1. We began by looking at the Shabbat's prophetic portion for Chanukah.

    • Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion. Behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst, says YHWH. And many gentiles shall be joined to YHWH in that day, and shall be My people; and I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that YHWH of Hosts has sent me to you.

      Zechariah 2:10-11

    • Yeshua, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name.

    • We thank You for this Chanukah season of lights.

    • We bless You for how You raised up and used the Sons of Zion - the Maccabees - to win a mighty victory for Your people in preparation for the coming of Your Son into the world to be our Savior.

    • Although the battle surrounding Israel is raging again, we are very grateful that You have opened our eyes to see the victory has already been won, as Israel's Messiah is already seated at Your right hand (Psalm 110:1).

    • We confess that You are sovereign and nothing that happens takes You by surprise.

    • YHWH reigns; let the peoples tremble. He sits between the cherubim; let the earth quake. YHWH is great in Zion; and He is high above all the peoples.

      Psalms 99:1-2

  2. We see what happened in Geneva last weekend, with the P5+1 nations [US, UK, France, Russia, China + Germany] agreeing to an interim 'deal' with Iran as appeasement - with the betrayal of Israel as one of its main fruits. Iran becomes a nation on the threshold of having nuclear weapons, gaining international legitimacy to enrich uranium, which is an overturning of many UN Security Council resolutions. Also some of Iran's most secretive nuclear sites are not even open for the UN's IAEA to inspect. If we were not sure that God is still in control, we would be devastated. Still, this is so infuriating that the heads of the world's leading nations are so blind. Our first prayer target was for the Church - especially in the P5+1 nations - to be aware of their national surrender to the Spirit of Islam and betrayal of Israel and to stand in the gap.

    • Abba, open the eyes of congregational leaders to speak on this and call their church to corporate intercession and confession.

    • We know that while You are a righteous God, You are always looking for a reason to have mercy, but You desire for us to stand before You to do that. And I sought for a man among them who should build up a wall for the land, and stand in the gap before Me, that I should not destroy it. But I found no one. (Ezekiel 22:30)

    • Lord, give influence to those who understand that You are judging nations today according to how they touch the apple of Your eye - the nation of Israel (Zechariah 2:8).

    • Thank You for the remnant in the Church who does recognize the truth of these issues. Use them for Your glory and give them much wisdom.

  3. Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu has been a 'voice crying in the wilderness', about how dangerous the threat of a Shiite Islamic Iran armed with nuclear weapons would be for Israel, the rest of the Middle East - and for the rest of the world. But as with most 'watchmen', his warnings are shunned and arrogant leaders of the West think that they know the heart of the Iranians better than those who are more familiar with the ME mindset. Netanyahu has had to endure criticism from outside and inside of Israel and still takes the righteous stance of warning and proclaiming truth.

    • Abba, we bless You for Bibi Netanyahu and we bless Him in the name of Messiah Yeshua.

    • We pray over him, 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)

    • Lord, during Chanukah, bring Bibi into a saving knowledge of Your Son (John 10:27 - which was said by Yeshua during this feast, v. 22).

    • As he becomes more isolated, draw him closer to Yourself. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock higher than I. (Psalms 61:1-2)

    • Concerning all the obstacles facing him at this time, we pray 'grace, grace' to them (Zechariah 4:7), and expect that by Your amazing grace You will carry him through.

    • Raise up people in his life that will really stand with and encourage him.

    • Somehow, let him know that there are literally tens of thousands of believers who are holding up his hands in prayer.

    • Protect him physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually - and extent that protection to his family. YHWH is your keeper; YHWH is your shade on your right hand…YHWH shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul. YHWH shall keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalms 121:4-8)

  4. We next asked God to reveal to Israel what He wants them to do in the face of this betrayal.

    • Lord, download Your specific instructions to the people in Israel who have both the authority and responsibility to make life and death decisions.

    • Abba, we ask You to make Israel's leaders like the sons of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do… (1 Chronicles 12:32)

    • Reveal to Israel's leaders what Iran is doing under the cover of darkness. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me. Yes, the darkness does not hide from You; but the night shines as the day; as is the darkness, so is the light to You. (Psalms 139:11-12)

    • There are believers in many Israeli leaders circle of friends. Use them to speak Your words.

    • Lord, at this is the time of Chanukah, arise and do miracles for Your nation against their enemies.

    • YHWH, the God of our Fathers, are You not God in Heaven? Do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Is there not power and might in Your hand, so that none is able to withstand You? … Behold, they reward us by trying to cast us out of Your possession, which You have given us to inherit. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no might against this great company which comes against us. Nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.

      2 Chronicles 20:6, 11-12

    • We ask for Your timing to overrule any and all actions that Israel might need to take to defend itself against this modern day uprising of the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10:13).

    • Break Israel free from any restraints that this six-month Geneva interim accord has placed on it from acting in its own behalf. [UK's Foreign Minister Hague already warned Israel against trying anything that would ruin this chance for 'peace'.]

    • May Israel be restrained by You - not by the world's demands.

    • Remind this nation that You have called it as a holy nation, a set-apart nation, for Your purposes.

    • How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom YHWH has not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations.

      Numbers 23:8-9

  5. Chanukah is a feast that celebrates our miracle-working God.

    • While we are not exactly sure where we are at in Your prophetic timeline, we do give You thanks and praise for all that You are both doing and allowing - even if some of it is quite daunting!

    • Hallelujah! You do not change (Malachi 3:6), therefore You are still the God of miracles today!

    • Give Your people eyes to see what You have done, what You are doing and what is waiting for them. For I know the purposes which I am thinking towards you, says YHWH; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

    • Abba, have as much mercy as possible as You accomplish Your will - both on Israel and her foes.

    • Lord, somehow take this Geneva appeasement and glorify Yourself. God placed it into their hearts [the 10 kings] to fulfill His will, to agree, and to give their kingdom to the beast [the Anti-Christ] until the Words of God will be fulfilled. (Revelation 17:17)

  6. While we do not trust in the IDF - Israel's army - we do pray for them as this army is an actual fulfillment of God's prophetic promises to Israel.

    • We trust You and bless You for making the IDF a mighty army (Ezekiel 37:10).

    • We give You glory for all of the extraordinary victories that the IDF has won against great odds.

    • Lord of heaven's armies - equip Israel's army with all it will need for today and the days ahead.

    • Pour out wisdom and strategies from on high whenever the IDF needs to go into battle.

    • In that day YHWH shall defend the people of Jerusalem. And it will be, he who is feeble among them at that day shall be like David; and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of YHWH before them.

      Zechariah 12:8

    • Use the IDF as Your instrument for protection and judgment (Jeremiah 51:20-23).

    • Lead the army's leaders by Your Spirit and not by might nor by power (Zechariah 4:6).

    • Thank You for the cutting-edge weapons systems that You have provided for the IDF.

    • Enable them to continue to develop the next generation weapons to win future battles.

    • Protect every individual soldier - especially from any kidnapping attempts.

    • Help the believers in the IDF be the salt and light You want them to be (Matthew 5:13-16).

  7. Chanukah is a wonderful time to pray for the salvation of this people. Every night, there is one more candle lit on the holiday menorah [Chanukiah]. So as the feast proceeds - the light increases.

    • Lord, You are our light and our salvation (Psalm 27:1).

    • Abba, increase the light of the revelation of Yeshua each night of Chanukah.

    • Yeshua, as Joseph did before his brothers in Egypt, reveal Yourself to Your brothers in Israel at this time (Genesis 45:1-5).

    • Lord, give Your people a desire to read Your Word for themselves and not just take it for granted that what the Rabbis say is always the truth.

    • As they read this Shabbat's prophetic portion, reveal to them the mystery of the two 'YHWHs' in Zechariah 2:10-11!

    • For so says YHWH, Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations. Cry out, give praise and say, O YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel.

      Jeremiah 31:7

    • We bless You that the Body of Messiah in Israel is larger today than it was last Chanukah.

    • Use Your Body, Jew and non-Jew, to provoke Your unsaved people to jealousy (Romans 11:11,14).

  8. We ended by praying for aliyah - the immigration of Jews from exile to Israel. The figures for French aliyah are up for this year - but down for America. Obviously, an increase of anti-Semitic persecution is good for aliyah, and while we would not pray for it, we also would not pray against it (Jeremiah 16:16).

    • Thank You Lord, that there is a steady flow of Jews who are returning home from the nations yearly.

    • Since aliyah is linked with the sanctification of Your holy name (Ezekiel 36:23-24), we ask that You would do whatever it takes to increase the number of Jews returning home.

    • Wake up American Jews that now is a time to return.

    • Settle those who have returned and make them rejoice in their new home.

    • Thus says YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the east country and from the West. I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

      Zechariah 8:7-8

We ended by asking God to send the rain. Up to this point, it has been a dry rainy season.

Thank you for standing in the gap for this nation.

Shabbat shalom and hag Chanukat sameach,

The IFI team