Jerusalem,
Israel
February
23, 2024 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel
and the Nations
GPW News and Prayer Update
CLARION CALL FOR GLOBAL WATCHMEN: A
Convergence is coming. Will it be peaceful or not?
(Read about the Convergence in the previous blog entry,
February 14, 2024).
*We should pay attention, now, to signs
and times (Signs OF the Times), with
watchful eyes.
Examples:
*Former Israeli Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, who is in
the current government War Cabinet, recently stated: “The world must know,
and Hamas leaders must know, if our hostages are not home by Ramadan,
the fighting will continue and expand to Rafah.”
This is a signal from the War Cabinet
about a time and place. We should pay attention to
these signals in the natural, but especially in the spiritual
realm, when the Lord, Himself, signals that something is coming. Many of us get dreams and visions. As you test
these, perhaps it is the Lord speaking to you to prepare for what is coming.
*The current Israeli
Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, recently said: “The clock is ticking.
It is not a matter of years, but weeks, before Israel will be forced to
implement UN Resolution 1701 ourselves.”
This is a threat by Israel, to the international
community, at the UN, that the time for diplomacy will end in
a few weeks, and then the military option will come.
This message is meant to be understood by the league of
nations. But, those in the prophetic and
public arena should look for certain phrases, from government leaders, that
represent a shift in action… in this case, under a ticking
clock of time. We should be looking at the ticking clocks in
this hour!
The DEFINITION of a Ticking Clock: “The time (for something to be done) is passing quickly;
hurry up!”
*You may have used the
expression: in the eleventh hour (meaning, that God
finally came through at almost midnight for you!) Often breakthroughs come through at the eleventh
hour!
A ticking clock
can correspond to the pressure that comes, as we are getting closer to a
definitive action in time!
How close are we to the
time when a major transition will happen? Knowing the exact timing is
challenging! But, the Lord gives us signs.
*Journalists can recognize
a crisis in a “5 banner headline” across the front
page of a newspaper. When it reaches that expanse, there is a significant and
dramatic shift.
It’s no longer “business as usual.”
Something has shifted dramatically, which has changed the course of
history in our nation, our region, and/or globally. That happened on October
7, 2023.
In Israel, we are often
prepared by the Lord in advance for “something about to happen; a change
that is coming.”
*The massacre on October
7, in the south of Israel, was not expected, but there was great concern by
northern residents on the Israeli-Lebanese border that something terrible was
going to happen to them. The media was brought to the border in May 2023 and
heard the testimonies.
Though what happened in
the south took most of Israel and the world by surprise, watchmen in Israel were
already sensing a war coming. The prayers were for the north, not the south.
In the future, we need to
ask the Lord for more clarity in terms of specific geographical unrest,
with our maps in hand!
At the same time that
watchmen were praying about war coming to Israel, a well-known Middle East expert
had been hearing on the streets of Iraq, about an Iranian plot to be unleashed
against Israel. It was very specific and included major attacks on multi-fronts.
He published it in the Israeli media. It
seemed to be so “doomsday” that the proverbial optimists in Israel did not
believe him and dismissed his scenario.
Reportedly, when IDF commanders
in the south were told by soldiers at their posts in October 2023, that there
was unusual activity going on in the border area, that information was also
dismissed.
This happened, as well,
when the intel was given to the Israeli prime minister before the Yom Kippur
war of 1973.
A LESSON
LEARNED!
*As watchman, we must look for the signs,
look at the times, and notice the ticking clock.
WHAT WILL GET
US OFF TRACK: What will
cause us to lose focus as a watchman at our post?
MODERN DAY MEDIA OUTLETS:
The best reporters find credible
primary sources. This means they gather the news, go to briefings, meet
with leaders, and get expert information from political, diplomatic, and
military sources. Then, they present information in a print article or in a broadcast
video. Sometimes it includes interviews with their sources. Sometimes, the
reporter becomes the source to the public.
When the public receives
the information, it is obtaining news information from a secondary source
– the media.
As watchmen, our first
Primary Source is always the Lord and His word!
Then, if we can develop primary sources in our community, state, nation,
region, and globally, we are functioning as information gatherers. It is
often difficult to get to nation state leaders. But, it is not as difficult to
speak to people who have been through experiences, that have testimonies that
are front line information.
Watchmen in Israel, who
are not with the media, have found sources among friends who have boots
on the ground in the south and in the north. They are getting testimonies from Israelis
who have been through hard times since October 7, 2024. This is primary
source information.
Too often, watchmen rely
on secondary sources that they think are credible. They do not dig deeper to
see what other media outlets are reporting. Watchmen tend to want to be the
first to “post” and “publish” information. Sometimes that information is not
fact, but full of theories and inferences. It is more opinion and commentary
with indirect references, and often containing man’s analysis. This is not the
same as facts on the ground.
UNCONFIRMED SOURCES
AND REPORTS:
*As watchmen we should not be posting anything
that is unconfirmed. This can lead us and others astray.
Furthermore, words used like, “a
political source stated that….” gets
you wondering more about who the political source is, rather than what they actually
said!
*Trial
balloons (see previous
blog entry, February 2, 2024), are thoughts, ideas, and new public policy
initiatives being tried out on the public. The information is being floated in
the public arena. Those who float this information are looking at the response
of the population to a half-truth, false report, or leaked information, but
it is not, necessarily accurate reporting.
*What we are
wanting to discern in all that is posted and published is truth
and accuracy.
So, when we read that a
so-called political source, with no name given, in an unconfirmed
report, is stating that a certain government leader is
seriously considering something, it is not necessarily worth our time to
examine it, or highlight it, or give our analysis about it. It could be a
distraction to us and others.
As a watchman, when you
are reading or viewing news reports, consider what to do about an unconfirmed
unidentified political source stating their unknown political agenda about
a leading power in government.
If you are not “in the
room,” when a political or diplomatic leader says something; or, you have not
seen a report with a definite quote from that leader’s mouth, then it’s
possible you are supposed to let that information be a source for prayer,
but not for action.
*Remember that God will
reveal to us, in due time, what He, the LORD, is planning.
It’s of utmost important
that we pray for greater discernment to not be deceived by winds
of doctrine; but, also by winds of news and information.
*Our most
reliable source of information is the Lord, Himself and His word!
SCRIPTURES THAT REASSURE US AS WELL AS WARN US:
Matthew 24:1-3: “Then Jesus went out and departed from the Temple, and His disciples came
up to show Him the buildings of the Temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not
see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone
shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Now, as He sat
on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell
us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of
Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ ”
The disciples were looking
ahead to the future. In modern days, that could be seen as believing reporters
and watchmen wanting to get the scoop! The Lord sees our great need to know.
But, He requires us to be disciplined and put that desire under His Lordship. It
is an issue that requires us to take up our cross daily, until it is dealt with
thoroughly!
Jesus chose not to answer
the repeated question of the disciples (through the gospels). Instead, He
answers them this way:
Matthew 24:4: “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Take
heed that no one deceives you.’ (Don’t let anyone mislead you or lead you
astray).
Jesus went on
to warn of false Christs and false prophets that will be coming to deceive the
believers!
Jesus was concerned that,
because of their hunger for future news, and their “need to know,”
they could be led-on by misinformation!
He cared more about them, personally, then answering their direct
questions right away.
But, then, He did warn
them of what was coming… wars and
rumors of war. And, again, caring for them, He said, “don’t
be alarmed, because these wars and rumors of war must come.”
Then, Jesus gives a bit of
a timetable. It’s very general. He says: “But, the end is still to
come.” (Matthew 24:6).
He then speaks
of all that will happen – all the signs off the times – BEFORE the end
of the age finally comes!
Yet, His first
words to His disciples are a warning: Do
not be deceived!
Those of us who are prophetically
inclined have an even greater responsibility before the Lord. We have to be so
careful because it says in Matthew 24:24, that “even the elect will
be deceived.”
MORE SCRIPTURES
ABOUT THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES; SET TIMES; AND APPOINTED TIMES:
1 Chronicles
12:32: “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200
leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the
signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
Psalm 102:13: “You will arise and have mercy and compassion
on Zion, for it is time to be gracious and show favor to her;
Yes, the appointed time [the moment designated], the set-time has
come.”
Ephesians
5:15: So then, be
careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.”
God encourages us to redeem
the time. And, He wants us to know His mysteries!
Mark 4:11: “And He said to them, ‘To you it has been
given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God; but to those who are
outside, all things come in parables…’ ”
Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless
He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
We have the inside
scoop, don’t we? We just need to know
who our Primary Source is? But, also, we
need to be careful to not rely on the sources here on earth that are “hearsay”
from “soothsayers.”
There is another scripture
that also gives us a sense of what the Lord chooses to reveal, when
and to whom. He may share the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom with
us, but maybe not the signs and specific time of some of His plans. There is a difference!
Acts 1:6-7: “Therefore, when they had come together, they
asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’
And, He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which
the Father has put in His own authority.’ ”
You can see from this that
the Lord is selective in what He reveals. And, we must adjust our expectations!
In Deuteronomy
29:29 it says: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the
things revealed belong to us and to our children forever…”
So, what God shares
with us is selective. (See also
Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32).
There is a scripture that
is challenging for watchmen. It is a scripture that starts out promising, but
leads to the Lord’s reprimand:
Habakkuk 2:1: “I will stand my watch and set myself on the
rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when
I am corrected (when I am reproved).
We must be willing to receive correction from the Lord, before we can move on to what we sense He intends for us to do.
And, for all those who love to communicate; to write
and to release to others:
Habakkuk 2:2-3: “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Write My
answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message
to others. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the
end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it; it
will certainly come and will not delay.”
Here it is in another
translation: “This vision is for a future time. It describes the end,
and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming…wait patiently…
for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”
Our tendency is to want to
release the revelation as soon as we get it. Yet, there is
that appointed time. We must wait for it,
because it is God’s appointed time when we: (1) receive the
revelation; (2) write it down; (3) run with that message; (4) release it!
In these last days, perhaps
because of pride, we want to be the first to release news and information -- to
post it and to publish it. And, we want to let everyone know of our assurance
of the timeline of events. Maybe we have the correct appointed
times of where we are at in terms of the prophetic timeline.
Or, maybe we don’t. Maybe, we are way ahead of God, in our obstinance of
being so sure we know His timetable.
The Lord is saying about
His timetable, through His word to wait for it; wait patiently.
He does show us, in the
scriptures, of what is to come, but there is a preparation while
we are waiting for the time and season of the release of
His purposes. And, in that preparation, the Lord is
building our character, so we are not deceived.
Therefore, we reign in our
need to know ahead; and our need to publish and post ahead.
Instead, we seek God, Himself, for His mysteries and the secrets of His
Kingdom that He, scripturally, promises to show us.
We know in our hearts, that the things that are on His heart, will surely take place and not be delayed because He has an exact timetable. In all of this, yes, we humanly experience “the wait.” But, we also redeem the time He has given us, in order to mature and grow, until the vision is confirmed. And, we know the vision is confirmed when it comes to pass!
Source: Global
Prayer Watch (GPW) News and Prayer Update
For more information write to: globalprayerwatch@gmail.com