Mahesh Chavda - Watch of the Lord

Many times when you read a book that has a great effect on you, you don't know the author. In this case I do. I have also watched the manifestation of truth that Watch of the Lord so beautifully delivers. It is the heart of God. I believe that every family, church and nation should read this book. We as a people need to be constant watchmen, looking into the distance, observing awaiting, always aware of how God works importantly in our lives. This book gives direction, focus and inspiration as to how to see God's power and glory.

Al Kasha

Two-time Academy Award-winning

SONGWRITER AND PRODUCER

Mahesh Chavda has for many years been a man of deep prayer and fasting and has personally experienced the breakthrough in God that follows. His book will inspire you to pursue the benefits o f corporate prayer, as in the Watch o f the Lord, as well as a personal prayer life hidden in God. I highly recommend this book.

John Arnott , Senior Pastor

Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship

Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda not only present a compelling reason for the Watch of the Lord, but they live it. It is part of their DNA.

- Che Ahn , Senior Pastor

Harvest Rock Church

Pasadena, California

The Holy Spirit is awakening those who are part of the slumbering bride of Christ to come and take their places as watchmen on the walls in this hour. Few today have the knowledge, experience and impartation that Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda have in this arena. This book is more than a technical expose on biblical principles. Watch of the Lord contains a highly contagious virus of the Holy Spirit that will ruin you from living a mediocre Christian life. Read this book and you will be hooked into God's purposes as an End-Time watchman in His army.

Jim Goll

Ministry to the Nations

Author of The Lost Art cf Intercesscn

And Kneeing on the Promises

Intimacy with God, the presence of the Lord and a passion for Jesus are buzz phrases in Christianity today. But to Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda , they are reality. Watch of the Lord has made these phrases a reality to me and the church I pastor . If your heart burns for this to be real for you, this is a must-read book!

Tim Burgan

Producer, Cornerstone Television, Pittsburgh, PA

Senior Producer, His Place and Getting Together

Pastor, Indian Lake Christian Center

The Watch of the Lord was birthed by the Spirit of God in the hearts of pastors Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda several years ago. Now, many churches all over the world are keeping the Watch o f the Lord with all-night praise, worship, prayer and intercession. As we present our bodies as a living sacrifice in prayer, obedience and holiness to God, our prayers will release angels to go where we cannot go.

I have had the privilege of attending several prayer watches in Charlotte. The first time I walked into the church building to be a part of the watch, the overwhelming presence o f the Lord and the spirit o f intercession were very evident. I was also blessed to be one of the many watchmen from around the world who passed the night in prayer at the Wailing Wall with the Chavdas in Jerusalem. The impar-tation and enrichment I have received in my own life and walk with the Lord through these corporate prayer watches have helped to take me deeper and higher in my own personal prayer time.

Suzanne Hinn , Intercessor

World Outreach Church

Orlando , FL

Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda stepped into the timing o f the Lord and began to organize prayer watches across America and in other nations. They are both people of the spirit of lssachar , knowing the timings and seasons of the Lord. As you read their book, you will not only feel the Holy Spirit's urgency of the hour, but also know how to respond. They are experienced people you can trust.

Ruth Ward Heflin Director,

Calvary Pentecostal Tabernacle

Ashland, VA

We lovingly dedicate this book to the Supreme Commander of the watch, the Lord Jesus Christ; to our four children: Ben, Anna, Serah and Aaron, who have shared in our adventures o f faith; and to all the watchmen at our base in Charlotte who have faithfully kept the Watch of the Lord.

Acknowledgments

Thanks go to our faithful staff:

Steve Martin, Karen Johnston, Marian Duffee , Leslie Adams and Lorraine Runyans .

May the Lord reward you for your dedication and faithful service.

Contents

Part I

Part II

Part Ill

Foreword

I t is my privilege to commend this book to you, for it will open dimensions of prayer that will challenge, encourage and thrill you.

Mahesh Chavda has been in the ministry for more than twenty-five years. I have known Mahesh and his gifted wife, Bonnie, personally for fifteen years. They are dear friends and anointed servants of God who personify their message. I jokingly refer to Mahesh as a "workhorse" in the Charismatic movement as opposed to a "show horse." His servant spirit is an example to us all. Mahesh and Bonnie exemplify hard work, and they have persevered in prayer for many years. They have been a source of encouragment to me, to our church and to thousands of others who have begun to watch and pray because of their example and teaching.

In this book they not only share their adventures in the exciting realm of watching and praying, but they have distilled all the wisdom they have gleaned from helping to birth and lead the Watch of the Lord over the last several years. More than five hundred churches and prayer groups are linked to their prayer network; more are being added weekly. Hundreds of thousands of hours of intercession are going up monthly as a result of this extraordinary prayer movement.

This book is timely and strategic. I have been richly blessed by their other books, but this book may be their greatest contribution to the body of Christ. Their revelation from the Book of Ruth of the church's bridal relationship with Christ, encouraging intimacy with the Lord as our Boaz through the watch, deeply touched my heart.

You will not only be challenged as I was, but you will receive many practical steps to do the Watch of the Lord yourself. Because Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda have experienced this and led thousands in watching, there is a living impartation through this book.

We are on the threshold of a new millennium. The Chavdas are postured as few others to make a prophetic trumpet blast, calling the millennial church across the globe to obey the Lord's call to "watch and pray.

Mike Bickle , Founder Friends of the Bridegroom Ministries

Part I

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

Haggai 2:9, kjv

The Birth of the Watch

T he piercing blast of a shofar tears through the atmosphere, and adults, teenagers and children shout their praises toward heaven as if asking God to send His glory down. It's ten o'clock on Friday evening in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Watch of the Lord has begun.

About one hundred fifty people have gathered at All Nations Church, the church we started in Charlotte in 1994. Each Friday night "watchmen" from Charlotte and the surrounding areafrom near and far, actually join us as we stay awake all night, praying and waiting upon the Lord.

We always begin with the blast of the shofar (ram's horn), followed by energetic praise and worship. Yet, while we begin each watch the same way, no two watches are ever the same.

The matchless creativity of God is ever present. Though some aspects of the watch are fixedthe praise, the intimacy with Jesus, the global prayer concernsthe current of the Spirit inevitably engulfs us, taking us on a special journey in His wonderful river, moving from glory to glory.