1. Today is Erev Yom Kippur, the day before the biblical feast known as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1-34; 23:26-32). We began by looking at a verse in Shabbat's prophetic portion.

    • For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity; whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, even with the contrite [broken] and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite [broken] ones.

      Isaiah 57:15

    • Lord Yeshua, we thank You for being willing to humble Yourself (Philippians 2:5-11) to bring salvation to those of us who recognize how much we need You.

    • Thank You for using those of us who are broken and humble, weak and foolish (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

    • Bless You Yeshua for being a living example while You walked this land.

    • We are awes that You are now our High Priest - as well as our atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-15).

    • Give thanks to YHWH for He is good; for His covenant-love endures forever.

      Psalm 118:1

  2. Government: In line with 1 Timothy 2:1-4, we next interceded for Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu. 'Bibi' had been in America this past week, giving a very powerful message at the UN General Assembly, then meeting with US President Obama. On the day they met, 'Peace Now' - a very left-wing Israeli NGO - exposed that over 2,000 homes had been approved to be built in southern Jerusalem area of Givat Hamatos. This approval was passed several weeks ago - so the timing by Peace Now was to embarrass the prime minister and bring the pressure from the West on him and his government. Bibi - and Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat - stood strong and refused to receive the hypocritical criticism from the White House, and other Western 'friends'.

    • Lord, we thank You for anointing Netanyahu while he was in America.

    • Thank You for his boldness to speak truth at the UN, when with Obama and on American media.

    • Use his message of truth to speak to the hearts of many who heard him (Isaiah 2:3b).

    • Abba, sustain, strengthen and encourage him whom You have raised up to lead Your people today.

    • 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

    • We ask You to impart to him and his close advisors great wisdom from on high (James 1:5).

    • Use Barkat's powerful argument that to allow building anywhere in Jerusalem for Arabs - but not for Jews - is racism, to be driven home in the hearts of those who truly seek after righteousness and justice.

    • Bring the cabinet into one accord over this issue.

  3. Peace: Pressure to allow the Palestinians to have a state on God's land has just increased as Palestinian Authority President Abbas requested that the UN Security Council pass a resolution demanding Israel to leave all areas captured in the 1967 war - by November 2016. Yet Abbas is still in a unity government with Hamas that has just been strengthened!

    • Lord, do not allow Israeli leaders to set any new precedents when talking about this.

    • Hold Netanyahu and the rest of the government to the conditions that they have set for there to be a Palestine (as the PA would never agree to these reasonable conditions, i.e., renounce the right of return of the Palestinian so-called refugees; Hamas to not be part of the government; IDF to maintain security in Palestinian areas; 'Palestine' to be demilitarized).

    • Thank You that Bibi was very clear that security for Israel is a much higher priority for him than peace.

    • I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

      Psalm 120:7

    • They have also healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

      Jeremiah 6:14

    • Give Netanyahu and his advisors wisdom to see what is coming with this whole 'peace' process and to have plans to thwart everything that is not in Your will.

    • Lord, give to government ministers the wisdom to know when to speak and when to be quiet.

    • Cause Abbas to fall into the net he thinks he is setting for Israel (Psalm 35:7-8).

  4. When this issue comes up in the UN Security Council, will the US veto it - or will Obama turn his back on Israel? We hope that American believers see how crucial this will be for how God looks upon that nation. A recent poll shows that Israelis do not trust either Obama or Abbas - and that is good news!

    • Lord, bring Israelis to the realization that Psalm 118:8-9 are absolutely true today: It is better to trust in YHWH than to trust in man. It is better to trust in YHWH than to trust in princes.

    • Lord, hedge Obama in so that if need be, he is forced to veto this wicked resolution - unless this is 100% in line with Your will and timing for Your kingdom purposes (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 17).

    • Wake up believers in the nations that to say 'yes' to this is to say 'no' to God!

    • YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plans of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

      Psalms 33:10-11

  5. Iran says that they are not willing to give up any of their centrifuges, or their nuclear program. Yet sanctions have been relaxed and nations and companies are lining up to do business with them. And Israel seems to be the only nation that believes Iran when it says it wants to destroy Israel - which some of their leaders says almost every week, in one way or another. For those who received our Special Praise Report on answered prayer, note that the Iranian situation was not on there - yet! Therefore, let's take this verse to heart: Watch! Stand fast in the faith! Be men [and women]! Be strong! (1 Corinthians 16:13)

    • God, expose the truth that the P5+1 negotiation [5 permanent UNSC nations + Germany] with Iran have made the world a much more dangerous place.

    • Thank You for Bibi continuing to hammer away at the world on this issue.

    • Thank You for having him tell the world at the UN, that if ISIS is defeated, yet Iran gets a nuke, they would have won a battle but lost the war!

    • Lord, break the 'bow' of Iran, the head of their might (Jeremiah 49:35).

    • Bring down this Iranian regime and save multitudes of Iranians as You do it. I will set My throne in Elam [where Iran is today], and will destroy the king and the rulers from there… (Jeremiah 49:38)

  6. Tonight and tomorrow is not only Yom Kippur, but also the Muslim feast of Id al-Idir - which celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael to Allah - a feast based on a lie. The concern in Israel is that for Jews this is a solemn day of mourning and repenting for our sins, while for Muslims it is a day of rejoicing. Obviously, the possibility of misunderstandings and even radical elements on both sides stirring up trouble is a very real threat.

    • Lord, enable all of Israel's security forces to be alert and quick to squash all potential dangers.

    • Pour out a blanket of protection on Israel during this time (Psalm 121:4).

    • Hinder the Muslim and Jewish fanatics from causing any deaths or destructions.

    • Let any traps planned for the innocent catch the wicked that set them (Psalm 57:6).

    • Allow the security forces to make wise use of all non-lethal crowd control tools.

    • Give them freedom to use whatever force is needed to protect the innocent.

    • Lord of hosts, release a host of angels to protect Your people who will be seeking You at this time.

  7. Yom Kippur [in the Hebrew, literally Yom Hakipporim - Day of the Atonements] is a special day to pray for the salvation of the Jewish people - both in Israel and those still scattered among the nations. This is the day that many Jews are asking God to save them. Let's agree with them and ask the Father to reveal Messiah Yeshua - His Atoning sacrifice - to multitudes of Jews worldwide.

    • Abba, we bless You for saving Jews in our day, and thank You that the Jewish part of Body of Messiah is larger today than it was a year ago.

    • Lord, You said 'all' Israel will be saved. We say, 'amen!' and soon - even tonight and tomorrow.

    • As they confess their sins before You - forgive them and reveal Your Son in all of His glory!

    • We prayed for specific groups: Holocaust survivors; new immigrants who are fasting on this day for the first time as Israeli citizens; security forces who are protecting this nation and not free to spend this day with their families or in their synagogues; Jewish tourists in Israel; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews. Please ask God for those whom He wants you to specifically pray for as well.

    • Abba, tonight, pour out dreams and visions upon Your people (Genesis 28:12).

    • Yeshua, we are asking for a doubling of the Israeli Body of Messiah by the time Sukkot finishes.

    • 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

    • I will pour on the house of David, and the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall look unto Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be bitter over Him, as the bitterness over the first-born.

      Zechariah 12:10

  8. At the end of the Yom Kippur service, 'Next year in Jerusalem', is proclaimed. As that is in line with God's will, we prayed for God's Spirit to convict Jewish hearts in exile that this means them.

    • May Your conviction fall upon Your people that this is the time to come home.

    • Do not allow our Messianic Jews brothers and sisters to escape this either.

    • Lord, they are Your sheep. Speak clearly to them about returning to Zion (John 10:27).

    • Abba, wake up many Jews in America to realize that they could have Netanyahu at the head of their government - instead of Obama.

    • Thank You for the increase in French and Ukrainian Jews coming home this past year. More, Lord!

    • Move upon the Jews in Germany and the UK this year as to the need to make aliyah.

    • Lord, stir up the Spanish and Portuguese speaking Jews to return home.

    • Abba, we ask for Your chosen person to be appointed as Israel's new Interior Minister.

    • Help this person to remove many stones of stumbling from the path of Your people (Isaiah 62:10)

    • YHWH your God will turn your captivity, He will have compassion on you, will return and gather you from all the nations where YHWH your God has scattered you. If you are driven out into the outermost parts of the heavens, YHWH your God will gather you from there…

      Deuteronomy 30:3-4a

    • When I have brought them again from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then they shall know that I am YHWH their God who exiled them among the nations. And I have gathered them to their own land, and have not left any of them there, nor will I hide My face from them anymore, for I have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord YHWH.

      Ezekiel 39:27-29

  9. We finished by praying for the Church worldwide. Yom Kippur is a God-ordained time when He wants to meet with His people - both Jew and non-Jew (Leviticus 16:29). Yet most of the Body is totally ignorant of this set-aside day. Even worse, biblical foundations are quickly being eroded by the tsunami of false teachings and prophetic words, by social justice and political correctness and, and, and… We see the root of this as simply being the Church having cut itself off from the sustaining root of Israel's olive tree (Romans 11:18). Replacement theory is like spiritual Ebola in the Body. But, thank God, there is a cure - the truth of His Word. Please pray for the churches in your area and nation to be protected from this 'doctrine of demons' - and if already sick - to take a daily dose of the cure.

    • Trust in YHWH with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear YHWH and depart from evil. It shall be healing to your body and marrow to your bones.

      Proverbs 3:5-8

    • Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.

      John 17:17

Shabbat shalom from Zion,

The IFI team