In February 1997 my daughter, Tina was awakened by the Holy Spirit telling her, “Go to your mother's apartment and check on her, she is in trouble.” Tina found me in a diabetic coma, rushed me to the hospital and was informed I was in bad condition and to be prepared for the worse. What they didn't know, however, I wasn't diabetic before and for approximately a week before taking ill, I was praying and fasting. The Holy Spirit taught me Isaiah 62:6-12 revealing everything He wanted me to know about the prayer ministry God has called me to. His training began the year before in February 1996 when on my way to work, one snowy morning, I slipped and fell on the wet floor inside of a city bus. Breaking my right leg and dislocating my left knee, resulted in my staying home, on disability, with limited mobility.I never got angry with God, for while in the emergency room I tried praying. A little voice broke through saying, “Look at what has happened to you! You are always praying, studying, serving God and He did this to You? Why don't you curse Him and give up!” Imagine, the last time I was hospitalized was when I gave birth to my daughter in 1968. Now, in 1996 I am laying on a hospital table, just been told I had a broken leg, and Satan considered me worthy to come and whisper trash in my ear. I began laughing!!! A nurse came to check on me asking what was so funny? I told her I just realized, that my life as I knew it, was about to change.
About a month after the accident, while in prayer, I asked God why did this happen, “I know you have a plan.” As I did everyday, I turned on TBN, to merely keep myself covered with the Word while I studied, prayed and slept. This particular day a teacher of the Word of God was talking about the move of God in peoples lives and suggested, for a deeper insight, to read the major prophets.
I claimed that suggestion for myself, thanking God for answering my prayer and began reading Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel. I started with the Good News Bible, then went to King James. I read all of the major prophets over and over using different Bible translations. I did scripture studies, word studies, character studies and so on, journalizing every new revelation.
The Lord began ministering to me through poetry. He would give me a Word and I would write it out poetically. This was definitely “a new thing”. Never before had I even thought about writing poetry, yet the Lord took the concerns of my heart and encouraged me with the passages I was reading. I felt as if He was sitting beside me telling me what to say.
The first poem, was written as if I were possessed. I was worshiping the Lord in writing. I later called it 'Cause You're My Everything , however while it was pouring into me, I wasn't aware of anything else, just the sweet whisperings of the Holy Spirit. It flowed naturally yet it wasn't natural for the only thing I ever wrote were mortgage proposals not poetry. I kept listening and writing, then the telephone rang. At that moment, I felt a “whoosh”; something left my body. I said out loud, “What was that?” Confused, I answered the call, with my mind on what was happening to me, but I wasn't ready to share it with the caller. Ending the call, I went back to the pen and paper, just to discover the presence, that was guiding me, was gone. I couldn't write. The words wouldn't come. Looking carefully at the paper I noticed, nothing more was needed to be said; it was complete. It said everything I was feeling that morning.
Almost every morning, up to February 1997, after my time in prayer, the presence of God would lead me to “write it down.” I would wait and listen for what He wanted to say and start writing. The Lord took my prayer concerns and responded through the poetry based on His Word. At this point I am still wearing a brace, walking with a cane, writing the poetry in the morning and reading the major prophets in the afternoon, anticipating being well enough the return to work very soon. During this time brothers and sisters in the Lord were visiting, cooking and praying with me. They would bring their faith, praying for the miraculous. The leg was mending, for our bones were created to mend itself, cell by cell, but it wasn't healing based on them and their prayers. One evening and dear friend visited bringing with her a shepherd's pie. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson were also visiting and we all shared in the delicious feast. Then the friend prayed and felt discouraged about me not being able to walk, bringing my work on the job and in the church, to a complete halt. It was then that the Lord impressed upon me to share a few of the poems to encourage her. After reading two of them, we all realized, that I was being healed, a miracle was being performed. I had no anger, bitterness, resentment, discouragement, or stress. I did have peace. If the Lord healed my leg within the first weeks of injury, I would have returned to that life of busyness, not knowing how loving and sweet God really is.
I have preached, “God is love” and taught about His goodness and mercy for years. I had in many ways experienced miraculous moves of the Father that only He could do. But, never have I been incapacitated and constricted. Before the accident, I thought I was comfortable with my life; with a roof over my head, a good paying job, a loving family and a Christian social life (church, bible studies, prayer meetings, Sunday School, missions work, visiting the sick and shut in and counseling single mothers), so what else did I need? I needed Jesus.
Now many wondered about my income. Well that also was a move of God's hand. I was on my job long enough to qualify for five months disability. However, I really thought I would have been back at work way before then. By July the doctor felt I wasn't ready to get back into the swing of that old life and suggested taking a few more months for rehabilitation. By August my job was gone, but, since the accident happened on a city bus, the city began paying for lost wages until the doctor said I was well enough to work. This would mean however, I would need to begin searching for a job, once released. Since the city paid all expenses along with my weekly salary I did not, in good conscious, want to file a law suit. But I was talked into it by family and friends and lost the case because the accident happened on one of the worse snow days in February 1996 and the city should not have been faulted for wet slippery floors within their buses.
Getting back, to the testimony, I was paid by the City up to December 1996. Then the money stopped. I knew the Lord had a plan so I refuse to stress out. I did have January 1997's rent but not February's. In January 1997 I asked the Lord, “Why am I still reading the prophets, what am I suppose to do with this information?”
A friend called, early one morning saying she was praying for me because she was very concerned. She told me a story about an old acquaintance that went through a foreclosure on her home but she kept saying the Lord will take care of things. The acquaintance lost her home and was place into a mental hospital. It was said she had a nervous breakdown. Was this friend thinking I was crazy to wait on God?
My friend believed, the story would motivate me in searching for a job. What she didn't know was I too knew this story. My parents lived a fews doors down from cousins of this acquaintance and I remembered her difficulty. Yes, she did say she was trusting God to take care of her problems, but it was her family, that had her institutionalized, saying she was crazy and allowed her house to be taken. Within months however, a large amount of money came to her, proving God had a plan for her.
The Lord continued His guidance, when one morning the sweet presence of God spoke to my heart saying, “You are studying the major prophets to get a deeper knowledge of Me. I want you to see what I have done and know that what I have done then, I can still do today. I am calling you to prayer and intercession, but keep listening for My voice and keep your eyes on Me.”
I thought, “Called to prayer? I pray all the time, already.” So I began a fast and pray, drinking liquids for one week. Finally it hit me, the poetry was God teaching me worship and prayer. This was how we must pray, by using the Word of God.
Several days later, while studying, I was feeling, what I thought was a cold coming on. Laying my head back, I closed my eyes for just a minute, when suddenly I saw the erecting of four walls. I found myself flying way above America viewing walls to the north, south, east and west linking or interlocking together. A voice said, “I have set Watchmen on these walls to watch and pray, for Me to cover and protect America. This will limit the movement of Satan, so my people can freely pave the way for Jesus Christ.”
When I awaken, using a concordance I searched for Watchmen and my heart leaped when I read Isaiah 62: 6 – 12. This is how it was revealed to me:
6: Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest,
7: and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.Watchmen were to give neither themselves nor the Lord any rest, when it came to their praying, until He establishes His presence and power in the areas in which we are praying. Our initial prayer is to be “Make us a city of praise on the earth.” Remember He said, “ what I have done then, I can still do today.” I expect Him to establish the United States of America a city of praise.
Watchman remind God of His people. In Isaiah 43:26, God instructs us to put Him to remembrance of His Word. God is not senile in that He cannot remember what He said and promised, but this is a guideline He established for us to pray. When we put Him in remembrance of His Word, it increases our faith to believe what God has said.
Watchman remind God's people of His promises. The presence of Watchmen stationed on the walls around the city, country and the world will remind the people that they belong to God and of His promise of protection and love.
8: The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: "I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored;
9: but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary."During my one year sojourn, I learned to put my total trust in God and stop living a self-sufficient life. Because of Israel's self-sufficient attitude, they remained silent before the Lord. The enemy came in and consumed everything for which they have worked. They forgot God's power and provision. Once they accepted their appointments to the wall, God committed to protect them from their enemies.
Before I personally accepted the call to the wall, the enemy began consuming me to a point of need, and as I was getting weaker the enemy was getting stronger. Once I responded to God, not only was I protected but the provision became bountiful and my needs were meet. The Lord has promised His harvest to those who obey His call.
10: Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples.
11: Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."This reminded me of John the Baptist, crying, “'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the the world!'” (John 1:29). We too must proclaim and pave the way for the Lord's return. We must build up the highways, clear away the stone and debris of sin that would cause others to stumble on their way to meet Jesus. We must lift up the ensign or banner of our King for everyone to see.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God promised Solomon, ” If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Notice God said “HIS PEOPLE.” When His people get in line by living humbly, trusting God and not themselves, watching Him and not their circumstances, and give up their sin; then God will hear our prayers, forgive us and heal our land. He placed this responsibility into the hands of His people, no one else can achieve this.
Our prayer on the walls will usher in a great revival into our churches that will wake up our communities, our nation and eventually the world. What a privilege we have today, preparing the way for the Lord.
12: And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken. (RSV)
Every one, around the world will notice, and know God, when His people answer the call to the wall. When we set our watch with God, the entire world will see His power, protection and provision for His people.
Surmising I had the flu, I wasn't concerned with the symptoms and kept studying and fasting. I was able to tell two people about the call to the wall - my daughter and a dear friend named Yolanda. The next thing I knew I was waking up in ICU and when I opened my eyes a nurse asked how many children I had. I was unable to answer that questioned for I didn't remember, but I remembered everything about Isaiah and what the Holy Spirit taught me.As the day went on I learn that my daughter and Yolanda put into action what I told them about the Lord's power, protection and provision. I told them we must set up a 24 hour prayer wall not giving God any rest. My daughter was able to get permission from the hospital, to have someone sit by my bed in ICU every hour praying. Church members, family members and friends came in around the clock covering me in prayer.
When I opened my eyes, the nursing staff began running around in surprise. I didn't know the negative report that was assigned to me nor I didn't know where I was. It was obvious God had performed another miracle. He did tell me this type of praying is the key to defeating Satan. Without question, it was used immediately proving Him superior to the Doctors and His word as truth.
Over the years, I have received many accolades from church and man. I became a Pastoral Counselor for the online church, Watchman On The Wall Ministries, U. S. A., then received an honorary Doctor of Divinity for studies and writings done on the Bible, which I called “The Excursion”. However my life changed completely when I accepted the call of the Watchman for the United States.
I believe that all Christians are called to be a watchman, with different areas of responsibilities. Like Jeremiah and Isaiah were called to Israel, some are called to the church, their city, state, country and the world. Every household should have a watchman stationed on the wall, for as we have learned, this is a tremendous privilege and responsibility.
God shaped many instances in the Old Testament pointing to Christ. Our walls are to also point to Christ. By accepting this call of God, His power will encompass us, He will protect us from the enemy and provision for all our needs will be met. I am not saying this because His Word said it; I can truly say, I read it with my studying, confessed it in the poetry, believed it in my prayer, received it when my needs were great, and lived it because I love Jesus Christ.
Taken from Sermon “The Call of the Watchman” by Mary Jones-France, November 1998
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