1. We looked at Psalm 46:1-7 as we began.

   • God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear when the earth moves, and when mountains are slipping into the heart of the seas. Let its waters roar and foam; let the mountains shake with the swelling of it. Selah. There is a river, its channels gladden the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her…The nations raged, the kingdoms were shaken; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. YHWH of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

     Psalms 46:1-7

   • We bless You for being so consistent (Malachi 3:6).

   • Thank You for watching over Your Word and watching over Your nation.

   • We are so grateful for the Holy Spirit that leads us in prayer (Romans 8:26).

   • I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock; His work is perfect. For all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness…just and upright is He.

     Deuteronomy 32:3-4

2. With Syria imploding, their huge stockpile of chemical and biological weapons becomes more and more of an issue for Israel - and for the rest of the world. Yet, as with the Iranian global threat, the world's efforts are feeble, ineffective and ultimately useless. Israel has said openly that any transference of these WMD to Hizbullah will result in an immediate Israeli attack - even if it leads to a wider regional war. We prayed for Israel's leaders to be led by God's Spirit in all of this.

   • Give Israel's leadership wisdom, boldness and courage to do whatever needs to be done to protect this nation from Syria's weapons of mass destruction.

   • Bring all of Israel's leaders who will need to make decisions about this into one accord (Psalm 133:1).

   • Purposes are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.

     Proverbs 20:18; also 24:6

   • Provide all of the necessary intelligence for Israel to know exactly what is happening in Syria.

   • Hide all of our contacts and oversee any and all covert operations to deal with these weapons.

   • Lord, protect Israel as it seems that this nation could very easily be surrounded by the Muslim Brotherhood, or even more radical Islamic forces on all sides.

   • Except that it was YHWH who was for us, O may Israel say; except that it was YHWH who was for us when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, ywhen their wrath was kindled against us…then the proud waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed is YHWH, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of YHWH, who made the heavens and earth.

     Psalms 124:1-8

3. We continued to pray for innocent Syrians and our Syrian brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua.

   • Abba, You once called Damascus the city of praise…the city of My joy! (Jeremiah 49:25). So we ask that You would have much mercy on the inhabitants of that city and other areas of Syria, and enable Your praise to one more time be heard in Damascus before it is cut off forever (Isaiah 17:1).

   • Righteous Judge of all the earth, although You must judge the wicked, have mercy for the sake of the few righteous (Genesis 18:23-32).

   • Give the Syrian Body of Messiah much wisdom and protection.

   • Allow the gifts of the Spirit to flow through them and use them to draw others to Yeshua.

   • During this Islamic holy month of Ramadan, reveal Messiah Yeshua too many Muslims in dreams and visions, and save multitudes.

   • Protect and save Syrian Kurds and Druze.

4. The 2012 Olympic Games opens tonight in London. This is the 40th anniversary of the massacre of eleven Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich in 1972. Israel has asked for a minute of silence in honor of them - but the International Olympic Committee has refused again and again. Several of the Israeli widows and the Israeli Minister of Sport are planning to stand for a minute of silence anyway. We prayed that many others would join them.

   • Lord, move on multitudes of people in the stadium to stand in remembrance of these Jewish victims of terror.

   • Use this to touch people's hearts towards Yourself and Your people.

   • We ask that You would prevent any successful terror attacks or kidnappings at the games.

   • Place Your special protection around the Israeli team and quicken their security people as well.

   • I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where shall my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made Heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul. The LORD shall keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

     Psalms 121:1-8

5. Concerning Iran, it seems that the nations are willing to talk and talk, at least until after the US elections in November. Then maybe they will talk some more. Yet Israel - hearing from many Iranian leaders that their goal is the 'annihilation of the Zionist entity' - does not have the option to wait and see if the talks work out or if Iran obtains a nuke. Israel will most likely need to attack, but the orders must come forth from heaven.

   • We plead for nothing less than Your timing, Your tactics and Your weapons (Joshua 5:13-6:5).

   • Abba, we know that there is a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:8) We ask that You would direct Israel's leaders to know Your timing.

   • Provide all of the necessary intelligence to help Israel's leaders make the right decision.

   • Thank You that Defense Minister Ehud Barak confirmed again this week that as bad as the aftermath of an Israeli attack on Iran might be, the prospect an Iran with nuclear weapons would be much, much worse.

   • Make other leaders in the world understand and act on this as well.

   • You have established Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister for just a time like this. Anoint him to complete the task You have raised him up for (Ephesians 2:10).

   • Watch over this word in Bibi's life: There are many thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

   • We still would prefer for You to sovereignly deal with this nation that is threatening You and Your people. Keep not silence, O God; do not be speechless, and be not still, O God. For behold, Your enemies roar; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They take shrewd counsel against Your people, and plot against Your hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name Israel may be remembered no more. For with one heart they have plotted together; they have made a covenant against You, (Psalms 83:1-5)

6. This past week, there was a column in the Jerusalem Post, written by an Iranian journalist, who said that Iran is the country with the largest number of Muslims leaving the faith and either becoming Christian or atheists. Obviously, Iranian Muslims becoming believers is a direct answer to the prayers of many.

   • We bless You Lord for taking out of Iran a harvest of souls for Your glory.

   • Exponentially increase the numbers - especially over Ramadan and before Israel may strike.

   • Lord Yeshua, use all ex-Muslim believers - especially in Iran and Syria - for Your glory.

   • Give the Iranian body much wisdom in prayer and evangelism and in hearing the voice of their Shepherd.

   • I will set My throne in Elam [Iran]… (Jeremiah 49:38a) We see You doing this in the hearts of many.

   • …and I will destroy the king and the rulers from there, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 49:38b) Since You are doing the first part of this verse, we trust You to watch over this second part as well and deal with the wicked rulers of the Iranian nation.

7. Starting this Saturday evening at sunset through Sunday evening at sunset is the Jewish fast day known as T'isha B'Av - the Ninth of the Jewish month Av. Many disastrous events have occurred on this specific day in history. [http://fourquestions.us/judaism/history/tishabav.php] Judaism views this as the day when the twelve spies came back from Canaan and ten gave a wicked and false report of the land (Numbers 13:31-14:2). The rabbis say that because the children of Israel wept all night for no real reason, God decided to give them a reason to weep that night - and this led to the horrific events in history. Although many associate this day with the destruction of the first and second temples, the real reason why all these events happened was a distaining of the gift of God's land to the children of Israel.

   • Lord, as You said in Isaiah 62:4-5, marry Your people to Your land.

   • As thousands of young Jews tour this land through various programs, capture their heart with this land and bring them home.

   • Use this fast to stir up Jews living in exile to make plans to come home.

   • Use the increase in anti-Semitism in the West for the same purpose (Jeremiah 16:16).

   • Challenge more Messianic Jews to stand with Joshua and Caleb and not think that with all of the giants in the land, they will never be able to make it (Numbers 13:26-30).

   • Open the gates of the interior ministry to welcome every Jew who wishes to return - regardless of their background, skin color or religious leanings.

   • Forgive those Jews - both in Israel and in exile - who despise Judea and Samaria and want to see Your people, whom they call 'settlers' removed. Do not allow it to happen.

   • We thank You for the findings of the Levy Commission which stated that Jews have every historical and legal right to settle in all of the land of Israel - including Judea and Samaria.

   • Cause the government to accept the Levy Report and its recommendations of legalizing the settlements.

   • Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that…I will turn back the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall build the cities which are desolate, and they shall live in them. They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine. They shall also make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on 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 9:13-15

We finished by praying for Mitt Romney's two day visit to Israel starting this Saturday evening. We asked that this visit would raise his profile in the eyes of American Jews and Evangelicals.

May the Lord God direct your intercessions for His holy name's sake.

Blessings from the city of the Great King (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35).

Shabbat shalom,

The IFI team