1. In the face of the scheduled events in the UN today - with the declaration of a Palestinian State on the pre-1967 borders being presented by the Palestinian Authority's President Abbas - we praised God for who He is and that nothing takes Him by surprise.

    • Hodu l'Adonai ki tov, ki l'olam chasdo! Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His chesed [His love based on His commitment to His covenant promises] endure forever!

    • I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…

      Exodus 15:1b

    • We bless You for your unchangeableness (Malachi 3:6).

    • We trust in Your faithful protection over Your people - for Your holy name's sake (Ezekiel 36:22-32).

    • My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

      Psalms 121:1-2

  2. We spoke out various proclamations from God's Word over today's events. God states that He watches over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12; Isaiah 55:11). So we declared His Word and look to Him to do that which He has said.

    • The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the thoughts of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever; the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

      Psalms 33:10-11

    • Destroy them, God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against You. But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them: let them also that love Your name be joyful in You.

      Psalms 5:10-11; see also 94:22-23

    • Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

      Psalms 124:7-8; see also 91:3

    • 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. 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.

      Amos 9:14-15

    • From this Shabbat's prophetic portion:

      For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.

      Isaiah 63:4

  3. We prayed for our various nations - asking God to have mercy on them, by having them vote against a Palestinian State or at least, abstain. We used Proverbs 21:1 to pray for national leaders: The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD as the rivers of water. He turns it wherever He will.

  4. Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is speaking at the UN today. He has said that he will speak the truth. We prayed for him to do just that.

    • Abba, put Your words in his mouth and let him be an oracle from Jerusalem.

    • Set a guard over Netanyahu's mouth so that only the words You want him to speak will be what comes forth (Psalm 141:3; Numbers 23:12).

    • Use his words to trap Your enemies.

    • Do not allow the fear of man to snare him - causing him to be politically correct instead of declaring truth.

      The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

      Proverbs 29:25

    • Strengthen Bibi, yet keep him humble.

    • If he feels overwhelmed by all that he is facing, remind him of David's prayer:

      Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.

      Psalms 61:1-2

    • Enable Ron Prosor, Israel's UN ambassador, to give Bibi vital and current advice.

    • We bless You for giving Israel a leader like Netanyahu at a time like this.

  5. We have a strong sense of the overriding sovereignty of God in this very tense time for Israel. The Lord God of Israel does reign. (Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1; Isaiah 52:7) So we prayed for the Palestinians to fall into the trap that they are setting for Israel. This is something we have seen God do over and over again with Israel's enemies.

    • From this Shabbat's Torah portion:

      And the LORD your God will put all these curses upon your enemies - on them that hate you, and persecuted you.

      Deuteronomy 30:7

    • Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her be defiled, let our eye look upon Zion. But they do not know the LORD's thoughts, neither do they understand His counsel: for He shall gather them as sheaves into the floor.

      Micah 4:11-12

    • Confuse the PA leadership and push them to overstep the mark.

    • Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

      Psalms 129:5

    • Concerning the UN, we declare that, All nations before Him are as nothing. They are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity. Isaiah 40:17

  6. Because the expectation of the Palestinians has been raised to unrealistic heights, Israel's security forces are on a very high alert.

    • Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered.

      Psalms 68:1a

    • Abba, release the hosts of heaven to fight for Israel today (2 Kings 6:16-17).

    • Almighty Lord of Hosts, bless and protect all of Israel's security forces.

    • Give them supernatural wisdom and restraint - as well as courage and alertness.

    • We bless You for the many non-lethal crowd control weapons at Israel's disposal. Yet, if lethal force is needed, enable the security people to use it most effectively.

    • Lord, please restrain any Jewish radicals from doing anything stupid.

    • Use the blessed forecast of rain over this weekend to dampen the spirits of the protestors.

    • Help the IDF be alert on all of Israel's borders.

    • We thank You for gathering Your people to Samaria and Judah as per Your prophetic Word (Jeremiah 31:4-5; Zechariah 12:2-7). Please protect all those who live there.

    • Hear the word of the LORD, you [United] nations, and declare it in the isles [New York City] afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep/guard him, as a shepherd does his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

  7. We interceded about the situation with Turkey and Iran. Both nation's leaders gave anti-Israel speeches at the UN and both nations are a current threat to Israel. Let God arise!

  8. This week's Torah portion includes a promise that Jews in exile will return to Israel and once back in the land, God will save them. The good news is that aliyah, the immigration of Jews back home, was up 20% this past year [Rosh haShannah 2010 to Rosh haShannah 2011 - next Thursday]. Over 21,000 Jews returned home - and over 10,000 Israelis return as well. Hallelujah!

    • Thank You Lord for answering pray and increasing aliyah.

    • Bring home more for Your holy name's sake (Isaiah 43:5-7; Ezekiel 36:22-32).

    • We bless all of the returning Israelis in the mighty name of Yeshua.

    • Supply all the needs of the organizations that are helping to bring your people home.

    • Continue to strengthen Israel's economic situation so that it draws Jews in exile back to the land of their forefathers.

    • Help veteran Israelis to embrace the new immigrants and aid them to get settled.

    • As You promised, reveal Messiah Yeshua to many of the new immigrants, especially those who have settled in the mountains of Israel.

    • From this week's Torah portion:

      It shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where the LORD your God has driven you, and shall return unto the LORD you God, and obey His voice according to all that I command you this day… with all your heart, and with all your soul, that then the LORD your God will turn your captivity, have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you… And the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers. [Now follows one of the Old Testament terms for being born again.] And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.

      Deuteronomy 30:1-6

    • We bless You Abba, that we are seeing You watch over this wonderful promise in our days and even at this very time.

    • O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel.

      Jeremiah 31:7b

We finished by praying for a good outpouring of the forecasted rain for this weekend.

Please note: Next Friday we will not have a prayer meeting as it is a holyday here in Israel. Rosh haShannah is the biblical feast known as Yom Teruah - the day of the blowing of the shofar. May the Lord's shofar blast wake all of us up to that which is on His heart during these most exciting and dangerous times.

The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
In whatever place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet [shofar], gather there unto us.
Our God shall fight for us.

Nehemiah 4:19b-20

Shannah tovah u'metukah - a happy and sweet new year to you all.
The IFI Team