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The Canberra Declaration urgently calls for 24 hours of prayer today (Wednesday, 5 March). Tropical Cyclone Alfred is anticipated to cross the SE Queensland coast early on Friday morning.

Alfred could cause incredible damage to the area and loss of life. 400mm of rain is expected to dump down on Friday alone onto an area where four million Australians live, causing immense flooding. It is the first time a cyclone with this intensity will impact the area in 50 years.

Watch below as I (Warwick) issue this urgent call for prayer!

If the cyclone continues in its present trajectory, the current prediction is that Alfred will hit land near Brisbane around 8 a.m. on Friday, March 7 (see the BOM map below).

Predicted Cyclone Alfred Trajectory. Credit: Bureau of Meteorology

Coming Before the God of Creation

The situation is sombre. But we come before the God of all creation, who is able to still “the storm to a whisper, and [to hush] the waves of the sea” (Psalm 107:29).

As first issued by our friends at Australia Prays, we urgently ask everyone to intentionally set aside today to pray for this situation.

Our prayer request is to ask God for “the storm to be calmed and the waves to grow silent.” While it is a fallen world (Genesis 3:17–19), God’s primary and original intention for this earth is for life to flourish (Genesis 1:27–28).

Therefore, let us pray that God’s mercy prevails and that the One who holds authority over the wind and waves calms the storm (Matthew 8:23–27).

I (Warwick) had a similar experience of God’s intervention with a cyclone in Christmas 1990. Cyclone Joy – which was category 4, similar to Cyclone Tracey — was headed straight for Cairns. If it had hit, hundreds would have died, and Cairns would have been destroyed. Our musical family was preaching the Gospel in Cairns. We prayed publicly with Cairns church leaders. The nation prayed. God did a miracle, and Cyclone Joy was diverted. Soli Dio Gloria!

Let us also pray for all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2), including our government leaders, disaster management teams, emergency services, and charities. May everyone who will be at the forefront of managing this situation be given the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from above that they need.

Church and State Conference in Brisbane

The National Church and State Conference is scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Warwick Marsh, Kurt Mahlburg, and Kym Farnik will all travel to Brisbane for this crucial nationwide and nation-building event. We ask that you pray for God’s provision and protection for all involved.

After much consideration, Dave Pellowe – the founder of Church and State – and his team of organisers have decided to proceed with the conference. He wrote,

There is very clearly a spiritual attack being waged on this conference on many fronts, many more than ugly clouds. That the loser, Satan, has been so concerned for so many weeks already is a great sign that not an inch can be conceded, but there is significant ground to be gained.

Let’s… do war against this cyclone and all the schemes being raised against us. They shall be scattered and come to naught. This is a critical hour with many points converging crucially to a place we cannot concede, globally, nationally, locally and spiritually. Lock shields! Charge!

Special Zoom Prayer Call

Tonight, at our regular time of 8 PM AEDT, the Canberra Declaration will hold a Zoom prayer meeting to pray for this critical situation. Please join us as we unite to pray for our country at this critical time.

INVITE: Urgent Call to Prayer for Cyclone Alfred

DATE: Wednesday, 5 March 2025

TIME: 8 PM (AEDT), 7:30 PM (SA), 7 PM (QLD), 6:30 PM (NT), 5 PM (WA)

LINK: zoom.us/j/776881184

Please join us and invite as many people and churches as possible to participate in 24 hours of prayer today, called by Australia Prays, and the Canberra Declaration prayer call on Zoom tonight.

May the Australian Church unify and seek God’s face and His intentions for His Church and the Australian people at this time.

Yours for praying in faith,

Samuel Hartwich & Warwick Marsh