1. It is good to praise the Lord and give Him all the glory as we enter into 2014.

    • We confess with joy that You, our God, are omniscience, omnipresent, all-powerful and eternal.

    • Lord God, nothing is impossible to You (Jeremiah 32:17, 27).

    • I heard as the sound of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns!

      Revelation 19:6

    • Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You dwelling between the cherubim, shine forth. Stir up Your strength before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, and come, save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!

      Psalms 80:1-3

    • We bless You for revealing to us this truth from the mouth of Moses: When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel. For YHWH's portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9)

    • Thank You for the awesome privilege of coming before Your throne of grace in prayer (Hebrews 4:16).

  2. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's condition has worsened over the past days. He has been in a coma since January 4th 2006, and is not expected to survive much longer. Although having sinned grievously in orchestrating the Gaza withdrawal, he is one of modern Israel's military heroes.

    • Abba, we thank You for Ariel Sharon.

    • Lord Yeshua, we ask You to reveal Yourself to Him before he goes to his eternal destiny.

    • Lord, if he does die this first weekend of the year, are You saying something? And if so, please reveal it to us.

    • Before he dies, even while he is in a coma, show him how wicked his sin was in withdrawing Your people from Your/their inheritance (Joshua 15:1, 47; Judges 1:18) and give him an opportunity to ask for forgiveness.

    • Have mercy on his family and friends. Reveal Yourself to them as Israel's Shepherd who can lead His people through even this 'valley of the shadow of death' (Psalm 23:4).

  3. Much to our displeasure, US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel yesterday - his 10th visit in less than a year. He continues to pressure both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to cut a 'peace deal'. Yet the redlines that both leaderships have laid down indicate that Kerry is on 'mission impossible'. We prayed for Israel's leaders.

    • 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 124:7-8

    • Lord, we intercede for PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ya'alon, Foreign Minister Lieberman and all other Israeli leaders with whom Kerry will meet. Give them courage and wisdom to not fall into this trap of dividing Your land.

    • Lord, the world says 'Divide', yet You say, 'Never' (Leviticus 25:23). We agree with You. Arise O God!

    • There are many purposes in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand.

      Proverbs 19:21

      Amen.

    • Anoint Israel's leaders to stand strong by their declared redlines (Psalm 89:20-21).

    • Turn Bibi Netanyahu from a politician into a statesman (Proverbs 21:1).

    • You have raised him up for just a time like this (Daniel 4:25; 5:21), and we bless You for him.

    • Thank You that yesterday Bibi said, while in Kerry's presence, that many Israelis now question the Palestinian commitment to true peace after seeing them make heroes out of the just-released terrorist murderers.

    • Prevent any of Kerry's schemes that he has brought with him to catch Israel's leaders by surprise.

    • Continue to use DM Ya'alon to stand against the removal of any settlements from the Jordan Valley.

  4. The Palestinian leadership.

    • Lord, make it more and more obvious that they are not willing or able to compromise one iota from their hard line stance on any of the issues.

    • May the fear of being assassinated by fellow fundamentalist Muslims, contribute to this hardening.

    • The heart of the [Palestinian] king is in the hand of YHWH…He turns it wherever He will.

      Proverbs 21:1

    • Lord, how long before the true nature of PA President Abbas is shown? Strip the façade from this holocaust-denying terrorist - who is at this time, not even in his position though legal elections.

    • Abba, with the world pressing Israel to divide Your land, we remind You of Your word: 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)

    • Lord, if this America administration push for Israel-Palestinian peace is basically a distraction to prevent Israel from concentrating on the real danger of a nuclear Iran - reveal it.

  5. Speaking of Iran, that 'wonderful' Geneva deal that the P5+1 nations agreed to with Iran back in October has still not been signed! Meanwhile, Iran has upgraded its centrifuges, continues to work on its plutonium reactor and has now added two more 'experts' to its team that will meet with the P5+1 reps. The West is being deceived by Iran because, after all, anything is better than war! Yet is it?

    • Lord, while it might not make much difference, continue to harden the hearts of Iran's leaders.

    • Use their pride to lead them into making major geo-political strategic and tactical mistakes (Proverbs 16:18).

    • If there was a connection between Iran and the recent terror attacks in Russia - expose it (Luke 12:3).

    • Lord, rip off the sheepskin of Iranian President Rouhani and allow his real wolf nature to surface.

    • In the next P5+1 and Iran meeting, send a spirit of confusion so that nothing can be agreed upon.

    • We again remind You of what You said about Iran today (as per the Iranian church), and ask You to move in mighty power to do this: So says YHWH of Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam [ancient Iran], the chief of their might. I will bring the four winds from…heaven on Elam, and will scatter them toward all these winds…I will cause Elam to be afraid before their enemies - before those who seek their life. I will bring evil on them, even My fierce anger, says YHWH. I will send the sword after them until I have destroyed them; and I will set My throne in Elam, and will destroy the king and the rulers from there, says YHWH. (Jeremiah 49:35-38)

    • May this be the year when this Iranian threat is destroyed, as well as a year of a huge ingathering of Iranians into Your Son's kingdom (Colossians 1:12-13).

  6. We prayed next for Israel's deterrence to be strengthened this year - not just in perception but in reality. Under Israel's current government, anytime there has been an attack on its borders - whether from Gaza, Syria or Lebanon, the IDF has immediately responded in a greater measure than the original attack. This is an excellent policy - although it brings censure from many, usually from those nations whose borders are not threatened or attacked.

    • Lord, may the fear of Israel's willingness to respond strongly deter many of its enemies from attacking.

    • Continue to make Israel that 'exceedingly great army' You said You would (Ezekiel 37:10).

    • 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; cp. Isaiah 41:14-16

    • Shore up all areas of the IDF where it is weak or open to attack.

    • Give wisdom to IDF leaders on how to best use the finances allotted to it.

    • Encourage Israel's leadership to continue to strike back hard against any infringement of Israel's sovereignty.

  7. Many believers have an incomplete understanding of God because they do not accept everything that His Word reveals about Him. How often have you heard a message on the truth that our God is a 'man of war,' or that the Lamb of God is coming back as Judah's Lion? Christians think that since God won the war on the cross, He no longer deals with His enemies as if they are - well, His enemies! While we were all God's enemies before He saved us (Romans 5:10), there are those who remain His enemies and will be dealt with as such - both today and in the future. Also, through the Cross and resurrection, the war against sin and Satan was won, but we still need to see His kingdom come on earth. So that means that God, in order to sanctify His name, will protect His nation from all His enemies.

    • Hear the Word of YHWH, O gentiles, and declare it in the coastlands afar off, saying, He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep/guard him, as a shepherd keeps/guards his flock.

      Jeremiah 31:10

    • Lord of heaven's armies; reveal to Your people that besides being a God of love, You are also a Warrior. I will sing to YHWH, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. YHWH is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will glorify Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him. YHWH is a Man of war; YHWH is His name. (Exodus 15:1-3)

    • Give more pastors and elders a deeper revelation about this so that when they see the world in an ever-increasing upheaval, they will be able to point their flocks to Yeshua, our conquering King (Revelation 19:11-16).

    • Thank You for working out Your purposes through the affairs of the nations (Revelation 17:14-17).

    • Lord Yeshua, help Your Body stand with Your righteousness and justice - and not man's version of them. So says YHWH, Keep judgment and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. (Isaiah 56:1)

    • Confront all of us who are submitting Your Word to our thinking as opposed to submitting our thinking to Your Word. For with You is the fountain of life. In Your light we shall see light. (Psalms 36:9)

    • Expose any of our thinking that is not in line with Your word and will and character.

    • Confront any spirits of anti-Semitism that reside in Your Body and deliver Your people.

    • When there are anti-Israel/anti-Zionism ideas that are actually covering anti-Semitic spirits, reveal them.

    • Help the Body of Messiah to know that these words are still valid today: And I will bless those that bless you and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

  8. There has been a definite increase of attacks from Gaza.

    • Lord, rule over the Gaza border. You have set all the borders of the earth… (Psalms 74:17); He makes peace in your borders and fills you with the finest of the wheat. (Psalms 147:14)

    • In Your perfect timing allow Israel to retake the Gaza Strip.

    • Meanwhile, help military planners to plan on how to do it.

    • Until then, prevent any demonic flare-ups that could become something bigger at the wrong time.

    • Keep IDF patrols alert and safe.

    • Give them godly judgment to know when to shoot and when to refrain.

    • Protect and comfort Your people who live in the south.

    • Use the Body in the southern part of Israel to bring comfort and truth to Israelis living there (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

  9. We finished our time by praying for the Intercessors for Israel International Prayer Conference Jerusalem that will begin on January 27th this year. Please pray for the following:

    • The leadership team to walk in unity and to know what to share, preach and what areas to lead into for prayer.

    • The administration team to be able to work in unity and deal with any issues before they become big problems.

    • The congregation to be composed of those from the nations and from Israel who are called to be here.

    • The congregation to work in unity with the leadership team.

    • The daily video updates to be sharp and to the point.

    • The hotel to be cooperative in all ways.

    • The day tour and the prayer tour to have traveling mercies and hit all the prayer spots on God's agenda.

    • That God would be satisfied with what is prayed and will be glorified in all that we say and do.

Shabbat shalom

Blessings from Zion

The IFI team