1. Shavuot, the feast of the Lord also known as Pentecost in most congregations, starts this coming Saturday evening through Sunday sunset. Rabbinic Judaism sees this as the day when Moses received Torah on Mt. Sinai. The Body of Messiah sees this as the day when Yeshua poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit on His disciples.

    • When the day of Pentecost [Shavuot] was fully come, [Yeshua's disciples] were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

      Acts 2:1-4

    • Abba, we bless You for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    • We also bless You for both the Living and the Written Word.

    • Yeshua, we thank You for providing Your Spirit for Your Body throughout the ages.

    • I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies…The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

      Psalms 18:3, 46

  2. We prayed that on Shavuot, the biblical connection between believers in Yeshua, the Tanach [Old Testament], the nation of Israel, and the Jewish people would become very evident to the worldwide Body of Messiah.

    • Since Jews read the book of Ruth over Shavuot, may many believers read that book as well, and let them consider what the gentile Ruth declared to her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi. Beg me not to leave you, or to return from following after you - for where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God: (Ruth 1:16-17)

    • As many read from Acts 2 this Sunday, open up their eyes that what Peter preached was totally and completely from the Tanach.

    • Remove the veil of ignorance and apathy concerning Israel from the Church. Boast not against the branches… you bear not the root, but the root you. (Romans 11:18)

    • Help the Church see that they are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree - and not into a Christmas tree, which looks nice, but is cut off from its roots and dying (Romans 11:24).

    • Send a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit to Your Body worldwide.

  3. Many Jews stay up all of Shavuot evening reading and studying scripture, including the book of Ruth. What a wonderful time for God to break in and speak clearly to His people.

    • So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

      Isaiah 55:11

    • Abba, as Your people read and study Your word - speak by Your Spirit.

    • Thank You for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu holding the first Tanach bible study group in his residence and declaring that the Tanach is vital to this nation.

    • We agree with his goal of seeing more Israelis fall in love with Your word.

    • Pour out Your Spirit on many Jews who study Your word this night - and reveal to multitudes that Yeshua is the promised King Messiah.

    • Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Yeshua of Nazareth…[Nathanael] said unto Yeshua, Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.

      John 1:45, 49

    • We saw an initial fulfillment of Joel 2:28 in Acts 2. Lord, we ask for a more complete fulfillment this year. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28)

    • We bless You that it is Your goodness that draws us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Pour out Your abundant goodness on this nation.

    • I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn you.

      Jeremiah 31:3

  4. Concerning Iran, as we feared, the world powers talks this week with the Iranians about their nuclear program succeeded in only agreeing to hold more talks! The Iranians now have even more time to develop nuclear weapons. Yet the situation requires action. Just this past week it was revealed that Iran's highest authority, Ayatollah Khamenei, had said to Spain's former PM Aznar that Israel must be destroyed. And the head of Iran's army affirmed it. We prayed for Israel's leaders to know what to do in the face of this very real, dangerous threat.

    • Lord, give to Bibi Netanyahu the courage to not be 'politicaly correct,' but as a historian, to read the signs and know what Israel must do at this time (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Bring Israel's inner security cabinet into complete unity.

    • Reveal to them Your method and timing of any military action on Israel's part.

    • We trust You as the ultimate guardian over Israel (Psalm 121:4; Jeremiah 31:10).

    • Yet there are times when You protect her by using her army as a mighty weapon of war for Your glory (Isaiah 41:10-16; Jeremiah 51:19-23; Ezekiel 37:9-10; Micah 4:11-13).

    • In that day will I make the governors [allufim - modern Hebrew for 'generals'] of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, and they shall devour all the people round about… and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

      Zechariah 12:6

    • Lord, let all haters of Zion be caught in their own snares. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down. They have dug a pit before me, into the midst of which they are fallen themselves. Selah. (Psalms 57:6)

  5. We prayed for the nations to wake up to the games that the Iranians are playing with them. Also, if Israel does attack, that the nations would not resist her right to defend herself against Iran's continual threats to wipe Israel out.

    • 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

    • Abba, please either wake up EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton from her dream world, or remove her completely.

    • Wake up all the other wishy-washy leaders who do not see Iran's current leadership as a threat to their world.

    • We thank You for the strong stance of the US Congress - even in the face of the much weaker response of the US administration.

    • May Saudi Arabia's and the Gulf States' fear of the extreme danger that a nuclear weapon in Iranian hands would be, be communicated in all its' intensity to the West.

    • Continue to cause Iran's leadership to make both mistakes in political decisions and in bombastic declarations that reveal their true heart intent.

    • He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.

      Daniel 2:21-22

  6. We prayed for the Israel Defense Force. With all of the dangers facing this nation today, both near and far, the IDF needs wisdom on how to be prepared and how to respond to whatever the future holds.

    • We bless You for watching over Your word and raising up a mighty army in Israel [see under point #4].

    • Prepare Israel's Air Force for whatever tasks it will be called upon to protect this nation.

    • Be with them as they fly. As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it. (Isaiah 31:5)

    • Give counsel to all of Israel's leaders who need to make military decisions, especially PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak; IDF Chief of Staff Gantz; IAF head Eschel.

    • May they all know the correct counsel when they hear it (Proverbs 20:18; 24:6).

    • Do not allow the threats of Iran to blind the IDF to the very real dangers surrounding Israel - from Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and even Turkey.

    • Bring to light all the plans of Israel's enemies (Luke 12:3).

    • Raise up the right people in all areas of the IDF - and remove all that do not belong there.

    • Enable Israel's military industries to develop new weapons (2 Chronicles 26:14-15).

    • Again, we ask that You would forbid any successful kidnapping attempts.

  7. Israel is caught in another situation that needs our prayers. Many illegals have entered - some are genuine refugees and some are economic refugees. And many are Muslims fleeing the surrounding Islamic nations to find a better life in the Jewish State! Recently, there has been some violence both from a small number of these illegals as well as from a few Israelis against them. Of course, both are unacceptable. This government is determined to deal justly with the situation, but what to do, and how to do it, is the question. Please pray that Bibi Netanyahu and the other government ministers who need to make tough decisions will do so with the kind of wisdom that God imparted to King Solomon.

Finally, there are two events relating to the Body of Messiah. On Shavuot, many believers from all over the nation gather in a central location to celebrate the feast together. May the Lord pour out that fresh infilling of His Spirit on them and a real unity in the Spirit be evident. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! (Psalms 133:1)

Next Thursday evening, Intercessors For Israel will be holding its second regional prayer meeting - this time on Mount Carmel. Please pray that all who are to be there, would be, and that a real understanding of how to pray for Israel will be given from on high.

Shabbat shalom v'hag Shavuot sameach

The IFI team

I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, says the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve.

Jeremiah 50:19-20