Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Having been involved in the Washington for Jesus Rally in the US in 1980, it inspired us to do something similar in Australia.

As a result, we joined others in the National Gathering of 1988 in Canberra, when our PM at the time, Bob Hawke, was reluctant to open the New Parliament House with prayer.

The March section that was to later join the Return Rally near the Washington Monument in the distance.

Forty years later, in Washington DC last Saturday, the Return Rally as well as Franklin Graham BGEA Prayer March was attended by tens of thousands and watched by millions.

On the same date, it was great to see a new dimension in Australia, with the Indigenous National Solemn Assembly with several thousand joined together via Zoom.

Indigenous people from all over Australia came together in a truly remarkable event facilitated by the National Day of Prayer and Fasting team and the National Council of Churches, with Indigenous Pastor Peter Walker and other pastors, such as Pastor Tim Edwards, Rob Knight, Norman Miller, Robyn (Green) and her husband Anthony Beazley, Rodney Anderson George, Will Dumas and Rodney Rivers.

One of their major concerns was the alarming rate of suicide, particularly among younger people. Tragically, one of the prayer warriors lost her son-in-law just days before the Assembly began. Suicide is now the highest cause of death among young Australians.

It is interesting that the fear of the spirit of death was the reason preventing the Hindu Buddhists from settling in Australia. Two other major groups were coming south as well, including the Muslims who feared the spirit of the Antichrist, whom they called Dedjdal. The other group were the Chinese, who feared a kingdom of women! ( A History of Australia, C.M.H. Clark Vol 1 pages 5-9 MUP)

Pastor Peter Walker spoke about the swallow mentioned in Psalm 84:3, which is a migratory bird, noting the difference to the sparrow also mentioned in the same verse. It is also interesting that on the previous page 4 of the book by Manning Clark just mentioned, there were at least three major migrations prior to the Aborigines: that of the Negritos, Carpentarians and Murrayians.

Let’s not kid ourselves that the present migration won’t be the last one, as we learn from history about the rise and fall of nations.

Among the many touching moments during the weekend, I found the Indigenous woman from Western Australia praying with her children kneeling to the ground laying their hands on the dusty earth pleading for the healing of the land, a truly sacred moment.

To quote Ps Peter Walker, who found it hard to highlight the many cries of the Indigenous:

“We’re believing for a breakthrough in the nation. Already we hear testimonies of women who have been healed, and young Indigenous people coming to the Lord.”

I was impressed by the fervency of the prayers, especially from the “weeping women of the desert”, who could remember the wave of revival changing lives from the Elcho Island revival in the 70’s as it moved south into Arnhem Land in the Top End and beyond.

Dr Lynore Geia, a Torres Strait Islander woman born and raised on Palm Island, a nursing and midwifery academic, pleaded for renewal and the restoration of family.

It brought real joy to National Solemn Assembly participants, such as Dan Armstrong and John Blacket, who have longed to see the fruition of these prayers.

Certainly this time was a landmark in spiritual terms, as we shared Communion together many times, hoping for a breakthrough in the heavenly realm, the ripple becoming a wave, the wave turning into a tsunami!

The National Solemn Assembly has been recorded, with the Indigenous people sharing their dreams and aspirations for their families and country.

SOLEMN ASSEMBLY PRAYER
By Ps Peter Walker, NSW

1. Father, I bring repentance before You for the sins and transgressions of my forebears.
2. I repent for the sins of idolatry, sorcery, necromancy, fornication, adultery, magic, divination, occultism, witchcraft, bloodshed, slavery, sexual perversion, injustice, oppression of the poor and the helpless, rebellion and evil dedications. Father, forgive and cleanse us from these abominations through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
3. Father, I also repent for my direct or indirect participation and involvement in these sins. Forgive me, O Lord.
4. I receive a complete cleansing from all contaminations arising from these abominations, in Jesus’ Name.
5. Right now, I send the Blood of Jesus to visit my roots and foundations and dissolve all satanic covenants, tokens and pacts, oaths, allegiances, and agreements associated with them.
6. Lord, I repent of any broken covenants, and oaths I may have entered into knowingly, and unknowingly.
7. I render impotent and ineffective any covenants made on my behalf at any evil altar in Jesus’ Name.
8. We ask for forgiveness for not being the stewards of the land that He has called us to be and allowing defilement over the land.
9. Lord, thank You for Your great mercy that will avail for myself, my family members, and the nation through the Cross of Jesus Christ.

DECLARATION
By Ps Rob Knight WA

I declare and decree that the National Solemn Assembly will deliver its God-given mandate of uniting the Body of Christ to cause a reformation in Australia. This Godly reformation will start a move of God that will bring a shift in righteous God-given mountain-moving authority around the world.