1. There was a major terror attack in the south of Israel yesterday. As of now, the death count is eight with scores in hospital, including women and children. Yet we needed to start by praising God - even if it is a sacrifice of praise this morning.

    • From this week's prophetic portion (Isaiah 49:13-51:3), the opening and closing verses are most appropriate for Israel today:

      Sing, O heavens, be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains, for the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted.

      Isaiah 49:13

      For the LORD shall comfort Zion. He will comfort all her waste places. He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

      Isaiah 51:3

    • Abba, we thank You for speaking to Your people this very day through this portion.

    • Abba, we praise You for never changing. (Malachi 3:6).

    • Thank You that You were God before the terror attack and are still God after it.

    • We bless You for Your faithfulness.

      It is because of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.

      Lamentations 3:22-23

    • Abba, thank You for the very heavy dew there was in Jerusalem early this morning. [Israel gets approximately 20% of it's annual water from heaven in the form of dew.]

  2. We prayed for comfort for those in Israel who are in intense pain today, be it physical, mental or emotional pain, because of yesterday's terror attacks.

    • God of all comfort, comfort Zion today.

      But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you. Behold, I have graven you upon the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me.

      Isaiah 49:14-16

    • Comfort those in hospitals, their family members and friends, and heal them quickly.

    • Comfort those whose loved ones were killed yesterday.

    • Comfort all terror attack survivors in this nation who recall their brush with death whenever there is another attack.

      He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

      Psalms 147:3

    • Bring the true comfort that only Messiah Yeshua can give to many in Israel today by revealing Your Son to all of these terror victims.

    • Enable Messianic Jews to have a word in due season for those whom we speak with.

    • As You have done before, many times, turn that which the enemy meant for evil into good.

      …the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing unto you, because the LORD your God loved you.

      Deuteronomy 23:5

    • We do thank You that the attack did not result in even greater casualties.

  3. It is important for Israel to respond to this attack in a godly manner. We do not mean by turning the other cheek. A biblical response is to terrorize the terrorists! See this first quote.

    • Let every soul be subject unto the governing authorities. For there is no authority but of God.

      Paul then goes on to explain what a godly government is like.

      For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the authority? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same, for he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he bears not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a punisher to execute wrath upon him that does evil.

      Romans 13:1-4

    • We thank You for the strong Israeli response so far.

    • Help Israel's leaders know what else they are to do and not do.

    • Bless Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the IDF's Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, with a definite leading from you concerning Israel's response.

      The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD…He turns it wherever He will.

      Proverbs 21:1

    • Deal with the wicked in Gaza and protect all Gazans who in reality would like to live in peace with Israel.

    • Prepare the IDF to cut off all future terror attacks.

    • Glorify Yourself in and through Israel's response.

      But thus says the LORD… I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children. I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood… and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

      Isaiah 49:25-26

  4. We prayed for Israel's security forces to be alert to deal with any nations or terror groups in the area who think that now is a good time to take advantage of Israel's situation.

    • Give wisdom to know where the next attack will come from.

    • Keep the IDF alert on all of Israel's borders - including the Mediterranean Sea.

    • Whatever Hizbullah in Lebanon or anyone in Syria might be planning, bring it to nothing.

      The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing He makes the thoughts of the people of none effect.

      Psalms 33:10

    • If there is any further attacks, make Israel's response so overwhelming that the fear of You, the God of Israel, falls on all of her enemies.

      …the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.

      Exodus 14:25

    • Continue to confound all those who hate Zion (Psalm 129:5).

    • Have mercy on Israel - for Your holy name's sake (Psalm 115:1-3).

    • Have mercy on Israel's enemies by not allowing any of their demonic plans to succeed.

    • Do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from obtaining or developing nuclear weapons.

    • Arise, LORD; let not man prevail. Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, LORD, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.

      Psalms 9:19-20

    • Lord Yeshua, specifically in this area, raise up more intercessors and watchmen who see the signs of the times and know how to pray.

  5. We prayed into the situation a Palestinian State being voted into existence in the UN next month - even if only in the minds of most of the world and the Palestinians. We also saw that the danger to Israel is not nearly as serious as the danger to any nation who votes to divide God's land and scatter His people (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Abba, give us wisdom on how to pray into this situation. If this is Your timing for all nations to come against Jerusalem, we do not want to pray against it (Zechariah 12:2-3).

    • Yet if this is the enemy trying to preempt Your prophetic word, deal with it in Your way that brings You the most glory.

    • Give to Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Lieberman, Israel's UN Ambassador Ron Prosor and all others who need to deal with this threat, wisdom from on high so that the nations will not be able to say they were not warned.

    • Lord God, watch over that which You declared in Amos 9:14-15:

      I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel. They shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof. They shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, says the LORD your God.

    • We bless You that even after all of these years of the world wanting to see the rise of 'Palestine', there is still no Palestinian State!

  6. Realizing the danger of nations voting in favor of a 'Palestine', we prayed for intercessors in those nations to also see the prophetic danger and stand before God for mercy.

    • Specifically for nations represented at our meeting this morning, we ask for an awaking in the intercessors in America, Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, China, and Germany.

    • Lord, in all the nations, reveal to Your Body that You are looking for those who will stand in the gap before You so that You can have mercy (Ezekiel 22:30-31).

    • Raise up elders with prophetic insight to warn both the Church and the nations about this path that is only driving the nations deeper and deeper into the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

  7. In the prophetic portion, there is a verse that clearly speaks to the end-time Church to be involved in helping with aliyah - the return of the Jews from exile to home.

    • 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

    • Lord Yeshua, wake up the gentile part of the Body to see that in this verse You are asking them to help with the return of Your people to Your land - for Your glory (Isaiah 43:5-7).

    • Abba, wake up the Jews in exile to see that now is the time to come home.

    • For all of those who are returning this summer, encourage and strengthen them to stay.

    • Bless those 120 new immigrants who specifically came this past week to go right into the IDF. Protect them and save them.

    • Bring home many Israelis who are living overseas.

    • Let Messianic Jews see Your upraised hand and Your standard/banner as well. May the redeemed of the Lord return (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).

We finished by praying for many Moslems to get saved over Ramadan and for many Jews to also come into the kingdom between now and the high holidays - the end of September.

We are so grateful to you dear prayer warriors, who not only pray for Israel, but also for us at Intercessors For Israel. Thank you for holding our arms up in prayer.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem,
The IFI Team

Who is among you that fears the LORD, that obeys the voice of His servant,
yet still walks in darkness, and has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

Isaiah 50:10