1. This Shabbat's prophetic portion is all of Isaiah 66.

    • Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all who mourn for her; that you may…be satisfied with her comforting breasts…and be delighted with the fullness of her glory. For so says YHWH, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a flowing stream…As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem, and you will see, your heart will rejoice, and your bones will flourish like the grass. And the hand of YHWH will be known toward His servants, and His fury toward His enemies.

      Isaiah 66:10-14

    • We bless You for Your city Jerusalem (Matthew 5:35).

    • Thank You for Your promise to continually guard over this nation and its people (Psalm 121:4).

    • We are encouraged by the truth revealed in Your Word, that You are watching over Your Word to see it fulfilled (Jeremiah 1:11-12).

    • I am YHWH, I change not. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not destroyed.

      Malachi 3:6

      Hallelujah!

    • Thank You God for delighting in - and hearing - the prayers of the righteous (Proverbs 15:8, 29).

  2. Israel's three kidnapped teenagers have not yet been found, although the government says they have proof of Hamas' involvement. With the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starting tomorrow, there has been talk of decreasing the intensity of the search so as not to offend Muslims. Yet most Palestinians openly say that they support the kidnapping of Israelis and especially have rejoiced over this recent event. Yet offending Jews/Israelis is not a concern on anyone's radar. We began by declaring these verses into this situation and would encourage you to take them to heart, often reminding God of them.

    • Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus says YHWH, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the fearful ones shall escape. For I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your sons, and I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh. They shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I YHWH am your Savior and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

      Isaiah 49:24-26

    • A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her sons; she refuses to be comforted for her sons, because they are not. Thus says YHWH, Hold back your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work shall be rewarded…and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, says YHWH, that your sons shall come again to their own border.

      Jeremiah 31:15-17

    • Abba, arise and rescue our sons. Bring them back to their homes.

    • Lord Yeshua, as their parents cry out to God, reveal Yourself as the ultimate Redeemer (Titus 2:14).

    • Comfort these families, as well as all of Israel at this time (Isaiah 40:1).

    • Son of God, be the fourth with these three 'children of Israel' in their 'fiery furnace' (Daniel 3:23-25).

    • Lord, set them free this very Shabbat - even before Ramadan comes in.

    • Supernaturally lead the IDF as they search for these precious ones.

    • In the face of no 'instant' results, give the IDF, the government, the families and this nation perseverance to continue to pursue the kidnappers and set the kidnapped free.

    • Hinder the Israeli media from broadcasting or printing words of discouragement or discontent.

    • Lord, we bring before You Romans 8:28, knowing that this nation and its people are 'called according to Your purpose'. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

  3. We prayed for Israel's government, remembering that at IFI's 2013 Prayer Conference, the first evening and the next day [Election Day], were spent in intercession pleading with God to give Israel a government through whom He could be glorified. Since God arranged to have our conference start on the night before these elections and since He placed that prayer on our hearts - we see this current Netanyahu coalition as His answer - although not everything that they decide or do is pleasing to Him.

    • Lord, we bless and thank You for Bibi Netanyahu and this current government.

    • Enable Bibi to be all that You have raised him up for at this time (Psalm 80:17).

    • Lord, may Your will be done in and through Israel's current rulers. There are many thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand. (Proverbs 19:21); The king's heart is in the hand of YHWH…He turns it wherever He will. (Proverbs 21:1)

    • Use any believers who are close to Israel's leaders to speak truth and encouragement into their lives.

    • Impress upon Israel's leaders the need to ask You for wisdom today (Proverbs 2:3; James 1:5).

    • Thank You that You have used this kidnapping to work a degree of unity in most of the government that was not in evidence before this happened (Psalm 133:1).

    • Lead them to know how to continue searching for the kidnapped victims even in Ramadan.

    • Concerning Ramadan: O Lord, how my foes have increased! Many are the ones who rise up against me. Many are saying of my soul, There is no deliverance for him in God. Selah. But You, O YHWH, are a shield for me; my glory, the One who lifts up my head. (Psalms 3:1-3)

  4. Israel needs to be prepared against the rising threat of the ISIS - or ISIL - the Sunni Muslim fundamentalist 'army' that has made lightning advances in Iraq and Syria and is now bragging that it will conquer 'Palestine' within the next 72 months. Of course, they would have to defeat both Israel's and Jordan's armies to do that - armies which are much more deadly than either Iraq's or Syria's, and most Israelis and Jordanians are very supportive of their armies and governments.

    • Lord of hosts, give the wisdom that is needed to the responsible Israeli leaders in the face of this threat.

    • Concerning any attack on Israel's borders, we say, Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified from the border of Israel. (Malachi 1:5)

    • We thank You for using our enemies to protect us from our enemies as they fight one another. Let them all be ashamed and confounded and turned back, those who hate Zion. (Psalms 129:5)

    • Abba, aid the Jordanian army to be prepared to deal with this threat and encourage their leaders not be ashamed to work with Israel - even if it needs to be done secretly.

    • Protect the growing Jordanian Church from the ISIS death threats against all Christians.

    • Abba, may the Kurdish army be prepared to deal with this threat and may their leaders not be ashamed to work with Israel - and thank You that this does not need to be done secretly!

    • May Israel have all the intelligence data needed to be two steps ahead of whatever ISIS is planning.

    • Lord, unless this ISIS advance is a trap for the Western nations, do not allow them to get involved - especially keep them from joining hands with Iran against the ISIS (Proverbs 11:21).

  5. Aliyah - the immigration of Jews from exile to home - has increased dramatically so far in 2014. This is a direct answer to prayer, and all we can say is, 'More, Lord!' The increase is very evident from two specific nations - France and Ukraine. In both places, the hunters have been released.

    • Behold, I will send for many fishermen, says YHWH, and they will fish them. And afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

      Jeremiah 16:16

    • Abba, make Jews in the West homesick for this land - before more hunters need to be released.

    • As young adults are brought here through various outreach programs like Birthright, allow their hearts to grow deep roots into the very soil of this nation.

    • You shall arise, and have mercy on Zion; for the time to grace her - the set time - has come. For Your servants take pleasure in its stones, and favor its dust.

      Psalms 102:13-14; see also Isaiah 62:4-5

    • Lord, as aliyah is for Your glory, we continue to press You to bring Your people home (Isaiah 43:5-7).

    • Help Israel to be prepared to receive the returning exiles and make this a priority issue.

    • Lord, bring back all the Israelis who have left this land - and are now stuck in exile.

    • Abba, help the Jewish Agency to focus on aliyah and not on reestablishing Jewish communities in exile.

    • We pray that all the stones of stumbling be removed from the path of Your people so that the transition will be as blessed and as smooth as possible (Isaiah 62:10).

  6. We prayed next for the Western Church, which seems to be all over the place spiritually - while very seldom lining up with its foundational truth - God's Word. Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth. John 17:17. Major denominations in America, England and Scotland and on the European continent have joined the BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] against Israel - yet not against Syria, Iran, or any other nation where Christians are being persecuted, tortured and killed. Besides gross ignorance of God's purposes and plans for Israel, there is also a demonic anti-Semitic spirit in God's house. Thus Christians fight against where God has placed them and instead of blessing Israel and its olive tree into which they are grafted, they curse it, cutting themselves off from the very roots of their salvation! Do not boast against the branches [The Jews]. But if you boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you [God's promises to the forefathers - which include the gospel to the gentiles. See Romans 15:8; Galatians 3:8]. (Romans 11:18)

    • Pray for the Church/churches in your nation to return to the only true foundation for the faith - the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation.

    • Pray for the Church/churches in your nation to bless Israel and the Jewish people, thus not coming under God's curse (Genesis 12:3b).

  7. We ended by praying for the salvation of the Jewish people.

    • For thus 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 and thank You for the growing Body of Messiah here in Israel.

    • Use the Israeli Body to provoke to jealousy many other Israelis. For I speak to you gentiles, as I am the apostle of the gentiles, I glorify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke those who are my flesh to jealousy, and might save some of them. (Romans 11:13-14)

    • Lord, may those of us who call upon Your name never be ashamed of Messiah Yeshua. For I am not ashamed of the good news of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew. (Romans 1:16)

    • Help believers to be ready to declare the reason for the hope we have within us (1 Peter 3:15).

    • Lord, save holocaust survivors.

    • Bring many of the young men and women serving in Israel's army into a living relationship with You through Messiah Yeshua.

    • Abba, touch and heal terror victims by a revelation of Your Son.

    • Lord, You know how difficult it has been for many Ethiopians to settle here. Open their eyes to their Messiah.

    • May the day when 'all Israel will be saved' come quickly.

    • O YHWH, You have been gracious to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sins. Selah.

      Psalms 85:1-2

Thank you for standing with God's will for this nation at this time.

Shabbat shalom

The IFI team