Praising the One Who Calms Cyclone Alfred
Last Monday night, the Canberra Declaration held a thanksgiving online Zoom prayer meeting for answered prayers for Cyclone Alfred. And what a fantastic night it was!
The Canberra Declaration is made up of people with many different backgrounds from all over Australia. We rub shoulders with brothers and sisters across this vast land. It makes the Canberra Declaration a special place to be.
On Monday night, we heard from several people who live in the areas that Cyclone Alfred impacted. Commissioner James Condon, founder of Australia Prays, revealed that there was much anxiety among those in their church and local community on the Sunshine Coast.
James revealed that while there was wind in his area, there was no damage. This “was amazing considering the forecast”, he said. “Tonight, I want to give thanks to God for His answer to prayer.”
Watch the Zoom recording below, which includes testimonies from those who live in the affected areas of Queensland and NSW!
Damage from Cyclone Alfred Far Less Than Predicted
While the tropical low storm that struck the mainland caused damage, the outcome was far, far less severe than anticipated. Read a report of answered prayer to Cyclone Alfred on The Daily Declaration here!
Cyclone Alfred was predicted to hit the coast as a category 2 cyclone. This was one category higher in severity than Cyclone Wanda (category 1), which caused massive damage, destroying 8,000 homes. Cyclone Wanda resulted in terrible flooding, leaving 16 dead in the ensuing 1974 floods.
When the call for prayer went out from Australia Prays and the Canberra Declaration on Wednesday, 5 March, it was on that very day that Cyclone Alfred changed.
Cyclone Alfred “stalled in its movement overnight” and was tracking “slower than initially anticipated”, as the BOM put it. It backtracked and looped around itself – twice – before stalling again and finally crossing the mainland on Saturday night. But when it did, it did so as a tropical low, not as a cyclone.
One local Queensland man remarked, “By a miracle, we dodged a bullet!”
In Lismore, NSW, a town devastated by the floods in 2022, many were very concerned and anxious about a repeat of the destruction three years ago.
As Vincent Bowyer shared last night,
“You could feel the horror, the stress [from people].”
“But I couldn’t help but reminisce about Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm. Jesus is fast asleep because He is so in trust with the Lord. That was our focus in Lismore for prayer, to bring that peace.”
“And it was amazing. You could see the change [in people]. It was a real miracle. There were so many small miracles.”
The river in Lismore rose to threatening levels – but never tipped over the levees. Flood waters never crossed into the Lismore CBD. This is an incredible answer to prayer!
The One Who Calmed the Storm
Jesus’ disciple Matthew, a tax collector, remembered a time when Jesus stopped a storm. In Matthew 8:23–27, we read that,
“Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves.”
“But Jesus kept sleeping. So the disciples came and woke him up, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to die!’”
“He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Thank You for Your Prayers – But Let’s Keep Praying
Repeated testimonies from last night recorded how, instead of worry and anxiety, so many had great calm. To God be the glory!
Thank you to everyone who prayed for the Cyclone Alfred situation. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God heard our prayers!
On Christmas Eve in 1974, Cyclone Tracey hit Darwin with tremendous ferocity. Indigenous music minister and preacher Robyn Beezley, who lives in the Tweed in northern NSW, features toward the end of the above video. She tells her inspiring story of miraculously surviving Cyclone Tracey after her dad commanded the roof of their house to come back down!
Sadly, Robyn lost her beloved husband, Anthony Beezley, through a long-standing sickness last Wednesday. Robyn’s daughter has organised a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs for her husband and to help with her depleted resources. Robyn is a longtime friend of the Canberra Declaration. You can give here.
Let us also keep praying for those who did face damage and for the family of the man who drowned near Dorrigo, NSW. While the Cyclone was far less severe than predicted, the cleanup and repairs for many people will continue for some time.
Yours for praising the One who calms the storm,
Samuel Hartwich & Warwick Marsh
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Thanks Warwick and Samuel for this article and giving us a platform to share our testimonies and to give praise to God for all His protection and blessings He gave us through this storm.
I too noticed that the cyclone had changed dramatically after our prayer time on Wednesday. It slowed right down, started to weaken and behave in a very confused manner! 😵💫🥴🌀 Circling back on itself twice, going around in circles, stalling, hesitating and unsure of what to do and where to go. There was confusion in the enemies camp! 😂 Cyclones do have personalities. My daughter put it well. She said it acted like a lost drunk! 🤣
Another amazing thing was about the timing of when it crossed land. It was headed straight for me (North of Brisbane) by the way, but it waited until the Church and State Conference finished by late Saturday night. This storm was first predicted to cross Wednesday, then Thursday, then Friday, then Saturday morning, then Saturday afternoon but because of Church and State, I reckon it waited politely and honourably or was prevented until the conference had just finished and then came over as a tropical low at 9pm Saturday night.
I’m glad the Church and State conference went ahead and did not cancel. I believe God honoured them for their bold faith. God bless you Ps David Pellowe and team.
Even though there was some destruction, I believe many more lives and homes were saved than what could have happened because of the prayers and God’s intervention. I too had declared that we had just “dodged a bullet” before I heard others saying the same thing. Also families and neighbours came together. People rallied together to help each other. Many got the rain they needed etc. ☔🌈I’m sure many called out to God for help. May we along with all those who cried out to God for help, remember to thank Him for answering our requests in His perfect way and perfect timing. All glory to God!