1. This week's prophetic portion provided some choice verses for both praise and prayer. The people of Israel had just asked for Samuel to appoint them a human king so that they could be a nation like all the other nations. While this was not God's perfect will, He still answered their request, yet sending rain out of season as a sign of His displeasure.

    • Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: you have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. Turn not aside, for then you will go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver - for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.

      1 Samuel 12:20-22

    • We proclaim in Jerusalem that we - and Israel - have a King, Yeshua the Messiah!

    • I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God… Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations, and He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

      Revelation 19:11-16

    • We proclaim, baruch haba b'shem Adonai, blessed are You who comes in the name of the Lord (Matthew 23:39).

  2. Last night, Prime Minister "Bibi" Netanyahu gave another very strong speech at a conference here in Israel. He again insisted that the Palestinian Authority must recognize Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people in order for there to be any hope of peace. In the past, Bibi has tended to cave into pressure - especially from the world - to compromise. We must continue to support and surround him in prayer.

    • We thank You for answering prayer and giving us a leader for whom we can pray.

    • Abba, Bibi's heart is in Your hands. Turn it in the direction of Your will (Proverbs 21:1)

    • The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD… A man's heart devises his way: but the LORD directs his steps.

      Proverbs 16:1,9

    • Thank You for giving him boldness and clarity when he speaks.

    • Surround him with wise and faithful advisors and friends (Proverbs 15:22).

    • Supply Netanyahu with a backbone of steel to stand against all of the pressure coming against this nation from the global community at this time.

    • Cause him to draw near to You.

      …their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach Me? says the LORD.

      Jeremiah 30:21

    • Clothe our prime minister with Your Spirit as You did with Gideon (Judges 6:34).

    • In all of his life, we ask for Your will to prevail.

      Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail…

      Psalms 9:19a

    • We bless Bibi Netanyahu in the name of his Messiah Yeshua. May he and all his family soon come to know that Yeshua as their Messiah (Matthew 16:15-17).

  3. Israel has a law that anyone convicted of a serious moral crime can still run for political office seven years after the punishment is over. This will open the door for Arei Deri to run again. We believe anyone convicted of a serious breach in ethics should be banned from ever running for public office. The biblical precedence is that while God's grace forgives, His government marches on (Galatians 6:7-8).

    • Thank You for the law pending in the Knesset/Israeli parliament to put this kind of ethical clarity in place. May it be passed overwhelmingly.

    • Quash all anti-religious, anti-left-wing [Deri is both], or even any anti-Deri arguments against this law. Let it be passed based on the moral rightness that it brings with it.

    • Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

      Proverbs 14:34

    • He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are an abomination [hateful] to the LORD.

      Proverbs 17:15

    • Confront Deri with his arrogance and wickedness and save him.

  4. Another flotilla attempting to break Israel's legal blockade of Gaza is supposed to set sail in the next few weeks. While the number of both people and ships have been reduced, still this is a challenge for Israel to defend against.

    • Lord of hosts, prepare Israel's navy and any other branches of her armed services, to deal with this threat efficiently and decidedly.

    • Expose the traps that both the devil and the enemies of Israel are trying to set against this nation and her people (Psalm 124:1-8).

    • Abba, Creator of heaven and earth (Psalm 134:3), and ruler of both (Matthew 11:25), we ask for sudden storms on the seas (Psalm 33:7a) to put the fear of the God of Israel into the hearts of both sailors and passengers and to stop this flotilla in such a demonstrative way that all will know it was You defending this nation.

    • Behold, he that keeps/guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

      Psalms 121:4

    • Hear the word of the LORD, O gentiles, declare it in the islands afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep/guard him, as a shepherd does his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • Do not allow Israel to grovel before the world in defending her right to defend herself.

    • Give to all of Israel's spokespersons, especially Israel's new UN ambassador Ron Prosner, an anointing and clarity to explain and defend Israel's position in this matter.

    • Enable Israel's foreign ministry to be quick and sharp in the area of public relations.

  5. Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons and the means to launch them globally. Yet with most of the world mesmerized by the current "Arab spring," Iran is basically being left alone to accomplish it's goal. For Israel, this is a life or death situation. Again, we prayed in two ways: For God to sovereignly deal with this threat, or if He wants to use Israel, for her to be totally prepared to do the job.

    • Lord God of Israel, You see the threats against Your people and Your land coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Arise, Lord, and scatter Your enemies (Psalm 68:1).

    • Shake that nation physically, politically and economically.

    • Continue to save multitudes of Iranians and give them a heart for what You are doing in restoring Israel for Your holy name's sake (Ezekiel 36:21-36).

    • And I will set my throne in Elam [ancient Persia/modern Iran], and will destroy from there the king and the princes, says the LORD.

      Jeremiah 49:38

    • Use the current chaos in Syria to pull the [prayer!] rug out from under Iran's influence in the Middle East.

    • If You will use Israel as Your weapon of war (Jeremiah 51:20-24), prepare her for both the battle and the day after.

    • Give much clarity and wisdom to all Israeli leaders who will be involved in making decisions concerning when and how Israel should attack.

    • Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

      Proverbs 20:18; also 24:6

    • Give PM Netanyahu the same kind of courage You gave to PM Menachem Begin when he had to make the decision to attack the Iraqi nuclear plant in the 1980s.

    • Protect Israel's spies and informants in Iran.

    • The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, the strength of the children of Israel. So shall you know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain…

      Joel 3:16-17a

    • Help Israel to look to You and not to her strength or weapons.

      The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

      Proverbs 21:31; also Psalm 24:7

We also prayed for Israel's economic situation, asking the Lord to quicken the time it will take to bring her offshore find of natural gas and oil online, as well as for the protection of all of her offshore rigs.

We reminded the Lord of Israel's water situation, thanking Him for all that He has provided so far this year, and asking Him to miraculously send rain out of season and to miraculously increase that which we now have in the natural.

We ended by asking Yeshua to make His Body in the nations aware of how important it is to stand in the gap for this nation, because of what God is doing here for His glory.

For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake,
because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD
in ceasing to pray for you…

1 Samuel 12:22-23a

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion,
The IFI team