1. Part of Shabbat's prophetic portion is Isaiah 62.

    • For Zion's sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until its righteousness goes out as brightness, and her salvation as a burning lamp. And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of YHWH will name…I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who will not always be silent all the day nor all the night; you who are YHWH's reminders, do not be silent, and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

      Isaiah 62:1-2, 6-7

    • We praise You here in Jerusalem (Psalm 102:21).

    • We rest in Your sovereignty in the midst of all the chaos that seems to be overtaking the world. YHWH has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19)

    • We trust in Your faithfulness to see Your word fulfilled in Israel and in our lives.

    • You are good and righteous. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25b)

  2. We are not sure as to what the will of God is concerning the current situation in Syria. Yes, there are certain issues that are always His will - like the salvation of many Syrians - yet as touching Israel, what would be best? Also, as touching certain prophetic scriptures, what is God watching over to fulfill now and what is for another day? And while it is very clear that chemical weapons were used in Syria with the resulting deaths of hundreds, what is not clear is who is responsible. Also, what does all this dithering by the West, especially US President Obama, say to the dangerous regimes in the Middle East and to Israel? With all this in mind, we prayed.

    • We affirm that You are on the throne and nothing is impossible for You (Jeremiah 32:17, 27).

    • We know that You are watching over Your word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

    • We want to pray in line with that which You are doing, so please reveal to us specifically what that is.

    • It seems that Jeremiah 49:23-27 is being literally fulfilled. Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee, and trembling has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor…Her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be silenced in that day, says YHWH of Hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall burn up the palaces of [her leaders].

    • Abba, we lift up the innocent Syrians, those who are caught up in this terrible situation and have not had a hand in adding to it. Please hide and comfort them.

    • Lord, have mercy on the widows and orphans.

    • Abba, send in the laborers and save a significant remnant of Syrians, for Your holy name's sake.

    • Use the Syrian Body of Messiah to be salt and light wherever they find themselves (Matthew 5:13-16).

    • Thank You for the reports of Syrians coming to Yeshua in the refugee camps - especially in Jordan.

    • Wake up the nominal Syrian Christians to the fact of needing a living relationship with You.

  3. Israelis have had to live under deaths threats from even before the modern State of Israel was established. Now they are facing a very real threat of attack by chemical and/or biological weapons. We interceded for them.

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

      Psalms 121:4

    • Except that it was YHWH who was for us, 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, when their wrath was kindled against us…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

    • Abba, do not allow the weapons of mass destruction of the wicked to rest on Your land that You allotted to Your people (Psalm 125:3).

    • Pour out Your comfort, grace and mercy on Israel as next week we enter the cycle of Your holy feasts - Rosh Hashanah [Yom Teruah - the Day of Blowing (of the Shofar)], Yom Kippur [the Day of Atonements] and Sukkot [Tabernacles].

    • Lord, encourage Israeli rabbis to preach about Your love for this people: Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you. (Jeremiah 31:3b)

    • For you are a holy people to YHWH your God. Jehovah your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself above all people that are upon…the earth. YHWH did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people, for you were the fewest of all. But because YHWH loved you, and because He would keep the oath He had sworn to your fathers, YHWH has brought you out [of Egypt] with a mighty hand and redeemed you…Therefore, know that YHWH your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.

      Deuteronomy 7:6-9

    • Use this tense situation to draw the people of this nation to trust in You and You alone (Deuteronomy 32:12).

    • Please consider praying Psalm 91 over this nation at this time.

    • Based on Jeremiah 29:11-14, we prayed against a spirit of panic from coming upon this people.

  4. We prayed next for Israel's government. They do not expect that Syria will attack this nation regardless of what Obama and allies will do.

    • Lord, impart real understanding to Israel's leaders concerning the current situation.

    • Help the inner security cabinet to be prepared for all scenarios.

    • Make PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ya'alon and IDF Chief of Staff Gantz absolutely unified and determined to defend this nation regardless of what the rest of the world says or does.

    • They have all made strong declarations to Syria about the dire consequences to the Assad regime, if Syria does try to involve Israel in this conflict. Hold them to their declarations.

    • Let them see how most of the world is mocking Obama's declared redlines and do not allow them to follow in his foolish footsteps.

    • Enable Israel's spies and collaborators to send back true intelligence in the areas of their responsibility.

    • Help Israel to correctly interpret the information they gather from their spies, drones and satellites.

    • If Israel needs to pre-empt a Syrian WMD attack, give its current leadership courage and strength to do it.

    • Enable the IDF to keep a sharp watch over Hizbullah's activities in Lebanon.

    • Lord, arise and destroy that terrorist organization. Strip it naked before the rest of the world and may it shrivel up in shame (Psalm 35:4, 26; 83:16-18)

    • May the lack of courage and determination on the part of the rest of the 'civilized' world leaders to the Syrian, and Iranian situations be a wakeup call to Israeli leaders that they have no one other than themselves to look to in order to protect this nation.

    • We bless You that You have declared Your intention to defend this nation when Your restore her in the final days (Psalm 102:13; 121:4; Isaiah 41:10-16: Jeremiah 31:10, etc.).

  5. Iran has said that if the West attacks Syria, that will be the destruction of Israel. Is this what gives Israel carte blanche to deal with Iran's dangerous and growing nuclear weapons program?

    • Captain of heaven's armies, if this is the time for Israel to deal with Iran, enable it to totally destroy Iran's nuclear weapons program.

    • As You did with Joshua (Joshua 5:13-6:5), give the IDF Your specific strategies to deal with this enemy.

    • Abba, loose the spirit of panic on Iran's leadership to make major geo-political errors.

    • Lord, we plead for Psalm 129:5 to be applied it to Iran's military and political leadership, as well as to their nuclear technicians: Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

    • Guard and hide all of Israel's spies and collaborators in Iran.

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

  6. We are very burdened by the resistance to Israel manifesting itself in the Church today. The word for 'feasts' in Leviticus 23 is moedim [pl.]. A moed [sing.] is a time set aside by God to meet with His people - which includes all of His born again children. So we prayed that at this time God would meet with and, if need be confront, all those in the Church who just do not 'get' Israel.

    • Lord, please show the Church that this is Your land that You have given to Your people for Your glory!

    • The land shall not be sold forever; for the land is Mine. For you are strangers and pilgrims with Me.

      Leviticus 25:23

    • Thus says the Lord YHWH: Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the rest of the nations…who have given Myland to themselves for a possession with all joy of heart, with scorning of soul, to make it open land for a prey.


      Ezekiel 36:5

    • For, behold, in those days…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. 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

    • Lord Yeshua, remove the blasphemous doctrine of replacement/fulfillment theology from Your house.

    • Rekindle a biblical love for this land in the hearts of Your people in Israel and in the Church.

    • Continue to marry Jews to this land and to this city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 62:4-5).

    • Continue to use Jerusalem as a blockage to any 'peace' deal that involves dividing up Your land with any other god or people group (Zechariah 12:2-3).

  7. Many of the 'settlers' live in Judea and Samaria because they see it written in God's Word that this is the area where Jews should live when they return from exile. Yet not many of them have had an encounter with their Messiah. And that is what we prayed for next.

    • Lord, many Israelis are living in these territories in obedience to Your Word. Please grace them who honor You with a revelation of Messiah Yeshua (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19).

    • Yeshua, as You did with Paul, confront them with Yourself, their Messiah and Lord (Acts 9:1-9).

    • You placed a veil on their national eyes so that gentiles might be saved (Romans 11:25-32). Please remove it at this time as they look unto You whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

    • Many of these settlers have openly received both Christians and Messianic Jews as friends. So we ask that You would fulfill this promise of Yours completely in their lives: He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. (Matthew 10:40)

    • Reveal Yourself to many of the rabbis of these settlements and towns in the 'occupied territories'.

  8. Being Israel and Jerusalem, everyone with any kind of ministry would like to have a part to play here. There are many who are called to help and stand alongside the local Messianic Body - but there are others who have not been called and end up being more of a problem than a blessing. Israeli elders need to take a stand, but to do that requires boldness and an asking for discernment and even the gift of the discerning of spirits. Thank God for every Israeli elder who does do this - but why be satisfied with just some.

    • Abba, may Your promise in Isaiah 1:26 be manifest in the local Messianic Body: I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.

    • Raise up those shepherds after Your own heart that You promised to give to a restored Israel (Jeremiah 3:14-15; 23:3-4).

    • Impart both the gift of the discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10b) and a biblical discernment/understanding of what is happening around us (Psalm 53:2; Proverbs 28:2; Hebrews 5:14).

    • Place this prayer on the hearts of Your elders - including those of us who lead IFI: Give to Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people, to discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, Your great people? (1 Kings 3:9; cp. Ezekiel 44:23)

    • For all those whom You send to Israel, we bless them in the name of Yeshua.

    • For all those whom You have not sent, but are trying to come anyway, please keep out.

  9. The Days of Awe are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In Judaism they are a time to get right with both God and man. We prayed for ourselves and for the Body to use this time to submit to any divine adjustments that need to be made, and to get right with any of our brothers and sisters with whom there is an issue and there is a way of putting it right. We also asked for God to help us speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated as a two day holiday so we will not have a prayer meeting next Friday morning as there will not be any transportation. If there is a crisis which is more than the normal for Israel, we will try to be in touch with you.

Shabbat shalom, hag sameach and blessings from Zion,

The IFI team

But of the times and the seasons…you have no need that I write to you. For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you…are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night, or of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be calm.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6