The Shamar Prophet

Prophets at the Gates

must understand that God has "set" them in the church. To set means to be appointed, established, or positioned. The shamar prophet helps to protect the vision of the church. They also help to confirm the vision of the church. They help ward off satan's attack on the vision of the church. They must share a divine jealousy for the health of the church and the purposes of God for the church (see 2 Cor. 11). They must understand that the church is a divine institution ordained by God and hated by the enemy. The church is the Israel of God. Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he FENCED IT, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and BUILT A TOWER in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein... (Isa. 5:1-2) Israel is God's vineyard. The church is God's vineyard. The result of the planting of the Lord should be fruitfulness. The Lord hedges his vineyard. He places a tower in the midst. These are both pictures of the prophet's ministry in the church. The hedge and the tower are necessary to keep the enemy out. We have been ordained to bring forth fruit, and for the fruit to remain (John 15:16). The enemy wants to destroy the fruit of churches and ministries. Prophets are needed in the local church to prevent the fruit from being destroyed. It is unwise to plant a vineyard without a fence. A fence provides a protective barrier for the vineyard. A tower is a place for the watchman. Vineyards need watchmen. Local churches need towers and watchmen to protect the vineyard. ...I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof... (Jer. 11:19) The enemy plots to destroy the tree with its fruit. He devises devices. Devise is the Hebrew word, chashab, meaning to plait or

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