Category: Prayer

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40 Days of Prayer and Fasting for Lost Boys/Youth

Please join Youth for Christ prayer initiative from 26 Feb to 5 April. Barbara and Norman last week contributed a devotion and prayer points on Indigenous youth – https://www.yfc.org.au/40daysprayer

INDIGENOUS YOUTH

By Barbara and Norman Miller,
Founders of the Centre for International Reconciliation and Peace, Pastors of Tabernacle of David, Cairns

Read: Proverbs 20:19, Ezekiel 37:10-12, Joel 2:28, Jeremiah 29:11

Lost can mean not saved; lost for eternity. It can also mean that you do not know who you are or what you could achieve. Maybe not even what you want. It can mean falling through the cracks of society – lost to mainstream community life. Not even a statistic. It could mean lost in a haze of confusion, alcohol, drugs or mental health issues.

Proverbs 20:19 tells us “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.” Someone who does not have a vision or picture of the future, can’t plan towards it. He wanders aimless and can’t reach the target because he can’t picture or articulate the target or even believe that he could attain it anyway. Self-belief is part of the problem. Setting a goal and working towards its attainment seems impossible. It’s hard even to imagine such a thing. People can slowly die within and lose hope. There is nothing to live for. Nothing to energise them. Nothing worth getting up for in the morning. Nothing to look forward to or work for. There are no milestones on the way to the goal to bring happiness or satisfaction. We need a godly vision for the future. The Lord wants to pour out His spirit so our sons prophecy and our young men see visions (Joel 2:28)

While the Lord loves us for who we are, not what we achieve, we love to do His will. But if we don’t know Him, how do we know to do His will? The first prayer for Indigenous lost boys or youth is for them to have salvation, to experience the love and forgiveness of God. Some come from loving homes and some don’t. They need to become a new creation – the old has gone and the new has come.

While there are many Indigenous boys and youth who are happy, healthy, come from good functioning homes and are achieving well at school or in jobs, there are those who are lost.

Their hope is dried up. Ezekiel 37:10-12 says “So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army. Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel….”

We need to pray for and prophesy to the vast army of young Indigenous men and boys who feel that they have lost all hope, that they are cut off from participating in Australian society in any meaningful way, that they are perishing. Even their bones or health suffer because of the despair that grips them, draining the life from them. The hopelessness can lead to depression, the depression can lead to substance abuse to dull the pain, and the depression can lead to suicide. They are drowning in pain and we need to throw them a lifeline. That lifeline is the love and forgiveness of Jesus. We need to pray and prophesy that they will be revived, come to life, that their hope will be renewed, that they will receive the Lord and receive a fresh vision and fresh hope for the future. This army of Indigenous young men on fire for God could bring our whole nation of Australia into revival. God has plans for them and wants to prosper them and give them a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

Prayer Focus:

    1. For Indigenous lost boys/young men – Salvation, good parental and family role models, a good Christian fellowship to be part of, mentoring in the Christian faith and mates that are Christians so there is good peer influence. That God would pour out His Spirit on them and give them visions and prophecies.
    2. That Indigenous youth would desire holiness, consecration, purity and devotion to God similar to desiring a Nazirite anointing.
    3. That Indigenous youth would have a vision for the future and hope that they could attain it. That they would believe God has plans to prosper them and give them a future and hope. That anxiety, depression, hopelessness and suicide would be defeated.
    4. That Indigenous youth would feel a sense of empowerment (as Christians moving in the power of the Holy Spirit) and not feel powerless and that they are victims. That a generation of godly Indigenous youth leaders rise up.
    5. That racism and stereotyping of Indigenous people would not occur and that Indigenous youth would develop the resilience to cope with it and with obstacles and difficulties in life.
    6. That Indigenous youth have access to mental health, NDIS and other health services even in remote areas.
    7. That mothers would have good health care before and after giving birth and would not drink alcohol while pregnant causing foetal alcohol syndrome and brain damage to their children.
    8. That families would function well and be happy. That family violence would be reduced so that Indigenous youth do not experience or witness family violence or be sexually, physically or emotionally abused.
    9. That Indigenous youth have access to wholesome recreational activities and don’t get bored and try chroming, drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual promiscuity or crime to be entertained.
    10. That the many Indigenous boys and young men who are healthy, happy and doing well at school or in jobs receive the encouragement and opportunities they need and their achievements are recognized.
    11. Norman and Barbara are prepared to mentor 12 Indigenous Christian youth. Please pray that those they are meant to mentor come forward and wish to be mentored.
    12. That the Closing the Gap Program would be successful in eradicating Indigenous disadvantage and poverty.
      • That Indigenous youth would have similar outcomes to the rest of the population re health, education, employment, income and life expectancy.
      • For Indigenous people, only three of the seven Closing the Gap targets set in 2008 were on track to be met in 2018.
      • The target to halve the gap in child mortality by 2018 is on track.
      • The target to have 95 per cent of all Indigenous four-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education by 2025 is on track.
      • The target to close the gap in school attendance by 2018 is not on track.
      • The target to halve the gap in reading and numeracy by 2018 is not on track.
      • The target to halve the gap in Year 12 attainment by 2020 is on track.
      • The target to halve the gap in employment by 2018 is not on track.
      • The target to close the gap in life expectancy by 2031 is not on track.

Download PDF Version:
Prayer and Fasting for Indigenous Youth by Barbara Miller

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Spiritual Authority Of Aboriginal Gatekeepers


CALL TO INDIGENOUS CHRISTIAN LEADERS & OTHERS TO JOIN US
FOR AUSTRALIA DAY PRAYER CANBERRA 25-27 JAN 2020

By Ps Barbara Miller, March 2001

Acts 17:26 tells us “From one man He made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” God also sets in place authorities in the land, both spiritual and secular and we are told to obey these authorities (Ro 13:1-5) and pray for them (1Tim 2:2). Because Australia was colonized in recent history (just over 200 years ago) and the church in Australia came as part of the colonizers, the church has been slow to recognize the authority of Aboriginal people in the land, particularly the authority of elders. There is a blessing to be had by honouring the traditional owners of the particular area of land you have spiritual responsibility for before God as pastors or the land you live in as believers.

Aboriginal people talk of their land as their “country” and as there were over 600 tribes in Australia when Europeans came, there are over 600 “countries”. Many of these countries no longer have traditional owners left as they have been wiped out. We should make an effort to see who can “speak for country” in our own area so that we can partner with them in unlocking the safe which protects the people under their jurisdiction. As Brian Pickering, National Co-ordinator of the Australian Prayer Network has said, God showed him a safe with two locks, spiritual authorities having one key and secular authorities having another key. Both keys are needed to unlock a city so the people can be saved.

Traditionally, because of the 600 plus countries, no Aboriginal person or tribe had the authority to speak for the nation of Australia and this makes it difficult today even for heads of national Aboriginal organizations to speak for the Aboriginal people of the nation even when they are elected because Aboriginal people were traditionally not elected to positions of authority. They reached positions of authority in their country or geographical area by virtue of the knowledge they obtained by passing through ceremony at different stages of their life cycles. By the time they were elders, they had the requisite knowledge to make decisions for the clan. Even then, this was not a personal authority but a corporate authority. There were no chiefs, the elders making corporate decisions. This system still pertains in some places today, co-existing alongside elected Aboriginal persons who may not be elders and people who are elders in age only but not in traditional knowledge. This is both a result of coming to terms in a positive way with the white legal system and the erosion of traditional authority because of colonization and the negative social, cultural, political and economic pressures this has created.

Since the Mabo decision in 1993 and the overturning of the legal fiction of “terra nullius” or uninhabited land and the recognition of native title, there has been more division between clans as to who can speak for land. This is because of the removal of some Aboriginal people from their land by white authorities resulting in the inability of past generations in many cases to “care for country” by performing ceremonies and environmental care. Thus, their knowledge of the land and its boundaries is lessened. Disputes over boundaries then occur.

I have been aware of these issues for many years because my involvement in Aboriginal social justice issues dates back to 1970. But on January 26 1996, on Australia Day in Brisbane, I was asked by Rev Jim Nightingale of the House of Prayer for All Nations Brisbane, to speak at a prayer gathering in the Roma St Forum in the city, an outdoor venue. The Lord gave me a word that just as Joseph had risen to authority in Egypt, that He would raise Aboriginal people in this nation of Australia to positions of authority in the spirit and that He would also send them out to other nations as witnesses for Him. He also said that what was meant for harm against them, He would turn that around for the good. That became the theme of the International Conference on Reconciliation and Peace Norman and I organized in Cairns in 1998.

Aboriginal people have been exercising authority in the spirit over this nation since they first inhabited it, particularly traditional healers or medicine men. I believe what God was saying in that word in 1996 was that Aboriginal people would be increasingly exercising authority in the spirit under His authority in this nation. Unfortunately, the churches in Australia have been slow to recognize Aboriginal Christian leadership and many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pastors have started their own small churches, mainly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander congregations, as a result. Their attendance at ministers’ fraternal meetings is often poor.

One of the things that Norman strongly believes in that just as we are commanded in the 10 commandments to “honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex 20:12), we are to honour the fathers and mothers of this nation, the Aboriginal people. In fact, he calls them the apostolic fathers and mothers of this nation and believes we receive a special blessing for doing this.

In fact, Aboriginal protocol is that when you enter another person’s country, you honour those who can speak for that country before you speak on it yourself. Appropriate Aboriginal people are often asked to open conferences as a result, even by mayors of cities.

There are times when the Lord calls intercessors to speak to the land or prophecy to the trees or mountains etc (Ezekiel 6:1-3). There are territorial spirits that Peter Wagner and others have written about (see Dan 9 re the Prince of Persia who held up Daniel’s answer). The Lord’s holy angels also have territorial responsibility. When the original custodians of the land or territory speak, it has power in the spirit, and more so when Aboriginal Christians, anointed by the Holy Spirit, speak or prophecy to it.

Monte Ohio, who with his wife Linda organized the first World Conference of Indigenous Christians in Rotorua, New Zealand in 1996 came to Cairns beforehand and spoke about using the language of the original inhabitants to speak into the spiritual realm. They found that speaking in Maori to spirits over New Zealand was more powerful than speaking in English. There has been a revival in the use of the Maori language in New Zealand. In Australia, however, there are almost as many languages as there were tribes and many of these languages do not exist anymore because of the people being wiped out by warfare or introduced disease. Also, missionaries put Aboriginal children in dormitories, separated from their parents and forbade them to speak their language. Presumably speaking the wrong Aboriginal language in a territory or country would not be any more effective than speaking in English.

When it comes to identificational repentance, Aboriginal Christians have spiritual authority to stand in in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) for their people as did Daniel (Dan 9:20), Ezra and Nehemiah. Norman recently repented on Sydney Harbour Bridge for the sins of Aborigines in worshipping the rainbow serpent as it was an assignment the Lord had given him. Aboriginal Christians can take spiritual responsibility for the corporate sins of their ancestors and the present sins of their people just as white people can for their peoples’ present and past sins. (This is another teaching which I won’t go into in detail here).

However it is worth noting that when we have done identificational repentance in Cairns e.g. of the sins of white settlers and Aborigines at the location of the first point of contact, we could have had an Aboriginal person from anywhere in Australia to stand in and that would have been better than no Aboriginal person at all, we could have had an Aboriginal person living in Cairns and that would’ve been better, we could have had an Aboriginal person born in Cairns and that would have been better still but we prayed with an Aboriginal person who is a traditional owner of the land where the first contact and sins took place. Not only that, she is the recognized leader of her tribe and the one asked to open conferences by the mayor etc. Added to that she is a Christian who regularly attends the Baptist church and loves Israel. So, these are the levels of how closely identified an Aboriginal person may be to the land which we are praying over to heal of the sins that occurred on it and how effective our prayer may have been in the spiritual realm.

However, the authority even to stand in the gap as an intercessor is something some Aboriginal Christians are unsure about. When Roger Mitchell, one of the leaders of the British and European Prayer movements came to Australia in October 1997 to set up the British intercessors visit to Australia to say sorry for the sins of the British as the fathers and mothers of Australia, he went to Praise Corroboree, a cross-cultural Christian gathering at Parliament House in Canberra. He broke down and repented to Aboriginal pastors about the treatment of Aborigines by the British. They did not know what to do. Some said they would have to go back to their communities and ask if it was alright to accept the apology. They didn’t know if they had the authority to accept it or what the right protocol should be because they were facing an international situation that was new to them.

Norman and I were at the meeting. He respected the right of the elders to speak first as is Aboriginal custom but when they were unable to take that position of authority to stand in the gap and receive the repentance of Roger who was left very distressed with the weight of the sin he was carrying, Norman stepped in and received the repentance. He went a step further and repented on behalf of Aborigines for their resentment of and anger towards the British. Norman was stepping into the authority he had, as an Aboriginal Christian who has an anointing from the Lord and a calling to work in the area of reconciliation.

In fact, this was not the first time Norman had done this. A few months previously, we’d been in England for a Reconciliation Conference at Coventry Cathedral. The Lord showed me that Norman needed to repent on behalf of Aborigines for resentment and anger towards the British for the loss of land, loss of government, rape of women and loss of life etc because of colonization. I was to repent for the rebellious, anti-authority and anti-pommy attitudes that white Australians have as a result of colonization. In doing this, we believe we were forerunners in the spirit of what the Lord wanted to do in reconciliation and healing relationships between Britain and Australia and opening up the gates or the door for the British – Australian Reconciliation Tour which followed in 1998 when 35 British intercessors travelled Australia for 6-7 weeks saying sorry to black and white Australians for their treatment in the foundation of Australia as a multicultural nation. We hosted their week in Cairns as part of an Australian visit hosted by the Australian Prayer Network and then joined 35 Australians under the covering of the Australian Prayer Network on a return Reconciliation Tour of England for 2 weeks in 1999 hosted by the British Prayer Movement.

Without going into any detail of the Reconciliation Tour of England (this is available separately), the highlight was the prayer team’s visit to Portsmouth where the first convicts left from for Australia. As a prophetic sign, a boat with the Australian team in green and gold came into the harbour. We did a re-enactment but this time coming from the water to the land and having the British greet the Australians warmly instead of, as before, rejecting the sons of Britain and sending them off to Australia. It was decided that the Aboriginal people present would lead the other Australians ashore. The prophetic prayer event started with Norman praying to honour the apostolic mothers and fathers of the Australian nation – the Aboriginal people. Lloyd Hollingsworth poured healing oil on the ground. As another prophetic sign, a boat called “The Pride of Portsmouth” sailed out of the harbour.

Then we walked towards the gate with Anne Gray using her coat of many colours to pave the way by brushing it on the ground. Brian Pickering and Ben Gray said they’d come last as they represented authority (the Australian Prayer Network). When we came through the gate, Peter Walker said, like Ruth “Your people are my people and your God is my God”. The British embraced the Australians saying “welcome home”. John Swindoll, a British pastor, said thanks to the Aboriginal mothers and fathers who looked after the British children Britain had abandoned. There is a 2 rings monument there, a replica of one in Sydney representing an unholy relationship so we moved in the opposite spirit by exchanging rings and having communion and praying and covenanting for relationships to be on the right footing. As the third prophetic sign, wedding bells chimed nearby.

Exercising spiritual authority by binding and loosing as we know is given to the church in Mat 16:18. However binding and loosing over cities and nations are higher levels of strategic warfare and it is good to heed Brian’s warning that these should be corporate activities of churches in unity. I would add that you need to know that God has commissioned you and appointed you to work on this level. God will make this clear to you Himself and others in the body will recognize it through prophetic words etc. Norman was commissioned by the Lord to not only repent of the rainbow serpent on behalf of Aboriginal people but also to take authority over its workings over our nation and we did that with a group of intercessors from various churches in Sydney. They had either prayed on the bridge before or in the locality of the bridge so had local authority because of their tears of intercession over a period of time. They had been waiting for an Aboriginal person to pray with them re the rainbow serpent as we later found out. Norman had been led to take authority over the rainbow serpent before in Cairns in 1998 and in Israel in 1998 at the All Nations Convocation Jerusalem. He did this with some Aboriginal Christians from Elcho Island and with a group of Australians from various churches led by Pastor Noel Mann.

I spent a lot of time asking the Lord if I was meant to join Norman praying on the bridge about the rainbow serpent. I planned to return from a Wagner Leadership Institute conference in Brisbane where Apostle Bobby Jean Merck and Apostle Royree Jensen were preaching to Cairns as our church was hosting 14 YWAMers for two weeks. This was the responsible thing to do rather than having both the pastors away for the first week of their visit, even though I’d organized their itinerary etc before leaving for Brisbane and our elders are very reliable. Norman wanted me to go to Sydney and we always work as a team. The Lord affirmed to me that we are a team and I was the vision carrier for the prayer event. However, I was not settled in my spirit about it and continued to pray as I really believed it was Norman’s mission and my responsibility to Cairns was weighing on me. During praise and worship at the conference, the Lord gave me a personal revelation which finally released me in the spirit to go no matter what the consequences. The Lord then provided the financial miracles for us both to go to Sydney.

What I received from the Lord was actually a shock to me and I hope it is useful to you rather than confusing a topic which is already complex. He said that I could stand in the gap for Aboriginal people because my seed is Aboriginal (my son) and for generations to come my seed will be Aboriginal and I’ll be their ancestor and I’m in that line or lineage just as Rahab and Ruth of a different race became part of the lineage of Jesus, the line of David (Matt 1:5). As it turned out, I didn’t stand in the gap for Aboriginal people on the bridge but I was there to support Norman to do so and I know when the Lord tells me to, I can. (A traditional Aboriginal person, not knowing my family background, could be offended by this however. Some traditional Aborigines call me aunty because of their relationship to my son.)

Speaking of words from others recognizing your national authority, on Friday 6 July 1999 we were weeping and praying outstretched over a banner of Australia with the Holy Spirit dove in the centre and we put a red cross over it. Norman had a prophetic word that as we struck Ayers Rock with our prayers, healing waters would flow out of it across our nation. He also read Ex 17:1-16. (We facilitated a weekly prayer meeting for Australia with a group of intercessors from various churches.)

Pastor Peter Singut of Miracle Christian Centre Boroko, Papua New Guinea happened to be at our prayer meeting and he prophesied over Norman and I that we had a divine rod of authority to rule over the enemies of our God over the nation of Australia (Psalm 110:1-3). He said that God was about to release us into a new realm of spiritual authority in our ministry. Pastor Peter was excited and organized for his church in PNG to be praying in unison with us in Australia at 2am July 14 (2 Chron 7:14) and he made a continuing commitment pray for Australia and our ministry.

This is an excerpt from the Alaskan prophet, Sonja Corazza’s report to Brian and Robyn Pickering of her visit to North Qld in July 2000 after she prayed at Ayers Rock (Uluru). “I want to tell you that when the three of us went to Port Douglas to pray from the point where I had seen myself praying in the Spirit, many good things happened and the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Norman had national authority in the Spirit for Australia. As we prayed, I saw that come forth in vision. On the way to Port Douglas the Lord showed me we were to pray for the Coastlands of Australia wherein most of the population lives…we were to pray the fire of God over them by Scripture. Also, instead of mostly concentrating on Cairns they were to pick up the nation and were perfectly located to do so…

Also Norman felt led to read Scriptures on light from Matthew 5 and when he was reading that, in vision, I saw this band of light sweep around the entire coastland of Australia…around the whole nation, a band just wide enough to encompass the population because of course the middle of the country is desert. As he spoke, I actually saw that band of light sweep around the nation two more times during the evening so it is something God is doing with him in your country.”

Back to gatekeeping. In biblical times, the elders of the city stood at the city gates and transacted business and made decisions for the city. Gates represent keeping out of the city what you want to keep out and letting in what you think is good for the city. I have a whole message on gates and we’ve done much prayer over the gates of the city in Cairns. We know if a pastor wants to prevent a move of the Spirit in his church, he can do so. If the churches in a city want to keep the Spirit of God from moving in their city, they can. They are gatekeepers so their role is very important in the spirit.

By the same token, Aboriginal people were given the original stewardship of this land of Australia. Today they share that role with the rest of us. As the original custodians, however, I believe they have a role in opening the gate for a move of God in their own communities whether they are Christian or not and that Aboriginal Christians, when called of God to do so, can open gates even on a national level.

When Pastor Ben Gray, after a word from the Lord called a National Prayer Gathering at Uluru (Ayers Rock) at 2am 14 July 1999 (2 Chron 7:14), 500 intercessors and leaders came from around Australia to repent and pray for healing of the land. The Lord had given Norman and I a word to take a prayer team to Uluru about a year before but we did not know the timing until Ben’s call came so we went.

The traditional owners, notably Tony Tjamawa of the Mutitjulu people welcomed the National Prayer Gathering but asked us not to climb Ayers Rock. The National Park authorities would not allow us into the National Park at 2am in the morning so the Mutitjulu people invited us to spend the night watch at their church near Uluru. We went in buses at 11.30pm and prayed till 4am. About 200 cities were praying around Australia with us including Cairns with a prayer meeting at our church.

A word the Lord gave me at the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) on Monday 12 July was that He had set Aboriginal people as gatekeepers in this land for their own areas across Australia and because the traditional owners of Ayers Rock, the heart of Australia, opened the gates to the National Prayer Gathering, then they were opening the spiritual gateway not just to that area, but to the whole nation. What God was doing in the spirit was that Aboriginal gatekeepers throughout the whole nation who had before closed their doors to the gospel because of the pain that came with it, would now open those gates. I saw gates or doors opening all across this nation. It was like the light turning on all across this nation. (God puts authorities in the land whether those authorities are national park authorities or traditional owners.) I saw Aboriginal gatekeepers all over the country open the gates to the gospel and tell people to “come home” into the kingdom of God. In fact, the land was doing it as well, groaning for the redemption of men and women (Ro 8). Aboriginal people and the land (yes, the land) were also saying “Come home” to non-Indigenous Australians in a spirit of adoption and reconciliation. Aboriginal people are a key to revival.

At the 21st Century Church Conference in Brisbane in February 2000 run by Ps Ben Gray of City Harvest International and Wagner Leadership Institute, Ps Tom Hess from Israel spoke on the need for a 24 hour a day 7 day a week prayer watch. We already had a vision for this because of attending Tom’s conference in Israel in 1998. In a prophetic act, Aboriginal gatekeepers, Norman Miller and Muriel Olssen welcomed and ushered in the bride of Christ (Jenny Hagger was dressed in a Middle Eastern wedding dress) through two lines of people representing the prayer leaders of all the states.

It is significant that at the Brisbane conference, Norman honoured the apostolic mothers and fathers of Australia, the Aboriginal people and he honoured the local traditional owners of Brisbane, i.e. he observed the right protocol, before opening the gates to the 24hr prayer watch and removing the stones from the highway. The organizers, by providing Tom Hess from Israel this platform with an audience of over 3,000 Australians (and people from other nations) opened a gateway and paved a highway from Australia to Israel. This will significantly affect the shape of the church in 21st century Australia as the bride of Christ is both Jew and Gentile.

Norman said “I felt strongly on my heart to stand in the gap as an Aboriginal gatekeeper to open the gates for and to birth the 24hour prayer watch in this nation. In a prophetic act, I placed a heart shaped stone on the middle of a map of Australia and then removed it. The meaning was based on Isaiah 62:10:

“Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people,
Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.”

In Jesus’ name, I was removing the stones of pride and anti-Semitism and a stony heart (Ezekiel 36:26) so that Australians would have a heart for the 24 hour prayer watch and have God’s heart for this nation. The prophetic act spiritually prepared a highway for God’s people to be a nation at prayer, day and night, night and day. We need to be watchmen and women on the wall for Israel (Isaiah 62:6), Australia and the nations, truly a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). I gave the stone to Tom Hess to take back to Israel. He had preached on how we needed to remove the stones.

I prayed around the nation state by state, naming them and I said God’s response to this nation’s GST is – Get Saved Today. I believe we need to pray through for God to release a breakthrough so we can go through and see revival in this nation – a breakthrough anointing,” said Norman.

I’ve used practical examples of gatekeeping from Norman’s ministry because we can speak from that experience and we are not aware of other examples at this point. So, in summary, the examples given of gatekeeping were when Norman repented in Coventry, England for Aboriginal attitudes towards the British because of colonization in mid-1997 and when Norman received Roger Mitchell’s repentance from Britain to Aborigines in October 1997 in Canberra. This opened the gate we believe for the British – Australian Reconciliation Tour in 1998. In July 1999, the Mutitjulu people of Uluru opened the gate to the National Prayer Gathering and in Feb 2000, Norman and Muriel Olssen opened the gate to the National Prayer Watch. Aboriginal pastor, Peter Walker and Norman and leaders from various ethnic groups opened the gates to revival at that same conference.

*PS We should respect all cultures but also discern practices which do not line up with scripture.

This is unchanged from an article written in 2001 by Barbara Miller from Tabernacle of David, 25 Clare St, Parramatta Park, Cairns, Australia
A ministry of the Centre for International Reconciliation and Peace, Cairns 4870

Download PDF version: Spiritual Authority – Gatekeepers Aboriginal

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VISION RE PM SCOTT MORRISON 10.1.20

JOIN US FOR AUSTRALIA DAY PRAYER CANBERRA 25-27 JAN 20

By Ps Barbara Miller

I was praying for some insight about the cause of the bushfires when I received a vision on 8.1.20 of a cricket game with the Prime Minister on the right batting. He was playing against the ALP and Greens and he won a surprise victory i.e. the federal election. This meant the ALP retreated a bit from its climate change policy and stand on religious freedom etc. concerned that the “quiet Australians” had not endorsed its policies.

However, with the bushfires, the ALP came back to the cricket game re-energised and more confident to use climate change to bat against the Prime Minister, even to hit him with the bat. They were trying to get him out. I even sensed that an underarm bowl had been used against Scott Morrison.

I was looking for a photo of Scott Morrison playing cricket, if there was one, and was surprised to come up with some scathing articles about him saying that the cricketers from both sides of the Tasman would inspire Australians. However, as they were playing during the bushfire crisis, this was considered insensitive to bushfire victims and firefighters. The PM invited the Australian and New Zealand cricketers to Kirribilli House and is a big cricket supporter. It is a yearly tradition for the Australian cricket team and touring national side to meet with the Prime Minister at Kirribilli House on New Year’s Day. Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard all took part when they were in the role. However, it appears Scott Morrison is expected to focus solely on the bushfires. The story from “The Australian” is more matter-of-fact.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/scott-morrison-opens-up-scenic-backyard-to-cricketers/news-story/8ae03e1102278cf6cdd261616423b869

https://www.smh.com.au/national/scott-morrison-s-leadership-style-it-s-just-not-cricket-20200103-p53oly.html

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/bushfires-morrison-s-inept-cricket-analogy-really- pushes-the-boundary-20200105-p53oz8.html

Interestingly, the criticism started before the PM’s brief December holiday with family in Hawaii for which he has been hauled over the coals. His tweet from the Gabba in Brisbane re the game of Australian vs Pakistan was enough to draw 1.8 thousand twitter responses. Some remark on his lack of empathy. Others are re climate change. Below is one of them.

Even Al Jazeera is calling Scott Morrison the “daggy dad” burned by Australia’s bushfire crisis because of not taking action on climate change https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/scott-morrison-daggy-dad-burned-australia-fire-crisis-200109025649367.html
Today, (10.1.20) large numbers of people gathered in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane armed with signs and placards, many holding the #sackScomo hashtag and calling for his resignation.

Organisers, Uni Students for Climate Justice and Extinction Rebellion, believe thousands took part.https://www.sbs.com.au/news/thousands-rally-across-australia-condemning-government- handling-of-bushfire-crisis

This is hardly a Watergate situation or any misdemeanour on the PM’s part. It is backlash from those who expected an ALP/Green win to prosecute their climate policies and are still reeling with disappointment. Whether we believe in climate change or not, it has become a weapon against a democratically elected Prime Minister. This is of great concern. Some say climate change is a new religion. We need to pray for the wisdom of Solomon for our PM. We are called to pray for those in authority. (1Tim 2:1-4). We seem to have a war on our hands between so called climate change believers and climate change deniers. Or if not deniers, those not doing enough on climate change or those not doing it the way climate believers think it should be done.

We need to pray for the government to have good short-and-long term policies on climate change based on good scientific evidence, to have good advisors and to have the courage to stand up for these policies against intimidation. We need to pray that criticism of the PM and government will be constructive not destructive. We need to pray that the government will find a good balance between the need for jobs and a good economy with the need for climate change policies. Climate change will be the big challenge for the Australian government in 2020.

PDF Version: Vision of Scott Morrison playing cricket 10.1.20

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HOW TO PRAY FOR THE BUSHFIRES

JOIN US FOR AUSTRALIA DAY PRAYER CANBERRA 25-27 JAN 20

By Ps Barbara Miller

Australia as a nation is used to extreme weather conditions of fire, drought, flood and cyclones. In fact, wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem in Australia with plants and other life even depending on regular fires to germinate, cycle nutrients, and remove decay. However, the 2019- 2020 season is being described by media as the gates of hell being unleashed. There have been 26 deaths, nearly a billion animals destroyed and houses, towns, businesses, farms etc devastated. The insurance costs are estimated to be about $700 million. There is a twitter hashtag “Australia burning” and that’s what the map looks like. All states have been affected but particularly the southern states. The fire has been so intense it has generated lightning and thunder and where this has happened, it has been described as similar to a volcano erupting or an atomic bomb exploding. It has been described as a catastrophe of Biblical proportions. Blood red suns, red-orange skies, darkness in daytime have all occurred.

The worst bushfires in Australian history have been:

  • Black Saturday Bushfires (Victoria 2009) Black Saturday was one of Australia’s worst natural disaster ever recorded.
  • Ash Wednesday Bushfires (South Australia & Victoria 1983)
  • Black Tuesday Bushfires (Tasmania 1967)

There are human causes of the bushfires e.g. the media reported statistics that 87% of bushfires are started by arson or by accident and about 200 people have been arrested or cautioned re arson. Also, we have not met hazard reduction targets e.g. Victoria has only met one-third of its target. Our environmental protection policies, though well-intended, have had unforeseen consequences. Also, people have been moving more and more to fire-prone areas.

There are natural causes such as years of drought, extreme heat and strong winds driving the flames. Some are pointing to climate change and global warming as causes. Though Australia accounts for 1.3 percent of global emissions, the Prime Minister is under pressure to do more as a result of the fires. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has noted the effects of climate change however with 2019 statistics:

  • Australia’s warmest year on record, with the annual national mean temperature 1.52 °C above average
  • Annual national mean maximum temperature warmest on record (2.09 °C above average)
  • Australia’s driest year on record
  • Nationally-averaged rainfall 40% below average for the year at 277.6 mm

Yet behind this are spiritual dynamics. People have been asking whether it is God’s judgement for the sin of our nation or is it darker spiritual forces unleashing destruction (Ep 6:12). Joel 2 speaks of a coming day of judgement. Christians have seen visions of lei lines and cut them as led by the Lord, of witches chanting and celebrating the fires and Abaddon, the angel of destruction, riding on a horse causing the fire. Some have talked about the New World Order or globalists torching Australia with geoengineered weather weapons using lasers or directed energy weapons (DEWs) to convince people of global warming.

Others say God would not indiscriminately cause such destruction. He may remove His blessing and protection on a nation and leave it to its own devices however. Luke 13 shows us that we should not automatically assume disasters are the result of God’s judgement. God is a God of love and mercy and wills that none should perish but He is also a God of justice who will punish evildoers at the end of time. (Mt 5:45, Psalm 81:12, 2 Pe 3:9, Mt 13:24-30)

So how do we pray? Here are a few ways based on scripture that we can pray. There are 5 sins that defile the land we live on

  • shedding innocent blood (Nu 35:33)
  • broken covenants (Isaiah 24:4-6)
  • sexual immorality (Lev 18:24-30)
  • idolatry (Jer 3:9)
  • injustice – to widows, orphans and strangers (Deut 10:18) and land theft (Deut 27:17)

So serious are they that the land can vomit out its inhabitants. (Lev 18:24-30). Recent legislation re abortion and euthanasia in Australia qualifies as the shedding of innocent blood. Massacres of Indigenous people on settlement and homicide are other examples. There are many examples of broken covenants but one is the high rate of divorce in our nation. Sexual immorality is pervasive and we worship many things and have many other priorities than God.

There are a number of examples of people in the Bible taking spiritual responsibility for the sins of their nation and standing in the gap (Ezek 22:30). A good example is Daniel in Daniel 9:1-23 who repented for his sin and the sin of Israel and we can model his whole prayer which is excerpted here:

“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules’.” (Dan 9:3-5)

Another example is Abraham praying to God in humility yet boldness to save the city of Sodom. (Genesis 18:16-33). Verse 20 tells us that there was an outcry from the city to God for justice. Yet Abraham, the friend of God, knew that God is not only a God of justice but is also a God of mercy so he pleaded initially for God to save the city if there were 50 righteous and God agreed. Then Abraham pleaded for God to save it if there were 45 righteous and so on down till 10. God agreed to his prayer so it shows us the prayer of one person for a city can be powerful.

So, Daniel and Abraham are two examples of prayer to God when we believe that we need to call for His mercy to triumph over His judgement. But what if we believe these fires are not the result of God’s judgement for our sin or His removal of His protection from us and leaving us to the consequences of our own devices?

We need to issue declarations and decrees to drive back the work of the dark side. A good example of this is when Jesus rebuked the storm. Mark 4:39-41 (NIV)

“And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

In 2011, we were faced with cyclone Yasi, a Category Five storm, the highest level, with winds of about 300 km/h. It was the biggest storm in Queensland’s history, with more than 10,000 people moved from their homes. Norman and I felt led to rebuke the cyclone as it was coming towards Cairns and it miraculously turned and went out to sea. It passed between the two big cities of Cairns and Townsville which only suffered minor damage. We praise the Lord for this.

We have the example of the prayer of David Jeffery and 2 prayer warriors at Mallacoota recently that changed the wind so it drove the fire back from the people on the beach, potentially saving thousands of lives-https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/prayer-saved-thousands- in-mallacoota-claims-atheist/. It was a 60m high firewall coming roaring at them with 90 mph wind and God answered their desperate faith-filled prayer. God had told David to pray so he knew God wanted to intervene.

God wants to act on our behalf. But sometimes we don’t ask him to intervene. However, there has been concerted prayer across our nation for the bushfires and drought and we are grateful for that. You may want to use the following decree:

DECREE

We acknowledge your sovereignty O God as You are the Creator of the Universe. You are the One who has created the earth, fire, rain, wind and all the elements. You have created us to rule over the “works of Your hands; You have put all things under our feet.” (Psalm 8:3-8). We submit to Your authority as we rule under Your command.

We speak to the fires burning in Australia and command them to retreat and fizzle out in Jesus name. We speak to the wind to blow out the fires. We speak to the rain to be released from the heavens over Australia to break the drought and put out the fires.

We declare the gates of hell shall not prevail over the church of Yahweh in Australia or against our Christian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. (Mt 16:17-19)

We decree “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)

We declare the only fires to burn in Australia will be the fire of the Holy Spirit to bring revival to this nation. We declare your tongues of fire fall upon your people and give us courage to take Your word to a generation that needs good news. We decree a sound will come from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind to stir up our nation to worship God. We decree the refreshing rain of the Holy Spirit to fall all over Australia. (Acts 2:2-4)

We declare that God is a God of restoration and His plan includes the earth and all its creatures. We decree emotional and physical healing to all those affected by the fires and drought. We decree restoration and new growth to all fire-damaged and drought-ravaged areas and healing of the land. We declare “the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Ro 8:20-21) We acknowledge God’s covenant is with man and all living creatures not to destroy them by flood and the rainbow is the sign of this covenant. (Gen 9:8-17)

Continued Prayer

Of course, we need to continue to pray protection and strength for the firefighters, comfort and restoration for the fire victims, wisdom for Prime Minister Scott Morrison and those at all levels of decision-making at federal, state and local level including the church and non-government agencies. We need to pray that blame shifting will not occur and for favour for Scott Morrison.

In conclusion, I will add the contribution Norman and I made to the prayer and fasting for rain in Oct 2019 led by Ps Warwick Marsh and others of the Canberra Declaration and National Day of Prayer and Fasting. I add this because I believe we are seeing with these bushfires and drought a shaking in our nation so that we put our attention to eternity and things of God. It is an opportunity to reorder our priorities. Haggai 2:6-9

6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place, I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Prayer & Fasting for RAIN, October 2019, Reflection REPENTENCE and RENEWAL for Australia by Ps Norman & Barbara Miller

Scripture

Haggai 1: 8-11 – “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured,” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.What you brought home; I blewaway. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labour of your hands.”

Reflection

The Lord is saying here to the people of Judah that work on rebuilding the temple after they came back from captivity in Babylon to their home Jerusalem had halted because they were too busy building their own luxurious homes. This was a rebuke. Also, there had been opposition to the rebuilding from their enemies and they had let this deter them. We need to stand firm in the face of anti-Christian forces that have been gathering momentum in our nation. Because the people didn’t put the Lord’s house first, they were experiencing drought which affected their crops and livestock. The Lord had also caused them to have holes in their pockets so they had no money when they needed it. We need to get our priorities right. As the gospel says, put God’s kingdom first and all these things will be added to us.

The Lord describes Himself in Haggai as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and says He will shake the heavens and earth, the sea and the dry land. He will shake all nations and fill this house with His glory. He is shaking Australia with this drought so we would turn to Him and this month of prayer and fasting shows that it’s working. But we need to do more than pray. We need to build the Lord’s house. As we complete the foundation of the Lord’s house, He will start to bless us again. We will notice a shift in the heavenlies over our nation.

Prayer

Lord we repent and humbly pray for forgiveness that we have not put You first. We repent and ask forgiveness that we have not put building your house first which includes building up your people who are the living temple You dwell in. We ask that You would help us not to be selfish and self-centred. We want to honour You Lord and we want You to take pleasure in our houses of worship and our hearts of worship. We acknowledge that You are the Lord of the universe; that You are the one that provides the rain to water our earth so crops, livestock and ourselves can flourish. We ask that in Your mercy You would send the rain. We pray for physical rain and the spiritual rain of revival to flow through our nation.

We thank You Lord for past revivals and we pray that the latter rain would be even greater than the former rain, that You would bless the work of our hands, especially the farmers on the land, and give us peace. We thank you for renewal of our land and renewal of our faith.

PDF Version: PRAYING FOR THE BUSHFIRES

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WORD FOR AUSTRALIA 2020 – CRISIS, CROSSROADS, CHOICE

JOIN US FOR AUSTRALIA DAY PRAYER CANBERRA 25-27 JAN 20

BY Ps Barbara Miller 8.1.2020

2020 will be a turning point for Australia in a number of ways. It is a time to turn away from distractions, to turn away from sin and turn to God. We are at the point of a national crisis because of the bushfires and drought.

But crisis brings opportunity to turn away from things that are not working. To turn away from what displeases God. To turn away from old paths that are leading nowhere. And to turn to the path of righteousness. To turn to a place of intimacy with God.

We are at a crossroads as a nation. We have a choice whether to take a path that leads to death or a path that leads to life. Many are in the valley of decision. We need to pray for them but also to take them by the hand and lead them to Him.

Australia is on the verge of a revival. Eternity will be on the minds of many but they are wandering in the dark not knowing how to grasp eternal life. We need to give them keys. The love of the church at the time of the nation’s greatest need is one key. This is done through practical help and sharing our testimonies.

There are tests ahead for the church in 2020. The church in Australia has been divided on moral issues e.g. same sex marriage, transgender issues, abortion and euthanasia. Some leaders have chosen society’s values over Biblical values. Others have kept Biblical values but been judgemental. We need to speak the truth in love.

This is a call for unity of the church and a return to Biblical values. 2020 is a time for the church to show more moral leadership to the nation and to rise to its calling to be salt and light and not hide its light under a bushel.

Declare and pray into this word and the following scriptures.

Joel 2:13
And rend your heart and not your garments ” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil.

Zechariah 1:3
“Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.

Song of Solomon 2:10 ESV
My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,

Jeremiah 6:16 NIV
16 This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NIV
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

Joel 3:14 KJV
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Psalm 85:6 NIV
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?

1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Ephesians 4:15 NIV
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Psalm 133:1 NIV
A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

John 13:35 NIV
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matthew 5:15-16 NIV
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

PDF: Word for 2020 by B Miller 8.1.20

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25-27 Jan 2020 Australia day prayer Newsletter


25-27 Jan 2020
Australia day prayer

Prayer & Worship conference, Canberra

Start the year with prayer for our nation from its capital. Receive a fresh touch from the Lord. Flow in the prophetic, make apostolic decrees, hear from God His will for our nation & ourselves and re-consecrate ourselves afresh. The theme is from Isaiah 9:1-7, the Galilee of the Nations looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom & the restoration of all things. Also, a focus on revival and the end-time harvest of souls. The government of Israel & the nations is on the shoulders of Jesus (Yeshua). Enthrone the King of Kings in worship and prayer and stand in awe of His holiness.

Following on from the anointed 2-day prayer for Australia day in Canberra in 2019, Ps Norman and Barbara Miller of the Tabernacle of David Cairns and Centre for International Reconciliation and Peace are partnering with Ps Irwin Ross and Glen Sebasio of Tabernacle of David Canberra with a 3-day prayer and worship event in Canberra in 2020. Tabernacle of David Canberra is under the covering of Tabernacle of David Cairns and is a thriving congregation moving in the apostolic and prophetic with a heart for worship and prayer and a heart for Israel. It is placed strategically in the capital of Australia.

Photos – left is the flyer from last year because Barbara saw the Lion of Judah dancing on top of Parliament House and right is from our 2012 conference in Canberra with Hazel presenting the bowl with the prayers of the saints to the Lord as in Rev 5:8.

WHERE – GRACE CANBERRA CHURCH, SWANSON PLAZA, 11-17 SWANSON CT, BELCONNEN, ACT (Entrance on park side next to ACT Shopfront)

WHEN – Sat 9.30am-3pm & 7-10pm, Sun 1-4pm & 7-10pm Mon 9.30am-3pm

REGISTRATION – $50 each, $95 couple. Rego form on website www.reconciliationandpeace.org, Ph 0466076020 or register on eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/australia-day-prayer-conference-25-27-jan-2020-tickets-87859575355
Registration desk open 9am Sat 25

STAY UP TO DATE WITH FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/cfirpTOD/        

 

We have held conferences in Parliament House Canberra in 2004, 2010, 2011 and 2012 based on Psalm 24:7 Welcoming the King of Glory. Here, 24 elders are kneeling before the throne of God in 2012 as a prophetic act re Rev 4:10.
Ps Norman prophesying over the dancers from Asia, Parliament House Canberra 2012
Singers from PNG at the conference in Parliament House hosted by Ps Norman and Barbara Miller in 2012.

Since the Australia Day Prayer in Canberra in 2019, Ps Norman and Barbara Miller have been leading a shadow spiritual government for Australia, also called the GAP Network or Gathering Apostolic Prophetic Network based on Ezekiel 22.30 and Isaiah 9:6-7. As part of this, we anointed the new Christian Prime Minister of Australia into his role when it looked hopeless that he would be elected. We know many others prayed as well. To God be the glory. If you want to know more about this, contact us.

 

Download as PDF:

Australia Day Prayer 2020 Venue Update

Newsletter Link:

https://mailchi.mp/85eb014acce0/australia-day-prayer-2511173

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Updated 2/1/2020 – Australia Day Prayer 2020

25-27 JAN 2020 

Click image to Download Flyer

Event Details

At Grace Canberra Church
Hosted by Tabernacle of David Cairns and Canberra fellowships

Where: Swanson Plaza, 11-17 Swanson Ct, Belconnen ACT
When: Sat 9.30am-3pm & 7-10pm, Sun 1- 4pm & 7-10pm, Mon 9.30am-3pm

Registrations:  $50ea & $95 couple
Download Registration Form 
(Printable form to scan/photograph & send via email if possible because time is running out! Form includes Bank Transfer details.)

E-mail:    cfirp@bigpond.com

Phone: 0466076020

Accommodation is available at the Canberra House of Prayer – https://www.c-hop.org.au/

Prayer & Worship conference, Canberra

Start the year with prayer for our nation from its capital. Receive a fresh touch from the Lord. Flow in the prophetic, make apostolic decrees, hear from God His will for our nation & ourselves and re-consecrate ourselves afresh. The theme is from Isaiah 9:1-7, the Galilee of the Nations looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom & the restoration of all things. Also, a focus on revival and the end-time harvest of souls. The government of Israel & the nations is on the shoulders of Jesus (Yeshua). Enthrone the King of Kings in worship and prayer and stand in awe of His holiness.

PS NORMAN & BARBARA MILLER
Apostolic-Prophetic team ministering to Israel & the nations, TOD, CFIRP & Walkabout Zion Ministries

 

 

 

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