WEBVTT 00:00:09.566 --> 00:00:12.966 Rebecca Weiss: So, we're joined here today with Micah Wood. 00:00:12.999 --> 00:00:14.333 Micah: Yes, hello. 00:00:14.366 --> 00:00:15.967 Rebecca: Thank you for being here and my husband. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.366 I dragged you onto this one. 00:00:17.400 --> 00:00:19.966 I didn't have to drag you, but I just said, "Please be on this 00:00:19.999 --> 00:00:22.833 one because we're talking about a really important topic today," 00:00:22.867 --> 00:00:25.500 and that's about being a watchman. 00:00:25.533 --> 00:00:28.733 And you got this message and you wrote a book. 00:00:28.767 --> 00:00:31.233 It's called "Or Cities Will Be No More." 00:00:31.267 --> 00:00:33.533 But it all started with a God encounter. 00:00:33.566 --> 00:00:36.299 So, tell us about this God encounter that you had. 00:00:36.333 --> 00:00:40.566 Micah: Yeah, so first off, it's really a joy to be on here the 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:42.533 podcast with you and to get to know you and Jonathan 00:00:42.566 --> 00:00:43.933 both better. 00:00:43.967 --> 00:00:46.266 I've had touch points here and there, but really enjoyed being 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:47.666 here today. 00:00:47.700 --> 00:00:51.100 Yeah, so this God encounter happened in June of 2020, came 00:00:51.133 --> 00:00:54.433 through a dream, and--but I say it's a God encounter because it 00:00:54.466 --> 00:00:55.933 was something a little more than a dream. 00:00:55.967 --> 00:00:58.366 It's like God showed up in the night. 00:00:58.400 --> 00:01:00.666 Rebecca: Like, it really kind of almost happened to you. 00:01:00.699 --> 00:01:02.833 It was like one of those dreams, almost like a vision. 00:01:02.867 --> 00:01:04.200 Micah: That's right. 00:01:04.233 --> 00:01:06.266 You know, actually Daniel sometimes in Scripture uses the 00:01:06.300 --> 00:01:08.666 language, "I had a night vision," which to me it 00:01:08.700 --> 00:01:11.033 communicates it was a little more than a dream. 00:01:11.066 --> 00:01:14.300 It was something--it was a God happening in the night. 00:01:14.333 --> 00:01:18.966 The other thing about dreams is that sometimes dreams are 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:22.766 instructional, like they kind of tell you something, but 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:25.733 sometimes in our--an impartation happens in the dream. 00:01:25.767 --> 00:01:27.333 That happened to Solomon. 00:01:27.367 --> 00:01:30.533 You know, he has a dream and in the dream, God says, "What do 00:01:30.566 --> 00:01:31.900 you want?" 00:01:31.933 --> 00:01:33.600 And he says, "I want an understanding heart." 00:01:33.633 --> 00:01:37.566 And he doesn't wake up and ask God for what he asked God for 00:01:37.600 --> 00:01:38.933 in the dream. 00:01:38.967 --> 00:01:40.266 He woke up and he already had it. 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:42.500 He woke up and immediately has this supernatural wisdom. 00:01:42.533 --> 00:01:44.867 And so, I wanna encourage everyone listening, pay 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:48.366 attention to those dreams that are those different dimensions 00:01:48.399 --> 00:01:52.900 with God where he's doing stuff in the night and he's making you 00:01:52.933 --> 00:01:55.866 aware of it through the dream, but you're actually receiving 00:01:55.900 --> 00:01:57.900 from him even while you're resting. 00:01:57.933 --> 00:02:00.299 And so, that's kind of what was happening. 00:02:00.333 --> 00:02:02.933 So yeah, so in this dream, I'm sitting in a church in 00:02:02.967 --> 00:02:06.333 Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and then all of a sudden this breeze 00:02:06.366 --> 00:02:09.533 starts blowing, which I found very unusual and I'm trying to 00:02:09.566 --> 00:02:10.866 figure out what it is. 00:02:10.899 --> 00:02:13.233 And as I turned to the person beside me to say, "What is 00:02:13.267 --> 00:02:14.566 this breeze?" 00:02:14.600 --> 00:02:17.966 All of a sudden, the breeze turns into a whirlwind, and it 00:02:17.999 --> 00:02:21.999 is a forceful, disruptive whirlwind, but it's not evil. 00:02:22.033 --> 00:02:23.366 I know it's God. 00:02:23.399 --> 00:02:26.500 I know it's God manifesting himself, his presence, 00:02:26.533 --> 00:02:27.866 his glory. 00:02:27.899 --> 00:02:30.199 He just shows up as a whirlwind. 00:02:30.233 --> 00:02:33.366 And so, it's so forceful and disruptive that it picks me up 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.666 and everyone in the sanctuary, and we're all flying through 00:02:36.700 --> 00:02:38.033 the air. 00:02:38.066 --> 00:02:40.033 And it's one of the most vivid and real experiences I've 00:02:40.066 --> 00:02:41.399 ever had. 00:02:41.433 --> 00:02:46.333 While I was in the air, I was crying and laughing because it's 00:02:46.366 --> 00:02:49.533 like I could feel God tangibly. 00:02:49.566 --> 00:02:53.966 It wasn't that I was exercising faith in order to experience God 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.333 in a service. 00:02:55.366 --> 00:03:01.233 It's that I felt God physically on my skin as wind and this wind 00:03:01.266 --> 00:03:05.567 was so powerful that I was being carried in the air. 00:03:05.600 --> 00:03:09.433 And so, I'm in the air and I'm thinking dozens of things all 00:03:09.467 --> 00:03:10.766 at once. 00:03:10.799 --> 00:03:13.166 One of them is, "God is real." 00:03:13.200 --> 00:03:16.799 Like, I know God's real, I already knew that, but I'm 00:03:16.833 --> 00:03:20.133 experiencing him in an entirely different way right now. 00:03:20.166 --> 00:03:25.166 The second thing I was thinking is that, "Oh, this must be what 00:03:25.200 --> 00:03:29.133 revivalists of old meant when they use the word revival." 00:03:29.167 --> 00:03:31.199 Because just to be honest, I'd gotten a little disheartened 00:03:31.233 --> 00:03:34.133 with the concept of revival because it's like, okay, what 00:03:34.166 --> 00:03:35.466 is it? 00:03:35.499 --> 00:03:36.833 Is it prolonged church services? 00:03:36.866 --> 00:03:39.533 Is it really good, you know, ministry? 00:03:39.567 --> 00:03:40.900 What is revival? 00:03:40.933 --> 00:03:42.933 So, I'd gotten a little disheartened there, but in the 00:03:42.966 --> 00:03:46.133 dream when I was experiencing God just showing up and taking 00:03:46.167 --> 00:03:48.933 over, I thought, "Oh, this is what revival is. 00:03:48.966 --> 00:03:51.899 It's real, it's possible, it can happen," and I want to pray for 00:03:51.933 --> 00:03:53.233 revival again. 00:03:53.266 --> 00:03:57.133 It's God just showing up however and whenever he wants and doing 00:03:57.167 --> 00:04:00.633 whatever it is he wants and it has nothing to do with what 00:04:00.666 --> 00:04:02.000 man manufactured. 00:04:02.033 --> 00:04:04.533 And so, it like refreshed my heart all over again. 00:04:04.566 --> 00:04:07.166 And I was thinking a bunch of other stuff, but I was kind of 00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:08.500 fast forward. 00:04:08.533 --> 00:04:11.633 So, going into the air, all of a sudden, the whirlwind throws me 00:04:11.667 --> 00:04:12.967 down to the ground. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:15.066 Well I'll say this, right before I landed, I'm thinking to 00:04:15.100 --> 00:04:18.933 myself, when I wake up, I need to study the book of Ezekiel 00:04:18.966 --> 00:04:21.500 because Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 1 encounters God through 00:04:21.533 --> 00:04:22.833 a whirlwind. 00:04:22.867 --> 00:04:25.400 And it actually that whirlwind shows up over and over again 00:04:25.433 --> 00:04:26.766 throughout the book of Ezekiel. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:29.433 That's why he says, "And the glory of God showed up the way 00:04:29.466 --> 00:04:31.499 it did," you know, "back then." 00:04:31.533 --> 00:04:34.700 And so, this whirlwind kept showing up in Ezekiel's life. 00:04:34.733 --> 00:04:36.766 So, I'm thinking to myself, "I need to study the book of 00:04:36.799 --> 00:04:40.467 Ezekiel to give myself some biblical perspective on what I'm 00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:44.100 encountering," which is another kind of footnote for listeners. 00:04:44.133 --> 00:04:46.333 When you encounter God in supernatural ways, it needs to 00:04:46.366 --> 00:04:50.333 be saturated in Scripture to really get the right theological 00:04:50.366 --> 00:04:53.167 framework around what you've experienced. 00:04:53.200 --> 00:04:55.999 So, the whirlwind throws me to the ground and I stand up and 00:04:56.033 --> 00:05:00.966 I'm surrounded by a group of people and I begin to prophesy 00:05:00.999 --> 00:05:05.533 and it's like I prophesized with an authority I'd never known 00:05:05.566 --> 00:05:10.400 before because God totally bypassed my mind and just 00:05:10.433 --> 00:05:12.166 commandeered my mouth. 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.166 It's like--it's not like he whispered in my ear and I got an 00:05:15.200 --> 00:05:17.199 impression and I'm trying to figure that out and I'm 00:05:17.233 --> 00:05:18.567 releasing it. 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:21.166 It was just boom, straight out of my mouth. 00:05:21.200 --> 00:05:24.967 God begins to speak and my mind is disconnected and thinking, 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.133 "What in the world am I talking about?" 00:05:27.166 --> 00:05:31.033 And so, what I say to the group of people is this, "God is 00:05:31.066 --> 00:05:35.833 looking for watchmen or cities will be no more, just like the 00:05:35.866 --> 00:05:38.800 nine cities in the west of Israel." 00:05:38.833 --> 00:05:42.667 Now when I say that, I'm seeing in my mind's eye, men and women 00:05:42.700 --> 00:05:46.067 of God spiritually taking responsibility for cities as 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:49.599 intercessors and praying over them, and I knew if they don't 00:05:49.633 --> 00:05:52.500 do that, then those cities will be vulnerable to the plans of 00:05:52.533 --> 00:05:53.833 the enemy. 00:05:53.867 --> 00:05:56.566 And then if the plans of the enemy begin to take root, then 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:58.999 those cities will become vulnerable to judgment. 00:05:59.033 --> 00:06:02.666 And I knew that cities would become no more if intercessors 00:06:02.700 --> 00:06:04.699 did not take their place. 00:06:04.733 --> 00:06:07.000 So, I'm seeing all of that as I'm prophesying. 00:06:07.033 --> 00:06:11.300 Then God like lets go of my mouth and oddly because the 00:06:11.333 --> 00:06:14.933 message is pretty heavy that I prophesized, I start laughing 00:06:14.966 --> 00:06:18.066 because I'm still refreshed by the wind, like the whirlwind. 00:06:18.099 --> 00:06:20.833 And I look at everyone and I say, "What does that even mean?" 00:06:20.867 --> 00:06:23.033 Because I'm thinking, "Nine cities in the west of Israel? 00:06:23.066 --> 00:06:25.000 Is that in the Bible somewhere? 00:06:25.033 --> 00:06:27.299 Watchmen, what does it look like for people to actually 00:06:27.333 --> 00:06:28.666 be watchmen?" 00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:31.267 So, I'm like lighthearted, even though the message is 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:33.833 very confrontational. 00:06:33.866 --> 00:06:36.933 Then I'm starting to walk out of the sanctuary and I'm thinking 00:06:36.966 --> 00:06:38.266 two things. 00:06:38.299 --> 00:06:40.400 I'm thinking, number one, this is a dream from God. 00:06:40.433 --> 00:06:42.966 Number two, I hope I don't forget this dream. 00:06:42.999 --> 00:06:45.267 So, I'm like, thinking of both of them. 00:06:45.300 --> 00:06:47.666 But then as I'm walking out of the sanctuary, my heart breaks a 00:06:47.699 --> 00:06:52.433 little because I hear the pastor or the service MC just going on 00:06:52.466 --> 00:06:55.233 with church announcements and I realized that once the whirlwind 00:06:55.267 --> 00:06:58.499 left, they put everything in the sanctuary back the way it was 00:06:58.533 --> 00:07:00.267 and just went on with the service. 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:02.900 That broke my heart because I realized they encountered the 00:07:02.933 --> 00:07:05.567 whirlwind, but they didn't receive the message that came 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:06.933 out of the whirlwind. 00:07:06.966 --> 00:07:08.333 They didn't say yes to the call of the watchman. 00:07:08.366 --> 00:07:11.966 Instead, they just decided to go on sort of with their 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:13.333 church activity. 00:07:13.366 --> 00:07:15.767 That was heartbreaking to me. 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.200 Rebecca: There's so much to unpack. 00:07:17.233 --> 00:07:18.667 Micah: There's a lot to unpack. 00:07:18.700 --> 00:07:21.000 There's a lot to unpack. 00:07:21.033 --> 00:07:22.367 Rebecca: It's powerful. 00:07:22.400 --> 00:07:23.833 Like I felt God's presence as you were talking. 00:07:23.867 --> 00:07:25.400 You know, there's a lot to unpack. 00:07:25.433 --> 00:07:30.567 I think the first thing is you think God was showing you as you 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.799 were walking out and the church was just going with 00:07:33.833 --> 00:07:37.367 announcements, kind of showing you that if church just does 00:07:37.400 --> 00:07:40.833 business as usual and they don't receive that message to repent 00:07:40.866 --> 00:07:43.466 and to change and to take on the role of the watchman, it's going 00:07:43.500 --> 00:07:45.266 to be detrimental to those cities. 00:07:45.299 --> 00:07:48.300 Micah: Yeah, 100%. 00:07:48.333 --> 00:07:51.800 And just to be honest, I have a bit of a complicated 00:07:51.833 --> 00:07:55.900 relationship with the word encounter and I'll tell you why. 00:07:55.933 --> 00:08:01.300 Number one, God encounters have absolutely changed my life, 00:08:01.333 --> 00:08:02.633 all right? 00:08:02.666 --> 00:08:04.233 From the time I was a kid growing up in church and 00:08:04.266 --> 00:08:06.366 then I was not walking with God during early teenage years. 00:08:06.400 --> 00:08:08.799 I was 15, I had this God encounter that 00:08:08.833 --> 00:08:10.199 changed everything. 00:08:10.233 --> 00:08:13.366 I believe in God encounters and I think we need more of them. 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:17.533 However, I also think that it's become jargon in the church that 00:08:17.567 --> 00:08:21.766 we need a God encounter and so much so that it's almost become 00:08:21.799 --> 00:08:26.100 a self-seeking gratification thing rather than realizing the 00:08:26.133 --> 00:08:29.000 encounters come to commission us with an assignment. 00:08:29.033 --> 00:08:31.733 And so, we want the whirlwind, but we don't want the message 00:08:31.766 --> 00:08:33.067 out of the whirlwind. 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:36.566 It's like we want to have sensational stories to tell, but 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:39.199 I don't know that we actually want the responsibility that 00:08:39.233 --> 00:08:40.866 comes with the sensational stories. 00:08:40.900 --> 00:08:43.700 So, Moses encountered the burning bush. 00:08:43.733 --> 00:08:46.200 And from the burning bush, leaves the mountain with 00:08:46.233 --> 00:08:47.733 an assignment for a nation-- 00:08:47.766 --> 00:08:49.100 Rebecca: A heavy call. 00:08:49.133 --> 00:08:52.867 Micah: A heavy call that required great sacrifice. 00:08:52.900 --> 00:08:56.599 And so, I think that was--the ending of the dream is that we 00:08:56.633 --> 00:08:59.400 have to be willing to actually be interrupted. 00:08:59.433 --> 00:09:02.899 When Ezekiel encounters the whirlwind, Ezekiel chapter 1, 2, 00:09:02.933 --> 00:09:05.399 and 3, it's all the same extended encounter. 00:09:05.433 --> 00:09:08.500 At the end of it, this is the middle of Ezekiel 3, it says 00:09:08.533 --> 00:09:13.466 that he sat astonished for seven days. 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:16.733 In other words, he allows the encounter to interrupt him. 00:09:16.766 --> 00:09:20.266 Then at the end of seven days, God then says, "Son of man, I 00:09:20.300 --> 00:09:22.933 have made you a watchman for the house of Israel." 00:09:22.966 --> 00:09:29.067 So, the clarity behind the encounter came after Ezekiel was 00:09:29.100 --> 00:09:31.599 willing to be interrupted by the encounter, not just enjoy 00:09:31.633 --> 00:09:32.933 the encounter. 00:09:32.967 --> 00:09:36.466 And so, we have to allow ourselves to pause when we have 00:09:36.499 --> 00:09:40.799 these God moments to really consider, pray, journal, what is 00:09:40.833 --> 00:09:43.199 God saying through this encounter, not just have 00:09:43.233 --> 00:09:46.800 excitement over the fact that I had a sensational experience. 00:09:46.833 --> 00:09:48.567 Rebecca: That's such an important word that we're not 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.466 just chasing these experiences to have some goosebumps or an 00:09:51.499 --> 00:09:54.766 emotional experience or something just for our own 00:09:54.800 --> 00:09:57.033 selves, but that we have these God encounters. 00:09:57.066 --> 00:10:00.433 There is a responsibility attached to that. 00:10:00.466 --> 00:10:04.233 And to take it seriously and even with churches seeking 00:10:04.266 --> 00:10:07.567 revival, you're not just seeking for a moment--Terry, you know, 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:11.466 for a moment or for a miracle, but seeking an assignment and 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:14.000 a call for stuff to move forward. 00:10:14.033 --> 00:10:15.333 That's just so powerful. 00:10:15.367 --> 00:10:18.733 And I mean that encounter that you had, you stewarded 00:10:18.767 --> 00:10:20.300 that encounter. 00:10:20.333 --> 00:10:23.933 How--what would you--what's some practical advice for people who 00:10:23.966 --> 00:10:26.867 receive prophetic dreams or prophetic words or they have 00:10:26.900 --> 00:10:28.299 these God encounters? 00:10:28.333 --> 00:10:30.900 What's a practical way that they can steward what God has 00:10:30.933 --> 00:10:32.233 given them? 00:10:32.266 --> 00:10:33.600 Micah: It's a great question. 00:10:33.633 --> 00:10:35.800 So, it's all very simple, very simple. 00:10:35.833 --> 00:10:39.266 So, the first thing I always do is I write it down. 00:10:39.300 --> 00:10:41.733 I like--every dream I write down, even the ones that 00:10:41.767 --> 00:10:43.100 seem bizarre. 00:10:43.133 --> 00:10:47.466 And it's amazing how much--how easy it is to neglect that step. 00:10:47.499 --> 00:10:49.366 And then without writing it down, we don't have a record 00:10:49.400 --> 00:10:51.733 anymore, we forget all that stuff. 00:10:51.766 --> 00:10:54.566 And I have found that as you write dreams down more 00:10:54.599 --> 00:10:57.833 consistently, it has a tendency to kind of open up the dream 00:10:57.867 --> 00:11:02.633 space because it's almost as though like the Lord sees that 00:11:02.666 --> 00:11:04.100 you're committed there, you're faithful. 00:11:04.133 --> 00:11:05.967 So, you always write it down. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.467 To me, a second point in terms of interpretation is I find--I 00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:12.700 look for biblical language in it that can be keys to 00:11:12.733 --> 00:11:14.567 unlock interpretation. 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:17.299 And there's those God--so whirlwind, okay? 00:11:17.333 --> 00:11:18.800 How was a whirlwind used in Scripture? 00:11:18.833 --> 00:11:20.166 Where did it show up? 00:11:20.199 --> 00:11:24.599 And that becomes a key for unlocking that thing of seeing 00:11:24.633 --> 00:11:25.933 beyond the surface. 00:11:25.966 --> 00:11:28.599 Another thing I would say is take into the context 00:11:28.633 --> 00:11:29.933 of community. 00:11:29.967 --> 00:11:32.200 So, I have a very good friend actually, the book is dedicated 00:11:32.233 --> 00:11:35.233 to my good friend named Josh Hollingsworth because he's like 00:11:35.266 --> 00:11:39.433 my dream stream buddy friend and functions in just 00:11:39.466 --> 00:11:40.933 prophetic places. 00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:44.633 And so, I often talk about dreams with him. 00:11:44.666 --> 00:11:48.600 And so, I would encourage people to find a--it doesn't have to be 00:11:48.633 --> 00:11:52.633 like an ultra dream interpretive community, but especially a 00:11:52.666 --> 00:11:54.800 community whose heartbeat is prayer. 00:11:54.833 --> 00:11:58.133 You take dreams into the space of prayer and they get ignited 00:11:58.166 --> 00:12:01.933 to a different level because in the place of prayer, prayer has 00:12:01.967 --> 00:12:04.566 a tendency to unlock prophetic language. 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:09.066 And so, those three things is write it down, look for biblical 00:12:09.100 --> 00:12:13.599 signage, so to speak, and then take it to a community that has 00:12:13.633 --> 00:12:14.966 prioritized prayer. 00:12:14.999 --> 00:12:17.967 And in doing that, it helps start unlocking some of the 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.567 things God's speaking. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:20.900 Rebecca: That's so good. 00:12:20.933 --> 00:12:23.366 And you know what's interesting about your God encounter as 00:12:23.400 --> 00:12:26.267 well, not only the call and the responsibility to deliver this 00:12:26.300 --> 00:12:29.866 message to the church of how we need to wake up and walk in our 00:12:29.900 --> 00:12:34.233 watchman role, but God was really giving the church a 00:12:34.266 --> 00:12:38.300 download of our--like the spiritual warfare going on and 00:12:38.333 --> 00:12:41.300 how we have a part to play and it's not just about showing up 00:12:41.333 --> 00:12:45.567 at church on Sundays, but that we have an active role to play 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.933 in prayer and intercession. 00:12:46.966 --> 00:12:50.233 And so, I want to get into talking about watchmen and all 00:12:50.267 --> 00:12:51.600 of that. 00:12:51.633 --> 00:12:53.599 And so, if you want to start with the book of Ezekiel and 00:12:53.633 --> 00:12:55.500 kind of what God downloaded to you. 00:12:55.533 --> 00:12:56.833 Micah: Yeah. 00:12:56.866 --> 00:12:58.866 Well I think the first step is what I said a moment ago, 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:00.333 and that is holy interruption. 00:13:00.366 --> 00:13:03.866 Ezekiel was interrupted by the whirlwind and because of that, 00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:06.666 God was able to give him more language. 00:13:06.699 --> 00:13:09.933 And, you know, Rebecca, you asked me on--of a different 00:13:09.966 --> 00:13:13.933 program that we recorded today about, you know, what did the 00:13:13.967 --> 00:13:15.566 whirlwind represent? 00:13:15.599 --> 00:13:20.066 And for me it represents the heart of God because Ezekiel 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:23.533 includes an interesting detail in Ezekiel chapter 1. 00:13:23.567 --> 00:13:26.566 He describes the whirlwind as being on fire, but then he said, 00:13:26.599 --> 00:13:29.366 "And out of the midst of the whirlwind was the color amber." 00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:32.733 And I'm thinking if it's on fire, why even bother saying 00:13:32.767 --> 00:13:34.866 that there was amber in the whirlwind? 00:13:34.900 --> 00:13:36.633 Isn't that implied? 00:13:36.667 --> 00:13:38.966 It--he probably included it because it was something 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:41.300 distinct even apart from the fire. 00:13:41.333 --> 00:13:43.233 So, where does that amber come from? 00:13:43.266 --> 00:13:45.733 And throughout Ezekiel, he mentions not only a burning 00:13:45.766 --> 00:13:47.766 whirlwind, but a burning man. 00:13:47.800 --> 00:13:51.066 And when he sees this burning man, he says, "And the color 00:13:51.099 --> 00:13:52.799 amber came out of his chest." 00:13:52.833 --> 00:13:55.067 He says it kind of interesting--he says, "Below his 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:58.266 waist was on fire and above his waist was on fire." 00:13:58.299 --> 00:14:00.733 And I'm like, "That's cool, but just say the man's on fire. 00:14:00.766 --> 00:14:02.799 Why this distinction?" 00:14:02.833 --> 00:14:05.866 He says, "But above his waist came the color amber," and I 00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:09.266 think it's because the heart of God is an amber heart that burns 00:14:09.300 --> 00:14:10.633 in his chest. 00:14:10.666 --> 00:14:13.533 So, when Ezekiel experiences this whirlwind, it's an external 00:14:13.566 --> 00:14:16.300 expression of God's internal world. 00:14:16.333 --> 00:14:18.766 And the other reason I think it's a whirlwind is because, you 00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:22.066 know, when tornadoes show up, they don't negotiate. 00:14:22.099 --> 00:14:24.899 You revolve around them, they don't revolve around you. 00:14:24.933 --> 00:14:26.233 So, I'm from the state of Alabama. 00:14:26.267 --> 00:14:29.200 We have lots of tornadoes and I'm trying to explain to my 00:14:29.233 --> 00:14:32.333 British friends the concept of living in a tornado zone, and 00:14:32.366 --> 00:14:33.667 they were just flabbergasted. 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:36.766 I was like, "Okay, look guys, like, every now and then 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:39.733 a funnel of air just comes out of the sky and throws cars 00:14:39.766 --> 00:14:41.099 into trees." 00:14:41.133 --> 00:14:42.466 Jonathan Weiss: It is pretty wild. 00:14:42.499 --> 00:14:44.200 Micah: I mean, it is wild and they looked at me in shock 00:14:44.233 --> 00:14:46.266 and went, "How would--why would anyone live there?" 00:14:46.300 --> 00:14:49.900 Like it was beyond their powers to imagine living in that kind 00:14:49.933 --> 00:14:51.233 of space. 00:14:51.267 --> 00:14:52.966 I was like, "Yeah, you know, we dig holes in the ground, call 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:55.100 them storm shelters, and we get in there every now and then." 00:14:55.133 --> 00:14:58.799 So anyway, but these whirlwinds, what they do is, you know, when 00:14:58.833 --> 00:15:03.300 a tornado shows up, you respond to it because it brings 00:15:03.333 --> 00:15:07.166 everything around itself and that's where this begins is--are 00:15:07.199 --> 00:15:13.700 our lives revolving around the heart of God for our city? 00:15:13.733 --> 00:15:17.933 Are our lives revolving around God's perspective and what God 00:15:17.966 --> 00:15:21.533 sees, or have we made life decisions based upon our own 00:15:21.566 --> 00:15:23.700 convenience and our own preferences? 00:15:23.733 --> 00:15:26.866 And so, the first thing about being a watchman is we have to 00:15:26.900 --> 00:15:29.600 realize that it's not an addition to a life that revolves 00:15:29.633 --> 00:15:30.967 around us. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:34.733 It is an interruption to a life that revolves around us to step 00:15:34.766 --> 00:15:36.167 into a life that revolves around God. 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:38.900 So, I think that's the first step of being a watchman. 00:15:38.933 --> 00:15:42.933 Rebecca: Yeah, and it's not, you know, no longer serving God for 00:15:42.966 --> 00:15:45.933 your sake, but it's taking that step in maturity to serving God 00:15:45.966 --> 00:15:48.266 for his sake and saying, "What is your heart?" 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:50.066 You know, "What is your will?" 00:15:50.099 --> 00:15:53.166 You know, "How can I partner with you in intercession and 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:55.233 prayer and service." 00:15:55.266 --> 00:15:57.699 So, what's the second step of becoming a watchman? 00:15:57.733 --> 00:16:01.500 Micah: I think the next step would be friendship with God, 00:16:01.533 --> 00:16:04.733 which is I find an often overlooked step when it comes 00:16:04.767 --> 00:16:06.066 to being a watchman. 00:16:06.099 --> 00:16:09.033 Most people hear watchmen and they automatically go like 00:16:09.066 --> 00:16:11.833 prophetic and intercession, which both are key. 00:16:11.866 --> 00:16:14.700 We'll willing talk about both of those, but I think the 00:16:14.733 --> 00:16:17.400 next step is friendship with God. 00:16:17.433 --> 00:16:19.533 Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane said to his 00:16:19.566 --> 00:16:23.066 disciples, "Could you watch with me?" 00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:25.733 We all remember that he says, "Watch and pray," but he doesn't 00:16:25.767 --> 00:16:28.333 say that until later after they fall asleep. 00:16:28.366 --> 00:16:32.233 He first says watch with me because he initially wasn't 00:16:32.266 --> 00:16:34.066 concerned about the outcome of their prayers. 00:16:34.100 --> 00:16:35.866 He was initially concerned with the fellowship of 00:16:35.900 --> 00:16:37.199 their presence. 00:16:37.233 --> 00:16:41.167 He wanted them to be with him while he was suffering, while he 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.233 was sweating great drops of blood. 00:16:43.267 --> 00:16:46.500 And this is really key because a few years ago, I'd gotten 00:16:46.533 --> 00:16:52.200 a little wary of like intercessory assignments because 00:16:52.233 --> 00:16:55.167 I'd seen myself get like weary with them. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:57.399 I--there's two things, there's two dangers in the area 00:16:57.433 --> 00:16:58.767 of intercession. 00:16:58.800 --> 00:17:01.700 One, is to get weary. 00:17:01.733 --> 00:17:04.000 The other is to make it an idol. 00:17:04.033 --> 00:17:08.500 And we make it an idol when our assignment becomes our identity 00:17:08.533 --> 00:17:13.333 and now we are engaging in intercession because our own 00:17:13.367 --> 00:17:16.299 understanding of ourselves has gotten intertwined with the 00:17:16.333 --> 00:17:18.066 calls that we carry. 00:17:18.100 --> 00:17:21.366 And I've seen myself going into both areas and I was--so I was 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:23.366 kind of wary of intercessory assignments. 00:17:23.399 --> 00:17:26.366 And so, the Lord began to speak to me about a specific 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:29.599 assignment actually about Israel several years ago. 00:17:29.633 --> 00:17:33.033 And I was like super hesitant for lots of reasons, but one of 00:17:33.066 --> 00:17:36.966 them is like, "Lord, I just--number one, I've seen 00:17:36.999 --> 00:17:40.299 myself sputter out on other assignments and I don't want 00:17:40.333 --> 00:17:42.933 that to happen because then I get disillusioned and blah, 00:17:42.966 --> 00:17:44.267 blah, blah." 00:17:44.300 --> 00:17:48.366 And the other side of it is I've seen myself attach my identity 00:17:48.399 --> 00:17:50.533 to these causes, and I don't want that to happen either. 00:17:50.566 --> 00:17:52.433 And so, I was really hesitant. 00:17:52.466 --> 00:17:56.600 And I was in a service one day and I was on my face in prayer 00:17:56.633 --> 00:17:59.366 and I just sense the Lord speaking to me very clearly and 00:17:59.399 --> 00:18:03.067 he said, "I'm looking for someone with whom I can share 00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:05.099 my heart." 00:18:05.133 --> 00:18:07.499 And all of a sudden that changed the conversation for me 00:18:07.533 --> 00:18:08.900 about intercession. 00:18:08.933 --> 00:18:13.933 God wasn't asking me to add like an agenda to my prayer list. 00:18:13.966 --> 00:18:16.399 He was saying, "I've got some things on my heart and I'm 00:18:16.433 --> 00:18:20.166 looking for someone that can join me in the conversation." 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:23.966 So, I have found that intercession is best when it's 00:18:23.999 --> 00:18:25.799 a conversation between friends. 00:18:25.833 --> 00:18:27.967 That's what you see with Abraham. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.500 Abraham is a friend of God. 00:18:29.533 --> 00:18:30.900 God calls him a friend. 00:18:30.933 --> 00:18:32.633 Scripture calls him a friend. 00:18:32.666 --> 00:18:33.967 So, what does God do? 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:37.966 He shares with Abraham his secret about Sodom and Gomorrah, 00:18:37.999 --> 00:18:41.600 and then Abraham takes that to the place of intercession. 00:18:41.633 --> 00:18:45.133 So, intercession is key, but I find that intercession is 00:18:45.166 --> 00:18:47.033 secondary to friendship with God. 00:18:47.066 --> 00:18:50.800 Okay, here's the reality about friendship with God. 00:18:50.833 --> 00:18:55.633 When you're in a place of intercession, you can endure 00:18:55.666 --> 00:18:59.667 long seasons of seemingly unanswered prayer when you're 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:03.466 doing it from friendship because when it's from friendship, 00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:06.700 there's even an odd joy in the delay because you know that you 00:19:06.733 --> 00:19:08.700 and God are suffering together there. 00:19:08.733 --> 00:19:11.633 And so, that relationship side is key. 00:19:11.666 --> 00:19:14.133 Jonathan: I love the way you explained it too, because I feel 00:19:14.166 --> 00:19:19.966 like part of my understanding of a watchman--I had a similar God 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.233 encounter earlier in life and then in Israel, God spoke to me 00:19:24.266 --> 00:19:27.900 out of Isaiah 62:6-7, "I placed watchman on your walls of 00:19:27.933 --> 00:19:30.300 Jerusalem that you give me no rest day or night until I make 00:19:30.333 --> 00:19:31.733 Jerusalem a praise in all the earth." 00:19:31.767 --> 00:19:34.533 And right after that verse, he said, "I'm calling you to be 00:19:34.566 --> 00:19:35.866 a watchman." 00:19:35.900 --> 00:19:39.466 So, I was 22 or something years old at that time. 00:19:39.499 --> 00:19:42.999 And so, my understanding of watchman at that time was, okay, 00:19:43.033 --> 00:19:46.400 you know, staying on the wall, taking immediate action, and 00:19:46.433 --> 00:19:51.633 then over the years, meeting my wife, getting married, stepping 00:19:51.666 --> 00:19:56.700 into different areas of calling and ministry I have come to 00:19:56.733 --> 00:20:00.033 understand the watchman calling being so much more well rounded 00:20:00.066 --> 00:20:02.466 towards the way you're explaining it. 00:20:02.499 --> 00:20:05.967 And that friendship piece I've never articulated that way 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:10.566 myself, but that is truly been like foundational to me and my 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:11.967 understanding and my calling. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:16.866 And my initial understanding of watchmen would have been to see 00:20:16.899 --> 00:20:19.433 and to take action, immediate action. 00:20:19.466 --> 00:20:23.933 And what I've learned through life and through relationship 00:20:23.966 --> 00:20:26.633 and friendship with God is sometimes as a watchman, you 00:20:26.666 --> 00:20:30.767 could attest to this, we are being shown something, but we're 00:20:30.800 --> 00:20:33.233 to intercede before we take action. 00:20:33.266 --> 00:20:36.866 And it's often that intercession and that time of friendship that 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:40.800 is so pivotal and it's easily overlooked because you could be 00:20:40.833 --> 00:20:44.166 a man or a woman of action and you're actually missing. 00:20:44.199 --> 00:20:47.233 No, God's just showing you, "It's time to intercede over 00:20:47.266 --> 00:20:51.133 this, it's time to dialogue with me in a friendship manner 00:20:51.166 --> 00:20:52.500 over this." 00:20:52.533 --> 00:20:58.033 And it's easy or it's harder to do, you know, it's easier to 00:20:58.066 --> 00:21:01.200 say, but sometimes when you have that watchman calling, God put 00:21:01.233 --> 00:21:04.166 that in you, he's instilled that in you reckon knows this, so you 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:07.633 want to take action immediately, but actually leaning into the 00:21:07.666 --> 00:21:10.533 friendship piece and God's presence piece is so key, 00:21:10.567 --> 00:21:11.866 so fundamental. 00:21:11.899 --> 00:21:14.433 Rebecca: Yeah, I think, you know, what I love about the 00:21:14.466 --> 00:21:17.633 intimacy with God and him sharing his heart. 00:21:17.666 --> 00:21:21.799 But then it's so beautiful, but he'll also show you things. 00:21:21.833 --> 00:21:24.367 And then in your flesh, you might want to try to do 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:26.867 something to fix the situation and he's like, "I'm not actually 00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:28.333 asking you to do anything right now. 00:21:28.366 --> 00:21:31.299 I'm just asking you to partner with me in prayer and believe 00:21:31.333 --> 00:21:33.266 for me to work in this situation." 00:21:33.300 --> 00:21:36.566 And I think people who--I know I made this mistake. 00:21:36.600 --> 00:21:39.933 We can get into the prophetic intercession is when I make the 00:21:39.967 --> 00:21:41.899 mistake of when God would show me something, I would 00:21:41.933 --> 00:21:45.567 immediately like share or do something and he wasn't asking 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:49.500 me to do it and the prophetic is such a beautiful thing and you 00:21:49.533 --> 00:21:52.733 can see the right thing, but if you deliver it in the wrong way 00:21:52.767 --> 00:21:55.066 or at the wrong time, it actually can be more hurtful 00:21:55.100 --> 00:21:56.700 than helpful. 00:21:56.733 --> 00:21:59.967 Jonathan: One of our friends and mentors said the other day to us 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:03.133 that, you know, like this--it's like people often are more 00:22:03.166 --> 00:22:06.966 likely to listen to what you have to say if you're invited to 00:22:06.999 --> 00:22:09.700 sit at the table, not if you just show up with, "Hey, by the 00:22:09.733 --> 00:22:12.066 way, Mike, I see this thing going wrong." 00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:13.999 You know, it's going to be like, "Whoa, whoa, bro, you know, 00:22:14.033 --> 00:22:15.333 take it easy." 00:22:15.366 --> 00:22:18.433 But if someone invites you in, then it's often the Lord opening 00:22:18.466 --> 00:22:22.166 the door for you to then share that insight, whatever it is. 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.866 And I thought that was such a profound, simple way to explain 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:26.933 it, but it's so profound because it is true. 00:22:26.967 --> 00:22:30.433 People have their walls up and just because God showed you 00:22:30.466 --> 00:22:34.333 something or about a situation, it doesn't necessarily mean it's 00:22:34.366 --> 00:22:35.800 that time to speak into it. 00:22:35.833 --> 00:22:44.733 Micah: Yes, so good. I love that, big time. 00:22:44.766 --> 00:22:46.067 Jonathan: I did have a question. 00:22:46.100 --> 00:22:48.066 I don't know if this is going to derail but I was gonna ask about 00:22:48.100 --> 00:22:51.200 in the whirlwind and the specific reference point of 00:22:51.233 --> 00:22:54.500 nine cities in Israel, did you ever unpack that further? 00:22:54.533 --> 00:22:55.933 Is there significance to that? 00:22:55.967 --> 00:22:57.266 What is that? 00:22:57.300 --> 00:22:59.133 Micah: Super significance. 00:22:59.166 --> 00:23:05.333 And yes, so through the nine cities element, the Lord really 00:23:05.367 --> 00:23:08.733 confirmed with like this dramatic exclamation point, 00:23:08.766 --> 00:23:10.533 "This dream is from me!" 00:23:10.566 --> 00:23:12.967 In a very unusual way. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:15.233 So, my, you know, like I said, the first thing I did when I got 00:23:15.266 --> 00:23:17.800 up, I woke up that morning is I wrote the dream down. 00:23:17.833 --> 00:23:19.167 I'm just processing it. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:24.066 And my next question then is, what are these nine cities and 00:23:24.100 --> 00:23:26.767 are they connected to the book of Ezekiel, watchmen, what's 00:23:26.800 --> 00:23:28.100 going on? 00:23:28.133 --> 00:23:30.667 So, I start to do some research and eventually I come across 00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:35.733 this like old commentary from like late 1800s and it's just 00:23:35.766 --> 00:23:38.633 introducing different books in the Old Testament. 00:23:38.667 --> 00:23:42.633 And so, I start reading the chapter that I think is 00:23:42.666 --> 00:23:44.633 introducing the book of Ezekiel. 00:23:44.667 --> 00:23:50.999 And it says in chapter 1--the prophet names nine cities in 00:23:51.033 --> 00:23:54.333 the west of Israel that are pointed for destruction. 00:23:54.366 --> 00:23:57.733 So, when I read that, it's like my body goes numb and I'm like, 00:23:57.767 --> 00:24:00.600 "God's real, you know, God's real. 00:24:00.633 --> 00:24:01.933 There it is. 00:24:01.966 --> 00:24:03.900 Nine cities in the west of Israel pointed for destruction." 00:24:03.933 --> 00:24:05.300 So, I'm very excited. 00:24:05.333 --> 00:24:09.466 I go to the book of Ezekiel and I go through, you know, chapter 00:24:09.499 --> 00:24:11.366 1, the verses that it mentioned. 00:24:11.399 --> 00:24:15.199 And to my dismay, it doesn't mention any cities and I'm like, 00:24:15.233 --> 00:24:16.533 "I must have the reference wrong. 00:24:16.567 --> 00:24:17.867 What am I reading?" 00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:20.633 So, I go back to the commentary and I realize that I'm not 00:24:20.666 --> 00:24:23.866 reading his introduction to Ezekiel, I'm reading in his 00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:28.099 introduction to the prophet Micah in Scripture, which I'm 00:24:28.133 --> 00:24:31.033 shocked by because obviously my name is Micah. 00:24:31.067 --> 00:24:34.333 So, it's like I'm finding my name in the book. 00:24:34.367 --> 00:24:38.566 So, I go then to the book of Micah, Micah chapter 1. 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:39.899 There it is. 00:24:39.933 --> 00:24:43.266 He names nine cities in the west of Israel that have impending 00:24:43.300 --> 00:24:44.899 destruction and judgment. 00:24:44.933 --> 00:24:47.066 So, that was one layer of confirmation. 00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:50.733 So, I had the dream on a Sunday morning in June 2020. 00:24:50.767 --> 00:24:54.233 I go to church that day and I take it to the prayer team. 00:24:54.266 --> 00:24:56.100 We're, you know, right before service. 00:24:56.133 --> 00:25:00.066 And so, I share it because I still feel a little like not 00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:03.700 quite loopy, but I feel a little like I still kind of feel the 00:25:03.733 --> 00:25:05.967 wind a little so I'm still like refreshed. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:08.867 I was like, "Guys, I just--before we pray I gotta 00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:10.200 tell you this dream I had." 00:25:10.233 --> 00:25:11.566 So, I shared the dream. 00:25:11.600 --> 00:25:14.166 It was super fresh, you know, it's kind of just pouring out of 00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:16.933 me and my friend that I dedicated the book to, Josh, 00:25:16.966 --> 00:25:18.333 he's in the prayer meeting. 00:25:18.367 --> 00:25:20.866 So, I share the whole thing, nine cities, you know, book of 00:25:20.899 --> 00:25:22.199 Micah, all of it. 00:25:22.233 --> 00:25:25.299 As I'm sharing it, the Lord speaks a name to him, and the 00:25:25.333 --> 00:25:26.666 name is Linda. 00:25:26.699 --> 00:25:29.733 Now he knows a lady named Linda because she leads this like 00:25:29.767 --> 00:25:32.900 national intercessory prayer call once a week. 00:25:32.933 --> 00:25:36.066 He's not been on it a while, but every now and then he would like 00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:38.200 jump in and help lead prayer, but he had not been in touch 00:25:38.233 --> 00:25:39.533 with her. 00:25:39.566 --> 00:25:41.700 So, when the Lord says, "Linda," he goes, "Oh, Linda needs to 00:25:41.733 --> 00:25:43.367 hear this dream about watchmen. 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:45.400 It'll really encourage her prayer network." 00:25:45.433 --> 00:25:47.933 So, he goes to get his phone, but he left his phone at home 00:25:47.966 --> 00:25:49.300 that day. 00:25:49.333 --> 00:25:50.633 He didn't bring it to church. 00:25:50.667 --> 00:25:53.900 So, he gets home later in the day and he checks his phone and 00:25:53.933 --> 00:25:58.633 to his surprise, Linda had texted him about five times 00:25:58.667 --> 00:26:01.333 saying, "Josh, the Lord put you on my heart. 00:26:01.366 --> 00:26:03.833 I think you're supposed to lead our prayer call this week. 00:26:03.866 --> 00:26:06.100 I feel like the Lord's giving you something to give us." 00:26:06.133 --> 00:26:09.000 So, he doesn't say what it is, but he says, "Linda, this 00:26:09.033 --> 00:26:10.333 is amazing. 00:26:10.366 --> 00:26:11.700 The Lord spoke your name to me. 00:26:11.733 --> 00:26:13.466 I feel like I have something significant to share." 00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:16.766 Fast forward a couple of days to Wednesday morning. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:18.800 I'm driving back from Tennessee to Alabama. 00:26:18.833 --> 00:26:20.499 I'd gone to preach at a service. 00:26:20.533 --> 00:26:22.667 As I'm driving back, Josh calls me. 00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:24.833 He had just got off the prayer call and he said, "Micah, you're 00:26:24.866 --> 00:26:26.499 not going to believe this." 00:26:26.533 --> 00:26:27.833 I said, "What?" 00:26:27.867 --> 00:26:29.833 "So, I just got on the prayer call with Linda and I shared 00:26:29.866 --> 00:26:31.167 your dream, the whole thing. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.967 God's looking for watchmen or nine cities, you know, will be 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:37.066 no more or cities will be no more like the nine cities. 00:26:37.100 --> 00:26:39.733 And I told him about the thing in the book of Micah." 00:26:39.766 --> 00:26:42.766 He said, "After I get done sharing it, she got back on 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:44.900 the call and said, 'Guys, guys, I didn't tell them, I didn't 00:26:44.933 --> 00:26:46.233 tell him.'" 00:26:46.267 --> 00:26:48.033 And he said, "You didn't tell me what?" 00:26:48.067 --> 00:26:50.366 Then she explained to Josh, "Josh, what you don't know is 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:55.033 that today is the last day of a nine-day fast. 00:26:55.067 --> 00:26:58.833 And the reason we went on this nine day fast is because God 00:26:58.866 --> 00:27:03.133 told us you are a watchman for nine cities in America. 00:27:03.167 --> 00:27:07.000 So, we've been praying for nine cities in America as watchmen 00:27:07.033 --> 00:27:09.199 declaring the Word of the Lord." 00:27:09.233 --> 00:27:12.866 Again, when he calls and tells me that, I'm shocked and I have 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:16.633 another "God is real" moment because the book of Micah and 00:27:16.667 --> 00:27:20.633 the Josh call, those were to--for me, God's ways of 00:27:20.666 --> 00:27:23.533 confirming loudly, you know, the mouth of two or three witnesses, 00:27:23.566 --> 00:27:25.066 all things are established. 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:29.266 God confirming loudly, "This is from me, do not ignore this, but 00:27:29.300 --> 00:27:30.667 steward it well. 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:33.867 Take it, pray over it, process it," all of that. 00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:35.199 Rebecca: I love that. 00:27:35.233 --> 00:27:37.800 So, we talked about stewarding your encounters. 00:27:37.833 --> 00:27:40.067 We talked about friendship with God. 00:27:40.100 --> 00:27:42.666 After that, you said it kind of moves into prophecy 00:27:42.699 --> 00:27:44.033 and intersession. 00:27:44.066 --> 00:27:45.366 Can you unpack that for us? 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:48.067 Micah: Yeah, I'd say the next would be prophetic--what I call 00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:49.466 prophetic sensitivity. 00:27:49.499 --> 00:27:52.466 And so, I think one of the things that we need to know as 00:27:52.499 --> 00:27:55.666 watchmen, and I think every believer has a watchman dynamic 00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:56.999 to their lives. 00:27:57.033 --> 00:28:00.600 So, Jesus said in Mark 13:37, "What I say to you, I say to 00:28:00.633 --> 00:28:02.400 all, watch." 00:28:02.433 --> 00:28:05.833 So, there'll be varying levels of responsibility, but all of us 00:28:05.866 --> 00:28:09.000 carry some dimension of this in our lives. 00:28:09.033 --> 00:28:11.899 And one of the things we need to know as watchmen is that the 00:28:11.933 --> 00:28:15.933 prophetic is not a luxury, it's a responsibility. 00:28:15.967 --> 00:28:19.166 Way too often we put the prophetic into a box and we say, 00:28:19.199 --> 00:28:22.899 "That's a luxury for a few kind of on the fringe." 00:28:22.933 --> 00:28:24.266 No, it's a responsibility. 00:28:24.300 --> 00:28:26.900 Joel said, "Sons and daughters will prophesy when the 00:28:26.933 --> 00:28:29.033 Holy Spirit is poured out." 00:28:29.066 --> 00:28:30.400 So, this is really key. 00:28:30.433 --> 00:28:33.266 Isaiah 21, verse 6. I love this verse. 00:28:33.300 --> 00:28:34.933 One of my favorite verses about the watchman. 00:28:34.966 --> 00:28:37.833 It says, "Go set a watchman. 00:28:37.866 --> 00:28:40.399 Let him declare what he sees." 00:28:40.433 --> 00:28:43.467 So, if we're not seeing anything by the Spirit, then it's very 00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.800 hard to be a watchman. 00:28:44.833 --> 00:28:46.166 So, what does that look like? 00:28:46.199 --> 00:28:47.967 Looks like prophetic sensitivity. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:50.466 Prophetic sensitivity to me breaks down into a couple 00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:51.833 of ways. 00:28:51.866 --> 00:28:53.833 One is a biblical worldview. 00:28:53.867 --> 00:28:56.767 We've got to be saturated in Scripture in order to have the 00:28:56.800 --> 00:28:59.233 right lens to see the world through. 00:28:59.267 --> 00:29:01.566 So, that's one area to unpack and think about. 00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:06.166 The other is what I would call disciplined silence. 00:29:06.199 --> 00:29:09.367 We all know Ezekiel's vocal mandate, right? 00:29:09.400 --> 00:29:12.266 It's given to Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 3, "If I show you 00:29:12.300 --> 00:29:14.400 judgment coming, you don't say anything, their blood is on 00:29:14.433 --> 00:29:15.766 your hands." 00:29:15.800 --> 00:29:17.833 And that's probably the most well-known passage about 00:29:17.867 --> 00:29:19.199 the watchman. 00:29:19.233 --> 00:29:22.900 But what we often miss is the second part of that call in the 00:29:22.933 --> 00:29:26.500 latter stages of Ezekiel 3 is when he gives Ezekiel a silent 00:29:26.533 --> 00:29:30.233 mandate and he says, "Ezekiel, I'm gonna put you in your room 00:29:30.267 --> 00:29:32.066 and you're gonna shut your mouth. 00:29:32.100 --> 00:29:37.266 I'm gonna cause your tongue to cling to the roof of your mouth 00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:41.300 until I speak to you and unlock your tongue because I don't want 00:29:41.333 --> 00:29:43.500 you to rebuke the children of Israel." 00:29:43.533 --> 00:29:45.566 So, it sounds a little confusing because if you know anything 00:29:45.600 --> 00:29:50.733 about Ezekiel, he does a lot of rebuking, but the key is, it's 00:29:50.766 --> 00:29:55.033 all--it all comes from the counsel of the Lord, not his own 00:29:55.067 --> 00:29:58.399 assessment and understanding of the situation. 00:29:58.433 --> 00:30:02.466 And way too often we think to be a watchman means that we stay 00:30:02.499 --> 00:30:06.633 informed about world events and we constantly at our commentary. 00:30:06.666 --> 00:30:09.167 That's being a social commentator, not a watchman. 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:13.733 To be a watchman is to stay in the place of friendship with God 00:30:13.766 --> 00:30:17.733 until we start gaining access to his counsel through his written 00:30:17.766 --> 00:30:21.499 Word, which is shaping our worldview and through the things 00:30:21.533 --> 00:30:24.900 that he reveals in the place of prayer or in other 00:30:24.933 --> 00:30:26.299 prophetic avenues. 00:30:26.333 --> 00:30:29.266 So, this prophetic sensitivity piece is really key to 00:30:29.300 --> 00:30:30.600 the lifestyle. 00:30:30.633 --> 00:30:33.366 Rebecca: Yeah, and I think too--I know for me like a 00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:37.133 personal conviction I felt is that if I'm--if God has given me 00:30:37.167 --> 00:30:41.233 this gift in the ministry to speak his Word that I need to 00:30:41.266 --> 00:30:43.233 have control over my tongue. 00:30:43.266 --> 00:30:46.166 And I feel like even a heavy responsibility for that and it's 00:30:46.199 --> 00:30:49.300 always goes back to, are you someone that God can trust? 00:30:49.333 --> 00:30:51.967 And so many times people don't have control over their tongues, 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:54.933 so they allow their flesh to say things and it's like if God is 00:30:54.966 --> 00:30:57.267 giving you this position and this authority, you need to use 00:30:57.300 --> 00:30:59.700 it with his wisdom and through his counsel. 00:30:59.733 --> 00:31:02.466 And I think the other thing is too is I think so many people 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:04.633 see things and like you said, they commentate. 00:31:04.667 --> 00:31:07.566 And not only do they lack the wisdom of God, but they lack the 00:31:07.600 --> 00:31:08.900 heart of God. 00:31:08.933 --> 00:31:11.833 And when you get with God in the secret place, he has such a love 00:31:11.867 --> 00:31:14.433 and compassion for people. 00:31:14.466 --> 00:31:17.667 And I mean, we see that in Scripture, even when you see, 00:31:17.700 --> 00:31:23.366 you know, Jonah with Nineveh and God's like, "Go and preach the 00:31:23.399 --> 00:31:26.400 gospel, you know, send them this message so they'll repent," and 00:31:26.433 --> 00:31:27.733 Jonah's like, "Not them. 00:31:27.767 --> 00:31:29.099 They're so sinful." 00:31:29.133 --> 00:31:31.599 And so, it's like if we don't align with God in the secret 00:31:31.633 --> 00:31:35.133 place, we'll miss his heart for people and we'll miss the call 00:31:35.167 --> 00:31:36.533 all together. 00:31:36.566 --> 00:31:41.666 Micah: I agree 100% and I think, you know, that idea, I think 00:31:41.699 --> 00:31:45.333 takes us into the next part which is the intercession part. 00:31:45.366 --> 00:31:48.666 In the book I call it intercessory love, because it's 00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:52.199 really the compassion and love of God that fuels us in prayer, 00:31:52.233 --> 00:31:53.900 fuels us in intercession. 00:31:53.933 --> 00:32:00.700 But Jonah is a great example of someone who had an accurate 00:32:00.733 --> 00:32:05.000 prophetic understanding, but he was absent, as you just said, of 00:32:05.033 --> 00:32:06.366 the heart of God. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:10.800 In other words, he prophesized to a city he did not weep over. 00:32:10.833 --> 00:32:13.600 And as watchmen, this is why it goes back to the garden of 00:32:13.633 --> 00:32:16.033 Gethsemane, "Watch with me." 00:32:16.066 --> 00:32:19.699 We've got to be people who not only hear what God's saying, but 00:32:19.733 --> 00:32:22.400 our heart breaks where God's heart is breaking, which then 00:32:22.433 --> 00:32:24.400 leads us into intercession. 00:32:24.433 --> 00:32:29.366 God gives us prophetic counsel because he's inviting us 00:32:29.399 --> 00:32:31.533 into partnership. 00:32:31.566 --> 00:32:35.866 Going back to Abraham, God revealed to Abraham the judgment 00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:39.800 of Sodom and Gomorrah not so Abraham could broadcast it and 00:32:39.833 --> 00:32:42.666 publish it and increase his reputation as 00:32:42.700 --> 00:32:44.366 an accurate prophet. 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:49.233 God showed the coming judgment so that Abraham would appeal to 00:32:49.267 --> 00:32:51.000 him for mercy. 00:32:51.033 --> 00:32:53.866 And that's part of the--you see this in the life of Moses 00:32:53.899 --> 00:32:55.200 quite a bit. 00:32:55.233 --> 00:33:00.100 God would always reveal judgment concerning Israel so that Moses 00:33:00.133 --> 00:33:02.933 would appeal to the mercy of God, and that is the role of 00:33:02.966 --> 00:33:06.600 intercessors as we see something coming and we contend with God 00:33:06.633 --> 00:33:10.533 over what we know his heart actually is, which is mercy, 00:33:10.566 --> 00:33:12.567 mercy triumphs over judgment. 00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:16.566 So, the intercessory piece taps into the compassion piece. 00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:19.399 If we really love the cities where God's placed us, it will 00:33:19.433 --> 00:33:21.000 lead us into intercession. 00:33:21.033 --> 00:33:23.599 Jonathan: And I think one of the things that's so powerful about 00:33:23.633 --> 00:33:28.500 what you were saying about if you lean into what's God's heart 00:33:28.533 --> 00:33:32.499 for that matter, you're going to get your perspective to change. 00:33:32.533 --> 00:33:35.699 So, sometimes as watchmen, you see, it's like--almost like 00:33:35.733 --> 00:33:38.599 because God created us with the ability to see and those that 00:33:38.633 --> 00:33:42.133 he's called and set apart as watchmen to some degree, 00:33:42.166 --> 00:33:45.233 everyone like you said, but to some, a higher degree, you may 00:33:45.266 --> 00:33:49.433 see something and if it's injustice or if it's wrong, 00:33:49.467 --> 00:33:51.400 you want it to be handled a certain way. 00:33:51.433 --> 00:33:54.433 But if you actually tune into God and what he's saying over 00:33:54.467 --> 00:33:55.899 that situation. 00:33:55.933 --> 00:33:59.899 You would be shocked how many times it's mercy, and it's love, 00:33:59.933 --> 00:34:02.799 and it's compassion, and it's forgiveness, and it's everything 00:34:02.833 --> 00:34:05.799 that the flesh doesn't want to do naturally, but it's what his 00:34:05.833 --> 00:34:08.733 heart is for that situation, for those people. 00:34:08.766 --> 00:34:11.367 Rebecca: Yeah, and people are sometimes too quick to act and 00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:14.467 they don't take that time to go to the secret place and ask the 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:16.500 Lord what is his heart? 00:34:16.533 --> 00:34:18.666 And I was going to say for people who are listening and 00:34:18.700 --> 00:34:22.033 they're saying, Okay, I want to, you know, have access to this 00:34:22.067 --> 00:34:24.433 compassion of God, this intercessory love, you know. 00:34:24.467 --> 00:34:26.833 I see things, but I'm missing his heart. 00:34:26.867 --> 00:34:28.833 How does someone get that? 00:34:28.866 --> 00:34:30.199 Micah: Yeah. 00:34:30.233 --> 00:34:35.300 So, I think it comes in lots of ways, but not overlooking the 00:34:35.333 --> 00:34:40.366 simplicity of being with the Lord in the presence of the Lord 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:43.866 and allowing there to be transformation personally in 00:34:43.899 --> 00:34:45.200 the secret place. 00:34:45.233 --> 00:34:47.599 Jonathan, you said something earlier about this call of a 00:34:47.633 --> 00:34:51.100 watchman that a lot of times we associate it with action, but 00:34:51.133 --> 00:34:54.400 sometimes we have to slow down a bit and I often say when I'm 00:34:54.433 --> 00:34:56.967 teaching the watchman that if we're gonna be watchmen, 00:34:57.000 --> 00:35:01.099 we actually have to learn how to embrace boredom because if you 00:35:01.133 --> 00:35:04.800 think about what a watchman is, they watch. 00:35:04.833 --> 00:35:07.333 And a watchman in ancient cities, they didn't have 00:35:07.367 --> 00:35:09.699 the most, you know, exciting job all the time. 00:35:09.733 --> 00:35:13.433 They're like on a wall just looking at a horizon and 00:35:13.466 --> 00:35:15.700 something may or may not be happening, may or may not be 00:35:15.733 --> 00:35:19.333 coming, and I think that's actually those areas where we 00:35:19.366 --> 00:35:23.033 grow in friendship, we grow in actually the compassion of God 00:35:23.066 --> 00:35:26.699 is that in those seemingly boring places of being with him 00:35:26.733 --> 00:35:31.633 in the secret place, it has a way of softening our hearts. 00:35:31.667 --> 00:35:33.833 So, here's how that works for me practically. 00:35:33.866 --> 00:35:36.733 Sometimes, you know, I'll just--I get up in the mornings 00:35:36.766 --> 00:35:39.499 and I'll have my specific time with the Lord. 00:35:39.533 --> 00:35:41.700 And sometimes, I don't feel like there's a lot happening. 00:35:41.733 --> 00:35:45.533 Like, I don't feel like it's revelatory or there's a lot 00:35:45.567 --> 00:35:46.867 of emotion going on. 00:35:46.900 --> 00:35:48.233 I'm just kind of there. 00:35:48.267 --> 00:35:50.899 And so, I will remind myself, "Lord, I don't really feel like 00:35:50.933 --> 00:35:55.033 a lot's happening right now, but I'm watching. 00:35:55.066 --> 00:35:57.733 And so, if you don't say anything today or tomorrow or 00:35:57.767 --> 00:35:59.100 the next day, that's fine. 00:35:59.133 --> 00:36:01.200 I'll still be watching." 00:36:01.233 --> 00:36:03.033 And that unlocks again-- 00:36:03.066 --> 00:36:05.466 Jonathan: And I think that one thing that's beautiful that ties 00:36:05.500 --> 00:36:09.366 into that about being in the friendship piece is that even 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:12.166 when that moment ends, and I'm sure you can attest to this, as 00:36:12.200 --> 00:36:14.867 you go about your day, just because you had that moment of 00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:19.366 intentionality earlier on, he might or he will speak to you 00:36:19.399 --> 00:36:22.067 later in the day and you won't be expecting it. 00:36:22.100 --> 00:36:25.200 Like he'll surprise attack us with revelation or he'll 00:36:25.233 --> 00:36:26.667 surprise attack us with the Word. 00:36:26.700 --> 00:36:29.033 And one thing that I wanted to say is for anyone who's watching 00:36:29.066 --> 00:36:31.566 and listening and you feel like you're a watchman or you're 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:34.599 called to be a watchman over your city, we'd love to hear in 00:36:34.633 --> 00:36:38.500 the comment section what city you're in and how you're praying 00:36:38.533 --> 00:36:41.366 over that city just because I love to hear about other 00:36:41.399 --> 00:36:44.467 people's calling and what God is doing in cities around 00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.833 the world. 00:36:45.866 --> 00:36:47.166 Rebecca: I do too. 00:36:47.200 --> 00:36:48.600 That's so good. 00:36:48.633 --> 00:36:51.633 How does someone, and this is actually another thing that I 00:36:51.666 --> 00:36:53.966 heard you talking about on another show that I think is 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:57.067 important to mention is that we're called to cities, we're 00:36:57.100 --> 00:36:59.033 also called to our families. 00:36:59.067 --> 00:37:00.999 You know, there's different things that we can 00:37:01.033 --> 00:37:02.366 intercede for. 00:37:02.399 --> 00:37:04.133 Can you kind of tell us some of those things? 00:37:04.167 --> 00:37:09.967 Micah: Yeah, I think that we need to start thinking just in 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.900 terms of responsibility. 00:37:11.933 --> 00:37:15.000 And so, there are layers of responsibility. 00:37:15.033 --> 00:37:19.233 So, me, as--I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm a son, I'm 00:37:19.266 --> 00:37:22.566 a brother, I'm an employee, I'm a boss to some people. 00:37:22.600 --> 00:37:25.099 And so, there's all these layers of responsibility. 00:37:25.133 --> 00:37:28.466 I think in the same way, in a spiritual way we need 00:37:28.499 --> 00:37:29.833 to consider that. 00:37:29.867 --> 00:37:33.666 That the families God puts us within we're not just a part 00:37:33.700 --> 00:37:35.033 of the family. 00:37:35.066 --> 00:37:36.366 We have a responsibility there. 00:37:36.399 --> 00:37:39.866 The cities God places us in, we don't just live in those cities, 00:37:39.899 --> 00:37:41.266 we have a responsibility there. 00:37:41.299 --> 00:37:44.066 I had a friend recently who spoke at our church in 00:37:44.100 --> 00:37:48.466 Manchester and he said, "On the earth, there is no 00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:50.133 neutral ground." 00:37:50.167 --> 00:37:51.499 There's no neutral ground. 00:37:51.533 --> 00:37:56.066 Every square inch of the earth is contested area where the 00:37:56.099 --> 00:37:59.167 enemy is fighting for dominion in that area. 00:37:59.200 --> 00:38:02.766 We have a responsibility to take responsibility. 00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:06.033 I'm repeating myself, but we have, you know, we have to be 00:38:06.067 --> 00:38:07.400 aware of that. 00:38:07.433 --> 00:38:09.999 And so, our family is not neutral ground. 00:38:10.033 --> 00:38:12.433 Someone is going to take responsibility there, it should 00:38:12.467 --> 00:38:17.200 be us so that in prayer, we are taking an active posture 00:38:17.233 --> 00:38:19.833 of contending for the purposes of God. 00:38:19.867 --> 00:38:21.200 Rebecca: Yeah. 00:38:21.233 --> 00:38:26.300 And it's understanding that people are like the territory of 00:38:26.333 --> 00:38:27.666 the kingdom. 00:38:27.700 --> 00:38:29.799 Like it's--there's geographic locations, but it's because 00:38:29.833 --> 00:38:32.200 there's people gathered in that city. 00:38:32.233 --> 00:38:34.600 That's actually is what is the focus. 00:38:34.633 --> 00:38:37.300 It's that where--it's the fight over in every person's soul 00:38:37.333 --> 00:38:39.066 there's a battle over every person's soul. 00:38:39.100 --> 00:38:43.100 And so, we need to contend for people and for families and for 00:38:43.133 --> 00:38:46.899 cities because it's people that the kingdom of God is 00:38:46.933 --> 00:38:48.233 spread through. 00:38:48.267 --> 00:38:49.599 We are his living temple. 00:38:49.633 --> 00:38:52.133 And so, that's why we're advocating for those things. 00:38:52.167 --> 00:38:55.733 For maybe the person who's just starting out and they're maybe 00:38:55.766 --> 00:38:57.799 listening to this and they're feeling this like stirring 00:38:57.833 --> 00:39:00.400 within them, what would your advice to them be? 00:39:00.433 --> 00:39:03.300 Micah: Yeah, I would say don't get too overwhelmed. 00:39:03.333 --> 00:39:06.500 We're talking about a lot and we're--and there's, you know, 00:39:06.533 --> 00:39:09.666 even like book of Ezekiel is like, "Whoa," I mean, that's 00:39:09.700 --> 00:39:11.000 a lot to digest. 00:39:11.033 --> 00:39:13.933 I would say start with the simplicity of friendship with 00:39:13.966 --> 00:39:17.600 God, and that's gonna lead you into all kinds of places, 00:39:17.633 --> 00:39:22.566 surprising places, because when your heart gets attached to him, 00:39:22.600 --> 00:39:26.633 you begin to love what he loves and you'll do anything in the 00:39:26.666 --> 00:39:31.500 world for real relationship once you're attached to someone. 00:39:31.533 --> 00:39:34.900 And so, that's my recommendation is if all of this feels like 00:39:34.933 --> 00:39:38.066 it's wow, these are a lot of boxes to check in my prayer 00:39:38.100 --> 00:39:39.433 time, don't do that. 00:39:39.467 --> 00:39:40.766 I don't do that. 00:39:40.799 --> 00:39:42.933 I don't go to my prayer time thinking, "Okay, let me pull out 00:39:42.966 --> 00:39:45.199 my outline for what it means to be a watchman and do all that." 00:39:45.233 --> 00:39:46.700 It's much more. 00:39:46.733 --> 00:39:50.766 I'm here for friendship with God and wherever he goes, I go, 00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:52.133 we go, you know. 00:39:52.166 --> 00:39:57.599 And that will naturally lead you into conversation that will 00:39:57.633 --> 00:40:01.099 naturally lead into response, which would be intercession, 00:40:01.133 --> 00:40:04.300 that will naturally lead you into those steps of obedience 00:40:04.333 --> 00:40:06.933 because his will becomes more clear. 00:40:06.966 --> 00:40:12.366 So, focus on the friendship side and the spiritual responsibility 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:13.966 will come with that. 00:40:13.999 --> 00:40:15.300 I love that. 00:40:15.333 --> 00:40:16.933 Jonathan: There's just two practical tips that I wanted to 00:40:16.967 --> 00:40:20.599 share for watchmen over the family, and I'd be curious to 00:40:20.633 --> 00:40:24.333 hear if you have additional ones, but one of them is just 00:40:24.367 --> 00:40:27.033 watching what your kids are watching because this day and 00:40:27.066 --> 00:40:30.933 age is so--there's so much out there and it's so easily 00:40:30.966 --> 00:40:33.833 accessible by everyone, including five-year olds. 00:40:33.867 --> 00:40:37.000 And so, being intentional about making sure what your kids are 00:40:37.033 --> 00:40:40.166 watching is safe and uplifting. 00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:43.433 And just protecting those eye gates and then watching who your 00:40:43.467 --> 00:40:44.867 kids are around. 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:46.233 That's also important. 00:40:46.267 --> 00:40:47.966 And so, I don't know if there's anything that you want to add 00:40:47.999 --> 00:40:50.633 to that, but those are just simple things that people can do 00:40:50.667 --> 00:40:53.466 no matter what your calling is, you're called to be a watchman 00:40:53.499 --> 00:40:54.799 over your family. 00:40:54.833 --> 00:40:58.766 And that--those are two ways that you can really safeguard 00:40:58.799 --> 00:41:00.833 and protect your kids as you raise them up in the ways of 00:41:00.866 --> 00:41:02.200 the Lord. 00:41:02.233 --> 00:41:04.233 Rebecca: I think too stewarding the presence of God in your home 00:41:04.266 --> 00:41:06.766 and modeling that for your children, I think praying for 00:41:06.800 --> 00:41:10.100 your spouse, praying for your kids, and I think asking God to 00:41:10.133 --> 00:41:13.233 give you a prophetic picture of their calling and their destiny 00:41:13.266 --> 00:41:16.399 so that you can pray into that and help steward that is 00:41:16.433 --> 00:41:17.766 something that came to me. 00:41:17.800 --> 00:41:19.099 What would you say? 00:41:19.133 --> 00:41:23.400 Micah: Well, a very loud amen to what you guys both just said. 00:41:23.433 --> 00:41:28.866 I would say an additional one would be considering what kind 00:41:28.899 --> 00:41:33.967 of community you're part of because the community you're 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:38.300 a part of, you know, your church community, the congregation, the 00:41:38.333 --> 00:41:42.466 close friendships that has a direct impact on appetite. 00:41:42.499 --> 00:41:47.467 And what they feel is important and what are we going after 00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:48.800 and all of those things. 00:41:48.833 --> 00:41:50.433 So, you know, for those listening, maybe there are 00:41:50.466 --> 00:41:54.766 people out there considering big life decisions like 00:41:54.799 --> 00:41:57.766 geographically where do we live, you know, it's type of, you 00:41:57.799 --> 00:42:00.000 know, me and my wife have walked through some of that lately. 00:42:00.033 --> 00:42:02.299 And one of the key questions we asked is, "Well what kind of 00:42:02.333 --> 00:42:04.400 community do we want our children to be a part of and 00:42:04.433 --> 00:42:05.733 where do we find that?" 00:42:05.767 --> 00:42:10.733 And so, that's another area where you can then parent and 00:42:10.767 --> 00:42:14.266 disciple your children's appetite is by connecting to 00:42:14.300 --> 00:42:15.600 the right community. 00:42:15.633 --> 00:42:17.499 Rebecca: I love that. 00:42:17.533 --> 00:42:20.500 I think there's just like one other thing I kind of wanted to 00:42:20.533 --> 00:42:22.433 talk about and then we can wrap. 00:42:22.466 --> 00:42:26.366 I just wanted to ask you about, and I think you both could speak 00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:30.800 to this is, you know, God has given us such a heart for Israel 00:42:30.833 --> 00:42:33.467 and it's been a, you know, one being married to him, but it's 00:42:33.500 --> 00:42:36.733 also just been this outpouring over time through relationship 00:42:36.766 --> 00:42:40.266 with God and I was just wondering like in the watchmen 00:42:40.299 --> 00:42:42.900 calling that God is giving you, what God has shown you about 00:42:42.933 --> 00:42:46.166 Israel and what do you think God is doing there? 00:42:46.200 --> 00:42:47.767 Jonathan: Add three hours to the clock. 00:42:47.800 --> 00:42:49.133 Micah: Yeah, come on. 00:42:49.167 --> 00:42:53.133 Oh, what an amazing, amazing topic. 00:42:53.166 --> 00:42:54.666 Jonathan, do you want to start? 00:42:54.700 --> 00:42:55.999 Jonathan: Sure. 00:42:56.033 --> 00:43:00.366 I would say when I first heard God speak to me about being 00:43:00.399 --> 00:43:02.766 a watchman, I was in Israel, I was on the city of David. 00:43:02.800 --> 00:43:08.600 I was with a mutual friend of ours, Michael Onnifer, and I 00:43:08.633 --> 00:43:11.533 remember at that time thinking that, "Okay, I know what 00:43:11.566 --> 00:43:12.900 this means. 00:43:12.933 --> 00:43:14.433 I'm going to go home, say goodbye to my parents. 00:43:14.467 --> 00:43:15.766 I'm gonna move to Israel. 00:43:15.800 --> 00:43:17.866 I'm going to make Aliyah, and I'm going to join the IDF," 00:43:17.900 --> 00:43:21.600 because Israeli Defense Forces, this is how you be a watchman. 00:43:21.633 --> 00:43:24.833 So, I think that my understanding has certainly 00:43:24.866 --> 00:43:29.166 evolved over time as I've grown closer to the Lord and what he's 00:43:29.200 --> 00:43:30.933 called us to do. 00:43:30.967 --> 00:43:34.466 But for all believers, one thing that's so key in that verse I 00:43:34.499 --> 00:43:40.500 quoted earlier on, Isaiah 62: 6 and 7, he says, "Give me no rest 00:43:40.533 --> 00:43:42.866 until I make Jerusalem a praise in all the earth," and he's 00:43:42.900 --> 00:43:45.767 speaking prophetically to everyone. 00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:50.267 So, we are all called to give the Lord no rest, which means 00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:52.633 that we're praying, we're interceding, we're standing with 00:43:52.667 --> 00:43:54.267 the Jewish people, we're standing with the nation of 00:43:54.300 --> 00:43:57.566 Israel on behalf of the Lord all the time. 00:43:57.599 --> 00:43:59.466 Now again, don't get overwhelmed. 00:43:59.500 --> 00:44:02.966 I'm not saying that everyone needs to stay up 24/7 or start 00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:04.533 a 24/7 prayer room. 00:44:04.566 --> 00:44:08.199 I'm just saying that it's so central to God's heart and it's 00:44:08.233 --> 00:44:11.033 so burning in God's heart that it should be in ours. 00:44:11.067 --> 00:44:13.333 And as you draw close to the Lord, like Micah said earlier, 00:44:13.367 --> 00:44:15.966 which was, I think the perfect place for people to start, just 00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:18.766 draw into the Lord in a friendship way, and he'll reveal 00:44:18.799 --> 00:44:20.100 everything to you. 00:44:20.133 --> 00:44:22.766 But as you do, you'll be shocked at how quickly you begin to see 00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:26.166 Israel and you see the Jewish people in God's heart for them. 00:44:26.200 --> 00:44:27.500 Micah: Amazing. 00:44:27.533 --> 00:44:30.733 I love it, love that response. 00:44:30.766 --> 00:44:33.700 There's so many things to say, so many starting points 00:44:33.733 --> 00:44:35.033 for Israel. 00:44:35.067 --> 00:44:36.567 What I would say is this. 00:44:36.600 --> 00:44:42.200 Most of us have forgotten that when we step into the kingdom of 00:44:42.233 --> 00:44:46.100 God, we don't just step into a kingdom, we step into a story, 00:44:46.133 --> 00:44:49.433 and that story is not finished yet. 00:44:49.466 --> 00:44:52.799 And not only is it not finished yet, but we play an active role 00:44:52.833 --> 00:44:54.267 in that story. 00:44:54.300 --> 00:44:59.899 And God's story--Israel is a major part in God's story. 00:44:59.933 --> 00:45:03.800 It's unavoidable unless we do a lot of theological gymnastics 00:45:03.833 --> 00:45:05.599 to try to get Israel out of God's story, which a lot of 00:45:05.633 --> 00:45:06.933 people attempt. 00:45:06.967 --> 00:45:11.033 But in my opinion, you can't do credible biblical scholarship 00:45:11.066 --> 00:45:13.533 and take Israel out of God's story. 00:45:13.566 --> 00:45:16.033 So, I think we need to remember that. 00:45:16.066 --> 00:45:19.300 So, we're a lot like, for those that know "The Chronicles of 00:45:19.333 --> 00:45:21.633 Narnia", we're a lot like the Pevensie children. 00:45:21.666 --> 00:45:23.900 When they go into Narnia, they know they went to 00:45:23.933 --> 00:45:25.267 a different place. 00:45:25.300 --> 00:45:26.833 They don't know they stepped into another story. 00:45:26.867 --> 00:45:29.033 And it wasn't until they're sitting down with Mr. and Mrs. 00:45:29.066 --> 00:45:32.233 Beaver on the table and they're talking about prophecy that they 00:45:32.266 --> 00:45:35.733 suddenly realize that, "Oh, not only is this a different place, 00:45:35.766 --> 00:45:37.100 it's a different story. 00:45:37.133 --> 00:45:39.767 Not only that, but I play a part in this story." 00:45:39.800 --> 00:45:42.966 And so, to me, that's what the church needs to hear and 00:45:42.999 --> 00:45:47.566 understand about the kingdom of God is that there's a story 00:45:47.600 --> 00:45:49.033 in play. 00:45:49.066 --> 00:45:52.999 We play a part and it's a significant part regarding God's 00:45:53.033 --> 00:45:54.667 purposes for Israel. 00:45:54.700 --> 00:45:56.567 We can't ignore that. 00:45:56.600 --> 00:46:01.966 If we do ignore that, the danger is that we start working against 00:46:01.999 --> 00:46:04.733 what God's story actually is. 00:46:04.766 --> 00:46:09.366 And so, now we are within a kingdom that we're working 00:46:09.399 --> 00:46:11.866 against the purposes of the king. 00:46:11.899 --> 00:46:15.700 And so, it's--it moves into really dangerous territory. 00:46:15.733 --> 00:46:19.833 So, we have to soften our hearts, open our minds, revisit 00:46:19.866 --> 00:46:22.533 Scripture afresh and do it prayerfully in the place of 00:46:22.567 --> 00:46:23.867 friendship with God. 00:46:23.900 --> 00:46:26.633 Jonathan: And one powerful thing that I can attest to and speak 00:46:26.666 --> 00:46:30.266 to is my wife Rebecca, because when we're dating, you know, I 00:46:30.300 --> 00:46:34.033 began to share with her earlier on like, "Hey, I'm Jewish, you 00:46:34.067 --> 00:46:37.500 know, I believe in Jesus, but this is a central piece to like 00:46:37.533 --> 00:46:40.533 my identity and how I want to raise my family." 00:46:40.567 --> 00:46:43.199 And I remember her just being like, "Yeah, I love Israel. 00:46:43.233 --> 00:46:45.533 Like, let's go." 00:46:45.567 --> 00:46:48.799 And so, at the time, that was enough because I obviously felt 00:46:48.833 --> 00:46:53.366 madly in love and, you know, but I've seen her just because of 00:46:53.399 --> 00:46:57.066 who she is and being attuned to the Lord and wanting to be a 00:46:57.099 --> 00:47:02.833 friend and abide in him grow so dramatically in an understanding 00:47:02.867 --> 00:47:06.566 of the prophetic significance of Israel and the prophetic 00:47:06.600 --> 00:47:09.433 significance of the church with an understanding of Israel and 00:47:09.467 --> 00:47:12.566 the centrality of it for end times, end time revival. 00:47:12.599 --> 00:47:13.900 I mean, it's a lot of stuff to unpack. 00:47:13.933 --> 00:47:15.266 We're not gonna get into it all right now. 00:47:15.299 --> 00:47:18.867 And so, I just want to encourage everybody that it's out of that 00:47:18.900 --> 00:47:22.033 childlike faith, childlike curiosity, and the heart posture 00:47:22.066 --> 00:47:26.433 that Rebecca had earlier on is just, how do I love this God? 00:47:26.466 --> 00:47:29.133 Or how do I serve this vision, God? 00:47:29.166 --> 00:47:33.099 And as that was her heart posture, now, you know, she 00:47:33.133 --> 00:47:35.933 leads our family through Shabbat every Friday, you know, she's 00:47:35.966 --> 00:47:39.166 always the one was quickly putting on Israeli worship in 00:47:39.200 --> 00:47:40.499 the home for our children. 00:47:40.533 --> 00:47:43.333 You know, these are like the dreams that were in my heart, 00:47:43.367 --> 00:47:46.333 but because we became one and she had that heart posture, 00:47:46.367 --> 00:47:47.766 it's become her identity as well. 00:47:47.799 --> 00:47:50.166 Rebecca: Yeah, and I would just say it's so important and I 00:47:50.199 --> 00:47:53.666 would just encourage people listening that if you can allow 00:47:53.700 --> 00:47:57.466 yourself to humble yourself before God and surrender what 00:47:57.500 --> 00:48:01.200 you thought you know about him and his Word and open up to the 00:48:01.233 --> 00:48:03.999 fullness of Scripture, he will show you so much if you just lay 00:48:04.033 --> 00:48:07.000 down your own understanding and ask him for his heart and 00:48:07.033 --> 00:48:08.333 his understanding. 00:48:08.367 --> 00:48:12.400 If you walk in humility and ask for that, he will lavish it on 00:48:12.433 --> 00:48:14.467 you in ways that you could never comprehend. 00:48:14.500 --> 00:48:17.833 And it really is the most beautiful thing because his 00:48:17.866 --> 00:48:21.299 heart is the most beautiful thing there is and to be able to 00:48:21.333 --> 00:48:24.667 partake in that and have that communion with him is an honor. 00:48:24.700 --> 00:48:27.366 And then it's a higher honor that would not only be his 00:48:27.400 --> 00:48:30.533 friend, but we get to partner in his work in the kingdom. 00:48:30.567 --> 00:48:32.900 And so, you know, like you said, Micah, which I thought was so 00:48:32.933 --> 00:48:35.499 great is we don't want to work against the king, and I think 00:48:35.533 --> 00:48:39.000 that's a huge tactic of the enemy right now is that people 00:48:39.033 --> 00:48:41.833 are doing things that are hurting the body of Christ, that 00:48:41.867 --> 00:48:44.699 are hurting the kingdom, and they think they're doing good. 00:48:44.733 --> 00:48:50.333 And, you know, I remember even recently in this past season 00:48:50.366 --> 00:48:51.933 there was just so much going on. 00:48:51.966 --> 00:48:54.133 I think it was during like election time and there was all 00:48:54.166 --> 00:48:57.633 these opinions and all this stuff, you know, there's always 00:48:57.667 --> 00:48:59.099 news and things like that. 00:48:59.133 --> 00:49:02.167 But I remember I was sitting one day and I felt the Lord said, 00:49:02.200 --> 00:49:05.933 "The kingdom of God is within you," and I just started 00:49:05.967 --> 00:49:10.199 researching about God's kingdom and what I began to realize is 00:49:10.233 --> 00:49:13.700 I think so many times we're so focused on outward noise and 00:49:13.733 --> 00:49:16.399 we're not getting along with him and asking God for his 00:49:16.433 --> 00:49:17.766 perspective and his heart. 00:49:17.800 --> 00:49:21.067 And so, we're doing things that are hurtful instead of helpful 00:49:21.100 --> 00:49:23.766 to the body of Christ and the kingdom of God. 00:49:23.800 --> 00:49:26.167 Micah: That's so amazing. 00:49:26.200 --> 00:49:29.066 I had a similar experience. 00:49:29.100 --> 00:49:33.000 It was around I think the 2020 elections, and as you said, 00:49:33.033 --> 00:49:35.400 there's so many opinions flying around and trying to make sense 00:49:35.433 --> 00:49:40.000 of the world and COVID and there was a lot happening and that's 00:49:40.033 --> 00:49:41.833 when I had this dream about the watchmen. 00:49:41.867 --> 00:49:45.533 So, I knew there was an increased prophetic thing coming 00:49:45.566 --> 00:49:49.933 and I felt very intimidated because I was like, "Lord, like 00:49:49.967 --> 00:49:51.299 I can't do this. 00:49:51.333 --> 00:49:54.766 I don't--it seems like you're asking me to step into a new 00:49:54.800 --> 00:49:57.666 prophetic expression, but I feel very intimidated. 00:49:57.699 --> 00:49:59.399 I don't know what's going on with all these things. 00:49:59.433 --> 00:50:02.233 I don't even know my--hardly my own opinion on some of this." 00:50:02.267 --> 00:50:06.667 And I felt the Lord say to me very simply, "To be prophetic is 00:50:06.700 --> 00:50:09.367 not to be omniscient." 00:50:09.400 --> 00:50:12.766 And where that encouraged me is in my understanding, to be 00:50:12.800 --> 00:50:15.733 prophetic was you had something to say about everything. 00:50:15.766 --> 00:50:17.933 And so, the Lord was like, "To be prophetic is not to be 00:50:17.967 --> 00:50:20.900 omniscient, it's to hear, receive, and release when 00:50:20.933 --> 00:50:23.233 I'm speaking to you." 00:50:23.266 --> 00:50:25.599 And so, just what you were saying, the kingdom of God being 00:50:25.633 --> 00:50:30.166 within you, how do I perceive and receive what God is speaking 00:50:30.200 --> 00:50:33.133 to me and then faithfully steward that? 00:50:33.167 --> 00:50:36.333 And it may not be--and this is where the Lord kind of dealt 00:50:36.366 --> 00:50:37.699 with my own pride. 00:50:37.733 --> 00:50:41.899 He said, you know, Isaiah was a prolific prophet, but Obadiah 00:50:41.933 --> 00:50:44.699 was just as much of a prophet even though he didn't write 00:50:44.733 --> 00:50:46.033 as much. 00:50:46.067 --> 00:50:50.300 And so, not every prophet is an Isaiah releasing 66 chapters. 00:50:50.333 --> 00:50:52.933 Sometimes I'm looking for an Obadiah that'll just take 00:50:52.966 --> 00:50:55.899 the handful, the bit that I give them, and they're faithful 00:50:55.933 --> 00:50:57.233 with it. 00:50:57.266 --> 00:51:00.599 And so, for whoever listening to this and like Rebecca just said, 00:51:00.633 --> 00:51:03.666 there's a lot of noise going on, but what is the Lord speaking 00:51:03.699 --> 00:51:05.833 to you and what are you doing with it? 00:51:05.866 --> 00:51:07.199 Rebecca: That's so good. 00:51:07.233 --> 00:51:11.800 Can you just leave the people in a prayer who are just feeling 00:51:11.833 --> 00:51:15.033 stirred right now and they want to say yes to that watchman 00:51:15.066 --> 00:51:18.666 calling and just ask they have wisdom and that the Lord would 00:51:18.699 --> 00:51:20.033 touch them. 00:51:20.066 --> 00:51:21.367 Micah: Yeah, certainly. 00:51:21.400 --> 00:51:24.300 Well Lord, we--I thank you that this call to watch is your 00:51:24.333 --> 00:51:25.667 call, Lord. 00:51:25.700 --> 00:51:27.899 It's not our call, it's the one that you gave Jesus. 00:51:27.933 --> 00:51:31.699 You said, "What I say to you, I say to all, watch." 00:51:31.733 --> 00:51:35.600 Lord, you're the one that said to Ezekiel, "I have made you 00:51:35.633 --> 00:51:37.233 a watchman." 00:51:37.266 --> 00:51:40.433 That it's not something Ezekiel made himself, it's something 00:51:40.466 --> 00:51:41.900 that you made him. 00:51:41.933 --> 00:51:45.933 And so, Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. 00:51:45.966 --> 00:51:50.500 As it says in Proverbs, "A seeing eye and the hearing ear, 00:51:50.533 --> 00:51:52.733 both alike are from the Lord." 00:51:52.766 --> 00:51:54.566 So Father, we want to receive that from you. 00:51:54.599 --> 00:51:56.166 We want to receive a seeing eye. 00:51:56.199 --> 00:52:00.366 We want to receive a hearing ear. 00:52:00.399 --> 00:52:04.366 We want to have a heart, just as Solomon had an understanding 00:52:04.400 --> 00:52:08.233 heart, a perceptive heart, we want to have a heart that feels 00:52:08.266 --> 00:52:09.567 your heart, Lord. 00:52:09.600 --> 00:52:11.466 So, Lord, do that in us. 00:52:11.499 --> 00:52:14.933 Just as you made Ezekiel a watchman, make us the watchmen 00:52:14.966 --> 00:52:19.600 you're looking for or may we grow in friendship and as we do, 00:52:19.633 --> 00:52:22.900 may we say yes to the responsibility you wanna give us 00:52:22.933 --> 00:52:26.400 for our families, for the churches we're part of, for the 00:52:26.433 --> 00:52:30.200 cities you've placed us in and ultimately, Lord, for nations. 00:52:30.233 --> 00:52:32.433 In advance we say yes to you. 00:52:32.466 --> 00:52:36.199 Whatever it is you want to give us, we say yes to you and I 00:52:36.233 --> 00:52:39.533 thank you Father, that as you give it, you also give the grace 00:52:39.567 --> 00:52:40.867 to go with it. 00:52:40.900 --> 00:52:42.200 In Jesus's name, amen. 00:52:42.233 --> 00:52:43.800 both: Amen. 00:52:43.833 --> 00:52:46.899 Rebecca: Well, thank you, Micah so much for being with us 00:52:46.933 --> 00:52:48.267 and thank you for joining us too, honey. 00:52:48.300 --> 00:52:49.700 Jonathan: Absolutely.