According to the Bible in Ecclesiastes 3:1; God has ordained seasons and whatever He does He does it in accordance with the gates of time and seasons. The creator of the universe does not operate against the laws of nature. He works in cooperation with nature, and He knows when the gates of the universe will open and when they will close. Because gates are controlled by time, time is controlled by seasons and every season comes with a mandate.

Besides, Acts 17:26 says God has set up a time and a season for the rising of every nation, (People, group, tribe, tongue, and individual).

 ²⁶ And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; Acts 17:26

This means that the most important thing in the life of a believer is to be able to understand the gates of time and the seasons for his or her rising because God would do nothing that is not according to his pre-appointed TIME and SEASON.

Time is the most important thing here. Why? Because whatsoever the Lord has created, he has made it according to his own time on the calendar of its existence. This includes mankind. On the day that each of us was born, God had already designed our calendar and days to count on the earth. In the same way, He has created the calendar of the universe with how they should operate according to His pre-appointed time for them.

The missing treasure of the church today is for the people to understand how God has designed the universe to work according to his own time because when He created the universe, He knew how and when the heavens would open and close for specific activities — and that is what is called the gates of time for each activity upon the earth.

Understanding the gates of time helps you to know what kind of prayer you should pray at what particular day, time, and season. But Satan can put you at the wrong address at the right time. Many people pray the right prayer but at the wrong time. At the Mount Carmel contest, Elijah knew the gate of time for the evening sacrifice when God opened the gate of heaven and he triumphed over the Baal gods.

1 kings 18:36-end And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.    

Every hour you spend on the face of planet earth was designed and commanded to give you something that comes with a mandate from God. It was designed to open up and give you that which the universe should release to you within such a time and a season so that you can accomplish a certain task according to the will of God. In other words, every hour/moment has a purpose to serve in your life. According to your heavenly calendar, the universe was commanded to release something in your life that you were designed to have within those moments. This is to the extent that even if you have not prayed for it, it will find you if you are in the right place at the right time.

The reason why God introduced the four watches to Israel was that they could watch through the gates of time. In Israel, they would always change guards and watchmen after every three hours of each watch and another would take over both spiritually and physically. Israel prayed four times in a day and four watches in the night.

• The first watch takes place at the 6:00 am gate of time
• Second watch takes place at 9:00 am.
• Third watch at 12:00 midday
• Fourth watch at 03:00 pm.
• First night watch at 06:00 pm.
• Second night watch at 09:00 pm.
• Third night watch at 12:00 midnight.
• Fourth night watch at 3:00 am.

All these are prayer watch hours designed for looking through the gates of time, and that is why Israel being a small country rules the whole world. Israel is a tiny little nation but is mentioned in almost every news bulletin and so newsworthy. Check through every nation’s economy, and –you will find Jews — be it America, Britain, France, or elsewhere in the world. Because of this, Israel gains and takes the number one high-ranking security system and intelligence network in the entire world. Why? They understand WATCHES and these watches were introduced by God Himself.

He will also show you how to operate under open heavens, and what prayer to pray at a particular season according to the gates of time.

PRAYER WATCHES

1. THE EARLY NIGHT WATCH OR FIRST WATCH OF THE NIGHT (6:00 PM-9:00 PM)

 Lam. 2:18-19; Exo. 27:21; Psalm 119:148.

TIME FOR DIVINE BEGINNINGS – Gen. 1:5, 8, 18.

THE MANIFESTATION OF THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD.

God said in Matt. 16:16-19 that the thing you must possess is the gates and one of the keys we need to possess the gates is the key to the knowledge of time. Our day has a gate, our week has a gate, our month has a gate, and our year has a gate. We must possess these gates because whoever possesses the gates possesses and controls everything. The very first watch is the gate for the beginning of the new day.

During the first watch, pray along these lines:

• Pray and silence all the voices (curses) of the enemies on your life, family, church, city, and nation.
• Witches start flying during this watch, going around the precincts of the city (Psalm 59), because they intend to take hold of the gates of the day. We must possess the gate of our new day. Otherwise, it will be the enemies that will possess them to release curses on our day/s.
• It is the time to release judgment on the wicked; because this is the time that we have the evening tide in line with Isaiah 17:12-14 and Psalm 59. We need to release and proclaim into the new day God’s blessings, changing the environment or spiritual equation in our life, family, church, city, and nation. Period for covenant renewal with God.

• It was the watch during which Jesus broke bread for His covenant between God and Israel. It is time to appropriate the provisions in the blood covenant. Every covenant you have with God can be renewed at this time.
• This is the time for the nature of the Lamb of God (Rev. 5). This speaks of the ability to do what others cannot. Behold the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah who can break every yoke and the seals and open the title deed of the universe (power, wealth, strength, wisdom, honor, glory, and blessings). Humility is the greatest secret of His strength; that is the reason why during this watch, He tied the towel around His waist and washed His disciples’ feet. Leadership is service.
• It is the time for the preservation of the fruits of your life, especially the fruits of the body.
• Every executive/leader can begin to pray for all the projects they started so that they can live out their divinely ordained lifespan and silence the enemy. Time to silence the enemy!

2. THE LATE-NIGHT WATCH OR SECOND WATCH OF THE NIGHT — (9:00 PM – 12 Midnight)

Rev. 9:16; Acts 23:23; Exo. 3:21; 11:3, 4; 12:35, 36; Psalm 119:148

TIME TO HALLOW AND EXALT THE NAME OF THE LORD. TIME OF PRAYER FOR MINISTRIES AND RELIGION

 This watch is a special time for divine favor. (Exo. 3:21-22, 11:3-4; 12:35-36, Psalm 5:12; 45:12, Esther 2:9, 15:17).

• This is the time to receive your position or supply (strength, abilities, freedom from all limitations, etc.).
• This is also the time for plundering your oppressors.
• A time for favor from men.
• A time for respect from men. If you read 3:21-22; 11:3-4; 12:35-36, you will see that God made the Egyptians favorably disposed towards the Israelites so that the Egyptians gave them whatever they asked for. This must have been before midnight since by then the angel of death passed through Egypt and no one could go on to the neighbors. It also had to be after supper, since it was after the Passover feast. Automatically it had to be during this watch of the night between 9:00 pm and 12:00 midnight. In Acts 23:23 we see Paul enjoying favor from the captain of the soldiers during this same period.
• Pray for the outpouring of the spirit of prayer upon you and the church in the Philippines. (Zech. 9:12).
• Pray also for the spirit of grace and supplication. It is the time to pray for the release or outpouring of the spirit of grace, prayer, and supplication (Matt. 26:33). Recall that on the day Jesus was betrayed, He started praying for God’s grace at 9:00 pm. At 10:00 pm, He came back to His disciples and said, “Could you not watch with me one hour?” At 11:00 pm, He came a second time and said, “Are you still sleeping?” He left them and went back. Then the third time that was 12midnight, He said, “Rise, and let us go for my betrayer is at hand.” This period is the time to pray for strength against all temptations and trials.
• Pray for divine protection. (Psalm 3:1-7; 17:8-14, Acts 23:23; Zech. 1:10).
• This is also the period to pray and ask for the release of the troops of God to be on patrol and give angelic escort (Zech. 1:10, Acts 9:23). Acts 23:23, the same army general that had arrested Paul, now ended up protecting Paul! As you pray today, God would cause the people who have arrested us before to protect His purpose for our lives. What the governor could not enjoy was given to Paul as he was given 470 soldiers as escorts. So, every provision we need that will enable us to do God’s work would be released at this time. That is why even in Hollywood this is the time they show all the bad films to make provision for you being affected in the next watch.
• Pray for provision to do God’s work (Exo. 11:3-4).
• This is a time for the supply of all the resources needed for all God-given projects – see Exo. 35 & 36 compared to 12:35,36. Pray for provision.
• It was the time that the Israelites got everything that they had to use to build the tabernacle in the wilderness.
• This is also the time to ask for the sense of urgency to accomplish whatever God wants us to do. The Israelites ate the Passover standing with their tunics tucked with belts around their waists ready to move. Time of divine and human favor!

3.THE MIDNIGHT WATCH OR THE THIRD WATCH OF THE NIGHT — (12:00 AM – 3:00 AM)

Psalm 119:62; Isaiah 42:22; Psalm 68; Acts 16:25; 27:25-44; Exodus 12:29, 12-14

A SPECIAL TIME FOR DIVINE GOVERNMENTS OVERRULING HUMAN DECREES

This watch is a time for spiritual warfare!

• This is when the deep sleep falls upon men according to Acts 20:7-12. Remember, according to Mathew 13:25, while men slept the enemy went to sow tares. This is, therefore, a period of heightened satanic activities. The devil operates at this time because this is the time that men are asleep and there are not many people praying to oppose him. (Mathew 13:24; 1 Kings 3:20).
• This watch is the weak link for Islam; only a few Sufis praying at this time!!! The story is different during the month of Ramadan when every Muslim is encouraged to pray the “Tahajjud.”
• It is also the time for slaying; When the destroying angel goes through the camp, neighborhood, community, city, or nation (Exodus 12:29 compared to 2 Kings 19:35).
• A time to declare Psalm 91:5, 6 for divine protection for yourself, family, church, city, and nation.
• This period is also the time that rapists increase their activity according to Judges 19. The Levite’s concubine was raped about this period and was only left to go before dawn, so pray and silence them (Judges 19:25).
• Time of release from every prison (Isaiah 42:22; Judges 16:3; Acts 16:25; Psalm 18:27-28; 2 Kings 19:35).
• This is also the time people are generally released. According to the scriptures, God released the people of Israel to leave Egypt at this time. It was midnight that Samson according to Judges 16:3-4 carried the gates of the city and went out.
• A time when the wicked are wiped out.
• Pray also for a greater level of concentration (Mark 1:35; Isaiah 17:14). This is the time for an angelic intervention. A time that you can employ the land to fight for you.
• A time to rule in the midst of your enemies, and a time of freedom for His Bride. (Exodus 12:29; Judges 19:25), so it is the time to pray for the freedom of the bride, especially for those who are trusting God for their marriage partners.
• For those of you who are not married, this is a good time to pray for marriages, so you can also get married.
• For those who are married too, this is probably the best time to pray for your marriage. According to Mathew 25:6, it was at midnight that the bridegroom came. In the case of Ruth, though she had been sleeping at Boaz’s feet, it was at midnight that he noticed that a woman was sleeping there.
• This is also time for marriages. Pray to God to show you things to make your marriage a happy one (Ruth 3:1-10). Pray for the discovery of new and beautiful things in your spouse. This period is the time to keep the lamps burning.
• You can pray that God will cause the body of Christ to be noticed at this time.
• This watch is a time to enter your rest (Psalm 67).
• It is in fact, the best time to make your case in prayer. (Mark 13:35; Luke 11:5-13; Acts 16:25-34; 20:7-12).
• It is the period to pray for every emergency provision God has made for you to be released (Luke 11:5-13; Acts 16:3).
• It is also time for most dreams (Job 4:13-14).
• Time for miracles or covenants.
• Time to apply the blood of Jesus!
• This is the time to awake out of sleep and confront every storm of destruction and distraction.
• Also, it is the time to speak peace and calm into every situation of turbulence and confusion. Time of spiritual warfare!

4. THE DAWN OR EARLY MORNING WATCH — (3:00 AM – 6:00 AM)

(Isaiah 58:8, 8:19-22, 62:1-12; Rev. 22:76; Psalm 18:28; Job 3:9)

“YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN…”

(Mark 1:35; Gen. 19:15, 32:25-27; Job 38:12-13 compared to Isaiah 17:14; 1 Sam. 11:11).

The significance of this watch can be seen in Mark 1:35, where we saw Jesus rising a great while before day and finding a solitary place to pray.

• This is a special time for divine judgments.
• This fourth watch is always important because this is the last lap of the night race.
• This was when Israel was released from Egypt.
• This watch is the time that those satanic agents who went out to perform their activities are returning to their bases.
• This is the time the devil and his cohorts are running back home so that they are not caught.
• This is the time to release judgment on the wicked, which remain stiff-necked after many warnings and rebukes in line with Proverbs 29:1.
• This is the time every enemy chariot would have its wheels removed (Exodus 14:24-28) and all their plans, programs, and policies would fail.
• This is the period to release the manifestation of the full intensity of the day spring shaking out the wicked. (Job 38:12, 13 and Isaiah 17:14 – proclaiming before morning).

Though some scholars believe the day spring falls between 12 midnight stretching up to 6:00 am, the full impact of its intensity is felt in the final watch of this period (3:00 – 6:00 am) when it begins to shake everything out. This explains why the agents of the kingdom of darkness: those linked with Satan, heighten their activities especially between the hours of 12 midnight and 3:00 am, knowing that by the next watch (3:00 am – 6:00 am), they will have to cease their activities lest they are caught by the full intensity of the day spring. Testimonies of former witches converted to Christianity attest to this. They tell of the experiences of when they went out of their bodies on witchcraft operation, they had to return into their bodies before 6:00 am, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to. This is because they would have been shaken out by the day spring in line with Job 38:13 quoted above. It must be because no spirit is supposed to remain in this state come daybreak, we

see this demonstrated by Jacob’s encounter with the Angel of the Lord in Gen. 32:24-30.

• It is also the time for deliverance, to rise and shine for resurrection.
• This is time for deliverance according to Exodus 12 and 14.
• This is also the time Jesus came walking on the water to release the disciples from the storms according to Mathew 14:25.
• It is also a time to ask the new day to speak into your life according to God’s will. (Psalm 19:2).
• A time of declaration of the word.
• A the time for resurrection power.
• At this time is when we have to pray that everything that has died in the body of Christ, in terms of potential, should be released.
• This is the time to rise and begin to shine (Isaiah 60:1-5).
• It is also the time for the resurrection of every dormant gift. Every redemptive gift is to rise and shine, that is why, immediately after this watch the sun rises, and shines (Psalm18:28). The Lord would light the candle of the body of Christ, He would enlighten our darkness and our morning star would no more be dark.
• This is the time the stone in front of the tomb of Jesus was rolled away. So every reproach must be rolled away. God says He has a covenant with the day and with the night. Time for deliverance!

5. THE LATE MORNING OR FIRST WATCH OF THE DAY — (6:00 AM – 9:00 AM)

 Acts 2:15; Proverbs 4:16

THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY GHOST.

Acts 2:4, 17, 18. The Holy Spirit came before the third hour.

This is the first watch of the day. This is the watch for the beginning of sunrise.

Time of declaration and utterances. (Acts 2:15; Psalm 2:7-9).

The spiritual significance of sunrise is having Jesus Christ the King of kings and the Lord of Lord’s rise over us.

• Instruct the sun that, as it rises over people, it should accurately represent Jesus Christ the sun of righteousness, and bring healing for the soul, the heart, emotions, minds, bodies, families, relationships, marriages in our land, and for the land.
• Pray that the sun of righteousness would rise with healing in His wings. There shall be healing in your prayer life, health, relationships, family, government, economy, etc.
• This is also the time for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for equipping for service and for your light to shine this day (2 Cor. 9:3; Acts 1:8; Isaiah 60:1-22; Matt.5:16). It was between 6:00 am and 9:00 am that the Holy Spirit came, so you would have noticed that it was after that people said; “They were drunk” and Peter said, “we are not drunk because it is just 9:00 in the morning.” What is the implication? This is the time to be equipped for service. That is why, generally speaking, those who have regular work schedules would start work between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 am. God gives the necessary equipment. As you step out, ask God for equipment for the day, “Give us this day….” Time for healing!

 6. THE EXIT AND ENTRY WATCH OR SECOND WATCH OF THE DAY — (9:00 AM-12:00 Noon)

 1Kings 18, 8:56; Joshua 23:14; Matt. 20:3; Acts 2:15.

FOR A CRUCIFIED LIFE…. Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:5

TIME FOR FORGIVENESS AND HEALING OF RELATIONSHIPS

This watch begins at the third hour (i.e. 9:00 am) and it appears from Matt. 20:2-3. If you have not started working by this time you will be considered idle. Jesus being busy with something doesn’t give any assurance of any accomplishments. There is the need to identify God’s purpose for each moment of your life and pursue it. Otherwise, you could find yourself wasting effort and energy like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:26-29, who after six (6) hours of calling on their god was worse off than when they started — bleeding and exhausted! By 9:00 am, you should start fulfilling the purpose for which you came to earth.

• Time for harvest. (Acts 2:41)
• Time of promises.
• This is the time to expect the manifestation of God’s promises for your life as in the case of David in 2 Samuel 7:25-29. A time to appropriate the promises for cleansing, for a new heart, a willingness to work, for increase and fruitfulness as contained in Ezekiel 36:25-38.
• Time to pray and appropriate the benefits of the cross (healing, prosperity, forgiveness, strength, etc.).

Jesus was crucified at the third hour (Mark 15:25, Mathew 27:45). After having been on the cross for three hours, darkness came upon the face of the earth at 12 noon, and then at 3:00 pm, the period of darkness ended. Did you notice that even God worked according to the watches of the day especially pertaining to the crucifixion events?

• Pray for a crucified life.
• Because of the crucifixion, let us ask God to help us manifest all the values of a crucified life by mortifying the deeds of our flesh as stated in Romans 8:12-15. This is the time to put off the old man and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:2-11).
• This is the time to nail witchcraft, bitterness, jealousy, anger, backbiting, gossip, slander, lying, deception, hypocrisy, and in fact all the properties and personality traits of the devil and all the works of the flesh to the cross in line with Galatians 2:20, 5:19-21.
• Pray for forgiveness, healing of relationships, pray for the release of others…

“Forgive us our trespasses….as we forgive….” This is the best time to pray this portion of the model prayer the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples. In other words, it is time to pray for the healing of relationships. Let this power of love and unity (in one accord) produce the same effect of people asking, “How come we all hear them speaking in our own language?”

• Pray for the healing of diseases, which are spiritual. This is also the time for the harvest that is for prayers prayed at dawn. Take off the old man!

7. THE WATCH OF SHAKING OF FOUNDATIONS AND JUDGMENT — (12:00 Noon – 3:00 PM)

 John 4:6; Mathew 27:45; Acts 26:13; Jeremiah 15:8, Job 11:13-20; Psalm 37:20; Daniel 6:13.

TIME TO CHANGE THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE

TIME FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE AND DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL.

This is the watch that introduces the midday, otherwise known as noon, or the sixth hour or the fullness of the day.

(Psalm 55:17, Proverbs 4:18, Isaiah 58:10, Job 11:15, Psalm 37:3, Jeremiah 20:16).

Both the midday and the midnight are very important.

Time of the secret place of the Most High (Psalm 91:1).

• It is very important to pray in line with Acts 10:9 and Psalm 91:5, 6, 14. It is the time to pray to dwell in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, and making the Most High your habitation.
• It is also the time of exercising your God-given dominion, operating in love, receiving a divine lift, and letting your light shine brighter until the full light of the day is attained (Proverbs 4:18)
• The midday is the fullness of the day, and it is the beginning of the sixth hour. This is the time that the sun is at its fullest and should yield its optimum best. Pray that the sun will yield its best and precious fruit to you, in line with 33:4. Pray that your life would be bright. This is the time to pray not to be led into any temptation, trap, or snare of the enemy.
• Pray against the destruction that stalks at noontime. (Psalm 91:5)
• Destruction is released at midday according to Psalm 92:6-7. Pray and cut off all satanic arrows that are released at this time.
• This is the time justice shall come to you (Isaiah 7:14).
• This is the time of the secret place of the Most High. In Psalm 91, it says that I will not be afraid of destruction that stalks at noonday nor the arrows that fly by night. The destruction at this time will not get you, your family, the body of Christ, etc., because we declare that the mystery of the secret place of the Most High would begin to speak. Pray against destruction!

 8. THE TRANSFORMATION WATCH OR FOURTH WATCH — (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM)

THE HOUR OF PRAYER: 3:00 PM.

Mathew 27:45; 46; Luke 23:44-46; Acts 3:1; 10:3, 30-32.

This watch ushers in and begins at the hour of prayer according to Acts 3:1, Acts 10:30, Isaiah 60:11-22.

The one single most important characteristic or practice that identifies the church is prayer. The most important privilege of the entire church is prayer, and the only hour in the Bible that is specifically referred to as the hour of prayer begins at 3:00 pm. This was the time that the veil in front of the Holy of Holies tore from top to bottom. This watch is therefore the time for access!

• The hour of prayer, covenant, power, and triumphant glory.
• Time to remove limiting factors.
• This time is an hour of revelation, an hour of grace, an hour of removing veils (Luke 23:45-46), an hour of power, an hour of glory, an hour of the Lord, an hour of triumph.
• This is the time to die to the world (self).
• This time is also the time of seeking the Lord in truth.
• This is the hour of the establishment of the kingdom, why? Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
• This is the time when Jesus said, “It is finished”. At 3:00 PM Jesus gave up the ghost. Jesus went through six hours of suffering for the deliverance of humankind and the universe. Pray for deliverance during this watch.
• It is also the time for the miraculous and angelic visitation (Zech. 1:10-11, 18-21).
• This is also the time of the evening sacrifice. It was at this time that Elijah called forth fire from heaven to consume the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:29, 30, 36-39). Isaiah 17:12-14, Mathew 27:45-61, Luke 27: 45-47, Mark 15:33-39, Daniel 3:8-30, Genesis 24:63, Rev. 6 and 1 Samuel 17.

Scriptures to pray: Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-22, John 17, Joshua 7:6, 8:29-34, Isaiah 17:12-14, Daniel 2:20-22. Also study Mathew 27:50-54, Mark 15:37-39, Luke 23:45-47, Daniel 3:25, 9:21, Genesis 24:63, Acts 3:1, 10:1-32, 1Kings 18:41-46, Zech.6:1, Rev. 6:1.

• Time to change/shape history.
• This was the time God changed history because this watch happens to be the time that Jesus gave up the ghost with a loud voice. When Jesus gave up the ghost, history was changed forever because He now cut a covenant for us with God and there was triumphant glory over hell, death and the grave and the Bible says at that hour darkness departed. The covering of darkness cast over the nations of the Philippines shall be broken! Pray Psalm 29. He said, “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani” meaning “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is because the father turned His back on sin.
• We must pray that the church in the Philippines will turn her back on sin; so that leadership in the family, government, church, economy, etc. will turn their backs on sin.

Possess this gate of the day, just as in the other watches not only for yourself but also for your family, your village, neighborhood, community, the city, the nation, the church, and God’s kingdom. Time to change history!

— By Dr. Daniel Batambuze

Author of

‘Understanding The Gates Of Time and Seasons’