1. We used the following section from this Shabbat's prophetic portion to praise God.

    • ...behold, I will allure [Israel], and bring her into the wilderness, and will speak to her heart. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor [trouble] for a door of hope, and she shall sing [lit: respond, shout, testify] there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, says LORD [YHWH], that you shall call Me Ishi [my Husband]; and shall no longer call Me Baali [my Lord]...And I will betroth you unto Me forever. Yes, I will betroth you unto Me in righteousness, and in justice, in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth you unto Me in faithfulness, and you shall know LORD.

      Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20

    • We bless You that You are faithful and able to do all that which You said.

    • Thank You for the privilege of being called to be Your watchmen at this time in history.

    • We are so encouraged by the prayers that You have already answered and are confident that all prayers we pray in line with Your will - You will hear and answer. (1 John 5:14-15).

  2. The Feast of Shavuot [Pentecost] is being celebrated this coming week in Israel - Tuesday evening May 18th to Wednesday evening the 19th. We prayed for the Body of Messiah and the proclamation of the gospel.

    • When the day of Shavuot was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

    • Send a genuine move of Your Spirit upon the Body of Messiah in Jerusalem - and in all areas of Your nation of Israel.

    • Do the same thing for the Body worldwide.

    • May Your Body be filled with and led by the Spirit of Truth and give Yeshua all the glory and all the honor.

      But when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak. And He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for he shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.

      John 16:13-14

    • Bring forth a solid biblical message from Christian Zionists. May they be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

    • Continue to guide Intercessors For Israel to know how to pray and to lead in prayer.

  3. We prayed for Jerusalem - the city of the Great King (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35).

    • I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night. You that make mention of LORD [lit; LORD's reminders, His secretaries], keep not silence, and give Him no rest, until He establish, and until He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

      Isaiah 62:6-7

    • Abba, You have called us as watchmen and we call to You to do whatever it takes that this - Your city - brings You even more praise and glory throughout the world.

    • Lord, we are blessed by Your plans for Jerusalem and can see why the enemy is so furious that You are bringing back the Jews and rebuilding this city (Psalm 147:2-3).

    • Watch over Your prophetic words for this city.

      At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of LORD; and all the gentiles shall be gathered unto it, to the name of LORD, to Jerusalem...

      Jeremiah 3:17a

      Thus says LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of LORD of hosts - the holy mountain.

      Zechariah 8:3

    • Concerning the world's plans for Jerusalem, overrule all that is not in line with Your will.

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

      Psalms 103:19

    • Bless Jerusalem's Mayor, Nir Barkat, and his government, with wisdom and courage.

    • May all the plans of the Jerusalem municipality that are in line with Your will for this city, at this time, come to pass.

    • Cleanse and protect Jerusalem from all false religious spirits.

    • Lord, pluck out another major harvest from this city as You did once before.

      Then Peter said unto [many Jews who had ascended to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast], Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call... Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls.

      Acts 2:1-4; 38-41

  4. The American administration under Barak Obama is pushing Israel to make "peace" with the Palestinians - within two years. They also see themselves as the arbitrator of who is cooperating and who is not. Since the US basically wants to see what the Palestinians demand - but which is against God's revealed will - it is clear that Israel will be seen as the hindering force in bringing "peace" to the Middle East, and even the world.

    • Lord, help the American Church to see the unbiblical demands that Obama & Co. are placing on Israel - to divide God's land and scatter God's people. And because of this, help them to connect the increasingly severe judgments that are coming on America with the Obama administration's pressure on Israel (Joel 3:1-2).

    • For thus says LORD of hosts; After the glory has He sent Me unto the nations which spoiled you [Israel; specifically Jerusalem/Zion], for he that touches you touches the apple of His eye.

      Zechariah 2:8

    • For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel when she is being restored] shall perish. Yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

      Isaiah 60:12

    • Give Israel's current leadership wisdom and courage to just say "No!" to all unbiblical demands from America, the EU, the UN, or whoever.

    • We hold Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into the anointing that You have provided for Israel's leader at this very moment in history.

    • Cause the Israeli cabinet to rally around and support and protect Netanyahu against the wiles of Obama and Clinton.

    • Continue to use Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to speak non-politically correct truth to the nations and give him a wide audience to whom to speak.

    • I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds - they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, says LORD.

      Jeremiah 23:3-4

    • Lord, hedge in Ehud Barack, Israel's left leaning defense minister. Do not allow him to be Obama's spy in the Netanyahu government.

  5. The story so far: Iran continually threatens Israel. The world does nothing. Iran's government forcefully stifles Iranian protests against last year's fixed elections, killing and executing people in the opposition. The world does nothing. Iranian secret nuclear facilities are revealed and she develops missiles that can hit Europe and all of the ME. The world does nothing. By now, not even harsh sanctions against Iran would stop them from developing nuclear weapons. There are really only two options: either God deals with Iran sovereignly, or Israel attacks. If the latter, there is little time left.

    (Watchmen From Jerusalem, #2, 2010; see the complete newsletter here.)

    • Abba, it seems that the world is willing to see a nuclear Iran - yet Israel cannot accept that. Arise God, and protect this nation and Jerusalem - for Your holy name's sake (Isaiah 37:35).

    • Lord, help Israel to stop looking to the world for help with Iran and open her eyes to see that the burden to stop this manical regime rests on her shoulders - with Your help.

    • Therefore, we ask that Netanyahu will have ears to hear all counsel from his advisors that is from You (Proverbs 20:18; 24:6).

    • Give much wisdom to Moshe Ya'alon, the cabinet minister who deals with the Iranian situation, and thank You for his recent declaration that Israel can handle Iran militarily and with good results.

    • We pray for all Israel's leaders, Be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:6,9).

    • Bless all of Israel's spies and informants in or near Iran to obtain all of the correct and up-to-date information Israel will need to deal an effective blow against Iran's nuclear program.

    • Lord of heavens' hosts, often in the Tanach You led Israel to use unconventional weapons to defeat their enemies - slings and stones, telling the sun to stand still, circling Jericho, etc.. Help Israel's leaders be open to all unconventional methods in dealing with Iran today.

    • God of the earth, often in the Tanach You also personally intervened to defend this nation either by Yourself or by aiding Israel's defense - rocks from heaven, nightmares of Gideon, the Angel of LORD in the Assyrians camp, etc.

      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.

      Psalm 9:19-20

    • However You choose to deal with Iran, we trust that You have not brought Israel back from exile to see her destroyed.

      Hear the word of LORD, O gentiles, and 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

  6. We ended by praying into the situation surrounding Britain's new government.

    • Abba, speak clearly to the Body of Messiah in Britain about this election and how they should pray.

    • Lord, we pray for David Cameron, Britain's new prime minister, that You would overrule all of his decisions that are not of You.

      The [prime minister's] heart is in the hand of LORD, as the rivers of water. He turns it which ever way He will.

      Proverbs 21:1

    • Lord, thank You that Nick Clegg, head of the Liberal democrats, is not the new foreign secretary of the UK.

    • Abba, thank You that William Hague is the new foreign secretary. If as reported, he is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel, may he take a strong stance for Israel and be a source of blessing for his nation.

Hag Shavuot sameach v'Shabbat shalom.

Blessings from Zion,
The IFI Team

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void;
and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:1-2

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that hears say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:17