1. The prophetic portion for the Shabbat during Passover/Unleavened Bread week is Ezekiel 36:37-37:14. This is the portion that is read at this time every year.

   • Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am LORD...[I] shall put My spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I LORD have spoken it, and performed it, says LORD.

     Ezekiel 37:11-14

   • Abba, we praise You that on the only Shabbat of the year when our Messiah Yeshua was in the grave, waiting to arise on the first day of the week, You have Your people reading about the resurrection of their dry bones.

   • We bless You for not forsaking Your people.

     If we believe not, yet He remains faithful: He cannot deny Himself.

     2 Timothy 2:13

   • As concerning the gospel, they [Israel] are enemies for your [gentiles] sakes: but as touching the election, they [Israel] are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

     Romans 11:28

2. With that portion in mind, we interceded for the salvation of the Jewish people.

   • We want to thank You - in faith - for all of Your people to whom You revealed Your Son, the Lamb of God, this past week during Passover/Unleavened Bread.

   • We believe that You saved many because we prayed for this and we know that this is most definitely Your will (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Open more eyes this weekend to the wonder of our Risen Lord.

   • We especially pray for many salvations among soldiers who are away from family and friends - guarding the rest of us over this weekend; Holocaust survivors; Israelis traveling throughout the world, searching for answers; widows and orphans.

   • Help Your Body take advantage of the truth of the resurrection to declare the good news - both here and unto the ends of the earth.

   • For I am not ashamed of the good news of Messiah: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.

     Romans 1:16

3. Since the salvation of Israel - as a nation - is prophesied to happen once they are back in the Land of Israel, the next pray burden was aliyah, the immigration of Jews to Israel.

   • I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the gentiles, which you [Israel] have profaned in the midst of them; and the gentiles shall know that I am LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes. For I will take you from among the gentiles, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

     Ezekiel 36:23-24; cp. 37:12-14

   • Thank You for bringing many young Jews to visit Israel through the Birthright program. When they are here - cause them to recognize that this is home. Marry them to the land as per Your word in Isaiah 62:4-5.

   • Lord Yeshua, we ask for Messianic Jews to have open hearts to hear You say, "It is time to go home."

   • Lord, please give to Israel's Interior Ministry open arms to welcome all Jews who want to be here - even if they are Messianic.

   • Concerning yordi'im, Israelis who are living outside the land, make them homesick during this special time of the year.

     If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

     Psalms 137:5-6

   • Abba, bring home many Jews from America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the remaining Jews in Ethiopia, from Switzerland, Australia, and everywhere else where one can find Your scattered people.

   • Clear out the Jewish remnant from Islamic countries, especially in the Middle East.

   • Fear not: for I am with you: I will bring you 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, 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 43:5-7

4. For aliyah to increase there needs to be an increase in the Church's understanding, intercession and practical help to see this come to its fulfillment. Yeshua wants His Body to help carry His people back home - to His land and ultimately to Himself as their Lord.

   • Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up My hand to the Gentiles, and set up My standard to the people: and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

     Isaiah 49:22

   • Then you shall see...your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto you, the forces [or wealth] of the Gentiles shall come unto you... they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of LORD [These gentiles must be believers to do this!]...Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you.

     Isaiah 60:5-9

   • Yeshua, as our brothers and sisters are worshipping You this weekend as the Risen Lord and Savior, please speak to them about Your people and the desire on Your heart to see the gentile-part of the Church help the Jewish people come home.

   • We bless You for all the faithful intercessors/watchmen who have hear You and are standing on Jerusalem's walls - giving You no rest until You do that which is Your revealed will (Isaiah 62:6-7, cp. vv. 1-3).

   • Forgive those who have been a stumbling block to both Church and the Jews by making Israel the central focus of our faith, instead of Yeshua.

     Looking unto Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

     Hebrews 12:2

   • Remove the fear of an unbalanced love for Israel and cause pastors to declare the truth about Your land and Your people.

5. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are going through a very tense time with pressure coming from all sides to divide this land and this city of Jerusalem and to allow for the creation of another Islamic Arab state to surround Israel. The real issue is that this is not God's will (Leviticus 25:23; Joel 3:1-2, etc.) We are basically pleased with how Bibi has withstood most of the pressure to this point - but without concerted prayers to uphold his arms, he will not be able to continue to stand. After all, what we are wanting is for this little nation - who still does not really know their God - to say to the world, "No! This is our Land given to us by our God. We will not be moved!"

   • Abba, we thank You for the job Bibi Netanyahu has done up to this point.

   • Continue to strengthen and protect him and his governing coalition.

     The God of Israel is He that gives strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God.

     Psalms 68:35b

   • Guard over the unity in the government and increase it.

   • Bring to Israel's leaders all the godly counsel that they need, and keep away from them all counsel that is not from You. Especially do this for Netanyahu.

   • Marginalize all influences that are trying to break up the current coalition and bring Kadima with Tzipi Livini in to partner with Likud and Labor. Keep Kadima out!

   • We lift before You Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Since Israel is definitely the called according to [Your] purpose, we ask that You cause this crisis between Israel and the American administration to work...for good for this nation and her leaders.

   • Use the current pressure Israel is under to fashion her into the kind of tool/weapon that You need her to be in these last days.

     When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and made you as the sword of a mighty man...LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue...for LORD of hosts has visited His flock the house of Judah, and made them as His majestic horse in the battle.

     from Zechariah 9:13-10:3

   • During these dark days in the world, help Israel to arise and shine (Isaiah 60:1-2).

   • Thank You for revealing the true face of US President Obama towards Israel - and it is not a pretty sight. Now allow the Israelis leaders to face reality and make plans accordingly.

   • We proclaimed Isaiah 54:17 in the face of the words we have heard from Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Vice President Joe Biden:

     No weapon that is formed against [us] shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against [us] in judgment [we] condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of LORD, and [our] righteousness is of [You]...

     Isaiah 54:17

6. Our next prayer target was Israel's security - internally and around the borders.

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

     Jeremiah 31:10

     We believe You for this Mighty God.

   • Quicken the IDF and police forces to be alert to all attempted attacks - whether from inside or outside the borders of Israel.

   • Expose all of the enemies dark plans against Your nation (Luke 12:3).

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

     Psalms 129:5

   • If there will be another intifada, as many of the Palestinian "moderate" leaders are calling for - give Israel wisdom on how to deal with it quickly and with a minimum of bad press.

   • Do not allow this nation to be more merciful with her/Your enemies than You would be - yet do allow her to extend all the mercy You desire for them.

   • Bring this word to pass quickly:

     Thus says the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the gentiles, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am LORD their God.

     Ezekiel 28:25-26

7. We continued to plead with God concerning the danger of Iran developing weapons of mass destruction.

   • Are You testing the nations with Iran? Are You wanting to see if they will come to the defense of Your people from this modern day Haman/Hitler? So far, the nations are failing.

   • God, whatever it takes, do not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.

   • Arise God. Save multitudes of Iranians.

   • If the IDF is to be Your weapon of war this time (Jeremiah 51:20-23), help Israel know how, when and where to strike and to do it to gain a complete victory over the current Iranian regime.

   • Prepare Israel to deal with the day after the attack - whether to defend against attacks from Iran, Hamas, Hizbullah, or whoever - and to deal with the world's political leaders and press.

May the Lord give you joy and peace this weekend as you contemplate the fact that we serve the One who conquered death.

Shabbat shalom and He is risen - indeed!

The IFI Team

"Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am He that lives, and was dead;
and, behold, I am alive for evermore.
Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death."

Revelation 1:17-18