1. With US President Obama in Jerusalem, many of our streets were closed and the traffic situation was more of a mess than it is normally. So we needed to cancel our Friday's early morning prayer meeting, although we prayed much during the week, seeking God for Israel to be protected and to do His will. Of course, regardless of the situation on the ground, our God reigns.

    • God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise…I will awake early. I will praise You, YHWH, among the people: I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God…That Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and answer me… Give us help from trouble - for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for He shall tread down our enemies.

      From Psalm 108

    • We bless You because regardless of what man does, You remain faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).

    • We rest in You, the One who knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

    • It is so encouraging to know that You delight in our prayers. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to LORD: but the prayer of the upright is His delight. (Proverbs 15:8)

    • From this week's prophetic portion: Then those fearing YHWH spoke together…YHWH listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared YHWH, and for those esteeming His name. They shall be Mine, says YHWH of Hosts, in the day that I will make up My treasure. I will pity them as a man has pity on his son who serves him. Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him. (Malachi 3:16-18)

  2. This past week, Israel's 33rd government was sworn into office. The coalition negotiations were long and at times very frustrating, yet we can now recognize God's overriding guidance in allowing this specific government to come into being at this specific time. Still, with all of the issues it will immediately have to deal with both outside and inside of Israel, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and his coalition will need all the intercessory backing they can get (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

    • Abba, You promised to raise up Your leaders for Israel when You brought us back from exile. Make this new government as much of a fulfillment of that as is possible at this time: I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their fold. They shall be fruitful and multiply, and I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. And they shall fear no more, nor be afraid; nor shall they lack anything, says YHWH. (Jeremiah 23:3-4)

    • We bless Israel's newly formed government in the name of Israel's King and Messiah, Yeshua.

    • Lord of heaven's armies, please protect every member of this government from the curses that their enemies are placing upon them. In fact, turn the curse into a blessing because of Your everlasting love for this nation and her people (Deuteronomy 23:5; Jeremiah 31:3)

    • Please stand in the gap for the following members of the new government - to rule in the fear of God, and not to fear man: Prime Minister Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu; Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (providing he is found not guilty in his trial that has gone on for far too long. Pray for a just and quick outcome. Meanwhile Bibi wears two hats, being the acting FM until the trial is over.); Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (This is a direct answer to prayer.); Finance Minister Yair Lapid; Justice Minister Tzipi Livni; Economics and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett; Interior Minister Gideon Sa'ar. For a complete list of who's who click here.

  3. Barak Obama was in Israel this past week - his first visit as the American President. Why he chose to come the week preceding Passover [starting next Monday evening] - a very hectic week for Israelis - disrupting lives by street closures, increased security, and added hassles in preparing for the feast - only God knows. Looking at the preparations that the State of Israel made to honor this man, someone said, "What more could we do when Messiah finally comes?" As we noted last week, Obama rejected an invitation to address the Israeli parliament - which is what most heads of state would do - and instead spoke directly to the Israeli people, specifically inviting university students to his meeting (except students from Ariel University, located in the so-called 'occupied territories'). Yet Israeli university students are not the typical Western types. Instead of going directly into higher learning from high school, most of them spend years in the IDF - maturing at an accelerated rate by being placed in positions of true responsibility, learning to make real life and death decisions. Having seen the true face of the enemy, most Israelis who attended meeting probably came with a healthy dose of skepticism about Obama's worldview, regardless of the respectful attitude displayed. Still, we prayed much for them and the rest of this nation to be protected from Obama's charisma and to not be deceived by what he says or does.

    • Lord, You forbade Balaam from cursing, and he ended up blessing Your people (Numbers 22:12; 23:8). Do the same with Obama if anything said or did would draw this nation away from Your will at this time.

    • At that meeting with students, he pressed them to press their leaders to divide God's land and create a 'Palestine". Lord, have mercy on America. Wake up the American Church to see that this statement from their president is both an affront to You and another step for their nation into that valley of judgment (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Abba, concerning this push to divide Your land, we declare, YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. (Psalms 33:10-11) Amen!

    • Empower Israel's new government to not bow down to the desires of man, but to do that which is Your will. A man's heart plans his way, but YHWH directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

    • Use the Passover feast being celebrated next week to awaken Your people to You, and to Your will for Israel to possess its possessions (Obadiah 1:17).

    • Lord, many of the things Obama said seemed to be a better understanding of what the Jewish people have gone through and what a good relationship between America and Israel should be. Strengthen the areas in which he is seeing clearer and if all of this is just words - confront him.

    • Lord, while we cannot judge his heart - yet we can and must judge his actions. So far, he is a very mixed bag, doing much to strengthen this nation and yet wanting Israel to do things that are directly opposite of Your will. We ask for eyes to see and ears to hear in the days to come where Obama is really coming from so that we can pray effectively in line with Your will.

    • US Secretary of State John Kerry is here and US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is soon to come. Lord, strengthen Israel's leaders to lead and not to be manipulated by these men - or anyone else from the nations.

    • He shows His Word to Jacob, His Precepts and His judgments to Israel. He has not done so with any nation; and they have not known His judgments. Praise YHWH!

      Psalms 147:19-20

  4. Obama and Netanyahu compared notes concerning two very dangerous security issues - Iran's drive for nuclear weapons and Syria's descent into total chaos. Although there are clear differences between them on the issue of 'peace' with the Palestinians, on these two issues there should be absolute unity - yet there is not.

    • God, You promised to protect this nation when You returned it from exile (Jeremiah 31:10). As is often seen in Scriptures, You have guarded Your people by raising up men and women who lead them in times of crisis (Psalm 68:27-28; Zechariah 12:2-9). Make this new government like those God-given leaders of old - for Your holy name's sake.

    • Not to us, O YHWH, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and 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

    • Abba, strengthen Bibi to not compromise Israel's security just to please Obama.

    • Give Netanyahu wisdom from above to know when to compromise and when to stand strong.

    • Move the US President closer to the Israeli Prime Minister's viewpoint - in regards to the 'peace' process, the Syrian threat and the Iranian nuclear issue, than the other way around.

    • Lord, do not allow Israel's hands to be tied when it comes to defending itself by any agreement with any other nations - even America.

    • We ask for accurate, real time intelligence to be obtained about what is really happening on the ground - or in Iran's case, under the ground - in Iran and Syria and Lebanon and in the Sinai.

    • Make the new Israeli government ministers men and women of courage and wisdom, so that they will do whatever it takes to protect this nation (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Abba, protect the relationship between DM Ya'alon and the IDF's Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, to be a relationship that helps strengthen Israel's ability to defend itself.

  5. Passover will be celebrated this Monday evening, March 25th, with the annual Seder, the retelling of the Exodus from Egypt and festive meal. Let's pray for many Jews to have their eyes opened to see that in the original Passover in Egypt, the 'Passover' was the lamb!

    • You shall eat [the lamb], with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in a hurry. It is YHWH's Passover.

      Exodus 12:11

      Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them…take a lamb for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover.

      12:21

      It is the sacrifice of YHWH's Passover, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our houses. And the people bowed and worshiped.

      12:27

    • Abba, You promised Israel that You would rule over them through Your King Messiah when they returned from exile (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Have much mercy and reveal Your Son, the Lamb of God, to multitudes in Israel during this season.

    • Please pray for specific groups or Jewish people that you know or have witnessed to that this would be their year of salvation.

    • At the end of every Seder, Jews in exile say, "Next year in Jerusalem." Ask the Lord to convict them of their vow and to work in their hearts a God-ordained homesickness for Zion.

  6. Resurrection Day will be celebrated by the Church on the Sunday during Passover week. May Yeshua, the Lord of the Church, open up the eyes of many of our brothers and sisters to the biblical connection between their 'New Testament' faith and the nation, the people and the God of Israel. Yeshua the Messiah has become a minister [servant] of the circumcision [the Jews] for the truth of God, to confirm [establish, make sure] the promises made to the fathers [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] (Romans 15:8)

  7. Please continue to pray for rain. Although the Sea of Galilee is not yet full, [only 1.22 meters more to go!], we have already had a wonderful rainy season - for which we thank and praise our precious Creator God. Yet, we want to see the Sea of Galilee and the aquifers totally full before the summer season arrives - as a testimony to God's care and love for this land and her people. I will open rivers in high places, fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water…so that they may see, and know, and look on, and understand together, that the hand of YHWH has done this; the Holy One of Israel has created it. (Isaiah 41:18, 20)

May the Lord encourage and strengthen you as you continue to stand before Him for His people, His land and ultimately, for His Kingdom's sake.

Shabbat shalom v'hag Pesach sameach,

The IFI Team

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth;
if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Psalms 137:5-6