Israel is in the midst of another battle against the Hamas terror group who rules in Gaza. The English name, Operation Protective Edge, does not really translate the Hebrew. Tzuk Eitan is better translated as Resolute or Firm Cliff. Israel's 1948 Declaration of Independence called God - The Rock of Israel. So we are very pleased with this name as He is the only hope for Israel to come through victoriously. Israel is at war to protect its citizens against a demonic entity that places its citizens in situations where they could be killed by Israel. Thus the world ends up seeing Israel as the bad guy.

All this means Israel absolutely needs your prayers of protection. God will protect us, but He wants you to have a part. Thank you in advance.

  1. We began by singing, 'We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.'

    • We do praise You - regardless of how we feel or what circumstance we find ourselves in.

    • We bless You for being the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6).

    • Thank You that You are not a man who lies, nor the son of man who changes his plans, but that which You have said, You shall do - that which You have spoken, You will bring to pass (Numbers 23:19).

    • We believe what Your Word declares, that regardless of what happens, You are still in control! YHWH has set His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19)

    • Hodu l'Adonai ki tov, ki leolam chasdo. Give thanks to YHWH for He is good, for His loving care based on His commitment to His covenant endures forever.

    • The theme for IFI's 2015 International Prayer Conference, Jerusalem, is very appropriate for Israel's current situation: 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, YHWH, are a shield for me; my glory, the One who lifts up my head. (Psalms 3:1-3)

  2. Realizing that this is His land, we asked God to watch over His people - for His holy name's sake.

    • Not to us, O YHWH, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where now is their God? Our God is in Heaven; He has done whatever He has pleased.

      Psalms 115:1-3

    • Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord YHWH: I am not doing this for your sake… but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. And I will sanctify My great name…and the nations shall know that I am YHWH, says the Lord YHWH, when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes.

      Ezekiel 36:22-23

    • Lord, we plead with You for Your name's sake, that You protect this people whom You are gathering from the ends of the earth - so that the world will see that God rules in Zion unto the ends of the world.

    • Abba, reveal to this nation that You are our defense (Psalm 94:22; Isaiah 4:5).

    • Thank You for the Israeli Defense Forces, but we want this people to trust in the real IDF - Israel's Divine Father!

    • Lord, this is Your land and Your people (Joel 3:1-2). Arise and scatter Your enemies (Psalm 83:1-18).

  3. This is the time for Israel to finish this war. The goal should be the destruction of all of Hamas' and the other Islamic terror groups' weapons. Their offensive capabilities need to be totally shattered.

    • Lord, give to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ya'alon, IDF Chief of Staff Gantz, and the other leaders, whatever they need - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually - to see this war that Hamas started, end with a totally Israeli victory.

    • Abba, press Israel's leaders to destroy Hamas capability of firing unguided missiles at Israeli civilians.

    • Give Israel the time to do this as we know the world is already complaining about civilian casualties in Gaza. [Why didn't they complain about the hundreds of rockets fired at Israel before this all started?]

    • Do not allow Israel to be more concerned about the enemy's civilians than about its' own.

    • Help Israeli leaders be determined to do whatever it takes to protect Israel's citizens.

    • Lord, protect all of Israel's spies and collaborators in Gaza (Joshua 2:9-13).

  4. PM Netanyahu is the key person as far as Israel is concerned. He will need to resist pressure from other world leaders wanting Israel to stop before the job is done. God has raised Bibi up for just this time, but he needs us to hold up his hands - as Aaron and Hur did for Moses (Exodus 17:10-12).

    • Abba, we thank You for Netanyahu and we bless him in the name of his Messiah Yeshua.

    • 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

    • There are many thoughts in [Netanyahu's] heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand.

      Proverbs 19:21

      [Netanyahu's] heart is in the hand of YHWH…He turns it wherever He will.

      Proverbs 21:1

    • Lord, surround Bibi with wise counsel and deafen him to all ungodly counsel (Proverbs 20:18; 24:6).

    • Yeshua, reveal Yourself to Bibi through Your word and by dreams and visions (Genesis 45:1).

    • Ground Netanyahu in Your word. Make it a lamp to his feet, a light to his path (Psalm 119:105).

    • Open [Bibi's] eyes, so that [he] may behold wonderful things out of Your Law.

      Psalms 119:18

    • Remove all double-mindedness from him concerning what needs to be done re: Hamas.

    • Use Bibi's ability to communicate to express Israel's righteous cause and to confound all those who do not really want to see the Jewish State protect its citizens - Jew, Arab and Christian (Psalm 81:10).

  5. Whether it is 50% or 15% (which is more likely), we prayed for those in Gaza who are innocent. Hamas - as well as the Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria - has raised up a whole generation of brainwashed Arabs who are filled with anti-Semitic hatred and a demonic desire to kill Jews or be killed while trying. The only hope for this lost generation of Palestinians is Israel's King - Yeshua!

    • Protect those who are truly innocent.

    • Protect whatever few Christians remain in Gaza, and use them to bring comfort to their neighbors.

    • Many Gazans - including women and children - are being told by Hamas to remain in homes that Israel is targeting. Even after Israel warns them to flee, many are too afraid of Hamas to do so and thus being used as human shields, which is a war crime. Give them opportunity to run and hide.

    • Lord, we lift up this whole brainwashed generation of Palestinians - especially the youngsters. You can set them free. Do it for Your sake. Wash their brains anew in the blood of the Lamb! Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9)

  6. While we pray for an overwhelming victory for the IDF over its enemies, we are aware of the dangers of many in Israel giving the IDF the glory, as opposed to Him who has raise up this army. Yet, we still need to pray for a victory - by righteous men over evil men.

    • Lord, whatever the IDF does, go with them and guide all of their plans and steps.

    • Download from heaven Your plans to Israel' security council to know what to do and when to do it. A man's heart plans his way, but YHWH directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

    • When you go out to battle against your enemies…do not be afraid of them. For YHWH your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

      Deuteronomy 20:1

    • Out of Him came the cornerstone; out of Him the nail; out of Him the battle bow; out of Him every oppressor together. And they shall be like mighty ones who trample the mud of the streets in the battle. And they shall fight because Jehovah is with them…

      Zechariah 10:4-5a

    • Use the IDF as Your weapon of war (Jeremiah 51:20-23).

    • Show IDF who the enemy leaders are and give them the ability to cut off the heads of this snake.

    • Thank You for aiding the Israel navy to stop the Hamas terrorists trying to infiltrate from the sea.

    • Make this army which You have raised up for Israel (Ezekiel 37:10), as righteous an army as possible.

    • Enable this war to be over quickly - as the world will not give Israel the freedom to do the job correctly if it is a long, drawn out affair.

    • Thank You for all of the Israeli young people and older reservists who are willingly putting their lives on the line to protect this nation. Bless them and draw them closer to You.

    • Use the believers in the army to be salt and light among their units and to be ready to explain the hope that they have within them (Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Peter 3:15).

    • Move miraculously on the battlefield and let believers not be shy of using the gifts of the Spirit.

    • At this time, Yeshua, unveil Yourself to many Israeli soldiers (Zechariah 12:10 - which occurs in a time of war!).

  7. We next prayed for Israel's overall security - both on all its borders and internally as well. There have already been reports of rockets falling in the north from Lebanon. The IDF does not think this is Hizbullah, but some other radical Islamic group wanting to join the 'party'.

    • Thank You for Your protection over Israel since 1948, and as You never change, we look to You to continue to do that. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalms 121:4)

    • Do not allow IDF soldiers to be less alert just because they are not in the battle in Gaza.

    • We ask for a special alertness to the IDF on the northern border with Lebanon and on the northeastern border with Syria.

    • Protect our borders - for Your glory (Malachi 1:5)!

    • Thank You for stopping at a checkpoint that car bomb trying to come into Israel yesterday. This is the type of 'Christ at the Checkpoint' meeting that we pray will continue to occur.

    • Lord, be the One who determines the deployment of Israeli soldiers and equipment.

    • Place a shield of protection over Israel against the anarchy and chaos running amuck all around it.

    • Be with the security forces as they deal with any and all riots inside of Israel - especially on the Temple Mount today.

  8. We turned our attention to aliyah, the return of God's people from exile to home. The good news is that aliyah is on the rise. Even with the rockets falling from Gaza, about 50 American Jews came home this past week. We see increasing numbers from France, Germany, Ukraine and other places. Please continue to pray for the Jews in your nation/city/congregation to come home. This is for His glory (Isaiah 43:5-7, 21), so pray boldly, speak boldly and be prepared to help in whatever way the Lord leads you (Isaiah 49:22).

  9. We ended by praying for all of us. We are His spiritual army. God once looked for someone to stand in the gap between Him and His sinful people. He found none, so He had to judge that nation and land (Ezekiel 22:30-31). This time, He is finding many of us standing before Him.

    • He said that He would destroy them, if Moses His chosen had not stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, so that He should not destroy them.

      Psalms 106:23

    • This is Your land. Raise up Your spiritual army to defend it!

    • Make us a spiritual 'Iron Dome' to intercept all the spiritual onslaughts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:12).

    • Lord, teach us how to pray into each situation that You lay on our hearts (Luke 11:1).

    • As we open our mouths, fill it with Your intercession (Psalm 81:10).

    • Provide Your intercessors with all the accurate information that they need to be able to pray with the Spirit and with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).

    • Lord, help the Israeli Body to stand in the gap for this nation.

    • Remove from them, and from all other believers, the unbiblical view that we should not be praying about things political (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

    • Help us all to 'watch and pray' as we see these things coming upon Israel and the rest of the world.

    • Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time [of My return] is.

      Mark 13:33

The children of many IFI leaders, as well as some of our co-workers and board members, are either in active IDF service or have been called up for reserve duty. Obviously, this puts extra pressure on the wives and children they have left behind - as well as on the rest of the team. Pray for them to be used for His glory, as well as for their safety and excellence in protecting this nation. And pray for us to know how to pray and lead others in pray - especially at this crucial time.

We are so encouraged knowing that you are there - praying for and with us - for His kingdom to come and His will to be done in Israel, and in the rest of the world - as it is already set in heaven.

Shabbat shalom,

The IFI team