1. We started off by praising the Lord God of Israel.

    • I will call upon LORD [YHWH], who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies...LORD lives; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

      Psalms 18:3,46

    • Abba, we thank You for the wonderful rain we have this morning in Jerusalem - and in many other areas in Israel.

    • We bless You that You are a God who answers our prayers.

      This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

      1 John 5:14-15

  2. The people of Israel are struggling with deep divisions in this society - especially in the areas of religious vs. secular and left-wing vs. right. There is in the world today a spirit of fundamentalism that is infecting all religions. It causes hatred of neighbor and is not of God. We are not talking about those who believe the Bible is the final revelation of God and are willing to stand by it - yet reject this hatred. In Israel, some Orthodox Jews are becoming extremely radical - whether it is in the persecution of Messianic Jews or - as this week - the encouraging of disobedience in the army. Although we agree that if a soldier's conscience or belief forbids him from uprooting settlers, he should refuse orders and take the consequences, we do not agree that some rabbi should have the authority to order Israeli soldiers to disobey their commanders. Our prayers in this area, were based on that promise from God that when He brings us back to His/our land, He will make us one people - in His hand.

    • The word of LORD came again unto me, saying, Moreover, son of man, take one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. Join them...into one stick; and they shall become one in your hand...And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all. They shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

      Ezekiel 37:15-17,22

    • Lord, we confess the sin of hatred that too often is running lose in this land. Only by Your hand, can that sin be defeated. Help us for Your holy name's sake.

    • Abba, save Your people from themselves and reveal Your Son to them (Jeremiah 31:7b).

    • Concerning both the spirit of hatred and the extreme religious spirit, we cry to You, You are our King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. (Psalms 44:4)

    • We remind You of Your promise:

      Behold, I will...restore them, and reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against Me. I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against Me. And it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth...

      Jeremiah 33:6-9a

  3. Israel's leaders are not in an enviable position. Pressure from all sides increases daily, and to do - or even say - the right thing places them against the way that most of the world and many of the people of Israel, want them to go. Thus, it is imperative to prayer for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

    • Lord, we thank You for Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

    • We asked for You to give us a government through whom You can glorify Yourself, and we believe this government is - at least - a partial answer. Therefore, anoint them and use them - for Your holy name's sake.

    • Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: He has done whatsoever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

    • Anoint Bibi to be the PM for this nation at this time. Give him extraordinary wisdom and courage to do the right thing in Your sight.

    • Speak to his spirit:

      Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

      Joshua 1:9b

    • Do not allow DM Barak to pull the government onto a wrong, anti-biblical path. Hedge him in so that he only does that which You desire.

    • Watch over this word for Barak:

      The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from LORD.

      Proverbs 16:1

    • Thank You for FM Lieberman speaking truth - even when it is not politically correct. Use him to wake up many people in this and other nations to what is really going on in Israel.

    • Thank You also for the deputy FM, Danny Ayalon, who also is speaking truth into areas that previous FMs have - at best - been lukewarm about.

    • Protect all of Israel's leaders from any spirit of pride or deception.

  4. We next prayed for Israel's leadership in relation to the worsening Iranian situation.

    • Lord of heaven's armies, we trust You to protect this nation as You said in Jeremiah 31:10 and many other places:

      Hear the word of LORD, you gentiles. Declare it in the islands afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep [guard] him, as a shepherd does his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • Please give our current political and military leadership great wisdom and courage to know what to do and when to do it.

    • Since You are the God of Israel's armies, please impart to the IDF's leadership strategy and tactics to deal with this existential threat.

    • If Israel must strike Iran militarily - as it seems more likely with every passing day and with each new revelation of where Iran's nuclear progress is at - then let Israel strike with such ferocity and effectiveness that not only is Iran's nuclear weapons program destroyed, but the fear of Israel's God falls on all of her other enemies.

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

      Isaiah 42:13

    • Prevent Syria, Hizbullah or Hamas from attacking Israel. Cause Your fear to fall so heavy on them that they are dumbstruck at what Israel has accomplished.

      And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

      2 Chronicles 20:29

    • Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her be defiled, let our eye look upon Zion. But they do not know the thoughts of LORD, neither do they understand His counsel: for He shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs brass. You shall beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

      Micah 4:11-13

  5. Tonight is the 8th [final] night of Chanukah and since the Chanukiah - the Chanukah Menorah - will be shining in all its fullness, we prayed for Jewish people to have their eyes open to see Messiah Yeshua, the Light of the World.

    • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

      John 1:1,3-4

    • I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all. They shall be no more two nations...Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols...nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So shall they be My people, and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd...

      Ezekiel 37:22-24a

    • Lord, do a mighty work tonight and reveal Yourself to many of Your people, both here and in exile.

    • Open up the eyes of Orthodox Rabbis.

      Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.

      Psalms 119:18

    • Reveal Yourself to Orthodox Jews who are serving in the IDF - Israel's army.

    • Save Orthodox women, the zealous settler youth, and Holocaust survivors.

    • Pour out Your spirit of grace on many of Israel's leaders - both in the political, military and business areas.

    • Anoint Messianic Jews and Christians to so live for You, that their life provokes unsaved Jews to jealousy.

      Have they [Israel] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But rather through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke [Israel] to jealousy. Now if the fall of [Israel] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of [the Jews] the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

      Romans 11:11-14

  6. Although we have been getting some rain, the water crisis is far from over. We covet your prayers in this area.

    • We bless You again for the rain.

    • Please send more rain to the areas that need it the most - up North on the Golan, over the Sea of Galilee and especially where it can run into the underground aquifers.

    • Give this government a long term vision for a water plan.

    • Then help them follow through and provide all the finances that are needed.

    • Abba, according to Your promise, create new water sources in this land (Isaiah 41:17-20).

We finished by praying for God to continue to pour out His Spirit on all of the Messianic congregations in the land of Israel - that our brothers and sisters would receive fresh manna from His word and the grace to walk in His ways.

Shabbat shalom and hag Chanukah sameach,
The IFI Team

LORD that made heaven and earth, bless you out of Zion.

Psalms 134:3