1. This week's Torah portion contains the foundational verse for all of Scripture, a verse that is wonderful to base our praise upon:

    • In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

      Genesis 1:1

    • We bless You God that we serve an all powerful, all-knowing Creator.

    • Because You have created, we know that nothing takes You by surprise.

    • Hallelujah, that there are no emergencies in heaven.

  2. The UN Human Rights Council will most likely endorse the Goldstone Report today, accusing Israel of war crimes in last winter's Operation Cast Lead against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. It would then be sent on to more powerful UN bodies for further action against Israel - including a possibility of bringing her before the International Criminal Court in the Hague. If any or all of this happens, it will be a major defeat in the war against terrorism - telling them that if they hide behind civilians, they will be protected by international consent. It will also be a message to Israel that she is not allowed to protect herself against terrorism.

    • Lord, You see that the world is trying to delegitimatize Israel. Yet You have created her for Your glory (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, arise and defend Your nation.

    • We proclaim: LORD [YHWH] brings the counsel of the nations to nothing: He makes the thoughts of the people of none effect. The counsel of LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. (Psalms 33:10-11)

    • Give Israel's leaders courage and wisdom to continue to speak truth into this situation.

    • Thank You for the strong stance that many of our leaders - even President Shimon Peres - are taking against this very slanted report.

    • Protect Israel's leaders from all attacks - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

    • Use this situation to draw all Israel together in unity.

    • Lord Yeshua, raise up many voices in Your Body to take a righteous and public stance against the Goldstone Report.

    • Open up the eyes of the Body of Messiah to the worldwide attack on You and Your plans that this represents (Psalms 2:1-6).

    • Confound the Adversary's attempts to delegitimatize Israel through his earthly servants.

    • Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

      Psalms 55:9

      Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

      Psalms 129:5

  3. There has been no positive movement by the nations concerning the Iranian threat. We really do not expect any - but that makes the decisions Israel needs to take that much more dangerous. Again, we first asked God to move and prevent Iran from obtaining nukes.

    • LORD shall go forth as a mighty man. He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war. He shall cry, yes, roar. He shall prevail against His enemies.

      Isaiah 42:13

      Amen!

    • LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard...with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, tempest, and hailstones. For through the voice of LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.

      Isaiah 30:30-31

    • God, we thank You for shaking Iran - politically and spiritually.

    • Continue to save multitudes of Iranians and teach them how to pray into this situation.

    • We ask that You would shake her physically and swallow up all of her nuclear facilities.

      You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.

      Exodus 15:12

    • Use the overt pride of Iran's leadership against them.

      Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

      Proverbs 16:18

  4. If God does not move sovereignly against Iran, then He most likely will work through Israel to defeat this threat against His end time plans. So we turned our attention to Israel's preparation to attack Iran militarily.

    • Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

      Proverbs 20:18

      For by wise counsel shall you make war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety.

      Proverbs 24:6

    • Lord of hosts, give all Israel's leaders who need to make the decisions - wisdom, courage and the correct intelligence concerning both what to do and when to do it.

    • We specifically pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak, and Foreign Minister Lieberman to have clarity of mind on this issue.

    • Give the IDF's Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and his staff plans anointed from on high if an attack by Israel vs. Iran is needed.

      The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of LORD.

      Proverbs 21:31

    • Help her leaders understand that one of their main responsibilities is the protection of this nation and its' people.

    • Do not allow Israel to be limited by the response of the nations - but let her make decisions that are best for her protection.

    • If You are really wanting to use Israel to deal with the Iranian threat, remove all blockages from others nations against an Israeli attack.

    • Lord Yeshua, please raise up intercessors throughout Your Body who understand what is at stake here as well as understanding the signs of the times we are living it.

  5. There are signs that life is getting more dangerous for Israelis - especially outside of Israel. The world's view of Israel is causing a rise in anti-Semitism.

    • Lord, use this situation to wake up the one million Israelis who now reside outside of this nation - that now is the time to come home.

    • Father, protect Your children - in particular those who have not come into the fullness of knowing You through Messiah Yeshua.

    • Turn them unto You as the Psalmist prayed:

      Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Your strength, and come and save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause Your face to shine; and we shall be saved.

      Psalms 80:1-3

    • Reveal to international security forces all the plots against Your people - like You did in Turkey this past week.

    • We trust that You who keep Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalms 121:4)

  6. We prayed for aliyah - the return of the people of Israel to the land of Israel.

    • But now thus says LORD who created you, Jacob, He that formed you, Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name. You are mine. When thou pass through the waters, I will be with you...they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned...For I am LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior:...I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for your life. Fear not: for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him.

      Isaiah 43:1-7

    • We ask that You remove all stones of stumbling from the path of Your people (Isaiah 62:10) - whether the stones are inside or outside of Israel.

    • We prayed for specific groups to make aliyah: Holocaust survivors; ultra-Orthodox; young professionals; and Messianic Jews.

    • Lord, in countries where the Jews would like to come home - but cannot - release them: Iran, Syria, Ethiopia, Turkey and other Islamic nations.

    • Abba, do not allow the huge number of Jews still in the former Soviet Union to die there. Speak to the north and set them free from all fears to come home.

    • In fact, set all the Jewish people in exile free from whatever fears may be holding them back from returning to Eretz Yisrael - the land of Israel.

    • Break the deception of security and comfort from off the minds of the Jews in North America. Let them see the dangers that are closing in on them before it is too late.

    • Open the eyes of the Church to the importance of aliyah and let them rise up and help in this wonderful prophetic fulfillment of Your word (Isaiah 49:22).

    • Thank You for all the Jews whom You have brought home recently.

      LORD is building Jerusalem: He is gathering together the outcasts of Israel. He is healing the broken in heart, and binding up their wounds.

      Psalms 147:2-3

  7. Again, we interceded for Israel's very difficult water situation.

    • Lord, we need a wet winter and ask that You would do that for Your holy name's sake.

    • Help God, the Creator. Open up the heavens.

    • Bring cooler weather to this region to slow the rate of evaporation.

    • Provide Israel water in whatever way You deem appropriate.

      ...LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

      Genesis 2:5-6

    • We are believing You for a miracle - that the Sea of Galilee will be completely filled by next spring.

    • Please let it rain and snow in the right places.

    • Help Israelis become good stewards of the water that You are about to bless us with.

  8. We ended our time today praying for God to raise up more intercessors - especially in the Church in the West.

    • Lord, we thank You for every intercessor who has responded to Your voice and taken up their positions on Jerusalem's walls.

    • Anoint and use them to release Your hand to do that which is well-pleasing in Your sight.

    • Especially in the Body in the West, raise up more men to stand in the gap and intercede.

    • I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out My indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, says the Lord GOD.

      Ezekiel 22:30-31

    • Lord, pull down the idol of pragmatism in the Church - which often hinders believers from persisting in prayer.

    • Raise up an Israeli army of intercessors.

      I have set watchmen upon your walls, Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night. You that make mention of LORD, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, until He establish, and...make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

      Isaiah 62:6-7

    • Help Intercessors For Israel to know what more we can do to be part of the solution to this prayer request.

Thank you for persisting in prayer so that God will be glorified in this nation - unto the ends of the earth.

And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Malachi 1:5

Shabbat shalom,
The IFI Team