1. Praise: The prophetic portion that is read in the synagogues this Shabbat is the book of Obadiah. We uses the last part of the last verse to stimulate our praise to God.

    • …and the kingdom shall be LORD's [YHWH's].

      Obadiah 1:21b

    • For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

      Matthew 6:13

    • We are so grateful for You having saved us and opened up our eyes to the times we are living in.

    • Bless You for calling us to this precious ministry of intercession. Now please lead us to pray in line with Your will this day.

  2. Settlement Freeze: There are reports that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu might agree to a 90 day settlement freeze to enable the US to restart "peace" talks with the Palestinians. This is the result of Israel's unhealthy relationship with the US [see point 4], which leads her to compromise on God's promises in order to get America's support. Israel has been brought back in unbelief, so that this is understandable - but still unacceptable. We need to stand in the gap for His purposes to be done - and not man's.

    • Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. She shall follow after her lovers, but not overtake them. She shall seek them, but not find them. Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

      Hosea 2:6-7

    • Lord, hedge in Bibi and his government to prevent another settlement freeze.

    • Return them and this whole people to their first Husband - You, their God.

    • Strengthen the PM and protect him from all of the pressure and manipulation coming from America and other Western nations to push him into a situation where Your land that You have given to Your people is divided (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Surround Netanyahu with wise counsel and deafen him to counsel that is not of You.

    • Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night.

      Psalms 1:1-2

    • Let Your fear come upon Bibi and all Israel's political leaders.

    • We bless You for Your promise in Obadiah concerning this land and people:

      But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions… And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

      Obadiah 1:17,19

  3. Jerusalem: It is very likely that the whole peace process will fall apart over Jerusalem. Although Bibi looks favorably to extending the settlement freeze, he will not include East Jerusalem - which is the only Jerusalem the people of the Bible knew. Meanwhile Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, says that without a complete settlement freeze - including Jerusalem - he will not talk with Israel. Praise God for hardening his heart.

    • Behold, I [God, not Bibi] will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

      Zechariah 12:2-3

    • Strengthen Netanyahu and government over the issue of Jerusalem.

    • Continue to harden Abbas and his cohorts over the issue of Jerusalem.

    • Thank You for building Jerusalem - exactly as You said.

      LORD builds up Jerusalem: He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

      Psalms 147:2-3

  4. America: There is an unhealthy relationship between Israel and the US. Israel must be weaned away from looking to America instead of looking to God. This is not easy as even believers struggle trusting God and not man. The other side of this is that the US has not been very trustworthy with Israel - having broken many of her promises to this nation. And with this current Obama administration, it would be foolish on the part of Israel's leaders to trust anything they say.

    • Abba, as Israeli believers, we confess to You that our nation is in sin when it looks to man or to any nation, as opposed to trusting in You.

      Thus says LORD; Cursed is the man that trusts in man…whose heart departs from LORD… Blessed is the man that trusts in LORD, and whose hope LORD is.

      Jeremiah 17:5,7

    • Forgive us as a nation for wanting to be a nation like all other nations - when You have chosen us to be a holy/separate nation for Your redemptive purposes for mankind (Numbers 23:9b; Ezekiel 20:32).

    • Deliver Israel of her sin of lusting after America's approval (Isaiah 30:1-2; 31:1).

    • Turn us and save us so that we can - by the power of Your Spirit - look to You alone.

    • Lord, help American believers to understand how their leaders have often broken promises - both verbal and written - to Israel and then help them to confess these sins (Ezekiel 29:6-7).

    • [The US administration is to issue a letter of understanding between them and Israel so that the settlement freeze can be extended.] Abba, please delay this letter and if issued, may the central issue of Jerusalem and Palestinian "refugees" be not addressed so that no Israeli government could accept it.

    • Strengthen Bibi so that he will not compromise on those things that he knows is right.

    • We bless You for him and ask that You empower him to be all that You have raised him up to be at this time in Israel's history (Esther 4:14).

  5. Water: Israel's water situation is more desperate with each passing day. Yet God…

    • But the land which you go to possess… drinks water of the rain of heaven: a land which LORD your God desires. The eyes of LORD your God are always upon it… and it shall come to pass, if you hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love LORD your God, to serve Him with all your heart and… soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season…

      Deuteronomy 11:11-14a

    • Abba, although according to the above verses, You could withhold the water from this nation, yet we stand in the gap asking for mercy and reminding You of what Your Son said, that …your Father who is in heaven… makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

    • We plead with You to send Your rain in abundance this winter season.

    • You promised to even create new water sources. We ask that You do just that so that You will receive the glory.

      When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none…, I LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, the dry land springs of water… That they may see, and know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

      Isaiah 41:17-20

    • Reveal to us if there is something specific You would have us pray concerning this issue.

    • We trust in You alone to provide for Your people whom You have brought home.

  6. Security: Israel's security is a high priority for intercession as she is surrounded with enemies who are becoming more arrogant with every passing day.

    • Lord, if Defense Minister Ehud Barak is not Your man for that position, we ask that You would replace him with a better person for that job.

    • If not, please anoint him to be Israel's DM at this time.

    • Empower and use the IDF's new Chief of Staff, Yoav Galant, who will take over from Gabi Ashkenazi in a couple of months.

    • Give wisdom to Israeli companies and the IDF to develop new weapons.

    • Thank You for the new weapons that have recently been developed. Help them to come on line quickly.

    • Yet we do not trust in the IDF - Israel's Defense Forces - to defend Israel, but in the biblical IDF - Israel's Divine Father!

      Hear the word of the 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

    • Use the IDF for Your glory, as You prophecied.

      Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her be defiled, let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of LORD, neither understand they His counsel, for He shall gather them as sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and… your hoofs bronze. 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

    • At this dangerous time, we ask for angelic protection (Daniel 12:1).

  7. Lebanon: The UN tribunal looking into the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Harriri will most likely point the finger at Hizbullah and Syria. There are already indications that Hizbullah might try to take over the nation - or Syria might send in forces. Alternatively, starting a war with Israel will cause the world to be too consumed with that to press the issue of the killing of this Lebanese leader.

    • We stand with Your standard that the truth sets one free.

    • For the people in Lebanon, let the truth come forth.

    • Lord, give the UN tribunal courage to reveal the truth.

    • If Hizbullah and/or Syria cause the world to delay or even stop the results, that will be another victory for terrorism against the forces of law and order. Please prevent this.

    • Concerning the Hizbullah terrorists, we pray, …persecute them with Your tempest, make them afraid with your storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek your name, O LORD. (Psalms 83:15,16)

    • Use this situation to set Lebanon - and Israel - free from Hizbullah.

    • Continue to send confusion to Israel's enemies. Keep them busy with their own problems and too distracted to attack us (Psalm 129:5).

  8. Iran: This nations leaders continue to defy the world and threaten Israel.

    • Thank You Lord for all of the physical earthquakes in Iran recently.

    • Send some under their nuclear facilities and swallow them up as You did with Dathan and Korah in the wilderness (Numbers 16:30-33).

    • We bless You for being a mountain shaking God (Psalm 46:1-11).

    • Continue to save multitudes of Iranians and empower them in prayer.

    • If Israel needs to strike militarily, give her wisdom and courage to know when, where, how and with how much force to get the job done with the most amount of damage and the minimum amount of lose of life.

    • Cause the result to so humiliate Islam that many Moslems come to a saving knowledge of the God of Israel through His Son Yeshua.

    • Let God arise. let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

      Psalms 68:1-2

May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you mightily as you labor with us in prayer for His kingdom purposes to come here in Israel and wherever you find yourself.

Shabbat shalom,
The IFI Team

LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Psalms 46:7,11