Введение

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Деяния 1:8)

The promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, poured out at Pentecost as recorded in the book of Acts, is still powerfully at work in the Church today. The Spirit of God continues to strengthen believers, deepen our knowledge of God and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ as He advances His Kingdom in our communities and beyond.

Just before Pentecost Sunday 1861, the Strooidak Church observed ten days of prayer, similar to the early Church in Jerusalem. On Pentecost afternoon, during Rev. Van der Lingen’s prayer, a powerful manifestation of God’s presence sparked a revival across the Southern and Western Cape, South Africa. The practice of ten days of prayer spread widely. Today, these days remain a blessing, calling believers to renewed prayer, revival and fresh encounters with the Holy Spirit.

5 Manifestations of revival in recent times (extracted from the book Revival We have not seen anything like this by Bennie Mostert)

1. Personal holiness and transformed lifestyles
Lifestyles changed, not only for new believers. People began to live holy lives.

2. Restoration of families and biblical order
Family relationships were restored. Husbands took their roles as fathers seriously, and the biblical order in families was reinstated.

3. Reconciliation across divides
People from different races were reconciled and began to worship and pray together, accepting one another in love.

4. Integrity in business and work
Businessmen stopped unlawful practices and conducted their business with honesty and sincerity. Working conditions and the quality of work improved.

5. Moral and social transformation
Juvenile crime and sexual immorality diminished, as did drinking and cursing. Slowly, prisons emptied, criminals were converted and old debts were paid.

Consider the following in preparing for the 10-day “Power from Above” initiative:

• Encourage other believers around you to form small prayer groups with friends and meet regularly to pray earnestly for revival.
• Invite pastors to call a ‘United Prayer Service’ on Pentecost Sunday, bringing together the wider community in prayer.
• Organise a ‘United Prayer Breakfast’ on the final Saturday before Pentecost Sunday, with a focus on teaching and sharing testimonies about revival.