1. We started by praising God.

    • You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure [or "because of Your will"] they are and were created.

      Revelation 4:11

    • Bless You Lord for all the answers to prayers that You have given us over the years.

    • Thank You God for calling us into Your kingdom for just this time (Esther 4:14).

    • We praise You for the salvation that You purchased for us on the cross (Acts 20:28).

  2. Both US President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have decided to back off - for now - from pressuring Israel to make a peace deal with the Palestinians. This is good news for both Israel and America. Yet, in a Time magazine interview, Obama placed equal blame on both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and PA President Abbas for hindering Middle East peace. That is a total misrepresentation of the truth.

    • Abba, we thank You that Israel seems to be in a period of slightly less pressure from the American administration. You have protected us from a further division of Your land and for that we are very grateful.

    • Expose the hypocrisy of Obama's laying the blame on Israel and the Palestinians equally.

      Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

      Isaiah 5:20-21

    • Block the US' special ME envoy, George Mitchell, who is in Israel attempting to generate negotiations between Israel and the PA. Open his eyes to see the truth.

    • Give wisdom and courage to Netanyahu and his cabinet in knowing what to do during this season. Make them like the sons of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Help Israel to learn from this situation - that although agreeing to see the creation of a Palestinian State, and imposing a ten month settlement freeze, the rewards they hoped for just did not materialize.

    • Strip from Israel's government any spirit of appeasement or even compromise when it comes to Your land and Your people's security and settlements.

    • May this current Israeli government and people only be moved by Your pressure and not by the pressure of the world.

    • Help us to watch and pray over this vacuum that has developed in the "peace" process. Now with America stepping back, show us how to pray as we see both Russia and the EU wanting to be the one's who force Israel to bow to the world's "peace" plans.

    • Use Israel's extraordinary efforts to help Haiti open up the eyes of multitudes to another side of this nation - which they may not have know exists.

      And it shall come to pass, that as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing.

      Zechariah 8:13a

    • Continue to harden the hearts of the Palestinian leadership to not except anything other than everything that they demand.

    • From Shabbat's Torah portion:

      LORD [YHWH] said to Moses, Go to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and his servant's hearts, that I might show these My signs before him, so that you may tell...your son, and your grandson, the things I have done in Egypt - My signs which I have done among them - so that you may know I am LORD.

      Exodus 10:1-2

  3. We interceded further for the leaders whom God has raised up in Israel today.

    • Lord, we pray these verses over Israel's leadership:

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

      Proverbs 16:1

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

      Proverbs 16:9

    • We do thank You for this government through whom You can glorify Yourself.

    • Save Israel's current leadership - in the government, military, industry, religious, etc.

    • Protect Netanyahu's household. Bless Sarah, his wife, and their children.

    • We remind You of Your promise in Isaiah 1:26:

      I will restore your judges as at the first, your counselors as at the beginning: afterward you shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

      Isaiah 1:26

  4. We used this Shabbat's prophetic portion to intercede for the eyes of the Church to be opened to why God's judgment is really falling on the nations.

    • But fear not, O My servant Jacob. Be not dismayed, O Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar, your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says LORD: for I am with you. For I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you: but I will not make a full end of you, but I will instruct you in justice, and will not leave you without discipline.

      Jeremiah 46:27-28

    • Help the Church in the nations to connect the theological dots that plainly state that You judge nations because of how they deal with Your nation, Israel (The latest Watchmen From Jerusalem, #1 2010, on Intercessors For Israel's website, has an in-depth teaching on this.)

    • We thank You that Your judgments are for redemptive purposes - even if most of mankind ignores or fights them.

      LORD is known by the judgment which He executes. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

      Psalms 9:16

    • Save multitudes through these judgments (Psalms 2:7-8).

    • Reveal to Your Body that the public approval of homosexuality, other sexual perversities and violence - does not bring Your judgment. It is a sign that You are already judging!

      Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections... And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind...

      Romans 1:24,26a,28a. For the context, read verses 18-32

    • Yet Lord, we plead with You for mercy on our nations.

      O LORD, I have heard Your speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

      Habakkuk 3:2

    • May You find many standing in the gap so that You can deal with mercy instead of anger on nations that want to destroy Your nation (Ezekiel 22:30-31).

    • Thus says LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great zeal. And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease. For I was but a little displeased [with Jerusalem and Zion], and they helped forward the affliction.

      Zechariah 1:14-15

    • Help the Body understand that it is You shaking the earth - not Satan. You are Lord of all.

      LORD has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all.

      Psalms 103:1

      LORD reigns.

      Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1

  5. Although the danger from Iran's WMD program still looms over Israel, in fact all of Western civilization, God is shaking that nation from the inside - politically and spiritually.

    • Lord, save multitudes of Iranians - including many from the Iranian Jewish community.

      And I will set my throne in Elam [ancient Persia]... says LORD.

      Jeremiah 49:38a

    • Lord, continue to shake up to the current political leadership - especially as they continue to threaten to destroy Israel.

      And I...will destroy from [Elam] the king and the princes, says LORD.

      Jeremiah 49:38b

    • Help Iranian believers, as they stand in the gap for their nation, to understand how You view their governmental leaders threats against Israel.

    • God, arise against Your enemies.

      Keep not silence, O God. Hold not Your peace. 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...[and] said, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

      Psalms 83:1-4

      Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

      Psalms 68:1

    • Lord of hosts, prevent Iran from obtaining or developing nuclear weapons.

    • Hinder or destroy the relationships between Iran and nations that support her - specifically China and Russia.

    • If Israel needs to attack, give Your people a supernatural ability to wage war - as You promised You would do when You brought Israel back home.

      ...for LORD of hosts has visited His flock the house of Judah, and made them as His glorious warhorse.

      Zechariah 10:3; see also Isaiah 41:10-16; Jeremiah 51:20-14; Micah 4:11-13

  6. Aliyah - the immigration of Jews back home to Israel - was the next prayer topic. In both the Torah (Exodus 10:1-13:16) and prophetic portion (Jeremiah 46:27-28), aliyah is a major issue.

    • We bless You for an increase in aliyah this past year. In fact, the figures for the just ended decade, are very good and we thank You for bringing Your people home - even in the midst of terror attacks, wars and economic shakings.

    • Make this decade the best decade for aliyah since the modern State of Israel was born.

    • Encourage more Messianic Jews to come home - especially congregational elders.

    • Destroy the false dichotomy that it is either God who miraculously brings us home or we who need to make a decision to come back. It is both. God's grace enables us to make the decision.

      Wherefore... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

      Philippians 2:12-13

    • Increase aliyah from the West this year.

    • Bring Your people home before You release the hunters with all their anti-Semitic fury.

    • Therefore, behold, the days come, says LORD, that it shall no more be said, LORD lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, LORD lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all lands where He had driven them. And I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, says LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them...

      Jeremiah 16:14-16

    • Remove from Israel governmental institutions all bureaucratic stones of stumbling from the path of Your people (Isaiah 62:10).

    • Help this government realize the strategic importance of aliyah to the future of this nation.

    • Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul.

      Jeremiah 32:41

      (This is the only time in all of scripture that God declares that He will do something with all of His heart and soul!)

  7. Israel's salvation naturally follows the request for aliyah because Israel will be saved as a nation in God's land.

    • Abba, You promised that all Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:26). Amen. Do that which You have promised.

    • Thank You for the remnant of Israel who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

    • Help the Messianic Body obey Your commandment given through our Messianic Jewish brother Paul.

      Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

      2 Timothy 2:15

    • Save many religious Zionists who live in Judea and Samaria simply because they read in Your Word that this is part of the land You gave to the Jewish forefathers as an everlasting inheritance (Exodus 13:5,11).

    • Many Orthodox Jews are searching for You. Open their eyes to find You through Messiah Yeshua.

      And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.

      Jeremiah 29:13

      Yeshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me.

      John 14:6

We also thanked God for the abundant rainfall Israel received this past week and prayed for Him to continue to open up the heavens and supply all of Israel's water needs.

IFI's International Prayer Conference starts this Monday evening and the following week we are on the Prayer Tour. The next Friday Prayer Alert will be February 12th.

Please keep the leadership team, the administrative staff and the rest of the congregation at the conference in your prayers, so that we might hear what God is saying and pray the things that are on His heart.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion,
The IFI Team

Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail.
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
Put them in fear, O LORD:
that the nations may know themselves to be but men.
Selah.

Psalms 9:19-20