1. Even facing the very unclear results from the Israeli elections, we still must praise our great and awesome God.

    • "Unto You, God, do we give thanks...for Your name is near - this Your wondrous works declare. When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. I said unto fools, deal not foolishly, and to the wicked...lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another. For in the hand of LORD [YHWH] there is a cup; the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He pours out of the same, but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall... drink them. But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted."

      (Psalms 75:1-10)

  2. We prayed for encouragement for intercessors and all others who watch over Israel.

    • We trust You and Your sovereignty.

      "LORD reigns..." (Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1)

    • We thank You that in Israel there are free, democratic elections.
    • Although the new government coalition is not yet clear, we bless You that the majority of Israelis voted to move this nation closer to Your ultimate goal for Israel.

    • "LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power..."

      (Psalms 110:2-3)
    • Abba, show us what You were saying through the winter storm over this nation on election day. "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word:" (Psalms 148:8)
    • Enable us by faith to pray in line with Your will and word and not be discouraged by what we see with our eyes. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

  3. According to this weeks' election results, it seems almost impossible for Israel to come out of this with a stable enough government that can deal with all of the urgent issues facing her - water, security, Iran, the "land-for-peace" process, the religious-secular division in this land, the global economic crisis, etc. Yet we have a God who rules over all.

    • Abba, we need a miracle. We need a stable government to come out of this political chaos.
    • Give us a government through whom You can glorify Yourself.

      "Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the gentiles where you went. And I will sanctify My great name...and the gentiles shall know that I am LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes."

      (Ezekiel 36:22-23)
    • As per this week's Torah portion, raise up righteous elders to rule over this nation.

      "Moreover [Moses] you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over [the people]...Let them judge the people at all seasons..."

      (Exodus 18:21-22b)
    • Lord, anoint Likud's Ya'acov Ne'eman to deal wisely in all coalition negotiations.
    • Hedge in both Kadima and Liberman's Yisrael Beitanu parties from any and all political manipulation in coming to a coalition agreement with Likud.
    • If Kadima and Labor are to sit in the opposition - do not allow them to be anywhere else.

    • "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."

      (Proverbs 14:34)

  4. Next week, after the official count is in, Israel's current president, Shimon "there-is-a new-Middle-East" Peres, will meet with all the parties who will be represented in the new government and ask them who they want as Prime Minister. Since more are expected to support Netanyahu than Tzipi Livini, chances are he will get the opportunity to form a new government - although Livni's Kadima won one more mandate than Netanyahu's Likud. Yet Peres' will need to make that decision - and politically, he leans much more to Kadima than to Likud. The battle for a righteous government to come to birth is far from over.

    • Lord, hedge in Peres that he obeys the law of the land and not his own preferences.

      "A man's heart devises his way: but LORD directs his steps."

      (Proverbs 16:9)
    • We ask specifically that he ask Bibi Netanyahu to form the next government.
    • Move on the political party representatives to recommend the candidate for PM who is closer in line with Your will.

      "There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of LORD, that shall stand."

      (Proverbs 19:21)

  5. Israel's current PM - in a transitional government - is Ehud Olmert. Labor's Ehud Barak and Kadima's Tizipi Livni are still in power as well.

    • God, please hedge in this transitional government from doing anything that will place Israel's next government in a compromised situation.
    • Do not allow them to commit Israel to any dangerous agreements - as with Hamas in Gaza.
    • Shackle and silence them from any and all anti-God moves.

      "The king's heart is in the hand of LORD. As the rivers of water, He turns it wherever He will."

      (Proverbs 21:1)

    • We are asking for a physical manifestation of the spiritual truth found in this Shabbat's prophetic portion:

      "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder...Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of LORD of hosts will perform this."

      (Isaiah 9:6-7)

  6. Although Israel received a good drenching rain on Election Day, the water situation is still super-critical.

    • Thank You for all of the rain, hail and snow You showered this nation with on Election Day.

    • "Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? Or have you seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"

      (Job 38:22-23)
    • Lord, we ask for more rain and snow in the right places and the right amounts.
    • Please replenish the Kinneret - the Sea of Galilee - and all of Israel's underground aquifers.

      "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries."

      (Psalms 135:7)
    • Give Israelis - both individuals and government leaders - real wisdom on how to use, and not abuse, the precious gift of water.

    • "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness [a variety of trees]...That they may see, and know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it."

      (Isaiah 41:18-20)

  7. God has also promised spiritual water - His Spirit being poured out on this nation resulting in all Israel being saved (Roman 11:26a).

    • "Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. Thus says LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb, and will help you. Fear not...For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My spirit upon your seed, My blessing upon your offspring...One shall say, I am LORD's, another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel."

      (Isaiah 44:1-5)
    • Abba, You told us to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4). We ask for their salvation. Open the eyes of many to see Your Son, their Messiah and Lord of all.
    • Rasie up godly men and women to rule in this nation.

      "And his leader shall be from him, and his ruler shall come from among him. And I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me. For who is he who pledged his heart to come near to Me, says LORD?"

      (Jeremiah 30:21 - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)
    • Lord, protect and save Benjamin Netanyahu and his whole family.
    • Cause Netanyahu, in this crisis, to cry out to You for help.

      "Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

      (Psalms 50:15)
    • Give Israel leaders who are not ashamed of Your Word and are willing to use it - privately and publicly, locally and on the international scene.
    • Help the Israeli Messianic Body be all You want us to be in these days and enable us to truly love one another.

      "A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you...By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another."

      (John 13:34-35)

  8. We ended by praying into the ever increasingly dangerous threat from Iran.

    • God, arise and intervene - for Your Holy name's sake (Psalms 115:1-3).
    • Confound all the plans of Iran to build a nuclear weapon.

    • "Keep not silence, O God. Hold not Your peace, and be not still, O God. For, behold, Your enemies make a noise. They that hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people...They have said, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against You."

      (Psalms 83:1-5)

    • "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for You have struck all my enemies upon the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs unto LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah."

      (Psalms 3:6-8)

    • "You are my King, O God. Command deliverances for Jacob. Through You we will push down our enemies: through Your name will we tread them under that rise up against us. Yet I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and put them to shame that hated us."

      (Psalms 44:4-7)
    • From this weeks' prophetic portion, over any of Iran's plans against Israel, we declare, "Thus says the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass." (Isaiah 7:7) Amen!

We thank you for your continued commitment to stand with God's will for this nation.

Shabbat shalom
The IFI Team

"I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off,
and My salvation shall not tarry:
and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory."

(Isaiah 46:13)