The Church in South Africa needs to confess and repent to God for its sins which have resulted in the current dire state of affairs in the nation, says Intercessors For South Africa (IFSA) in a resolution released at its consultative conference in Bloemfontein from September 14 to 16.
The conference, which was attended by members of South Africa’s national and local prayer networks, also announced plans to develop a prayer strategy for national healing and reconciliation that will begin with a prophetic prayer action on December 16 called #CrosstheBridge, to be followed up with 40 days of prayer for healing and reconciliation from February 10 next year to March 30 — Good Friday.
WATCH BELOW: Releasing the sound of Heaven — this was the theme worship song of the conference
“Oh, sweet fire, come and burn over me
Oh, sweet rain, come and pour over me
Oh, sweet wind, come and blow over me”
A team of facilitators from every province was commissioned at the conference to develop the #CrosstheBridge prayer strategy aimed at seeking God’s forgiveness, and help in forgiving one another, and obtaining healing as individuals, families, the Church, ethnic groups and as a nation.
During a process of prayer and consultation, conference delegates identified fatherlessness as the root cause of the “broken, wounded, hurting, disappointed, angry, hopeless, rejected, racist and prejudiced” state of the nation.
On the opening night of the conference Apostle Linda Gobodo of Vuka Foundation briefed the gathering about a God-inspired national healing campaign Vuka launched this year, based on a booklet of hope, healing and restoration scriptures which are taken daily like medicine.
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Paul Mbongelo, a missionary from the Congo who is based in Bloemfontein, was given an opportunity to share a prophetic word that God holds the Church responsible for the rise in wickedness in the nation and wants to hear a sincere cry of repentance and a plea to Him to withhold judgment and give the Church one more time to try again.
Recently Mbongelo has shared his message with leaders around the country and plans are under discussion to convene a national day of repentance at the Union Building in Pretoria — possibly at the end of October or in November. His message resonated with those of several other conference delegates who also mentioned plans for smaller prayer gatherings at the Union Buildings in early October.
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There was consensus among delegates that God has repeatedly revealed his plans for revival in South Africa, coupled with a prayer movement to usher in revival, but that the Church has been busy with its own things. It was urgent not to let 2017 pass without getting into step with God’s programme.
For too long the celebrities and professional preachers, priests, pastors, “reverends” and dominees have been putting pressure on the people in the pews to repent from their wicked ways, but there is no desire from the pews to do so, because they have been told and taught that they are Sinners saved by grace. And guess what, they have made it their creed and they believe it and they are sticking to it.
The main problem is in the pulpits, not in the pews. The professional preachers have watered down the Gospel and turned Christianity into a religion of a bunch of happy go lucky SINNERS who claim to have been saved by grace because of a prayer they once prayed and who believe they have a right to go to heaven despite continuing in their wicked ways and despite the fact that there is no scripture that says we are “sinners saved by grace”.. We are Saints called be holy, perfect and righteous and to be found without spot or wrinkle, ready for the return of our Lord.
I believe it breaks the Father’s Heart when He looks at The Church of Jesus Christ with its shamelessly sinning saints, sipping saints, smoking saints, fornicating saints, pleasure seeking saints, selfish, dishonest, lying, cheating, greedy, hate filled, mammon worshiping so-called saints who bring discredit to His Name and to the name of Jesus Christ, while at the same time claiming to be His followers,
Every week there is a new call, a new programmme or a new plan or conference to try and force a revival without paying much attention to what God requires for a lasting revival to take place. I can write pages and pages about this, but I choose not to because it will probably be frowned upon and be ignored.
Nevertheless I wish to stick my neck out and leave you with the following thoughts:
1.. The Call to Repentance must begin with the howling and crying and weeping of the priests, pastors, etc. in a state of repentance (stop sinning) and brokenness before our HOLY GOD.
2. Only then must the Elders and the believing Christian inhabitants (about 1% of the population) be called to the house of the Lord to also cry out unto the LORD in a state of repentance (stop sinning).
Joe 1:13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Joe 1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Only once the pastors, priests, etc. in the pulpits have been revived, can the church (the 1% of the population) be revived and only thereafter should any attempt be made to awaken the apostates and heathen outside of the church. Selah Be still. Pause to ponder.
John, so very true and applicable. The time has come for Christian leaders to speak and live the truth.
I DO NOT GO OUT FOR PRAYER ANYMORE , BECAUSE TO MANY TIMES I HAVE RECEIVE PRAYER BY FAITH , BUT IS STILL UNTIL LAST WEEK GETTING
ATTACKS AND THAT DIRECTS YOUR LIFE BECAUSE U ARE BOUND AND NOT ALOUD TO DRIVE A CAR EVEN WHEN CAR DRIVING IS LIKE EATING A APPLE. GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME AND FRIEND WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FAITH WE DO HAVE IN JESUS .DEVIL HAS KEPT ON TESTING OUR FAITH IN GOD. SO LAWRENCE AND I BRIAN WOULD BE BLESSED IF YOUR PRAYING CAN SET US FREE AND WE CAN FLY FREE IN THE AIR AGAIN BRIAN
WE ARE ALL ONE IN JESUS AND THROUGH HIS BLOOD WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE
Hello Brian,
It sounds like you are still a babe in the faith. Then again what is faith? Faith is the confidence, trust and assurance we have in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, where He defeated satan.
Please ask your Pastor to appoint someone who can disciple you and please make sure that you are thoroughly born again.
You should not be depending on the faith of someone else to pray for you. That is second prize. First prize is to develop your own love relationship with your Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. When last have you spoken to God about your problem?
It is better to ask someone to pray with you rather than for you. That way you know that your prayers are being heard.
Always remember that when we pray we also have a part to play in the healing or restoration process in order receive the desired end result.
This thing that you want to be set free from, do you hate it enough to confess it as sin and to stop doing it? In other words are you prepared to repent of it?
I do not think this is the right place to discuss your personal situation. I also think you may need some personal attention. So please consult your Pastor.
If you feel that your problem is something that you have been born with, then I cannot emphasise enough the importance of making absolutely sure that you have been thoroughly born again. To be born again is not a one minute prayer.
1. Forgive everyone.
2. Confess and repent of every known sin and cancel or break the power of any right that the devil had to keep you bound or enslaved to that sin or sins.
3. Ask for forgiveness.
4. Accept that forgiveness and check that you have a clear conscience before God.
5. Believe that Jesus died, was buried and was raised from the dead and He is alive. Also declare that Jesus is the Lord of your life. You are no longer in charge.
6. Be baptised in water as a declaration to every spiritual being and human witness that the sins you have confessed and repented of have been washed away by the blood of Jesus. Through water baptism you also declare to every spiritual being and human witness that you died with Jesus to your old way of life, that you are a new creation and the sins you did before, you do them no more.
7. Be Baptised in or with the Holy Spirit so that you can be led by the Holy Spirit and withstand every onslaught of the devil, who will try and entrap you again.
We serve a God who is true to His Word, which is truth, and His Truth will set us free from any sin, if we want to be free and if we refuse to be passive by taking a stand against every temptation that the devil throws at us.
Jesus has set me free of many things that I do not talk about (I am past the 3 score and 10 mark) and therefore I know he will do the same for you too, no matter what it is, if you are prepared to play your part. And that is a promise not from me, but from Him. However, please note that most of His promises are conditional upon you doing your part.
Joh_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
I hope that you find the above (which is by no means complete) helpful.
Warm Regards in Jesus Christ
John