Surrender and renewal at Fire25
The Fire Fell!
After months of preparation and prayer, it was with great anticipation that the CfaN team headed to Friedrichshafen for this year’s Fire25 conference. The last time we had the joy of fellowshipping with our European partners like this was before COVID! Before the doors opened, there was already a sense of excitement for what God would do – and from the start of the first session, it was obvious that people had come with tremendous hunger for a move of God.
What happened over the three days of Fire25 will stay with everyone who was there – such a rich, deep, unforgettable experience, drenched in the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. To be there in person was like getting a tiny taste of heaven! That’s an experience we want to share with all our partners. So, as you read this report today, look out for the QR codes – each code takes you to that session of the conference. It’s our prayer that you, too, will feel the presence of the Lord, and be ministered to deeply.
Thursday
From glory to glory
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda opened the conference with a rousing message, sharing CfaN’s vision and stirring hearts. He shared how Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke had a dream years ago that the streets of Europe would be filled with young evangelists preaching the Gospel – and how we are seeing that vision being fulfilled right now. “I think that revival breaking out in the streets of Germany, as Reinhard saw in his dream, is connected to the generation of Holy Spirit evangelists that is rising. God is pouring out His Spirit on a whole new generation. I believe that, in the days to come, we will see thousands of Reinhard Bonnkes,” he said. “Nothing diminishes with God. We go from glory to glory to glory. And that is why we are here. I believe that this place (Germany) where God has begun such wonderful things is the ground from which will sprout the fulfillment of these wonderful dreams.”
In Session Two, Jean-Luc Trachsel preached with passion, calling for total surrender to Jesus. By the time he ended his message, it seemed like most of the crowd were at the front, eager to receive from the Lord.
Friday
At the feet of Jesus
The first session on Friday set the tone for the rest of the conference. Through the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, Eric Gilmour exhorted the crowd to prioritize the love of Jesus above all else. “When you put Him first above everything and lie down at His feet, He heals you again and again.” With the Nations Worship team leading, the atmosphere became thick and heavy with the presence of the Lord.
Evangelist Lukas Repert took the stage next, and what he shared from the heart had the whole room shouting with praise. He shared his personal testimony with fiery honesty, how God saved him, a lost and angry drug-using teenager. “In your own strength, it’s impossible to flee your darkness,” he preached. “If you want to escape your shadow, turn into the light!”
People came longing for revival. In Session 5, Claudio Freidzon – a veteran of revival in South America – preached about our need for the Holy Spirit. At the end of that session, people streamed forward, hands outstretched, as Claudio proclaimed, “More, more, more of you, Lord! I don’t just want to see your glory – I want your glory to be poured out on me!”
Friday night closed with Andres Bisonni, who brought a challenging word from the Lord about repentance, laying the groundwork for the work of the Holy Spirit. You could feel the expectation in the room. As he prayed at the end of his message, and the worship team sang, the sounds of prayers and weeping began to rise in the room. Many people were unable to stand in the presence of the Lord.
Since a car accident a year ago, he could not hold his arm up and had severe pain in his shoulder. He was supposed to start more physiotherapy in two weeks, but Jesus healed him completely! He kept saying, “This is impossible!” But nothing is impossible for Jesus!
Saturday
My soul thirsts for you, God!
The final day of the conference started with a message from Russell Benson, CfaN’s Vice President. As he preached about being hungry and thirsty for God, a great cry went up from the crowd. People shouted out to God, desperate for more, more, more of the Holy Spirit. Even as Russell was still preaching, people began to run from all over the hall to the front.
The Holy Spirit changed the schedule!
There was supposed to be a coffee break between sessions 7 and 8, but no one wanted to leave the hall. A Holy Spirit hush filled the room as worship continued, and people prayed and ministered to one another. In that holy atmosphere, Andres Bisonni returned to the stage for his second session, where he intended to teach for an hour. But that was not to be. 15 minutes into his message, Andres preached, “It’s a life of repentance, a life of holiness, that’s what He desires from you – a life of surrender, a life of humility IF you want His presence. If you want to live in a drought, you can have that, but I do not want it. I don’t want it.” At that moment, he had to stop preaching, because people were running to the front.
The Fire Tunnel
One of the most special moments of the conference was the Fire Tunnel. After Claudio Freidzon preached in session 9, all the speakers and a small army of CfaN team members, trainees and graduates created a Fire Tunnel – a corridor of prayer and blessing. Every person in the hall was given the opportunity to walk through the Fire Tunnel, receiving prayer and impartation blessings. Some felt such a mighty touch of God, they were unable to continue and had to be carried out of the tunnel. Later, many people shared testimonies of hearing from the Lord, feeling His presence, receiving healing and deliverance.
Gospel Night
The final session of Fire25 was different. Earlier in the conference, delegates were given free tickets for the Saturday night session and encouraged to invite someone who did not know Jesus. Evangelist Daniel Kolenda was going to preach a Gospel message and pray for the sick. When the time came to start, the hall was packed.
Nations Worship led us in worship for the last time at Fire25 and expectation was sky-high for God to move. When Daniel gave the altar call, many people came forward to give their lives to Jesus. And then he prayed for the sick. Just as happens in Gospel Campaigns in Africa, Jesus healed the sick and delivered those in bondage. What a triumphant and joyful end to three wonderful days!
Isabella suffered from severe allergies all her life and could not breathe through her nose. When she heard a word of knowledge from stage about nasal allergies, she reached out in face. “I felt a cold breeze blow through my nose and now I can breathe freely!”
For 20 years, Olea suffered with pain and tension in her left shoulder. At the conference, the Lord revealed a spiritual cause for her pain. She repented, received her healing instantly and shared her testimony publicly the next night.
