1. We started by reading through Psalm 61.

    • Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower before the enemy. I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the hiding place of Your wings. Selah. For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given an inheritance to those who fear Your name. You will add to the days of the king's life; his years will be for many generations. He shall abide before God forever; prepare mercy and truth to preserve him. So I will sing praise to Your name forever, so that I may daily pay my vows.

      Psalms 61:1-8

    • We bless You for being our strong tower in which we can hide (Proverbs 18:10).

    • Thank You for Your continual protection over us and this nation (Psalm 121:1-8).

    • YHWH, be gracious to us; we have waited for You… [Be] our salvation in the time of trouble.

      Isaiah 33:2

    • It is encouraging to know that regardless of what happens - Your Word endures forever (Isaiah 40:8)!

    • We bless You - the mighty Rock of Israel (2 Samuel 22:32; 23:3).

  2. In line with the instructions we have in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, we continue to intercede first of all for Israeli PM 'Bibi' Netanyahu. Last week helped clarify Israel's relationship with America's current administration - and the picture is bleak. US Secretary of State Kerry, in an interview with both Israeli and Palestinian TV, placed all the blame on Israel - in advance - if his 'peace' efforts fail. Also, he pressed the US Congress to not listen to Israel when it comes to the dire warnings coming out of Jerusalem concerning the P5+1 negotiations with Iran in Geneva. Thus there is a growing gap between Israeli and American leaders in how they see these political situations.

    • We thank You that Israel's Prime Minister is Netanyahu and not anyone else at this time.

    • We pray that he would Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain… (Revelation 3:2a)

    • Lord, turn him to You in any area in which he is not in line with Your will. The king's heart is in the hand of YHWH as the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He will. (Proverbs 21:1)

    • Shield him mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

    • Encourage him for his strong stance and warnings against appeasing Iran.

    • Protect him from any and all satanic plans to frighten, distract, deceive, discourage or confuse him.

    • Guard him from moving in pride. Let him see that this battle is too big for him alone and surround him with a multitude of wise, godly counselors (Proverbs 11:14; 20:18).

    • Raise up many Aarons and Hurs to undergird and strengthen Bibi in these battles.

    • Remind him of Psalm 61, especially verses 1-2 [see above].

    • Watch over this word in Netanyahu's life: There are many thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH, that shall stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

  3. We received these verses that seemed to be directed at Obama and Kerry in particular, and then against all Israel's so-called 'friends' who are pressing this nation to do things that are not in line with God's will, and also the P5+1 nations (US, UK, France, Russia, China + Germany), who will be negotiating with Iran again next week in Geneva.

    • 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. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their practices, give them according to the work of their hands; give them what they deserve. Because they do not pay attention to the works of YHWH and to the work of His hands, He shall destroy them and never build them up.

      Psalms 28:3-5

    • Lord, warn the P5+1 nations in very clear terms of the existential danger in allowing the Islamic Republic of Iran to remain at the threshold of developing nuclear weapons.

    • Change hearts of the deceived leaders and deceived mainstream media in the West to see this threat clearly.

    • God, in mercy, keep Kerry away from the next Geneva meeting.

    • Allow the pride of Iran's leaders to cause them to go so overboard in their demands that all of the P5+1 nations wake up. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

    • Concerning the Geneva meetings, watch over these verses: 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)

    • Mighty Rock of Israel, we see this as a matter of life and death for much of Your creation [that is that an Iran with nuclear weapons will start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, resulting in the most dangerous of weapons being in the hands of the most paranoid and religiously fanatical of nations]. Thus we plead with You to have mercy and not allow this to come to pass.

    • Overturn the negotiating table at Geneva.

    • Yet Lord, if this is Your trap to judge the leaders and nations that are trying to see Your land divided (Joel 3:1-2), deal with them - yet again, with as much mercy as possible.

    • O YHWH, I have heard Your report; I am afraid. O YHWH, give new life to Your work in the midst of years; in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

      Habakkuk 3:2

  4. We next prayed for the Church in the P5+1 nations to understand that their nations destiny might very well be on the line according to what happens with both Iran and the Israeli-Arab 'peace' process.

    • Wake up churches to mobilize in prayer and action against any appeasement by their nations with Iran.

    • Impart wisdom to many pastors and preachers to see what is really at stake.

    • Use the Christian Zionists in all these nations to know how to pray and what to say.

    • Speak clearly to the Church in Russia and China to recognize the great danger both these nations are in by protecting a nation [Iran] that has repeatedly threatened to destroy Israel. This is not a minor issue but a major target on God's end-time radar.

    • Thus says YHWH of Hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and Zion with a great jealousy. And with great anger I am angry at the nations at ease; I was but a little angry, and they gave help for evil.

      Zechariah 1:14-15

    • Use the growing Iranian Church for Your kingdom purposes and give them much wisdom in intercession.

  5. After Kerry placed blame for any failure in 'peace' negotiations at the feet of Israel, the current Palestinian negotiating team - realizing they have everything to gain and nothing to lose by aiding the negotiations to fail - just up and quit! The PLO has said that they will send a new team, but this quitting is absolutely against the original agreement between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the US to restart the talks.

    • Abba, thank You for this development that even has Israel's lead negotiator Tzipi Livni upset.

    • They walked away, Lord. Keep them away. Use this to bring the whole 'peace process' to its death.

    • Enable Israel to take advantage of this development to stop all future releases of Palestinians terrorists.

    • Destroy, O YHWH, and divide their tongues; for I have seen violence and fighting in the city. They go around her on her walls by day and night; and evil and sorrow are in her midst. Wickedness is in her midst; oppression and guile will not depart from her streets.

      Psalms 55:9-11

    • Lord of hosts, prepare the IDF to deal with whatever is to come once the 'peace' process fails.

    • If it results in Kerry's predicted '3rd intifada', do not allow the IDF to hold back from doing whatever it takes to protect Israel and her innocent civilians.

    • Abba, we remind You that You have stated: Howl, O gate! Cry, O city! O Philistia, all of you, are melted away; for from the north a smoke comes, and no straggler in his ranks. What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That YHWH has founded Zion… (Isaiah 14:31-32a)!

    • God, enable Israel to resist the manipulation of our 'friends' in the West who are pressing us to do something that is diametrically opposed to Your will (Leviticus 25:23).

    • Continue to block all attempts to divide Your land and scatter Your people.

  6. Although this might seem counterintuitive, we prayed that at this very time, God would stir up Jews in exile and they would make their way back to Zion. Aliyah - the return of Jews in exile to Israel - is absolutely God's will today. It is here, in the land, where God promises to remove the veil and enable His people to look unto the One they have pierced - Messiah Yeshua - and to repent with deep mourning (Zechariah 12:10-13:1).

    • Be as specific as possible in praying for the Jews in your nation to come home. Pray for all sorts of people by name as well as specific groups - like Holocaust survivors, young adults, yordi'im [Israelis who are living aboard], retirees, actors and sports stars, government officials, etc.

    • Fear not; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back; bring My sons from far and My daughters from the ends of the earth; everyone who is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

      Isaiah 43:5-7

    • Lord, open up the eyes of the Jews in the West that now is the time to return - before the full force of anti-Semitism, that is, the prophesied hunters (Jeremiah 16:16) - comes to pass.

    • A recent poll showed that 21% of European Jewry is planning to leave Europe. Lord, lead them home to Israel and not to settle for another 'comfortable' exile.

    • Release the 25,000 Iranian Jews to be able to leave that nation with all of their family.

    • Make Israel very attractive for Jews in exile. Strengthen our economy, our unity and our ability to live in peace in this tough neighborhood.

    • Multitudes of Jews visit Israel every year and then go back 'home'. Somehow show them that this is home. Marry them to Your land (Isaiah 62:4-5).

    • For Messianic Jews in exile, touch their hearts that they need to be willing to hear and follow on the path of their Shepherd - even when it is a challenge. They were in the way going up to Jerusalem. Yeshua went before them, and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid. (Mark 10:32a)

    • Wake up the Church to see that You are calling them to carry Your people back home (Isaiah 49:22; 60:3-11).

  7. We prayed next for the local Israeli Body of Messiah to have God's heart for the IDF. Most do see the need for Israel to have a strong army, but how many see that this army is both a fulfillment of God's prophetic word as well as an instrument to bring Him glory?

    • Do not fear, worm of Jacob and men of Israel; I will help you, says YHWH, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make you a new sharp threshing instrument, a master of teeth; you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and a tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in YHWH and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.

      Isaiah 41:14-16

    • Now also many nations are gathered against you, who say, Let her be defiled, and let our eyes look on Zion. But they do not know the plans of YHWH, nor do they understand His counsel. For He has gathered them like the sheaf to the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; and you shall crush many peoples. And I will give their gain to YHWH, and their wealth to the Lord of the all the earth.

      Micah 4:11-13

    • Abba, may the Israeli Body have Your heart for the IDF.

    • Enable us to pray in line with Your will and for Your glory.

    • Deliver the Body from any compromise concerning the IDF doing whatever it takes to defend this nation from its enemies.

    • Open the eyes of all the believing soldiers to see that they are accomplishing both a physical as well as a spiritual work by serving You and Your people.

We have entered the rainy season in Israel. While we are so grateful to God that Israel's water crisis was declared over last year, still we do not take the water in this land for granted. Please join us as we continue to pray for rain.

Shabbat shalom, and blessings from Zion,

The IFI team

May YHWH, who made the heavens and earth, bless you out of Zion.

Psalms 134:3