1. We praised the God of Israel from the prayer tower, overlooking western Jerusalem.

    • YHWH builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

      Psalms 147:2

    • Lord, that which Your Word declares we see with our eyes this morning - and we praise You!

    • As we look over at the Knesset, we thank You for Israel's current government.

    • Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

      Psalms 121:4

    • Thank You that Israel is still an island of peace and prosperity in the middle of a chaotic Middle East.

  2. The pressure on Israel it to divide its God-given inheritance seems to increase with every proclamation from the leaders of this world. Prime Minister Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu needs to make many hard decisions, so he desperately needs intercessors to pray for him. He is God's appointed man to lead this nation at this time. Yet he cannot do it without God's grace and strength to uphold him.

    • Abba, we thank You for Bibi. We cannot think of anyone else in the current political scene who could deal with this position today as well as he is doing - although we do not agree with every decision he makes.

    • Lord, provide him with all the wisdom and strength he needs to do that which is in line with Your will.

    • Hedge him in from making any decisions that are not in line with Your will for Israel at this time. A man's heart plans his way, but YHWH directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

    • Abba, in line with that word that You gave us at this year's prayer conference, turn Netanyahu's heart towards Yourself (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19).

    • May the fear of You come upon him mightily and release him from the fear of man (Proverbs 29:25).

    • Bring back to him the lessons he learned from his pro-Zionist father and from the death of his brother.

    • Let Your hand be on the Man of Your right hand, on the Son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself.

      Psalms 80:17

    • Protect Bibi from all the wiles of the enemy - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. But You, O YHWH, are a shield for me; my glory, the One who lifts up my head. (Psalms 3:3)

    • Surround him with wise counsel (Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 15:22).

    • Turn Sarah, his wife, into a blessing and source of strength for Bibi.

  3. We prayed next against the threat of an Iranian nuclear device, which an independent security think tank says could become a reality within months.

    • I will set My throne in Elam [ancient Persia = modern Iran], and will destroy the king and the rulers from there, says YHWH. (Jeremiah 49:38) Lord, thank You for watching over the first part of this word - as many Iranians are coming to know Yeshua. Now watch over the last part - and 'destroy' Iran's current Islamic Shiite fundamentalist leadership, removing their scepter of authority.

    • Lord, rip the sheep skin off from Iran's new 'moderate' president Hassan Rouhani.

    • Bring the next round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 to nothing very quickly, and use it to remove all excuses from Western leaders to want to continue with their useless negotiations.

    • As You trapped Haman in ancient Persia when he had plotted to wipe out Your people, so trap all of Iran's current leadership who also have hatred in their hearts towards Israel and the Jews.

    • Raise up Mordecais and Esthers to plead with You to overturn modern Haman's anti-Semitic plans.

    • Abba, bring Israel's leaders into one accord concerning what Israel needs to do with regard to Iran.

    • If that includes Israel attacking militarily, then provide all the IDF needs to do the job completely.

    • Yeshua, Captain of heaven's armies, as You did with Joshua (Joshua 5:13-6:5), specifically impart Your divine plans and tactics to Israel's current leaders.

    • Prepare Israel to deal with all of the negative 'fallout' on the morning after any Israeli attack. Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My Law; do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their scorn. (Isaiah 51:7)

    • If Israel attacks, let the fear of Israel's God fall on all of the nations of the Middle East (Esther 9:1-2).

    • Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; also let those who hate Him flee before Him…Lord, scatters the people who delight in war.

      Psalms 68:1,30

    • We thank You for making it obvious that Israel cannot depend on anyone other than You and itself to defend this nation at this time. And we thank You that You are all Israel needs (Psalm 20:7-9; Jeremiah 31:10).

  4. The planned release of 104 unrepentant terrorists with Jewish blood on their hands - just to entice the Palestinians to sit down and talk with Israel - is deeply agonizing to us and most Israelis. We wonder what that 'worst choice' that Defense Minister Ya'alon hinted at actually was. Was it a threat or a promise from America? The way Ya'alon said it, hinted at some sort of threat. Regardless, the Israeli cabinet voted for this totally unjust decision. Still no one has been released yet, so we pray much against it.

    • Abba, whatever it takes, prevent this travesty of justice from going forward.

    • You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which YHWH your God gives you.

      Deuteronomy 16:20

    • Lord, You have overruled man's plans in the past. Do it again. YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people. (Psalms 33:10)

    • God of true justice, lock the jail cells and throw away the keys so that none of these vicious terrorists are ever released. Lift up Yourself, Judge of the earth; give a just repayment to the proud. (Psalms 94:2)

    • He is the Rock; His work is perfect. For all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness and without evil; just and upright is He.

      Deuteronomy 32:4

    • Lord, stir up the hearts of Israelis to come out and protest this move by the government.

  5. US Secretary of State John Kerry had his photo-op when Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met this past week in Washington DC to lay the groundwork for serious negotiations between the sides. We find it strange that a nine-month goal has been set. That brings it to right around Passover 2014 - and the beginning of the Red Moon Triad. [While we are not saying that we agree with what is in this following article 100%, still it does give much food for thought: http://www.examiner.com/article/upcoming-bible-prophecy-events-the-signs-are-the-moon] None of this should stop us from praying against the negotiations even beginning because the goal of this 'peace' process is absolutely against God's revealed will - God's land divided and another Arab/Islamic state created on it.

    • We bless You Lord, that despite all the noise and headlines, nothing really was accomplished again this week.

    • Continue to strengthen Israel's leadership to not compromise on Your land (Leviticus 25:23).

    • Continue to use Jerusalem as a stumbling block (Zechariah 12:2-3).

    • We thank You for the absolute miraculous return of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights in the 1967 Six Day War. Forbid that this gift from You to Your people be thrown back in Your face.

    • We thank You that since the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, You have always harden Palestinian leaders hearts so that no Israeli offer has been good enough. Do it again!

    • Watch over this prayer concerning the Palestinian negotiating team: Destroy, O YHWH, and divide their tongues; for I have seen violence and fighting in the city. (Psalms 55:9)

    • Lord, purge Your land of Your enemies. YHWH is King forever and ever; the heathen [gentiles who do not submit to the God of Israel] have perished out of His land. (Psalms 10:16)

    • God, reveal to Your Church that Satan's battle over this land has as its goal to hinder the return of Messiah Yeshua, and that You are calling many of them to be watchmen on Your walls - to set the stage for just that - His glorious return (Isaiah 62:6-7: Matthew 24:30).

    • We bless You for all of the Arab believers who actually believe Your Word about Israel and are supportive.

  6. Today is Al-Quds day. (Al-Quds = Jerusalem in Arabic) This is a day of demonstrations and rage against the continual control of this city by the 'Zionists'! Security throughout the ME will be tight, with the US even closing a number of its embassies for the weekend.

    • Hallelujah! We thank You for giving Jerusalem back to the 'Zionists'!

    • Lord, awaken Church to the fact that while Jerusalem is mentioned over 600 times in the Bible, it is not mentioned once in the Quran, and was not an issue for Muslims until they lost it in 1967.

    • Lord, we see You as the One using Jerusalem to challenge the world today. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the peoples all around, when they shall be against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:2-3)

    • Abba, You see the sign Hizbullah has put alongside the Israeli border with South Lebanon: "We are coming!" This is a threat against You and we ask that You respond in a way that reveals You as the One True God.

    • Lord, help the IDF and other security forces to be sharp and alert.

    • Bring all plans for terror or violence to nothing and continue to confound Israel's enemies (Psalm 129:5).

  7. This coming Wednesday is the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul, the month of repentance which prepares Jews for the following month, Tishri, which brings the major fall feasts of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succoth. Every morning during Elul the shofar is blown in the synagogues, calling Jews to repentance.

    • Lord, as the shofar sounds stir up Your people to seek You. And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

    • Abba, as You are challenging the nations with Jerusalem, we remind You that it is at this time that all Israel gets saved (Zechariah 12:10). We ask for a full first-fruits harvest at this time in Israel and among many Jews who are still in exile.

    • God, the Psalmist prayed that Israel could not come to You unless You drew them (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19) - so draw Your people to Yourself during this season (Jeremiah 31:3).

    • Lord Yeshua, as Joseph did to his brothers, so too reveal Yourself to Your brothers (Genesis 45:1).

    • Lord, many have received Messianic Jews in this land - knowing that we are Messianic Jews. You said, He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. (Matthew 10:40) Therefore, we believe You have a foot in the door in these folks lives. Yeshua, enter fully and save them.

    • Turn the Jews in exile back to You and then draw them back to this land.

  8. We ended by praying for aliyah - the immigration of Jews in captivity/exile back to Israel.

    • During Elul, stir up many hearts to desire to return home where they can hear the sound of the shofar openly in most neighborhoods of this land, without fear that their neighbors will find out that they are Jewish.

    • Lord, speak to the recent Maccabiah athletes about returning home - bringing their silver and gold medals with them (Isaiah 60:9).

    • Continue to bless the Nefesh b'Nefesh organization, and use them to bring many young Jewish families back to the land of their forefathers.

    • Abba, work in the hearts of the million or so Israelis that live outside of this land. Make them extremely homesick during this time of the year.

    • Lord, many families are split - with members living here and in exile. Reunite families - here in Israel.

    • Lord, help Israel provide inexpensive housing for its young families and for the new olim - immigrants.

    • Silence all of the false negative reports that try to make Israel look like an impossible dream (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9) .

    • Open wide the gates to any and all Messianic Jews who desire to return (Isaiah 62:10).

    • Place the desire to return into the hearts of many more Messianic Jews (Isaiah 51:11).

May the Lord give you much wisdom on how specifically to pray for your nation and its relationship with the nation of Israel during this time of God's restoration of her - for His holy name's sake (Ezekiel 36:21-36).

Shabbat shalom, and blessings from Zion

The IFI team

But the end of all things has drawn near.
Therefore be of sound mind, and watch unto prayer.

1 Peter 4:7