1. This Shabbat's prophetic portion speaks into Israel's current situation with Gaza. We read from that and then praised God because of who He is - regardless of the events of the day.

    • The burden of the Word of YHWH to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, says YHWH. But you say, How have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says YHWH; yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau and made his mountains a desolation, and his inheritance to be for the jackals of the wilderness. Edom says, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places. Yet YHWH of Hosts declares, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them the border of wickedness, the people with whom YHWH is indignant forever. And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified from [and/or beyond] the border of Israel.

      Malachi 1:1-5

    • We thank and praise You for being ever faithful to watch over Your word to do it (Jeremiah 1:12).

    • We take comfort in the fact that You are all-knowing and that there are never any crises in heaven.

    • Not to us, YHWH, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where now is their God? But our God is in Heaven; He has done whatever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

  2. The IDF's Operation Pillar of Cloud [this is the literal translation. The name is taken from Exodus 13:21-22.], is a response to a huge numbers of various attacks from Islamic terror groups in Gaza. The operation started this past week with the targeted assassination of Hamas' military leader who had much blood on his hands. It has continued with Israeli Air Force and Navy strikes. Hamas and other terrorist groups have responded by the firing of hundreds of rockets against the citizens of southern Israel. There are even reports of a missile landing very close to Tel Aviv. Israel could be sending in ground troops by the time you read this and that will make this operation very messy and more deadly - to both sides. We spend most of our time praying into various aspects of this very dangerous, yet much needed, battle. Therefore, in line with 1 Timothy 2:1-2, we prayed first for those in authority in the government.

    • Lord, we lift up the arms of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

    • Help them to walk in one accord and receive wisdom from You concerning what Israel needs to do.

    • Bring government leaders into a unity in purpose and a desire to protect the Israeli people.

    • May You to be glorified in all that goes on - by having Your will be done on earth as it is already settled in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).

    • Lord, forbid that the upcoming Israeli elections would interfere with Israel's leaders' decisions concerning how to run this battle.

    • Abba, You have raised up Netanyahu for just a time like this. Therefore, make him a statesman and do not allow political gain or lose to impact his decisions.

    • Reveal to Israeli leaders Your goals for this time and Your plans on how to accomplish them.

    • A man's heart plans his way, but YHWH directs his steps.

      Proverbs 16:9

      There are many thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand.

      Proverbs 19:21

    • Enable clear communication between Israel's governmental leaders and the leaders of its army.

    • Dampen all contradictory voices that would seek to take personal/political advantage of this conflict - especially in the Israeli media and in the political opposition.

  3. We then prayed for the leadership of the Israeli Defense Forces, the IDF, to receive the mantle from on high to lead the army in this time of crisis.

    • Abba, we do not trust in the Israeli IDF - but in the heavenly IDF - Israel's Divine Father!

    • Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of YHWH our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. Save, O YHWH; let the King hear us when we call.

      Psalms 20:7-9

    • Hear the Word of YHWH, nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off, and say, He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep [guard] him, as a shepherd keeps his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • Yeshua, Lord of the hosts of heaven, give to the IDF leaders unity of purpose and courage.

    • Enable them to quickly adapt to changing scenarios on the battlefield.

    • Impart Your plans that will stand in the face of chaotic battle situations.

    • Raise up the wise advisors and removal all false or deceived ones from the ranks of the IDF leadership.

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

      Proverbs 20:18; cp. 24:6

    • Like You gave to King David, give current IDF leaders an ability to hear and respond to Your specific directions (1 Chronicles 14:14-15).

  4. We next prayed for the courage, protection and skills of the rest of the IDF.

    • Be strong and of a good courage. Do not fear nor be afraid of them. For YHWH your God is He who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.

      Deuteronomy 31:6

    • We ask for Your covering to be on all of Israel's soldiers, sailors, pilots and spies.

    • Use them all to deal a debilitating blow to the terror organizations that thrive in Gaza.

      They have prepared a net for my steps… they have dug a pit before me, into which they have fallen.

      Psalms 57:6

    • Impart courage and wisdom to the mid-to-low level commanders throughout the IDF.

    • Protect and use the believers in the IDF for Your purposes.

    • Raise up more Messianic Jews to positions of influence.

    • Lord, Hamas said this past week that by assassinating their top military leader, Israel opened up the gates of hell. We say that the gates of hell will not prevail against Your Church (Matthew 16:18) - and since we are a growing remnant in Israel, those gates will not prevail against Your nation either.

  5. We turned our focus in prayer to the people of Israel. The situation for the citizens in the south has been hellacious for many years now. Although there are very few deaths from the terrorist rocket fire, yet there are many injuries to one's emotional, mental and physical person. Some of these might never be healed and will impact negatively many of these Israelis.

    • Throughout Your Word, You say to the children of Israel, Fear not! Speak that to Your people in the night seasons, during the missile attacks, and many times during the day.

    • Father of all comfort, give Your divine comfort and courage to the children and teens.

    • Comfort all who have already lost loved ones and/or who are suffering from the terror they have had to endure during all these years.

    • We bless and thank You that the majority of this nation is standing in one accord with the government and this IDF operation. Continue to keep this nation unified.

    • Abba, use these times of tension and fear to draw many to Your Son Yeshua (John 6:44).

    • Anoint leaders of synagogues and messianic congregations to know what to say and what not to say.

    • Give Rabbis an ability to speak truth and turn Your people to look to You.

    • Wake up the liberal left-wing to the reality of what Israel faces and confront them to take responsibility for this situation because of their support for the Gaza disengagement.

    • Protect supernaturally all of the communities bordering on Gaza.

    • We confessed, No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of YHWH, and their righteousness is from Me, says YHWH. (Isaiah 54:17)

  6. The two areas in which Israel seems to always lose the battle is in diplomacy and public relations. There are so many lies in the media, in governments and in the spirit realm, about Israel and her reasons for battling Hamas, or restricting what goes into Gaza, that it will take a miracle for most of the world's population to see this current operation as anything more than further Israeli aggression. Yet we believe in miracles.

    • Ah, Lord YHWH! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm. Nothing is too great for You.

      Jeremiah 32:17

    • Behold, I am YHWH, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

      Jeremiah 32:27

    • Give much wisdom and revelation to those who are leading the fight to explain Israel's situation to the world at large.

    • Anoint PM Netanyahu and Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli Edelstein to take advantage of all media interviews to speak the truth boldly.

    • Use Israel's ambassadors in the nations and to the UN to state the facts clearly and openly - without the fear of man infecting them in any way (Proverbs 29:25a).

    • Enable Israel's use of social media to reach the younger generation - and even many in the Arab and Muslim worlds.

    • We thank You that up to this point, the US and Canada are standing behind the IDF operation (in fact, even the British foreign minister seems to understand!).

  7. Because of the IDF moving many of its troops and equipment south - to the area around Gaza - the northern border might look enticing to Israel's enemies.

    • Lord, we ask for You to protect Israel's northern border.

    • Do not permit any attacks from either Hizbullah in Lebanon or Assad in Syria - unless it is absolutely You drawing them into Your trap (Isaiah 37:29)!

    • Keep the soldiers in the north - many of whom will be reservists - alert and protected.

    • Forbid any successful kidnapping attempts.

    • Give the IDF wisdom concerning the deployment of all of its troops.

    • Let the priests, the ministers of YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar, and pray, Spare Your people, O YHWH. Give not Your inheritance to reproach… Why should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then YHWH will be jealous for His land and pity His people. Yes, YHWH will answer and say to His people, Behold… I will no more make you a curse among the nations. But I will remove the northern army far from you, and will drive him into a barren and deserted land… Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice. For YHWH will do great things.

      Joel 2:17-21

  8. We ended by praying for the Israeli Messianic Body, and the worldwide Body of Messiah.

    • Yeshua, pour out Your burden on Your Body for this weekend.

    • Anoint Arab believers to know how to pray at this time.

    • Help us all to always and only pray in line with Your will.

    • Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober-minded.

      1 Thessalonians 5:6

    • But the end of all things has drawn near. Therefore be sober-minded, watch and pray.

      1 Peter 4:7

Blessings, peace and Shabbat shalom from Zion,
The IFI team

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You;
because he trusts in You. Trust in YHWH forever;
for in the Yah YHWH is everlasting strength.

Isaiah 26:3-4