Building A Watchtower

    For this illustration, I have used Jenga blocks to build this tower. They represent the precious stones of the Word of God.  The white ceramic tile at the bottom upon which the tower is built represents the only pure, perfect foundation of Jesus. The rough looking table fork represents the forked, lying, and deceptive tongue of the enemy which he uses to try to tear down the watchtower that we build.) The stones which are not firmly established can easily be removed. When too many blocks are removed, the tower falls. The following are just a few references to God being our high tower.
“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence” (II Samuel 22:3).

 “My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me” (Psalms 144:2).

 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe”  (Proverbs 18:10).

A. Purposes of a Watchtower:

1. Watchtowers are used to watch for the coming of the enemy.

2. Watchtowers also served as a fortress when the enemy does come.

3. Watchtowers also served as advantage points in a battle.

4. Some watchtowers are made to give off light to land below, such as lighthouses.

5. In prisons, watchtowers are used to watch for potential escapees.

6. Today, we also have fire watchtowers to observe any signs of smoke in a forest.

7. Watchtowers may serve as an advantage point to sound an alarm.

8. The higher the tower, the farther one could see the coming of the enemy.

B. How are watchtowers built?

They are often structures built with wood, brick or stone. When the tower is built of stones, the stones are laid upon stone to interlock in building the tower; however, stones may be removed if now not firmly secured..


 C. Some Spiritual Applications:

1. We are to build, in one sense, a spiritual watch tower.

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ”  (I Peter 2:5).

2. There is only one foundation.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).

3. It is our choice what we build on the foundation.

“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (I Corinthians 3:12-16).

4. We also to build using the precious stones of the Word of God.

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works”  (II Timothy 3:16-17).

5. Here are some of the first things that we are to lay down in building.

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment”  (Hebrews 6:1-2).

6. We are to lay down the stone, stone upon stone (the Word upon the Word).

“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little”  (Isaiah 28:10).

7. It is needful that we work together.

When Nehemiah built the wall about Jerusalem, he had each family to work side by side. See Nehemiah chapter 3.


D. The Work of the Enemy.

We are to build using and applying the Word of God in our lives. However, the enemy comes with his forked, lying, and deceiving tongue to tear down what we have built as the fork is pictured in the photo. “ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”  (John 10:10). If the Word is not firmly established in us, the enemy will steal it and cause our faith to fall. The serpent questioned God's Word in the garden of Eden. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"  (Genesis 3:1). The serpent implied that God lied. "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die"  (Genesis 3:4). Satan also twists the application of what God says. "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone"  (Matthew 4:6). This is taking the Scripture out of the context of obedience to the Father.

1. He brings FEAR. _________________________________

2. He brings DISCOURAGEMENT. ____________________

3. He brings JEALOUSY. ____________________________

4. He brings DISTRACTIONS. ________________________

5. He brings DOUBT. _______________________________

6. He brings CONFUSION. __________________________


E. When the Enemy comes to attack it is an opportunity to take a spoil.

1. Taking A Spoil:   

2. Standing In The Winner’s Circle: