WATCH AND PRAY: THE 8 PRAYER WATCHES

Heeeyyyy y’all. We are back again with another weekly blog post. This week I feel led to discuss the 8 prayer watches. The Bible speaks of watches, which are specific times of day or night, where we should be praying. There are 8 prayer watches covering a 24-hour period. “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,” Isaiah 62:6 NKJV.

Your prayer watch is a divine assignment, appointed by God, to stand guard and watch on the walls to pray for the fulfillment of His promises to be made manifest in the earth. Did you know that all Believers of Jesus Christ have a prayer watch? Even if you were not aware of your designated watch, today, I will break down the 8 watches so that you have a better understanding.

It’s important that I note that every prayer watch has a significant purpose and is a set time for STRATEGIC INTERCESSION (to pray God’s will to be done in your life but most importantly in the lives of others). Jesus told His disciples to WATCH and PRAY Matthew 26:41. The same still applies today. WATCH and PRAY!!

This is how you can identify your prayer watch: if you are repeatedly awakened at a specific or particular time at night or if you feel led or burdened to pray at a certain time in the day, then that may be your specific time/range for your prayer watch. So, I know we have all experienced or even heard people state they woke up in the middle of the night and could not go back to sleep, right…well that just may have been an invitation from our Heavenly Father, an unction from the Holy Spirit, to pray (especially when it occurs repeatedly). As we pray, we stand over our families, cities, nations, etc. We are spiritual gatekeepers on the wall, for God-so that His will can be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.

Now, let’s break down the 8 prayer watches:

FIRST WATCH (6:00pm-9:00pm)

  • a time of quiet reflection

  • a time to ask God to manifest His blessings of His covenant into our lives

  • meditation on God’s word

  • a time to release the days burdens and realign our minds back to His will

  • a period of covenant renewal with God

  • a set time to release judgement on the wicked and decree into the next day blessings upon your family, life, church, city, nation, etc

SECOND WATCH (9:00PM-12:00AM)

  • intercessors impact the spiritual realm before the enemy gets ready to wreak havoc during this watch

  • this watch is when the diabolical assignments and sabotage from the enemy are set in motion (prayers of protection are essential during this watch)

  • a time of divine judgments, deliverance, tearing down walls of darkness and wicked structures in the economy, education, religion, family and political systems

THIRD WATCH (12:00AM-3:00AM)

  • a time of much spiritual activity

  • this watch hour will strengthen and increase your faith

  • this watch is the darkest and most demonic part of the night, where witches, warlocks, and satanists attempt to wreak havoc and start their incantations

  • during this watch, the devil operates while man is in deep sleep, so it is a time to use your spiritual armor and war against the enemy

  • a time to pray against the attacks of the enemy over your life, your family, marriages, communities, etc

  • a time to set the day before it begins

  • a time for spiritual warfare

FOURTH WATCH (3:00AM-6:00AM)

  • this is the last watch of the night

  • this watch is the time where satanic agents who went out to perform their activities are returning to their base

  • this is the time where the Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt

  • a time to establish the course of the day by speaking God’s word and breaking anything that would attempt to hinder His will for your life

  • a time to command your morning and declare God’s word

FIFTH WATCH (6:00AM-9:00AM)

  • a time of spiritual strengthening- there is spiritual significance of the sunrise (Jesus Christ- The Son-rising over us)

  • a time to pray for issues such as healing in your body, relationships, family, government and the economy

  • a time of preparation for daily service

  • a time to ask Holy Spirit to equip you and your family for the day

SIXTH WATCH (9:00AM-12:00PM)

  • a time to see God’s promises fulfilled

  • a time to watch for the Word of The Lord to be fulfilled in your life

  • a time to pray for provision to accomplish whatever God wants you to do

  • a time to reflect on the power of the cross (healing, prosperity, forgiveness, strength, etc.)

  • a time to crucify the flesh and take up our cross, commit ourselves to Jesus Christ

SEVENTH WATCH (12:00PM-3:00PM)

  • a time to rest and seek The Lord

  • during this watch Christ was on the cross atoning for the sins of the world and restoration of man’s relationship with God

  • a time of entering into the secret place for prayer

  • a time to let your light shine bright and pray that your life will exude the glory of God

  • a time to pray against temptation, traps or snares of the enemy

EIGHTH WATCH (3:00PM-6:00PM)

  • the time to die to self and rejoice in the power of Jesus Christ

  • Jesus Christ died on the cross during this watch

  • as Jesus died and was resurrected, the Bible calls us to die to self and live for Christ

  • a time to be reconciled to God

  • a time to pray and rejoice

We are to watch and pray- be spiritually alert at all times- so that we can see when Satan and the enemy are at the door, desiring to entrap us, our families, cities and nations etc. We are on watch to identify the enemy’s activity and to pray, in faith, the manifestation of God’s plan to prevail. We watch for the enemy and announce his activity and we pray against the devil’s plan to steal, kill and destroy what God has for us, our cities, our families, our nations, the Kingdom of God, etc.

If you know your watch but have abandoned the assignment/post, there is no better time than right now to repent and get back in right standing. There is purpose and power in prayer. There is purpose in your designated prayer watch. Stay on your post, WATCH and PRAY…it is your assignment, appointed by God.

I pray that this helped break down the significance of the prayer watches and that you are better equipped and able to identify your specific watch and stand guard and pray (please feel free to leave a comment and share this blog post with family and friends- thank you).

-Sincerely, Sheena M.

Equipping, Prophetic Insight, Warfare StrategySheena McLaurin7 Comments