1. Shabbat's prophetic portion ends with this wonderful verse in Isaiah:

    • Sing, O heavens; for YHWH has done it. Shout lower parts of the earth. Break out into singing, O mountains, forest, and every tree in it. For YHWH has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.

      Isaiah 44:23

    • Lord, we are so blessed that You are, and will continue to be, glorified in and through Your people Israel.

    • We thank You for the privilege of being able to boldly come to Your throne to intercede for Your will to be done here on earth as it is already settled in heaven (Hebrews 4:16; Matthew 6:10).

    • When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. He laid His right hand upon me, saying to me, Do not fear, I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen. And I have the keys of hell and of death.

      Revelation 1:17-18

    • Precious Lord Yeshua, we thank You that we serve a living God - and not the dumb idols we used to serve.

    • We bless You for sending Your Spirit to lead us in intercession today (Romans 8:26).

  2. There is an increase in Palestinian attacks against Israelis in Judea, Samaria and in Jerusalem. Israeli security forces expected this as a lead up to US President Obama's visit next week, as well as a fruit of the UN's recognition of 'Palestine' last November. It brought great hope, yet in daily life, nothing has changed. In fact in some areas things have gotten worse. So security forces are prepared for a very stormy day today in Jerusalem, especially after Muslim Friday prayers. Therefore, we began by praying for the peace of Jerusalem.

    • Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you shall be blessed. Peace be within your walls, blessings within your palaces. For my brothers and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within you. Because of the house of YHWH our God I will seek your good.

      Psalms 122:6-9

    • Lord, protect Israel's security forces. Give them discernment to spot those who want to cause chaos and to stop them before they can accomplish their evil plans.

    • Abba, send Your angelic hosts to quench all riotous fires before they get out of hand.

    • Lord, we ask that security forces will be issued clear directives concerning 'rules of engagement' in the various situations that they will face.

    • May Israel's 'rules of engagement line up with Yours: For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. Do you want to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. (Romans 13:3-4)

    • Over all that happens in Jerusalem - and the rest of Israel today - we declare, YHWH has prepared His throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19)

  3. US President Obama is set to visit Israel next week, from Wednesday March 20th to Friday, March 22nd. He wants to 'connect' with Israelis - especially college age students. He will hold a meeting in Jerusalem's International Convention Center with them, but he is not speaking to the Knesset, Israel's Parliament - although he was invited! He is going over the head of Israel's elected representatives to make his point to the people. This is pure arrogance and absolute evil. With his mesmerizing manner, and his anti-Biblical stance on most issues, this is an opportunity for God's enemy to greatly deceive many in Israel. [Please understand that any advice or plans that Israel's so-called friends in the nations may want to push upon Israel - that are not in line with His plans - are from the pit of hell, regardless of how well intended the person may be.]

    • Lord, stir up Your watchmen to pray up a protective spiritual hedge around this nation during the next week (Psalm 32:6; Isaiah 60:6-7) .

    • Yeshua, as Obama steps off his plane, and his feet touch Your holy land (Zechariah 2:12), have mercy and pour out the fear of the God of Israel on him. In fact, save him while he is here in Jerusalem!

    • Warn him that Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

    • Lord, block all manipulative spirits that travel with the US President. Do not allow them any access to hinder that which You are doing in Israel - for Your holy name's sake (Numbers 23:23; Ezekiel 36:1ff).

    • Expose Obama's true heart intent. Rip off the sheep skin that portrays him as a 'friend' of Israel (Psalm 55:21).

    • Protect Israelis from the plans of the enemy that too often are forced upon us by our 'friends'.

    • Unless this trip is 101% Your will - cancel it.

    • Lord, concerning any Israeli government officials, as well as PM Bibi Netanyahu, who will have to deal with Obama, give them much discernment to know truth from lies. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, yet evil is in their hearts. (Psalms 28:3)

    • Hedge in the new government from making any further compromises to start the 'peace' negotiations up again.

    • Concerning Obama's real plans about Iran, let there be no misunderstandings and let Netanyahu not back off from his stance of seeing the grave danger of a Shiite Islamic nuke.

    • As You have so often in the past, anoint Bibi Netanyahu to deal with Obama, regardless of how weary he must be from this long drawn out - just finished - coalition negotiations. There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the leaders of Judah and their multitude…Your God has commanded your strength; O God, be strong in that which You have worked out for us. (Psalms 68:27-28)

  4. When we gathered early this morning, the headlines said there were still hindrances to the formation of the new Israeli government. By the time we finished praying, the crisis was resolved and apparently Israel has a new government - without the ultra-Orthodox or the left wing Labor party. While this is very good news, as intercessors for Israel, our work is just beginning. The new government faces some very real dangers and will have very little time to make decisions in dealing with them. A budget needs to be passed quickly. A decision on Iran needs to be made. The pressure from the world to force Israel to divide God's/Israel's land and create a 'Palestine' will increase. Israel is also surrounded by the fruit of the Arab Spring - Egypt in chaos; Syria in chaos; Lebanon and Jordan battling to keep the chaos from spreading to their nations. Yet, Israel is still supposed to give away its God-given inheritance to a people who actively and openly train their children to hate and kill us. Still, God prophesied about all of this millennia ago. Thank God, there are no emergencies in heaven, because nothing takes Him by surprise.

    • Abba, we thank You for PM Netanyahu. You have raised him up to lead Israel today (Daniel 4:25b).

    • Give the new coalition Your vision for this nation (Proverbs 29:18).

    • Now that there is an agreement, we ask for a true humility to come upon all of the government ministers and for a bond of concern for the direction and protection of this nation to come to the fore.

    • We thought that the ultra-Orthodox, who believe in and use curses, most probably cursed the coalition negotiations as soon as they realized that they were not going to be part of the next government. So we took a stand against that by asking God Himself to bring any and all curses to naught.

    • Lord, we bless the new government in the name of Yeshua and say to them, Serve YHWH your God and His people Israel, (2 Chronicles 35:3)

  5. This next week is a very dangerous week for the destiny of America. What comes out of the US President's visit could easily push America deeper into the Valley of God's Judgment. For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I will bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat (God the Judge). And I will fight with them there for My people and for My inheritance Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land. (Joel 3:1-2) Our burden is that American believers would be aware of this danger and pray - even with fasting - for God to have much mercy and to hinder all the plans of the enemy that might come through their nation's leader.

    • Lord, wake up American believers to the existential danger their nation will face if Obama tries to seduce or manipulate anyone in this nation - especially about dividing this land (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Enable our brothers and sisters to recognize that You mean what You say about those who curse Israel will be cursed (Genesis 12:3: Numbers 24:9).

    • For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you will perish. Yes, those nations will be completely wasted.

      Isaiah 60:12; cp. Zechariah 12:9

    • Make 1Timothy 2:1-2 a living word to the elders of the American Body - especially this weekend. First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

    • Draw many to that exact place in Your Word that will make this week's events real to them and impress upon them the severity of the hour.

    • For thus says YHWH of Hosts: He has sent Me after glory, to the nations who stripped you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

      Zechariah 2:8

    • Wake up the Church in America to take responsibility for their President and his actions - even if they did not vote for him: We have sinned, committed iniquity, have done wickedly, and rebelled, by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments. Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of our faces, as it is today…O Lord, shame of face belongs to us, to our kings, to our rulers, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of YHWH our God, to walk in His Laws which He set before us by His servants the prophets. (Daniel 9:5-10)

  6. We finished our time in prayer with a number of more positive requests. With Passover starting on the evening of March 25th, we prayed for the salvation of the Jewish people - particularly for the unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews (Acts 16:31). We also prayed for all Jews, whether here in Israel or in exile, to come to a saving knowledge of Messiah Yeshua - and we also stood in the gap for Muslims to have a revelation of the real Yeshua during this season of His death and resurrection. Finally, we prayed that as many Jews will finish the Passover meal by declaring, "Next year in Jerusalem," that God would use that to touch many hearts of His people in exile to make just that commitment - to return home. Especially, we asked for Him to work in the hearts of the almost one million Israelis who live outside of this nation and in the hearts of the multitudes of Messianic Jews.

Israel is not aware yet, but it is blessed so much by the support in prayer that you provide for it.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

The IFI team

And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Malachi 1:5