As fasting is conjoined to prayer, so is watchfulness conjoined to prayer: “Watch and pray” (Matt 26:41); “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance” (Eph 6:18); “Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Pet 4:7). We must therefore also take this duty to heart—a duty the Lord Jesus has so solemnly commanded us to perform. “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:37); “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt 24:42).
There is a spiritual watchfulness and a physical watchfulness. Both are the duty of a Christian and we shall therefore speak of both.
Spiritual Watchfulness Defined
Spiritual watchfulness consists in watching over our soul in a careful and circumspect manner in order that no evil may befall her. Spiritual life is a precious and desirable treasure to the believer, far excelling the entire world and all that is in it. It has many enemies which lie in wait for it—not to be a partaker of it, but to destroy it; they hate it. A Christian is therefore diligent in preserving this life. “Keep thy heart with all diligence” (Prov 4:23). The believer knows the value of that life, is acquainted with his enemies and their activities, loves this life, is desirous to preserve and increase it, takes care that it is not injured, and is thus circumspect and always on guard if there is danger approaching from elsewhere. If he becomes aware of something, he is alert and stands ready with his weapons in hand to turn away the enemy, attacking all those who come too close.
Spiritual watchfulness is exercised with several objectives in view. First of all, it pertains to the spiritual influences of the Holy Spirit, such as light, comfort, and strength—whereby the spiritual life of the soul is strengthened. A Christian prays for this, and during prayer, as well as immediately thereafter, waits to see whether the Lord will grant him something so that he may immediately receive it and seal it within his heart. “My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up” (Ps 5:3); “Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors” (Prov 8:34); “Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation” (Mic 7:7).
Secondly, watchfulness pertains to all that issues forth from the soul, such as thoughts, words, and deeds, lest the soul be injured by any sin. Instead, there will be a striving that our entire conduct may be according to God’s will, whereby spiritual life increases in strength. “But watch thou in all things” (2 Tim 4:5). A Christian strives for this: “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle” (Ps 39:1); “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. I have chosen the way of truth: Thy judgments have I laid before me” (Ps 119:59,30). Since the Christian is conscious of his impotence, he cries to God for help. “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps 141:3); “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord” (Ps 19:14). The believer guards his heart jealously, and since he knows that there are snares everywhere, he proceeds very cautiously. He is watchful in his every deed and ponders the path of his feet (Prov 4:26). Time and again he seeks counsel and asks, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do” (Acts 9:6). He looks whether the way before him is safe and each time sets down his feet with caution lest he step into a snare. He walks, so to speak, on his toes. This can be ascertained from the word ἀκριβῶς (akribos): “See then that ye walk circumspectly” (Eph 5:15). Then, when he finds all to be smooth, he proceeds courageously. “The Lord of hosts … hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle. And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle” (Zech 10:3,5).
Thirdly, the person who is spiritually watchful also keeps an eye out for all that enters the soul, so that no enemy will steal in to harm his spiritual life. He knows his enemies—the devil, the world, and his flesh—and he knows their wickedness and their tireless activity. He is on his guard for that very reason, and he thus “closes the doors and the windows.” “I made a covenant with mine eyes” (Job 31:1); “He … stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil” (Isa 33:15). In accordance with the exhortation of the apostle he is on guard against the devil. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet 5:8-9). The Christian is on guard against the world when it approaches him with either flattery, threats, or persecutions, conquering all this by faith (1 John 5:4). He is on guard against his flesh, indwelling corruption, and the sin which so easily besets him. The apostle exhorts him to do so: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11).