Rejoice, My Beloved Country

November 1986

An abridged version of a message by Met Tan of INDONESIA (author of ‘Like a Mighty Wind”)

I want to share with you a message that God has put into my heart for South Africa. This is a country that God has a plan for. I believe that out of the Southern tip of the dark continent of Africa, a light is going to burst forth.

“I can understand your situation, because twenty years ago Indonesia was on the brink of disaster. The communists tried to take over our country. Praise God, four days before the communist take-over, the Holy Spirit spoke to us and told us to pray and fast and get on our knees and cry out to God. And we did!

“God totally saved our country from the bondage of communism and allowed Indonesia to go free with the preaching of the Gospel. And in the last twenty years over six million muslims have come to Jesus as their own personal Saviour!

“We in Indonesia chose to come to God, twenty years ago, and we saw God restore and heal our country in a marvellous way. It might look to you that this is a time of destruction and crisis, but let me remind you that this is your OPPORTUNITY as a nation to come to God so that you can see God turn the whole situation and destroy the schemes of the enemy.

“Indonesia is a country with 13 677 islands and 600 distinct tribal groups and we are just as varied as you are... the motto of our country is: Unity is Diversity! Maybe you can borrow from us this attitude.

‘THERE IS A COVENANT THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD. He intends to heal this nation. He intends to change the chaotic situation that the enemy and human greed and sinfulness has brought upon this country. God wants to change that and let you experience the greatness of the grace of God.

I know the will of the Lord for South Africa, because He told me to tell you: “REJOICE. BELOVED COUNTRY.”

"You are the people of the Lord. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth. Christians in South Africa, this is your best time. This is the time to forgive, to laugh, to repent, to respect one another, to work together, to come to the Lord and to find healing, because God is on our side and He has a good plan for this great nation."

(The complete text of this message is available upon request).

God's Plan for South Africa

Brother Andrew, in his book, “Battle for Africa”, says in his chapter. “One Nation Could Save All of Africa”:

“I believe that God has a special interest in the survival of the South African nation . . . I believe in a concept which might be called “regional evangelism.” God has given certain countries the primary responsibility for the evangelising of the region of the world which they occupy. . . a responsibility that emerges as history progresses. To whom much is given, much is expected . . . I believe that the evangelisation of Eastern Europe is the special responsibility of Western Europe. The United States is responsible for Central and South America. The burden of reaching Asia falls to Australia and New Zeland. And the continent of Africa is the special spiritual resp of South Africa.

“Why? Because South Africa has the tools to reach the entire continent. It has the money, technology, a large number of committed Christians, the freedom and political stability. It has everything needed to evangelise the Continent of Africa, to equip Black Africans in other countries to participate in that process, and to get the job done all the way from the Sahara Desert to the Cape of Good Hope. And I further believe that God will intervene in the course of history to preserve South Africa, if her people will accept her responsibility to evangelise the rest of the continent.”

“The South African Church is one of tremendous devotion to Christ. It has the spiritual muscle and the financial resources to reach Black Africa . . . I believe Satan is aware that South Africa has this potential, and consequently works hard to isolate South Africa from the rest of the world. It has been singled out for boycott. embarrassment and criticism, particularly, I believe, because Satan wants to isolate South Africa to prevent it from fulfilling its divine commission.”