Isaiah 8 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 8.

Meditate on verses 12-14a.

You are not to say, “It is a conspiracy!” 

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,

 and you are not to fear what they fear

or be in dread of it. 

It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. 

And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. 

Then He shall become a sanctuary.

What are you afraid of? What conspiracy theory causes your heart to race? What do you believe about Almighty God?

God told His people to stop listening to the latest conspiracy theory and to stop being afraid. The LORD said to fear and dread Him; He is holy! Once you focus on the LORD rather than surrounding circumstances and people, He will become your sanctuary, your place of refuge from all the craziness going on around you.

Pray Isaiah 8:8, 10, 17, and 19-20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

"Immanuel, God with us, help ________ and me wait for You.

May we eagerly look for You.

Let us NEVER consult mediums and spiritists

who whisper and mutter.

Let us consult You, God,

not the dead on behalf of the living.

May we test everything we hear by Your Law and Testimony.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 7 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 7.

Meditate on verse 13, inserting your family’s name in place of “David.”

Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David!

 Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men,

 that you will try the patience of my God as well?”

Judah was terrorized by Aram (Syria). The king of Aram planned evil against Judah. As you can imagine, Ahaz (the king of Judah) and the people were scared. Isaiah described their fear like this: “His heart and the hearts of the people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind” (Isaiah 7:2).

Can you relate? Have you been that fearful? Is your heart shaking like that right now?

God made a promise to Judah that the threats coming from Aram would not stand nor come to pass (Isaiah 7:7). God wanted King Ahaz to trust Him and to ask Him for a sign, but Ahaz refused to obey. God told him, “If you will not believe, you surely shall not last” (Isaiah 7:9).

The LORD is saying the same thing to you. Trust and obey Him.

Pray Isaiah 7:4 and 13 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, do not let __________ and me try Your patience.

Help us as we trust You

to take care, be calm, have no fear,

and not be fainthearted because of ______________.

In Your Name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 6 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 6.

Meditate on verse 3b.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts;

 the whole earth is full of His glory.

When you take your eyes off yourself and focus on the LORD, your life will change. Isaiah saw the King, the LORD of hosts, and he was immediately aware of his sinfulness. His immediate response to his sin was to confess it. God’s immediate response to Isaiah’s confession was forgiveness. His iniquity was taken away! Isaiah’s immediate response to the LORD’s amazing forgiveness was surrender to do whatever God wanted Him to do.

Notice the path of a life submitted to God.

            *Focus on the LORD.

            *Humbly and quickly confess your sin.

            *Immediately accept God’s forgiveness.

            *Respond to God’s forgiveness by obeying Him.

Pray Isaiah 6:5-8 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, ________ and I are ruined

because we are people of unclean lips.

Please burn the sin out of our lives.

Thank You for taking away our iniquity

and forgiving our sin.

 LORD, You ask, ‘Whom shall I send,

and who will go for Us?’

Our response is ‘Here we are.  Send us!’

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 5 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 5.

Meditate on verses 20-22.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil;

who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;

who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!

  Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine

and valiant men in mixing strong drink,

 who justify the wicked for a bribe,

 and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

God gave the people of Judah everything they needed to be productive. He compared them to a vineyard that had been perfectly cared for; all it needed to do was produce good grapes. God’s people chose to produce worthless grapes despite God’s provision for their lives. God was mad and pronounced six “woes” on them in Isaiah 5.

Examine your life. Are you producing good or worthless grapes for the sake of Christ? Is God pronouncing “woes” on you like He did the people 2,700 years ago?

God’s standards have not changed. The world around you may call evil “good,” and good “evil,” but take care that you do not. Be obedient to the Knowledge of God.

Pray Isaiah 5:2, 12, 13, and 16 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD of hosts, You will be exalted in judgment,

and You will show Yourself holy in righteousness.

Let ___________ and me pay attention to Your deeds

and consider the work of Your hands. 

We want Your knowledge, LORD!

You expect us to produce good grapes;

help us not to produce worthless ones.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 4 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 4.

Meditate on verse 3.

It will come about that he who is left in Zion

 and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy­—

everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 4 is a short chapter beautifully describing salvation. You desperately need someone to take away your shame. The women in verse 1 pathetically grasped at anyone to take away their disgrace.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ came. He is beautiful and glorious. Because of who He is, you can be called holy if your name is recorded for life by letting Him wash away the filth and purge the bloodshed from your life. The LORD not only cleanses you from sin, but gives you shelter, refuge, and protection (Isaiah 4:6). What an awesome God you serve!

Pray Isaiah 4:3 and 6 over those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, please let ______________

 be called holy and recorded for life.

Give them shelter from the heat by day,

and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 3 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 3. 

Look for parallels between Isaiah’s world (739 BC – 681 BC) and your world today.

Meditate on verses 8 and 9.

Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen

 because their speech and their actions are against the LORD,

 to rebel against His glorious presence. 

The expression of their faces bears witness against them,

and they display their sin like Sodom;

 they do not even conceal it.

 Woe to Them! 

For they have brought evil on themselves.

God promised to remove everything the people trusted in instead of trusting Him. Instead of sweet perfume, there would be a putrid stench (Isaiah 3:24). It would go badly for the wicked; what they deserved would be done to them (Isaiah 3:11). The LORD said He would arise to contend and to judge the people for their pride and rebellion against Him.

In the midst of the calamity, God made a promise to the righteous: “it will go well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10).

Pray Isaiah 3:10 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, make ________ and me righteous

that it will go well with us.

May we eat the fruit of our actions.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 2 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 2.

Meditate on verse 11.

The proud look of man will be abased

 and the loftiness of man will be humbled,

 and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2 sets the stage for why you need a Savior. The people in Isaiah’s day were consumed with themselves. They were influenced by the world instead of God. They had lots of stuff, and they worshipped their accomplishments instead of worshipping God. It’s amazing how nothing has changed in 2,700 years! “LORD, save us from ourselves!”

Verses 19-20 say men will go into caves and holes in the ground. They would rather hang out with moles and bats than humble themselves before the LORD. Pride drives people to pathetic places.

God promises a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud, lofty, and lifted up.

Pray Isaiah 2:5, 11, and 22 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help _________ and me stop

regarding and esteeming man instead of You.

May we remove our proud looks

 and humble our loftiness. 

Let us exalt You, LORD. 

May we walk in Your light.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Isaiah 1 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Isaiah 1.

Meditate on these two phrases from verses 2 and 10.

The LORD speaks.

Hear the Word of the LORD.

For the next 66 days, you will read and pray through the book of Isaiah. Isaiah’s name means Jehovah Saves. In this book, you will see Jesus as your Messiah, the Suffering Servant, and the Conquering King. Isaiah gives more prophecies than any other book in the Bible about Christ’s coming.

God wants you to know there is no God besides Him. He tells you what to do so He will listen to your prayers. The LORD is speaking ... hear what He is saying to you.

Pray Isaiah 1:18-20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, truly Your mouth has spoken,

and You invite __________ and me to reason with You.

LORD, our sins are as scarlet and red like crimson.

 Make them as white as snow, white like wool.

Help us not to refuse and rebel against You.

We do not want to be devoured by the sword. 

Thank You for Your promise that if we consent and obey,

we will eat the best of the land.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 28 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 28.

Meditate on verse 31.

He was preaching the kingdom of God

 and teaching concerning the LORD Jesus Christ

 with all openness, unhindered.

The last 52 devotionals took you through the writings of Luke. You read the exact Truth (Luke 1:4) of how Christianity started. This exact Truth was so powerful it even changed the heart of Paul, who had all appearances of being impossible to save.

Truth about Jesus saved Paul so much that Luke ended his story with Paul, from morning until evening, “solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade others concerning Jesus” (Acts 28:23).

Paul taught about the LORD Jesus Christ even though Christianity was spoken against everywhere (Acts 28:22). Your situation is similar to Paul’s. Christianity is still spoken against, but the exact Truth must be told, and now God has given you the privilege to be a Paul. Christ saved you. He wants you to share that Good News with others, even the impossible ones.

Pray Acts 28:31 over all of us who call ourselves Christians as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Help ______ and ______ and me

 preach Your Kingdom, God,

and teach concerning You, LORD Jesus Christ,

with all openness, unhindered.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 27 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 27.

Meditate on verse 25.

Therefore, keep up your courage, men,

for I believe God that it will turn out

exactly as I have been told.

Everything happening around Paul screamed that he and the other 275 people on board the storm tossed ship were going to die. An angel of God told Paul every person would survive. Paul boldly relayed the message from the LORD to his shipmates.

If you read the entire chapter, you know the rest of the story: “And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44).

What do you believe God will do for you and your family? What has He promised you in His Word that you believe by faith will come to sight? 1 Chronicles 5:20 says: “He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.”

God loves it when you have faith in Him. In fact, it is impossible to please Him without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Cling to Christ and His Word and wait expectantly for Him.

But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation.

My God will hear me.

—Micah 7:7

Pray Acts 27:25 over a situation you believe God for as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“God, help me keep up my courage

as I believe You for________.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 26 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 26.

Meditate on verse 28.

Agrippa replied to Paul,

“In a short time you will persuade

 me to become a Christian.”

Paul used every opportunity to tell others about Jesus.  Rather than being overcome by circumstances, he focused on Christ.  Paul loved to share his story of what Jesus did for him.  He was not ashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16).

Open your eyes to the opportunities God give you to tell others about Christ. Unexpected inconveniences or a change of plans can actually be God’s plans for you to share Jesus.  Stay expectant for what God is doing.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray Acts 26:18 over someone who needs Jesus.

“LORD, open the eyes of ________

so they may turn from darkness to light

and from the dominion of Satan to You, God,

that they may receive forgiveness of sins

and an inheritance among those

who have been sanctified by faith in You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 25 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 25

Meditate on verses 8 and 18-19

 Paul said in his own defense,

“I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews

 or against the temple or against Caesar.”

When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him,

 not of such crimes as I was expecting, but they simply had some

 points of disagreement with him about their own religion

and about a certain dead man, Jesus, who Paul asserted to be alive.

Power. The Roman sea city of Caesarea was a huge military fortress strategically located to prevent attacks against Rome by sea from hostile countries in the East. When Festus became the Roman governor, he inherited in his prison, Paul, whom the previous governor, Felix, was holding to protect and to appease the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem. As Festus took the mantle of power, the Jewish leaders who wanted to kill Paul approached him. But Paul had “... committed no offense against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar” (Acts 25:8). He was what he would later command Timothy and all elders to be, “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2).

Power. Paul was being held for believing Jesus was alive. He knew Jesus was alive. He talked with Him. He had Jesus in his life. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He talked to the LORD without ceasing. He was being accused of believing in the resurrection. Power.

Power. Paul stood before the governor, his military leaders, all of the important civic leaders; then King Agrippa and his wife Bernice walked in, all there to witness Paul’s testimony, to see if they could even have charges filed against him.

Power. Many of you face trials with both just and unjust court systems, fair and unfair laws, and abuses of power. Many of you are falsely accused or are separated from your loved ones due to national catastrophes. You may be reading this in a refugee camp or in prison awaiting trial. Find power in the Holy Spirit and pray. The LORD is always with you, and He is more powerful than all of the kings of the earth. As a Christian, you are already spiritually resurrected. Power!

Pray Acts 25:8 and 19 over yourself and those you know in distress as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7)

“LORD, help  ___________ and me to live as Paul,

committing no offense against the law

and with the courage to assert before others that You are alive.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 24 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 24.

Meditate on verse 16.

So I strive always to keep my conscience

 clear before God and man.

How do you get and keep a clear conscience?  Meditate on and take to heart these truths from the Word of God:

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ,

who through the eternal Spirit

 offered Himself unblemished to God,

cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,

so that we may serve the living God!

—Hebrews 9:14 NIV

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart

and with the full assurance that faith brings,

 having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience

 and having our bodies washed with pure water.

—Hebrews 10:22 NIV

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry,

 we do not lose heart. 

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;

we do not use deception,

nor do we distort the Word of God. 

On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly,

 we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

—2 Corinthians 4:1-2 NIV

Satan wanted Paul stuck in his guilty conscience so kings, governors, high priests, lawyers, Jews, Gentiles, you, and I would not hear the truth about God’s great salvation.  Paul let the blood of Christ cleanse him from acts that lead to death. He let the blood of Christ cleanse him from his guilty conscience. He knew by God’s mercy he was given this ministry, and he renounced (formally gave up) secret and shameful ways and plainly set forth the truth of God’s Word.

It is the will of God for you to do the same.

Pray Acts 24:16 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let ________ and me maintain always

a blameless conscience before You and man.

In Your name, Jesus.”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 23 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 23.

Meditate on verse 1.

Paul, looking intently at the council, said,

“Brethren, I have lived my life with a

perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”

The man who murdered believers and after becoming a Christian, still struggled with sin (Romans 7:14-25) said, “I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”

Was he delusional or in denial? No! Paul knew the forgiveness of God covers not only sin, but also conscience. Paul knew “as far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Paul knew this truth about God, “God has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17).

Paul knew that God cast all of his sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). The blood of Jesus Christ cleansed him from ALL sin (1 John 1:7), and that included the sin of his guilty conscience.

Confess your sins and repent in obedience to your LORD Jesus Christ. Know with confidence that God not only casts your sin into the depths of the sea, but also your guilt and shame. Now, armed with the truth of God’s Word, you can say, “Because of the blood of Jesus Christ, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”

Pray Acts 23:1 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“God, thank You for Your forgiveness

that gives ________ and me

a perfectly good conscience before You. 

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 22 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 22.

Meditate on verse 14.

And he said, “The God of our fathers has appointed you

to know His will and to see the Righteous One

and to hear an utterance from His mouth.”

God used the false suppositions from Acts 21 to give Paul an opportunity to share his testimony in Acts 22. As Paul made his defense that he was not a riotous Egyptian, he told a multitude of Jews about the Righteous One, Jesus Christ (Acts 21:36-22:2, 14- 15). Paul boldly shared his testimony and his assignment from God.

God can turn sinful situations into opportunities to give Him glory. Be mindful of how God wants you to witness for Christ even in the midst of difficult times. Remember God will never leave you or forsake you; He is your Helper; do not be afraid of what man might do to you (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Pray Acts 22:14-15 asking God to share His Testimony through you and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, appoint _________ and me to know Your will

and to see You, the Righteous One.

May we hear an utterance from Your mouth.

Let us be a witness for You to all men

of what we have seen and heard.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 21 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 21.

Meditate on verse 29.

For they had previously seen Trophimus,

 the Ephesian, in the city with him,

and they supposed that Paul

 had brought him into the temple.

Paul told James and the other elders of the Jerusalem church about the Gentiles being saved; James told Paul about the thousands of Jews who believed. God was glorified, and His church was growing.

But where good things happened, suppositions abounded. People supposed Paul had taken Greeks into the temple. They supposed he was an Egyptian who stirred up a revolt. These rumors provoked the entire city of Jerusalem.

What about you? Do you ever presume and suppose something to be true? Do you allow suppositions to swirl around in your head all day until they become truth to you then you tell it to another as if it were truth, and your suppositions provoke many?

2 Corinthians 10:5 is the antidote to that kind of poisonous thinking:

We are destroying speculations

and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God,

and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Pray Acts 21:20, 29, and 2 Corinthians 10:5 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, please let _______ and me glorify You by what we say.

Let us handle suppositions carefully.

Let us destroy speculations and every lofty thing

raised up against the knowledge of You, God.

 May we take every thought captive to the obedience of You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 20 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 20.

Meditate on verse 28.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock,

 among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,

 to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Paul said good-bye to the people (flock) to whom he had faithfully taught the Word of God. He had not shrunk back from declaring to them anything that was profitable for living obediently in the LORD Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20-21). Paul’s last exhortation to these believers was to go and shepherd the flock God had given them.

Who has God given you to shepherd? Your wife, your husband, your children, grandchildren, a friend, a Sunday School class, a small group, the people who sit beside you at the office, your next door neighbor, the waiter at the restaurant ... Teach, admonish, and encourage with the Word of God, so your flock can grow up in Christ and shepherd well the flock God will entrust to them. Do not shrink from declaring to them the whole purpose of God (Acts 20:27).

Pray Acts 20:19-21 and 32 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help _______ and me serve You

with all humility, tears, and trials.

May we not shrink from declaring anything

  profitable concerning repentance and faith in You, Jesus.

LORD, I commend ____________ to You and to the Word of Your grace

which is able to build them up and give them

the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Acts 19 ~ Praying God's Word

Please read Acts 19.

Meditate on verse 20.

So the Word of the LORD

was growing mightily and prevailing.

In Acts 19, you read that all of Asia and the pagan world worshipped the goddess Diana (Acts 19:27). Paul, Apollos, and other disciples were in Ephesus at this time calmly and daily reasoning with these idolaters. They did not blaspheme the name of Diana (Acts 19:37); they simply reasoned from the Scriptures for two years in Ephesus, “so that all who lived in Asia heard the Word of the LORD, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10).

How do you share your faith in Christ? God’s Word is powerful. In Ephesus, reasoning from the Word of God caused heathens to burn their pagan books with a combined worth of 136 years of wages (Acts 19:19). That is incredible! Let God’s Word burn years’ worth of junk out of your life and share that Good News with others.

Pray Acts 19:17 and 20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD Jesus, let Your name

be magnified in _________ and me. 

Let Your Word grow mightily

and prevail in our lives.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell