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DAYWATCH RADIO PROGRAMME#02 - 0303 - March 2002 week 3South Africa Transformed! by Michael Cassidy Once a lone survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. Though he prayed feverishly every day for God to rescue him, no rescuer ever appeared. The castaway managed to build a little hut out of driftwood which was a place of comfort and shelter for him. But one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. Stunned with grief and anger, he cried: "God how could you do this to me!" Early the next morning, however, he awoke to the sound of an approaching ship. His rescuers had finally come. And when he asked how they knew he was there, their reply simply was: "We saw your smoke signal." Sending up the smoke signals My friends this month a mighty smoke signal is going up to the Lord of Heaven and Earth! On March 21st an unprecedented gathering is taking place – the Christian church of South Africa is gathering together in sevent stadiums across the country to pray for our nation, a nation that has been shipwrecked in many ways. Morality, marriage, the sanctity of human life, Biblical truth, a Judaeo-Christian moral base for our country – far too much that is good and true – is sinking, leaving most of us feeling like bedraggled castaways, washed up on shore, with no rescue in sight. Add to those concerns Aids, crime, violence and unemployment pandemics, and we have the recipe for a right royal catastrophe unless our God intervenes. So, yes, it’s time to light the fires and send up the smoke signals. Thousands and thousands of Christians will do just that as they gathering on March 21st in Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Johannesburg and Pietersburg. And we are gathering together to seek one thing – we are asking God to bring about a significant change in the character of our nation. We are asking for South Africa to be radically transformed. Praying for transformation Asking God to transform cities and nations isn’t a new idea, and the South African church is not the only Christian community that is praying fervently for transformation. There are an increasing number of communities all around the world who are seeking for the Lord of Heaven and Earth truly to become the Ruler of their cities and their countries. And, very significantly, there are an increasing number of places where God has answered these prayers. I wonder if you’ve seen the Transformation videos put out by George Otis Jr.? George is a Christian researcher who has been documenting communities that have undergone significant spiritual transformation in the last few years. In the Transformations videos you see how Cali, the drug and murder capitol of Columbia, was transformed into a city of prayer rallies and peace. You see how cult-bound, gang-plagued Hemet, California became a city sold out to God, with doubled church attendance. You discover how Kiambu, Kenya, once over-ridden with violence, alcoholism and witchcraft, began to experience mass revival and soon became a city with one of the lowest crime rates in Kenya. If you want to get a greater vision of God’s ability to work in your city and your country, I would encourage you to find yourself a copy of the Transformations videos with George Otis Jr. Two keys to transformation But how do these seemingly hopeless communities actually make the turn around? Can we really expect this type of change in our own cities and in our nation? In his extensive research of transformed communities, George Otis Jr found two key things that happened in every place where transformation occurred. First there needs to be a core group of persevering church leaders. Such leaders have single-minded faith and are determined not to settle for anything less than the most that God has to give to their communities. These leaders are people of persistent, fervent prayer who have a strong love for the community in which God has placed them. The second key ingredient to transformation is united prayer. As George Otis Jr explains it: "United prayer is a declaration to the heavenlies that a community of believers is prepared for divine partnership." In South Africa we have just such a movement swelling of Christians who are ready to partner with God in blessing and transforming our nation. You may remember the prayer rally held at Newlands Rugby Stadium last March? 45 000 people showed up to pray for our nation. Now multiply that by 7 stadiums and you have what is happening on March 21st all around South Africa! A changed climate When so many people gather together to agree in prayer the spiritual climate of a place inevitably begins to change. As prayer evangelist Ed Silvoso puts it: "Satan has been keeping a subzero climate in place, while the church is rubbing sticks together trying to spark a few fires to keep its own people from freezing." But my friends, put several thousand small fires together and we have a nationwide blaze which will warm up the spiritual thermostat of our country! Do try to get to one of the stadiums – or check out the TV broadcasts. And so, Lord, we want to declare to You this week, and specifically on March 21, that we are ready to partner with you, we are ready for the climate of our country to be changed. We desperately need you to come among us and upon us and to do it now. Transform our nation into a piece of your Kingdom here on earth! . 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