in
His battle against the demonic hordes. This is the context in which Jesus, surrounded by His
enemies, describes how to deploy the angels of the Lord.

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die
by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My
disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be
fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:52-54)

11
M.E. Tate, Psalms 51–100 (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1998), vol. 20, 457.
12
D. Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,
1975), vol. 16, 365.
13
C.F. Keil & F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), vol. 5,
603-604.

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After first rebuking him for cutting off a man’s ear in a failed attempt to rescue Jesus from His
Father’s will, Jesus asks Peter a question: “Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will
at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Perhaps the angel who had
strengthened Him had informed Him that twelve legions of angel had already been deployed.
We can only speculate. One thing is for certain: Jesus, as God, had the full authority to command
angels, yet He chose instead to demonstrate a different model. His model was one in which the
Father would deploy angels in response to prayer. Why would Jesus do this? I believe as both
fully God and fully human, He was demonstrating how a human could cooperate with God in
the deployment of angels.

[This is a privilege that I (and many others I know and trust) have experienced countless
times. Whether I am standing in the gap for a leader or battling against demonic powers
that are resisting a church plant, the powers of hell are routed when the Father chooses,
through my prayers, to employ the hosts of heaven. –Jim Laffoon]

ISSUE OF TIMING IN ANGELIC DEPLOYMENT—Let’s discuss the critical issue of timing in

angelic deployment. How do we know when to ask God to deploy the angelic hosts? There are
at least three factors which indicate it is time to request angelic deployment:

1. Revelation –The Holy Spirit will sometimes tell me to request angelic intervention.
2. Confrontation – When I am confronted by a strategic level demonic principality in
my personal, prophetic, or prayer life, I immediately ask the Lord for angelic
reinforcements, especially if I have been called to stand against this principality.
Other times, however, I request to be hidden by the Lord in His presence. (Hiding
and divine concealment will be discussed in another section.)
3. Tracers – When I sense (or discern) traces of a demonic principality’s or power’s
presence, I will pause and wait for further data and divine instructions. Demonic
tracers can include changes in the spiritual atmosphere (denser, darker, heavier), as
well as internal reactions (wariness, suspense, growing anxiety, danger). If these
tracers intensify, I may ask for angelic reinforcements, even before the demonic entity
is fully present.

CONCLUSION
In this seminar, we have examined our calling to watch and pray. We have also described the
dangers associated with this calling and the weapons God has put at our disposal. As we watch
and pray over the people, cities, churches, and nations we have been called to serve, we must
never forget that it is both an awesome responsibility and an incredible privilege. Thankfully the
God who calls us also promises to give us everything we need to fulfill our calling. In the words
of the Apostle Paul: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24)

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