You have a dream … It is time!
This is the story of a Prayer-walk from Airlie (Eagle wood) through Mpumalanga (place of the rising sun), declaring over you an ascended life …
The story begins four months ago in the Free State Province.
VREDEFORT 44. The name Vredefort means Fortress of Peace.
A month later
And another month later
The meaning of the number 44 has to do with separation. What immediately comes to my mind is that where-ever we are, we need to separate ourselves unto God.
This shaped the theme of my prayers for people of this area. I started praying that people would separate themselves unto God and that they would understand who they are and that they would run with the vision of what God intended for them to be in this life. I started praying that this running with their dream would elevate them into higher heights in the spiritual as well as physical dimension.
Little did I know I was about to turn off on a road that would take me through a wooded area ascending 1000 meters to Kaapsehoop (Hope of the Cape)! I found it so awesome that the physical road reflected the things very I was praying for.
My prayer, as I encountered wild horses as well as an eagle on the way, is that you will run like a wild horse in freedom and that you will only be limited by the wind of the Holy Spirit - soaring like an eagle.
Misty edge of the cloud
The next morning I was on the road early, trying to catch a cloud which was slowly disappearing before me in the valley as I descended towards Nelspruit. I eventually reached the misty edge of that cloud, and as I stepped into it, something wonderful happened.
I am used to wild animals running away when I approach, but this morning a deer came running towards me! It stopped about 20 metres away in the misty edge of that cloud. It looked at me for a few seconds and then ran away. That blew my breath away!
Now my prayer for you in the place of the rising sun is to arise and shine because creation is waiting with eager longing to see the manifestation of the sons of God.
The sons of God is a term that refers to everyone (male or female) who are led by the Spirit of God.
19. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
14. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8, ESV)
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3, ESV)
Higher Heights
The next evening I slept over in a suburb called Steiltes. The name means Heights – and to reach it I had to use a road on some very steep uphills. Those very steep uphills took me to a place where I could walk on high places …
GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19, ESV)
This is what I learned: To walk on high places, we first need to conquer some uphills … Sometimes they are physical and we have to climb them but sometimes the uphills we need to overcome lie within us.
Losing your head
On the road from Nelspruit towards Sabie I saw an interesting sign with an important message. It illustrated something close to my heart …
It is the image of a man walking on a zebra crossing. He is walking on a series of black and white lines. It is symbolic of a journey of reconciliation of different people groups. Interestingly the man on the sign has lost his head … That speaks volumes: If we want to walk on the road of reconcilation, we have to lose our heads too!
Our old way of thinking needs to be replaced by a new way of thinking. Instead of hate, distrust and prejudice we should renew our minds and allow Jesus to be the head so we can function as the body …
It is about killing our old mindset and getting new spiritual enlightenment and maturity in Christ. A new revelation of His love for this land and its people. An understanding that the bride of Christ has it within us to heal this land, not by seeking vengeance but by making room for the diverse culture groups and by being a refuge for all who need Him.
Wordless worship
There was a moment, just between day and night where the last rays of the sun and the hazy moonlit nightsky almost posed for this photo. It was that moment where day and night reveals the glory of God … without words.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalms 19:1-2, ESV)
The answer to prayer is the most beautiful thing
This is encouragement for all those who pray for the restoration of this land:
While prayer-walking from Nelspruit to Sabie, I met three women from different missionary teams who paid there own way all the way from the USA to come do some of the things we have been praying for in our own country.
The first 2 ladies are young and energetic! I met them early in the morning.
Because of war, bloodshed, hatred and greed, our continent has forgotten the ancient song which God has put into our hearts. They came to help the people of Africa to remember our song and our dance by preaching and teaching the Word of God and by praising and worshipping Him through music. How absolutely beautiful!
The third lady is 75 years of age. I met her at the dinner table. Last year she walked 850km across Spain!
Yesterday she visited an informal settlement along the road to Sabie. She asked them to show her where they have to fetch water for the people in the village. The well was far away. It was filthy and the water black-brown. She was shocked to hear that people had to drink that.
The well was stopped up almost 60 metres with years of trash and rubbish!
Even though it was a long weekend, and most businesses were closed, she immediately contacted and commissioned a contractor to come clean out that well. Another contractor was hired to set up a pump and water pipes for people to have easier access to the new fresh clean water.
What touched me is that she then paid the contractors with her own money!
These women all return to America this week; leaving us with a song and a dance … and with fresh clean water!
The most beautiful thing!
No Hazy View
This prayer-walk from Sabie to Hazyview was about praying about conquering the hazy view to see God's light and truth with eyes unveiled …
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! (Psalms 43:3, ESV)
Finding a key in Hazyview … and it opened my eyes!
It was a month later and for the fourth time in four months I saw this random number on a sign. As I prayer-walked through Hazyview, there was the sign: WHITE RIVER 44.
Suddenly it dawned on me – that was the next puzzle piece!
Separate yourself unto God. And seek Him on those 4 names I have encountered.
- Seek God as your Peace ~ Vredefort (Fortress of Peace) Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16, ESV)
- Seek God as the Bread of life ~ Bethlehem (House of Bread)Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35, ESV)
- Seek God as a Consuming Fire ~ Brandfort (Fortress of Fire)Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)
- Seek God as the River of Life ~ White RiverWhoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ (John 7:38, ESV)
that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28-29a, ESV)
I want to conclude about seeking and finding God - from Ezekiel 44!
Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple,
and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD.
And I fell on my face. (Eze 44:4 ESV)
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