HISTORY
After having seen the Transformation video by George Otis in February 2000, and specifically the Cali Columbia story in which the Pastors had started praying together for their City, and the major turnaround it had brought, Graham Power, a successful businessman and relatively new convert, received the first of a two-part Vision from God in July 2000.
The first Vision had 3 clear instructions:
- Go and hire Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town. Invite the Christians from the various Denominations and gather for a Day of Repentance and Prayer.
- Then Challenge the other Provinces in South Africa to do the same – to gather for a Day of Repentance and Prayer
- And then this same Challenge must go to the rest of the Christians in Africa.
The second and more detailed Vision came in February 2002. Graham saw a body outstretched like a cross spread over Africa (The foot of the Cross in Cape Town, and the head in Egypt). The arms reached from East to West across the width of Africa. The whole of Africa was gathered in repentance and prayer with a clear vision that Africa will become a “Light to the world”.
The arms of the cross became God’s arms, stretching out and out, pulling the entire Globe into His stomach, holding it with love, as a mother would caress her newborn baby when crying soon after birth.
The fourth and fifth stages of the vision were thus clear: The Christians throughout Africa should gather for a Day of Repentance and Prayer and then invite the entire Globe for a Day of Repentance and Prayer, this initiative stretching out across all nations in the world.
Stage 1 (2001)
The first stage was to get the Churches in Cape Town (Southern point of SA) united in a Day of Prayer when 45 000 Christians got together on the Newlands Rugby stadium. Hundreds of testimonies can be shared of lives, communities and a city that was transformed. This started a process that changed the lives of the people and the city of Cape Town forever.
The key verse that emerged was 2 Chron.7:14 - "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land"
Stage 2 (2002)
Following the day of prayer held at the Newlands Rugby stadium in Cape Town, 8 other areas across South Africa hosted similar events in 2002. In addition the event was broadcasted live on DSTV and SABC TV and was shown in dozens of rural Towns - Community Centres, Churches, Correctional Facilities, Retirement Homes, Town Halls, and private dwellings, not to mention the fact that it was seen in African countries as far north as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya.
These events so captured the hearts and minds of people all over the continent that it was decided to put together a strategy that will take the process of Transformation forward. A Summit was held from 22 – 25 September 2002. 220 Church- and Community leaders, Businessmen and delegates from 9 different African countries were gathered. The representatives decided on a mission and vision for Transformation Africa. The vision is “Africa for Christ” with the mission being “Transforming Africa through Unity and Prayer as we mobilize the Body of Christ and all spheres of society, Community by Community, Nation by Nation with the full Gospel of Jesus Christ”
The challenge facing the regions then was to unite all the churches in the different regions to work together towards transforming South Africa and Africa. People need to take hands over a broader spectrum, not only with regards to black and white, but also over the boundaries of different church denominations.
The same year (2002) saw the International Prayer Counsel (IPC) gathered in Cape Town South Africa. At this international consultation a proposal was made to network a Global day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, 15 May 2005. This coinsided with the vision of Transformation Africa. Simultaneously in many other parts of the world the same vision emerged independently from what was happening in Africa and the decision of the IPC.
Stage 3 (2003)
All over the continent everyone was so inspired that 77 South African regions and 27 African countries (66 cities) committed themselves to participate in the process of Transforming Africa and taking part in a Day of Prayer for Africa on the 1st of May 2003.
Stage 4 (2004)
2004 was the realization of the fourth stage of the vision. The Day of Prayer for Africa was held on 2 May 2004. Our aim was to reach all 56 countries in Africa to participate. Part of the planning was to involve every town/community in Africa. We are happy to say that more than 273 cities/towns in South Africa and all 56 countries in Africa (more than 1 200 towns/cities) committed themselves to the process of transforming Africa and participated in a Day of Prayer for Africa, raising a canopy of Prayer across the continent involving more than 22 million people.
Stage 5 (2005)
The fifth stage saw a Global Day of Prayer which took place on Pentecost Sunday 15 May 2005. As the sun rose over the Fiji islands, nations started to prayer over the different time zones until the sun sets over the Hawaii island. This planning involved leaders from all 6 continents and included 156 countries around in 2005, the first year. Over and above 2 Chron.7:14, the world started to pray for the fulfillment of Hab.2:14 - “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
Motivation behind the Global Day of Prayer
After Jesus was raised from the dead, He met with His followers many times during a period of forty days. He did far more than prove that He was alive. He spoke again and again about the Kingdom of God: the advance of God’s kingly love among all the peoples of earth. On the last day He was with them, He told them to stay in Jerusalem and to wait for “the promise of the Father.” Just after Jesus was received into heaven, His followers gathered together in Jerusalem to do exactly what Jesus had told them: to wait for the promise of the Father. But it was not a passive waiting. They waited by praying earnestly for ten days. They sought God zealously with their hearts aligned with “one mind” concerning the promise about the Spirit of God. They prayed persistently through the many other promises about the Kingdom of God that Jesus had spent so much time teaching them.
As we read their prayers, and as we listen to what poured out from their hearts in the days that followed Pentecost, we get a good idea about how they prayed. Their prayers and statements sprang from the written Word of God. They prayed in fervent, hope-filled passion for God to fulfill His promises regarding His kingdom on earth. Christ is again calling His church to unite in prayer. We are compelled to pray because the great troubles that shake our world have no human solution. Even more, we are called to pray because of the wonderful promises that God has purposed to accomplish by Christ’s life and power among the peoples of earth. It is time now for God’s people to gather again in persistent, united prayer. What better way to unite in prayer than to consecrate ourselves to seek God for ten days, as Jesus’ first followers did, culminating on the day of Pentecost?
The way forward (2006 - 2010)
Following the example of the first believers who “joined together constantly” in prayer (Acts 1.14) during the ten days between the ascent of Jesus and the descent of His Spirit on Pentecost, over the next 5 years until 2010, a simple threefold strategy will be implemented:
- 10 Days of day-and-night prayer from Ascension day till the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday.
- A global day of prayer on Pentecost Sunday
- 90 Days of "community blessing"
It is time now for God’s people to gather again in persistent, united prayer. What better way to unite in prayer than to consecrate ourselves to seek God in prayer, as Jesus’ first followers did?
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