1. From this week's Torah portion:

    The LORD did not set His love on you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all people. Yet because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

    Deuteronomy 7:7-8

    • Abba, thank You that You love us because of who You are and Your covenant commitment to Your promises.

  2. The 'social justice' protests are still making the headlines and it seems that every segment of Israeli society wants a piece of the pie. While many of the demands are just, many are beyond what a people in a society based on biblical principles should expect. After all, while we always have the poor with us and should care for the orphans and the widows, yet if you are capable of working and do not work, you do not get to eat.

    • Lord, we recognize that You want truth and justice in all societies, especially Israel's. Help the relevant government ministries to enable that to happen.

    • Help Prime Minister Netanyahu to follow in the footsteps of King David in this area.

      David reigned over all Israel; and executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

      2 Samuel 8:15

    • May the rich and influential do their fair share in this area.

      Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

      Psalms 82:3

    • Thank You that there are so many organizations in this nation - both Jewish and Christian - that do care about the least and provide for at least some of their needs. Bless them and provide all the finances and help these groups need to reach out even more.

    • Give wisdom to the new committee formed to make recommendations on these issues, to help create systems in Israel which are based upon the Bible, to find ways of dealing with corruption and bureaucracy.

    • Give discernment, especially to Your people, between genuine concerns which need to be addressed and the political motives of some of the protest leaders who only seek to bring down the government.

  3. Binyamin Netanyahu:

    • Pray for wisdom in handling the critical issues he is facing today: the social justice protests, the plans for Palestinian statehood, the enemies surrounding Israel.

    • Pray for his salvation and for his family to be a blessing and inspiration to him.

    • Pray that God's words would be in his heart and he would know God's strategies.

    • Pray Proverbs 21:1 for him: The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord.

  4. The UN vote on recognizing a Palestinian State on the pre-1967 borders is coming up in mid-September. If the Security Council does not approve of this - because of a US veto (and for America's sake, we need to pray that Obama will cast the nay vote) - then a General Assembly vote in favor would not create a 'Palestine' legally. Yet the pressure on Israel - both outside and in - will most likely increase tremendously. Yet is this of God? After all, at some point all nations come against Jerusalem. Or is this the enemy trying to pre-empt God's timing?

    • Lord, we lack wisdom on exactly how to pray for this situation. We ask You for it in line with James 1:5.

    • Create havoc in the relationships between Israel's enemies (Psalm 129:5).

    • If this is not of You, move somehow to stop the whole thing.

    • Expose the UN for what it is - anti-God, anti-Israel.

    • Anoint Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador in the UN with boldness, insight, wisdom and the ability to use God's word.

    • Keep not silence, O God. Hold not Your peace, and be not still, O God. For, behold, Your enemies make a noise, and they that hate You have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people… They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

      Psalms 83:1-4

    • Bring upon Your enemies the consequences outlined in this psalm: Pursue them with Your tempest… etc. Bring them to nothing: Isaiah 40:15,17,23.

    • Regardless of what happens, prepare Israel's leadership to know how to respond, and enable them to expect the unexpected.

    • Thank You for using Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Lieberman and the Deputy FM Danny Ayalon, as well as many others in the current government, for Your glory.

  5. Riots in the UK

    • We prayed for the Church to see these events as a wake-up call to the nation and to see the connection with Britain's treatment of Israel.

    • May God give discernment in the Church and raise up voices to speak into the situation.

    • May the Jews read these events as a signal to come home to Israel.

    • May God make a true statesman of David Cameron the British Prime Minister.

  6. One of the favorite ploys of despotic leaders in the Middle East is to take the pressure off themselves by attacking Israel. To her north and east, Israel has several leaders who are under increasing pressure: Assad of Syria, Nasrallah of Hizbullah in Lebanon and Ahmadinejad in Iran. Pray for Israel to be ready:

    • We bless You Lord that ultimately You are the defender of Israel.

      Behold, He that guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

      Psalms 121:4

      He that scattered Israel will gather him, and guard him, as a shepherd does his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • Yet You also prophesied that Israel would be a mighty army when You brought her back.

      So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath [spirit] came into them. They lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

      Ezekiel 37:10; cp. Isaiah 41:10-16; Micah 4:11-13

    • Lord of hosts, prepare the IDF for whatever is facing Israel in the future.

    • Provide all the finances, manpower and weapon systems to deal with the enemy's hordes.

    • Speak encouragement into all of the IDF soldiers - so many of whom are only teenagers.

    • Grant courage, boldness and wisdom to the commanders of the IDF, especially the Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz.

    • Protect and supply with correct information all of Israel's spies and collaborators in enemy nations.

  7. Aliyah - the immigration of the Jewish people to Israel from exile - is always on the heart of God because it is one of the ways that He is glorified in this earth.

    • Fear not: for I am with you. I will bring your 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, and 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

    • Abba, we bless You for the Jews who are returning home this summer. More, Lord!

    • Break down the bureaucratic obstacles to making aliyah!

    • Lord, wake up the British Jews. Use the recent riots to draw them home.

    • Lord, wake up the American Jews. Use the recent economic riots and natural disasters to help them see it is better for them and their family to make Israel their home. Let them accept that there will need to be some sacrifices in terms of their lifestyle.

    • Let the Messianic Jews in America be ready to give a lead to their unsaved brethren.

    • As per Your promise, bring Your people back from the West (Zechariah 8:7-8).

    • God of Israel, there are still Jews in most of the surrounding Arab/Islamic nations. Please set them free to return to Zion.

    • Bring back all of the remaining Ethiopian Jews.

    • Refresh Your calling upon the Church to support the return of the Jews to Israel.

    • I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin of Israel… You shall yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria…

      Jeremiah 31:3a-5b

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

      Psalms 147:2

  8. Salvation is always one of the main goals of our prayers - even when we may not pray directly into it (see Prophetic Evangelism under 'Teachings' on our website for more on that).

    • Please continue to pray for all of the various groups of Israel and Jews whom the Lord brings to your mind, that the light of the good news of Messiah Yeshua would overcome all of their preconceived notions and multitudes of Jews would come into the Kingdom of God.

    • We prayed corporately for religious settlers, residents of Jerusalem, the ultra-Orthodox, Holocaust survivors, teachers, young people traveling the world, the people expelled from Gush Katif, for whole families to be saved and for the unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

  9. As we are in the month of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, also pray for the salvation of Moslems. A good way to do that is to lift up our brothers and sisters in Messiah living in Moslem nations where they often experience persecution. In many of these nations, which are now experiencing in upheavals, believers often also have great opportunities to share the gospel.

    • Where the dangers are intensifying show Your people whether they should stay in their nations or flee.

    • Pray too that God would reveal Himself to multitudes of Moslems in dreams and visions during this season!

Finally, please pray for Intercessors for Israel, that we will constantly be led by the Spirit of God, have the wisdom to lead others in prayer, and have all of our needs met.

Blessings from Zion and Shabbat shalom
The IFI Team