1. This has been a very exciting year prophetically. There have been political, physical, economic and spiritual shakings in most areas of the world. It is good to know that despite all the changes - our God remains the same! There are no emergencies in heaven.

    • For I am the LORD, I change not.

      Malachi 3:6a

    • Messiah Yeshua, the same yesterday, today, and forever.

      Hebrews 13:8

    • We bless You for who You are.

    • It is wonderful to know that You are always faithful - even if we are not sure what You are doing or about to do.

    • Thank You for giving us Your Word - and for watching over Your Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

  2. As Paul encouraged us to pray first of all for those in authority, we stood in the gap for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu.

    • I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men - for kings, and for all that are in authority - that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

      1 Timothy 2:1-3

    • We do bless You for raising up Bibi Netanyahu to lead Israel at this time (Daniel 4:25b).

    • Thank You for sustaining, encouraging, strengthening and protecting him during this season.

    • Forbid the spirit of appeasement to come upon him, but give him wisdom as to when and how he can compromise.

    • Move on him by Your Spirit (Judges 6:34).

    • Surround him with wise counsel (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22)

    • Gift Bibi with the humility to know those areas in which he does need feedback and counsel.

    • 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

    • We bless Netanyahu in the name of his Messiah Yeshua.

    • Abba, if Bibi has not yet had a revelation of Yeshua, reveal Your Son to him this weekend as he reads this in the Torah portion:

      Then Joseph could not refrain himself…and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. He wept aloud, and…said unto his brethren…Come near to me…I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me, for God did send me before you to preserve life.

      Genesis 45:1-5

    • May Your peace rest on the Netanyahu household, his wife and sons and all who enter.

  3. Various divisions have surfaced in Israeli society. The one this week is between the ultra-religious Haredi and women. Last week it was between the settlers and the rest of the nation. And the division between those who want 'peace now' and those who see what a danger it is to divide this land - is always present. All this is besides the divisions that crop up in the Body of Messiah.
    This week's prophetic portion (Ezekiel 37:15-28) encouraged us to stand against division in the land of Israel.

    • Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations …and bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all.

      Ezekiel 37:21-22a

    • Abba, do exactly this that You have promised.

    • Lord, we know that ultimately, this will come to pass when all Israel is in the hand of the Son of Man, Yeshua (Ezekiel 37:16-17). Therefore, make 2012 a year of salvation to many in all the various divisions of Israeli society.

    • Lord, raise up influential voices in Israeli society who will speak to their communities in wisdom and grace.

    • Abba, use this mess in the Haredi community to show many that something is definitely not kosher with their outlook and lifestyle.

    • Stop all attempts at radical counter demonstrations.

    • Hedge in the media slant that always tries to stoke the flames and is usually on the wrong side - the humanistic side as opposed to God's will - in most areas.

    • Give the current government wisdom in steering the Israeli ship of state through these various societal rapids.

    • Prevent the opposition's lie, that all this is the fault of Bibi's government, from taking hold of the minds and hearts of Israelis. Let them see that these issues have been around for decades.

    • Lord, ultimately, we need You to heal these divisions.

    • Yeshua, reveal Yourself to multitudes of religious settlers in 2012.

      …I will save them out of all their dwelling places…and will cleanse them. So shall they be My people, and I will be their God. David My servant shall be King over them, and they all shall have One Shepherd. They shall also walk in My judgments, observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt. They shall dwell there, even they, and their children, and their children's children forever, and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore.

      Ezekiel 37:23b-26

    • Lord, we confess there are divisions in the Body of Messiah - some valid, some not. Help us to guard the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), and not to maintain a superficial unity of man.

    • Abba, show believers when the lies of the accuser break in and enable us to resist believing and spreading them (Revelation 12:10).

  4. 2011 has seen Israel's overall security situation become much more dangerous. The 'Arab Spring' has enabled Islamic fundamentalist governments to arise in several Middle East nations, like Tunisia and Egypt, with more to come, most likely Libya and Syria, very soon. Even Jordan is being challenged with this. Then there is Iran and its continued quest for nuclear weapons. As the Spirit of Islam hates Israel, none of this is good news. Already, some of the new governments have taken anti-Semitic stances against this nation, demanding a Palestinian state to replace the Jewish state. So 2012 will be a very 'interesting' year for this small nation - which, thankfully, has a very big God!

    • Lord, when the highest ranking US general, the head of the Joint Chiefs, comes here to meet PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak and the IDF Chief of Staff Gantz, cause there to be a meeting of the minds and a willingness for him to listen to what his Israeli counterparts are saying, and to see what they are seeing from their perspective of living in the Middle East.

    • Have mercy on America by encouraging them to stand for, and with, Israel.

    • As they discuss the Iranian, Egyptian and Syrian situations, may both the truth and Your will be revealed.

    • Give to Israelis who will be meeting with this US general wisdom to know what to say and the ability to communicate effectively.

    • Give to all of Israel's military leaders wisdom and discernment to know what Israel needs to do at this time (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Encourage Israel to take any pre-emptive measure that are needed.

    • Thank You that Bibi was able to increase Israel's defense budget.

    • We bless You again for giving us a leader who sees the dangers and is willing to take unpopular steps to prepare this nation to deal with them.

  5. We next prayed about the Iranian threat.

    • Lord, You know the hatred and lies that are coming from Iran's leaders against Your nation and people. Arise, God, and scatter Your enemies (Psalm 68:1; 83:1-2).

    • If the fall of the Assad regime in Syria will hurt the plans of Iran in the Middle East, then bring him down quickly.

    • Whatever it takes, do not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.

    • Shake that nation - with earthquakes, through its economic struggles and sanctions, by political and spiritual; upheavals.

    • Lord, overturn the stronghold of Shia Islam that rules over that people.

    • Thank You for the multitudes of Iranians You have saved this year. Lord, more in 2012!

    • Give our Iranian brothers and sisters in Messiah, wisdom, courage and protection.

    • If You will use Israel to attack, give to all who will be part of that decision wisdom and current intelligence to make the correct decisions.

    • Also give courage and wisdom to the pilots or whomever Israel will use to deal with this threat.

  6. Ultimately we trust in the Lord God of Israel to protect and defend this nation that He is in the process of restoring - for His holy name's sake!

    • Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

      Psalms 20:7-9

    • You are my King, O God: command deliverances [lit: salvations] for Jacob. Through You will we push down our enemies: through Your name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and put to shame them that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah.

      Psalms 44:4-9

    • Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatsoever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

Last weekend was a wonderfully wet weekend - for which we praise God. In fact, Mt. Hermon experienced a white Christmas. This weekend more snow is forecast, as well as rain in other parts of Israel. Please pray for it to come and to fall in the right places.

May the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, bless you out from Zion (Psalm 134:3).

Shabbat shalom

The IFI Team