1. This week we start the cycle of Torah readings over again.

    • In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.

      Genesis 1:1-3

    • We bless You for bringing order out of chaos - in the universe and also in our lives.

    • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.

      John 1:1-3

    • Yeshua, God the Son, we proclaim You as the One through whom God the Father created everything.

    • Because You are the Creator-God, we trust that You can do everything else that You have promised. Lord YHWH, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm. Nothing is too difficult for You. (Jeremiah 32:17; cp. v. 27)

    • 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

  2. This past week, the UK parliament passed a non-binding resolution recognizing a Palestinian State. While this does not change UK government policy - that a 'Palestine' needs to be created through negotiations with Israel - this is a sign of things to come. Recently, Sweden's new government said they would recognize a Palestine and France basically said the same thing. The Palestinians love this as they can avoid compromising in any way with 'the Zionist entity' and have a state on Israel's God-given inheritance. They are asking the UN Security Council to pass a resolution stating that by November 2016, Israel must be totally out of the so-called 'occupied territories', thus being backed up to the 1949 armistice lines. Will the US veto this? What will your nation do? We prayed for Israel's government to be prepared for whatever the future holds, and to be able to make decisions based on God's will for this time.

    • Abba, You are the One who raised up this current Israeli government (Daniel 5:21b). Please watch over all of their deliberations and decisions.

    • Arise, Lord, and hinder all of these attempts to divide Your land (Leviticus 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

    • Anoint Israel's diplomatic preparations to stand against this demonic scheme to divide Your land and scatter Your people.

    • Lord, is it not time for the government to accept the Levy report - affirming the legal right, according to international law, for Israel's ownership of the land west of the Jordan river?

    • Impart Your wisdom and discernment in the hearts of Israel's leaders. …a wise man's heart knows both time and judgment, because to every purpose there is time and judgment… (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6)

    • Cleanse the Israeli foreign Ministry of all politicizing and self-promoting and raise up true servants.

    • Enable all of Israel's ambassadors in the nations to be wise and discerning.

  3. Most nations do not understand that they are actually fighting against God's will when trying to create a 'Palestine' on His land. Yet their ignorance will not protect them from His judgments. The Church has a right and responsibility to stand in the gap for their specific nation - pleading for mercy.

    • And I sought for a man among them who should…stand in the gap before Me, that I should not destroy the land. But I did not find one. Therefore I have poured out My fury on them…

      Ezekiel 22:30-31b

    • Lord, wake up churches to understand how dangerous it is that their governments are attempting to hinder Your plans for this nation and its people. Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you. (Numbers 24:9b)

    • Aid the American Church to pray for the November elections.

    • Have mercy through enabling godly men and women elected in all of the various contests.

    • Shake up the UK Church, which just avoided seeing the UK divided when the Scottish Independence referendum was voted down, yet have now just seen UK politicians vote to divide Israel.

    • Give tremendous wisdom from on high to all those shepherds after Your own heart whom You have raised up to lead Your flocks today (Jeremiah 3:15; 23:4).

    • Open up spiritual eyes of believers to see what You are doing in these days. But of the times and the seasons…you know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they say, Peace and safety!, then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-5a)

    • Help many more in Your Body know that Israel's restoration is an answer to a 2,000 year-old prayer of the Church, that God's kingdom will come and His will be done on earth, as in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

  4. In the middle of the increasing international pressure on Israel, one of the things we sense that God is wanting from His people is to recognize and embrace that they are called to be a nation that dwells alone, and not a nation like all the other nations. Israel has been separated for His purposes. Of course, this should also be the mindset of the Body of Messiah.

    • For in what shall it be known that I and Your people have found grace in Your sight? Is it not in that You go with us? So we shall be separated, I and Your people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

      Exodus 33:16

    • Behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations.

      Numbers 23:9

    • Raise up voices like Moses and Balaam who will declare this truth to the people of Israel.

    • Deliver this people from desiring the 'leeks and onions' of Egypt, or the chocolate puddings of Berlin!

    • Faithful Almighty God - do this with as much mercy as possible - but do it regardless.

    • Help this nation to look to You alone. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where shall my help come from? My help comes from YHWH, maker of Heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2)

    • Enable the Messianic Body to take the lead, especially in the spirit realm.

    • Make us 'holy' - separated from the world, unto You (1 Peter 2:9).

  5. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was the next prayer target. While we may not agree 100% with all he says and does, we are convinced that he is God's choice to lead His people at this time.

    • Lord, as we see the blindness of the leaders of most nations, we praise You for Netanyahu.

    • Shield him from the attacks that come against him and his policies, from both outside and inside of this nation. But You, O YHWH, are a shield for me; my glory, the One who lifts up my head. (Psalms 3:3)

    • May the fear of offending You be greater in him than the fear of man. The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever puts his trust in YHWH shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

    • Impart to him wisdom to know which of his advisors he should trust and which to be wary of.

    • Lord, guide Bibi as he appoints a new Interior Minister.

    • May his choice of a person be the one whom You have already chosen.

    • We thank You for the level of trust that has developed between Bibi and Defense Minister Ya'alon.

    • Protect that relationship from all attempts to pry them apart.

    • Bless Netanyahu's family and anoint his time of studying Your Word with his son on Shabbat.

    • This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely.

      Joshua 1:8

      Amen!

  6. Iran continues to press on towards developing nuclear weapons, yet most of the West is more interested in doing business with the Ayatollahs than dealing with the dire implications of a Shiite nuke in the hands of a fanatical Islamic regime.

    • From this Shabbat's prophetic portion: YHWH goes out as a warrior, He stirs up zeal like a man of wars; He…roars; He overcomes His enemies. I have kept silence from forever; I have…refrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in pangs of labor…I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their plants. And I will make the rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools. (Isaiah 42:13-15)

    • Abba, whatever it takes, please stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

    • We continue to ask You to break Elam's bow and destroy its king and princes (Jeremiah 49:35, 38).

    • Prepare Israel if in fact they are to be Your weapon of war and battle axe (Jeremiah 51:20).

    • Thank You that the Israeli Air Force head saying they are ready to deal with Iran if called upon.

    • If there are other preparations that need to be made, reveal it to Israel's leaders.

    • Enable Israel to obtain accurate, up-to-date intelligence information.

    • We bless You for hearing our prayers and giving Israel new weapons systems.

    • Lord, continue to help the growing church in Iran to be protected and to be bold - especially in prayer and in their biblical relationship to Israel and the Jewish people (John 4:22; Romans 11:18-20).

    • As the P5+1 [5 permanent UN Security Council members + Germany] meet again to negotiate with Iran, give them backbone to stick to their demands before they release any more economic sanctions.

    • Lord, somehow open their eyes to Iran's deceptions and press them to increase the sanctions on Iran.

    • As there are many Western nations who are drooling to do business with Iran, Abba, dry up their economies since they are so willing to deal with a nation that continually, openly, curses Your nation.

  7. We have seen an increase in aliyah this past year - and that is an answer to prayer! As we see an increase in anti-Semitism, more and more Jews are looking to come home to Israel.

    • From this Shabbat's prophetic portion: Fear not; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back; bring My sons from far and My daughters from the ends of the earth; everyone who is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:5-7)

    • We bless You for increasing the number of Your scattered people whom You are gathering back to Your land/ their land (Jeremiah 31:10).

    • Remove the deception from Jews in the West that those nations are their home (Ezekiel 39:28).

    • Open up the eyes of Jews in the nations to the reality of the tremendous growth of anti-Semitism.

    • Lord, remove all of their excuses - including from Messianic Jews. May Your will prevail.

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

      Proverbs 19:21

    • Give Israel a new interior minister who will open wide the door to receive Jews of all types - regardless of what they believe, or the color of their skin, or financial situation (Isaiah 62:10).

    • Help Jews returning to Israel to come with realistic expectations of life here. [It is hard - but good!]

    • Plant new immigrants deep into the soil of this land, and help them be fruitful. He shall cause those who come from Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6)

  8. There has been a 'silent intifada [uprising]' in and around Jerusalem - silent because it is not being given much coverage by the Israeli press. The number of attacks by Arabs has increased and there have been some deaths as Israeli security forces have defended both the people and themselves.

    • We prayed for Israel's security forces to be effective and quick to squash all violence; for Jews to not take matters into their own hands; for God to cleanse His holy hill of Zion (Psalm 2:6) from all blasphemous words and deeds; for Him to protect this city - for His holy name's sake; and for this Shabbat to be a quiet peaceful one.

    • For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.

      Isaiah 37:35

    • Violence will no more be heard in your land, wasting nor ruin within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

      Isaiah 60:18

We are so grateful for your willingness to persist in intercessory prayer with us for God to be glorified in and through this nation unto the ends of the earth.

Shabbat shalom,

The IFI team

And your eyes shall see, and you shall say,
YHWH will be magnified on/beyond the border of Israel.

Malachi 1:5