1. The birth of Messiah - in context - is an event with deep significance to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people.

    • Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Yeshua. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Miriam unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also the holy one which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.

      Luke 1:31-35

    • For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder. His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 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 forever. The zeal of LORD [YHWH] of hosts will perform this.

      Isaiah 9:6-7

    • Thank You Lord for Your birth - whenever it may have been.

      [Yeshua], being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

      Philippians 2:6-7

  2. This Shabbat's prophetic portion is Ezekiel 37:15-28. Verses 21-28 are a solid basis on which to pray for Israel's salvation.

    • Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations...and bring them into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and One King shall be king to them all...[No longer] shall they defile themselves with their idols, nor their detestable things, nor any of their transgressions: but I will save them...and will cleanse them. So shall they be My people, and I will be their God. David My Servant shall be King over them; and they all shall have One Shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgments, observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land I have given unto Jacob My servant...they, their children, and their children's children for ever. My Servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace... an everlasting covenant with them. I will...multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever. My tabernacle also shall be with them. Yes, I will be their God, they shall be My people. And the nations shall know that I LORD do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forever.

      Ezekiel 37:21-28

    • Yeshua, reveal Yourself to many Israelis as You really are - the promised Messiah, King of the Jews, the prophesied Son of David, God's Servant.

    • May You receive a gift this day - of seeing Your suffering bear fruit for Your Father's glory.

      He shall see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many - for He shall bear their iniquities.

      Isaiah 53:11

    • Please pray for specific groups of Jewish people to be saved: Holocaust survivors, IDF soldiers, the youth, assimilated Jews in the nations, loved ones of Messianic Jews, Israeli government officials, Jews in Iran and other Arab nations, etc.

    • O Come Emanuel, and ransom captive Israel!

  3. We prayed for the gentile part of the Body of Messiah to come to a deep revelation of the true identity of the One whose birth they are celebrating today - Jesus the Christ.

    • Lord, take advantage of this day to remove any anti-Jewish veils that many Christians have when they think about You.

    • Use this kosher revelation of Yourself to destroy replacement theology in Your Body.

    • Remove all arrogance from both Jewish and gentile members of Your Body. We proclaim that although You truly are the King of the Jews - You are also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)!

    • [Simon seeing Yeshua as a baby, said:] Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace...for my eyes have seen Your salvation, whom You have prepared before...all people - a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.

      Luke 2:29-32

  4. Ezekiel 37:15-20 declares that the Jews will be made one on the mountains of Israel - in the hand of the Son of Man. Israel lacks unity in too many areas of her society. Today we hear reports that yesterday, Prime Minister 'Bibi' Netanyahu asked Tzipi Livni, the head of the opposition Kadima party, to join the coalition government. If this is because an attack on Iran is imminent - then this is a good move. But, if this is because Netanyahu wants - or is being forced - to give the Palestinians more concessions - this is a bad move. How do we pray?

    • Abba, we hold Netanyahu into that anointing that You have provided for Israel's Prime Minister at this time.

    • We take a united stance against any more concessions by Israel with her enemies.

    • Protect all of Israel - especially the leaders - from the spirit of appeasement.

    • Please remind Bibi that the last time he was PM, when he left Hebron, his government fell within a very short time. And remind him that he publically apologized for leaving Hebron - saying it was a mistake.

    • The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is Mine, and you [Israel] are strangers and sojourners with Me.

      Leviticus 25:23
    • Please show intercessors exactly how to pray concerning this situation.

      Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He reveals His secret unto His servants the prophets. The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken, who can but prophesy?

      Amos 3:7-8

  5. Since some Iranian believers see Jeremiah 49:34-38 as applicable to Iran today, we used this section to pray into the very dangerous Iranian situation.

    • Thus says LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam [ancient Iran], the chief of their might...And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even My fierce anger...I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them. And I will set My throne in Elam, and will destroy from there the king and the princes, says LORD.

      Jeremiah 49:35-38

    • Abba, we bless You for shaking Iran - politically and spiritually.

    • Lord Yeshua, we thank You for all the Iranians whom You have redeemed. Continue to set [Your] throne in Iran!

    • Please impart to our Iranian brothers and sisters in Messiah, wisdom and courage in both evangelism and intercession.

    • Thank You Lord for destroying...[Iran's] king and princes. Remove the evil Islamic dictatorship that is running - and ruining - that nation.

    • Concerning Iran's drive towards nuclear weapons, if You want to use Israel as Your battle axe and weapon of war (Jeremiah 51:20), help Israel to not be more merciful towards Your enemies than You are.

    • Give Israel's leaders wisdom and courage to know what to do and when to do it.

    • Aid Israel to completely, miraculously, destroy all of Iran's nuclear facilities in such a way that many Moslems recognize that Israel's God is God!

      Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek Your name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and troubled forever. Yes, let them be put to shame, and perish, that men may know that You, whose name alone is YHWH, are the most high over all the earth.

      Psalms 83:16-18

  6. The saga concerning Israel's kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit continues. This week Israel responded to Hamas' demands with their own demands. This is a heart-rending situation as all Israel wants this son home - yet many are worried about the exorbitant price that Israel will have to pay - close to 1000 jailed terrorist, including many with "blood on their hands".

    • Lord, have mercy on Gilad Shalit and his whole family.

    • Yeshua, reveal Yourself to them - as their Redeemer, the One who sets the captives free (Isaiah 61:1-3).

    • God, You can set Gilad free miraculously - like You did with Peter when the believers were praying for him (Acts 12:5-11). Do it today for Your Holy Name's sake.

    • Lord, we do not want to see a thousand terrorists released. Therefore, we look to You to arise and we cry out, You are [our] King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. (Psalms 44:4) Amen.

We finished by praying for Israel's water crisis. Although, thank God, another desalinization plant came on line this week here, we still need to persistent in asking God to provide all of the water that Israel needs.

Although at times the situation here looks almost helpless, we are encouraged by what God has revealed in His word. This morning, this verse seemed to take on new life for some of us. May it be so in your life as well:

Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
And Elisha prayed, LORD...open his eyes, that he may see.
And LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw,
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16-17

Shabbat Shalom
The IFI Team