18 April 2009 has come and the wall is complete! It is so wide and it reaches to the heavens; it is a wall of fire and it testifies of God's glory. On the inside of these walls the Name of Jesus sweetly and swiftly flows like a gentle breeze, over mountains and hills, graciously moving the savannah with its flow; through valleys and rivers, across the plains of the Kalahari and the Karoo.
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It glides over farms and small settlements and then manoeuvres into towns and cities. it enters houses and office parks; boardrooms and government buildings...even Parliament...like a cloud of fire it covers South Africa!
Some people fall to their knees proclaiming His Lordship, others watch in awe as He settles Himself in, and there are those that try to avoid His Name...it is not possible...wherever you run, He will find you and you will be covered by His Name.
The gentle breeze of His Name as it moves grows louder and more forceful till eventually it thunders and resounds within the walls...JESUS, JESUS, JESUS...!!! |
Ja, dis hoe dit is! Na al die beplanning en 5 weke van deursettingsvermoe en passie staan ongeveer 90 dapper manne voor die Here, elkeen 'n nuwe mens wat pas 'n lewensveranderende ervaring deurmaak het. Hierdie aksie was vir jou, vir families, vir die werkplek, die ekonomie, vir die kerk, vir geestelike en politieke leiers...vir Suid Afrika!
Ons het vreesloos geestelike mure en poorte herstel! Ons het met 'boldness' die heerskappy van Jesus oor Suid Afrika geproklameer!
Ons het met vasberadenheid ons geestelike wapens opgeneem teen ongeregtigheid! Ons het met gebrokenheid ons sondes bely! En met liefde en passie seen oor hierdie land uitgespreek!
En niks, maar niks...kon ons doen in ons eie krag nie, maar slegs deur Christus in ons. Saam met ons het 'n briljante administratiewe en intersessor groep die voorste linies ingeneem en ons letterlik met gebed en ondersteuning elke tree van die pad gedra. |
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Why Durban as the point of closure? I have often wondered why myself, and on Saturday all this came together. Previously Durban was named Port Natal. 'Natal' refers to birth and as the biggest harbour in Africa, with the port basin in a womb-like form and the closure facility at the office of Customs & Excise - the gate keeper to the port - it was all very significant in reflecting the birth of something new and huge. God does not go small!
For this revelation Annelise Kotzee has to be commended in that her spiritual senses were really focussed throughout the Firecloud experience. What further confirmed God's satisfaction, I believe, was that the Lord also gave both of us scripture from Isaiah 26.
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For me, specifically verse 1 to 4 that relates to South Africa as 'strong city' and that God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks - for others like me whose comprehension of bulwark is non existent, that is a wave breaker...fascinating, huh? Then in verse 2 it continues with gates that will be opened for righteousness.
So, gates, bulwarks and walls can relate to Durban, but then Annalize puts the nail in the coffin through verse 17 and 18 that talks about birth and delivery. It is not strange that every single man that walked the last leg has direct involvement in the marketplace and two of these men represents Customs - the gatekeeper. We trust the Lord for exciting times ahead of us! |
Hierdie fase van Firecloud het 'n begin en 'n einde. Dit sou afbreek doen aan enige iets wat reeds vermag is, om net aan te ploeter op die rug van die eerste fase van Firecloud. Die toekoms van Firecloud sal gebou word op nuwe langtermyn visie en fokus en alhoewel die skets reeds in my denke voltooi is, het ek werklik julle voorbidding nodig om die inkleur werk te doen. Ook in terme van betrokkenheid sal ons van 'scratch' sekerlik begin en my vertroue is dat baie wat reeds betrokke is, hulself weer bereidwillig sal verklaar.
Ek kan nie hierdie fase afsluit sonder om sekere mense te bedank nie. Eerstens is Ferdinand. Hy was die eerste persoon (kom ons se vreemdelinge) buite my nabye vertroulinge met wie ek die visie gedeel het. Sy opoffering en doelgerigtheid was sekerlik 'n aangename lofoffer aan Vader, en het my ongelooflik baie moeite gespaar. Ek is 'n prentjie mens en het nodig gehad om 'n 'organiser' soos hy aan my sy te he. Sonder sy betrokkenheid sou die projek nie gebeur het nie. Ook sy familie wat hom afgestaan het in die tyd...mag die Here julle ongelooflik bless!
Eben, jy is 'n werklike broer en ek het jou verskriklik lief. Hierdie website is die produk van 'n talentvolle en kreatiewe ou wat 'n magdom talente van ons Vader ontvang het...en jy is dit alles. Moet jouself nooit onderskat nie. Jy bless my! |
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Johan, sonder jou en jou intersessors sou die projek nie slaag nie. Jy is 'n kosbare juweel vir Jesus, en in die midde van jou eie stryd 'sacrifice' jy steeds. Ek eer jou en jou vriendskap is vir my 'n voorreg. Etienne...wat 'n pel. Jou positiewe benadering en behulpsaamheid is oorweldigend en in die afgelope paar jaar wat ek jou ken het ek verskriklik lief geword vir jou. Jy het 'n uitnemende gesindheid en is 'n leier by uitstek. Die Here gaan jou werklik na plekke vat wat jou wildste drome oortref.
Dian...thanks vir die Firecloud song. Boeta, dit rock! Jy maak so 'n indruk op my omdat jy soveel talent het en jy kies om Vader daarmee te 'glorify'! Mense kan maar kennis neem van jou naam, want jy gaan 'n pionier wees in 'n nuwe dimensie van 'honest and committed worship'...van 'real, full surrender' tipe woorde wat siel, liggaam en gees deurdring en my hart se snare roer!
Dan ook Liz...die aanmoediging, bemoediging en gebed in die begin van die projek (ek is oortuig dat sy vir die tydperk van die projek volhou het), die deurbid van name saam met my, en vir alles wat die Here vir my deur jou geleer het is ek vir ewig dankbaar. Dankie vir jou wysheid! |
I thank every team leader; for each of them brought an unique experience to Firecloud. Charles and Fritz were the guinea pigs and pioneers. Pierre stood up as mighty warrior. Hendrik battled the odds with half a team. Paul dished out Godly love. Heinrich boldly encouraged SA to turn back to God. Colin taught faith.
| Etienne and his team intimately encountered Jesus all the way, and Gerhard's leadership was endorsed by the favour of God. Others who contributed and need to be mentioned by name is Arthur Seesink and Johnes Fisha for the trailers; Bennie Mostert for great advice - I wish I could just suck more knowledge and wisdom from you; Esme for encouragement, confirmation and blessing; Delayne and Pastor Bill in Durban for their contribution to the closing ceremony; Charles Marais for the signage on the trucks; Letchmee for providing us with fuel; Heinrich and Jaco for running our finances; Adri Pepler for the design of the Firecloud logo; my parents, Barry and the other guys in Hermanus who made themselves part of Firecloud; all the municipality, traffic and border officials who so kindly assisted us; those on the road who provided shelter, food and support to the walkers; those who in their chambers fervently prayed for us; those who contributed financially, and all those who in their own ways and means encouraged and blessed us. |
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Then, the wives, families and friends of all those involved in Firecloud who released and supported their husbands, fathers, boyfriends, etc. in this project. I don't think you all realise how special you are and how the men carried you in their hearts and walked every yard for you too. My own wife, Kathy, and kids, Roche and Ruan - I sometimes don't know how to explain what God has placed in my heart and what He is doing, but I know I have to be obedient to this voice of the Holy Spirit within me. I realise that sometimes this may be frustrating, but I honour you for being faithful and supportive. I honour God for giving me a wife with so much wisdom and love, a beautiful, intelligent daugter with a passion for life and incredible talents, and a son who has the heart of a knight - loyal, serving, compassionate, faithful and brave!
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Elke man wat in die front-linie gaan veg het, dit is julle wat Firecloud maak wat dit is, want sonder julle gehoorsaamheid is daar geen muur gebou nie. Elkeen van julle is 'n leier van formaat en ek wens ek kon met elkeen stap net om saam met jou te ervaar wat die Here in jou lewe doen! Julle commitment en passie vir Jesus bless my!
Hierdie projek was 'n lewensveranderende ervaring en Jesus het jou ongelooflike wonderwerke laat sien wat 'n onblusbare vlam in jou aangesteek het. Moenie toelaat dat hierdie vlam kwyn nie. Wees 'bold', sit jou voet uit die boot, en laat jou 'lifesong' Jesus uitbasuin. |
My Lord and Saviour, thank You for taking all of us from our comfort zones and showing us great and mighty things as You promise in Jeremiah 33:3.
Thank You Lord for seeing in us more than what we see in ourselves...thank You for raising a mighty man of valour in each of the men involved!
Thank You for Your provisioning, Your protection and showing us the way!
Thank You for renewing our strength and making us soar on wings like eagles!
Thank You, Lord, for Your favour and blessing for South Africa...and please Lord, I humbly beg, let Your Spirit fire spread across this land, over Africa and to the rest of the world!
Lord Jesus, we love You passionately and on behalf of all of South Africa, we as Firecloud stand before You and proclaim...we are turning back to You! |
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