The Discerning Watchman
Matthew 16:10 KJV
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”
Jacobson’s Organ: A scent organ consisting of a pair of sacs or tubes typically in the roof of the mouth. Such organs are present in many vertebrates, notably snakes and lizards.
The serpent has a sense called Jacobson. The Jacobson’s organ is used not only to identify minute quantities of chemicals, but also for communication between other members of the same species. Other mammals use the Jacobson’s organ to detect certain nonhuman chemicals in the air.
The organ allows animals to hunt and track their prey. It also let’s the mammal know the readiness of other mammals for mating purposes.
One of the functions of a discerning watchman (Ezekiel 3:17) is to guard and warn the body of Christ. A watchman cannot be blind:
Isaiah 56:10 “His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, who love to slumber”
This is a dangerous position to be in. Because if a watchman cannot discern for the body of Christ, then the watchman certainly cannot discern for themselves. This leaves the flock/person open to being attacked, without having any weapons for warfare. We know that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.
(Ephesians 6:12)
God gives his children the gift of discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10). If a member of the same body cannot pick you up in the spirit, they cannot discern. If the devil can discern who you are in Jesus Christ, a member of the same body of Jesus should have that same ability.
Let us remember, that everything that God has, the devil has an imitation of the same things.
2 Corinthians 11:14 “ No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light”
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life”
In essence, one of the duties as a watchman is having the ability to discern in the natural and in the spiritual. Most watchmen are pastors. And pastors normally have a spiritual blue print of the congregations’ gifts and calling. If your pastor cannot pick you up in the spirit, something is wrong. Let us keep our pastors lifted up in prayer, requesting that their ability to discern is increased.
Amen
