1. As we began this morning, we looked at Malachi 1:1-5, from Shabbat's prophetic portion.

    • The burden of the Word of YHWH to Israel…I have loved you, says YHWH. But you say, how have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says YHWH; yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau and made his mountains a desolation…When Edom says, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places. Thus says YHWH of Hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them the region of wickedness, the people with whom YHWH is indignant forever. And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified on/beyond the border of Israel.

      Malachi 1:1-5

    • We bless You for setting us free from the power of darkness and bringing us into the Kingdom of Your Son (Colossians 1:12-13).

    • Be magnified You from Jerusalem this day.

    • How comforting it is to know that You are the same - forever and ever (Malachi 3:6).

    • Hallelujah, that all Your promises -including those that You have made to Israel - are yes and amen in Messiah Yeshua (2 Corinthians 1:20).

    • We thank for You bringing us into Your kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14b).

    • YHWH has prepared His throne in the heavens; His kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19) Amen!

    • We rest in Your steadfast love, which never ceases (Lamentations 3:22-23).

  2. Jerusalem is under attack. We have had several weeks of terrorism, including the deadly assault on that synagogue this past week. The spirit of the enemy is causing the hatred taught to young Palestinians to come to fruition in our day. The fruit: dead Jews. Jerusalem is tense and today Hamas has called for 'a Day of Rage'. So we prayed for the comfort and peace of those of us who live in this city - both Jews and the Arabs who do not harbor hatred in their hearts towards Israel.

    • Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak lovingly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is done, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received of YHWH's hand double for all her sins.

      Isaiah 40:1-2

    • Abba, stir up the non-Jews in the Church to see that You are speaking to them in this verse.

    • Comfort a significant remnant of Jerusalemites this weekend with the revelation of Messiah Yeshua.

    • Anoint the rabbis in Israel to urge their congregations to turn to You (Isaiah 45:22).

    • Father of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), pour out Your peace and comfort on Jerusalem today.

    • Give us alertness without anxiety.

    • And in that day you shall say, O YHWH, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, turn away Your anger, and You shall comfort me.

      Isaiah 12:1

  3. We interceded for those government and security heads that have the responsibility to protect this nation and punish the wicked. Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ya'alon, IDF Chief of Staff Gantz, the minister of police, the chief of police and the heads of the three intelligence services.

    • Remind them all of this verse: Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

    • Lord, impart wisdom and understanding of what Israel's next steps should be in the security area.

    • Give them better methods of finding and stopping "lone-wolf" attacks.

    • These men need Your help Lord - whether they acknowledge this or not - we confess it for them.

    • Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

      Psalms 50:15

    • As you did with King David, provide daily tactics to deal with enemy attacks.

    • Remove all outside pressures that hinder them from doing whatever it takes to protect Your people.

    • Remove from them human wisdom and give to them Your wisdom (James 1:5; 3:17-18).

    • Give to them the fear of the Lord - which is the beginning of true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).

    • Upgrade Israel's ability to gather intelligence.

    • We thank You for PM Netanyahu and ask You to give him courage and steadfastness to lead this nation on the path of Your choosing (Psalm 80:17).

    • Guard the close relationship between Netanyahu and DM Ya'alon.

    • Use Ya'alon in Netanyahu's life as a wise, godly counselor (Proverbs 24:6).

    • We read Micah 5:5b and prayed the principle of this verse over these 'eight' men. When Assyria [an enemy of Israel] shall come into our land; when he shall walk in our palaces, then we shall raise against him seven shepherds and eight anointed ones from men. (Micah 5:5)

  4. There is an ungodly push by various politicians and parts of Israel's media for new elections. Unless we are just not hearing God, we do no bear witness to this at all. In fact, this comes across as an attempt by the enemy to distract and discourage the current Israeli government leadership - in particular, Bibi Netanyahu. So we prayed against it.

    • Lord, shut down all of the anti-Bibi, pro-election voices at this time.

    • Lord, do not allow there to be new elections until Your perfect timing (Daniel 5:21).

    • Abba, You promised to make Israel one in Your Son's hands when we returned to the land (Ezekiel 37:15-28). We are asking for a preview of that - by miraculously making the current Israeli coalition united in this time of crisis.

    • Take these five - Netanyahu, Bennett, Lieberman, Lapid and Livni - and make them one.

    • Lord Yeshua, in reality this government rests on You (Isaiah 9:6-7). You are its head - whether they acknowledge You or not. Therefore, rule in the midst of Your 'enemies' (Psalm 110:1-2).

    • Yeshua spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth.

      Matthew 28:18

  5. We prayed for rain - for two reasons. First, this is the season for rain in Israel. And second, God often uses the weather to 'rain' on our enemies demonic plans.

    • Lord, please bring the rain from heaven at this very time.

    • Fill the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.

    • Thank You for giving Israel wisdom to be the leader in desalinization technology in the world.

    • As for those who want to cause trouble, drench them abundantly!

    • Wash away all their nefarious schemes.

    • Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow? Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have kept for the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

      Job 38:22-23

    • Let praise be to YHWH from the earth, the sea-monsters, and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind fulfilling His Word,

      Psalms 148:7-8

    • Protect the Syrian refugees and the Gazans who are still living in tents and make shift abodes.

  6. We were led to pray for spiritual rain next. All Israel gets saved at a time of severe crisis and war (Zechariah 12:10; see verses 2-9 for the context). So Lord, why not now?

    • Lord, reap a huge harvest to Yourself this weekend as many seek You in the face of the terrorism that has returned to our city (Jeremiah 29:13).

    • Open many eyes; circumcise many hearts - for Your holy name's sake (Ezekiel 36:25-32).

    • Remove the veil that has been upon Your people concerning Yeshua and let them see their Brother and their King, in all His glory.

    • Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. And he cried, Cause every man to go out from me! And no man stood before him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

      Genesis 45:1

    • Abba, watch over and harvest the many seeds that Your Body has planted (1 Corinthians 3:6).

    • Help the Israeli Body to make Romans 1:16 a living truth in our lives: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of 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)

  7. This Monday, November 24, the P5+1 nations [5 permanent UN Security Council members + Germany] are supposed to wrap up a deal with Iran on its nuclear power program. As of now, it would take a miracle for there to be a deal, and an even greater miracle for that deal to be good for Israel and the rest of the world. Iran has not budged from any of its demands and has refused to let the UN's IAEA inspect certain suspicious sites, or given satisfactory answers on other issues. Iran wants nuclear weapons based on their radical Shi'ite theology and eschatology. They desire to jump-start the return of their false Christ, the Mahdi, and have threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Another extension will most likely come out of the meeting. Yet even that is dangerous as the longer they talk, the more Iran is able to spin centrifuges and collect refined uranium. Unbelievably, it seems that the world is willing to have Iran be a nuclear-threshold state, which is one that while not having nuclear weapons, can produce them in a matter of months. Netanyahu has rightly said that this is totally unacceptable to Israel.

    • Lord - arise! Scatter Your enemies (Psalm 68:1).

      • God, overturn those negotiation tables and bring Iran's demonic schemes to light.

      • Shake Iran with huge earthquakes over this weekend.

      • Cause Iran's arrogant leadership to make over-the-top demands (Proverbs 16:18).

      • Abba, cause the new US Congress - which while only coming to office in early January - to threaten renewed and harsher sanctions if a dangerous deal is approved by Obama and Kerry.

      • Help the Iranian Church see what a danger their governmental leaders are placing them in by cursing Israel (Numbers 24:9; Isaiah 60:12; Zechariah 12:9).

      • Encourage them to stand in the gap, both blessing Israel and resisting Iran's nuclear program.

    • Israel - to be ready to strike! (Jeremiah 51:20-23)

      • Lord, prepare Israel's government and the IDF to know if they need to deal with this threat militarily.

      • If so, give them Your plans and Your timing. The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but safety is from YHWH. (Proverbs 21:31)

      • Make Netanyahu, Ya'alon and the current or next IDF head a three-fold cord of unity.

      • Provide Israel's intelligence services with actionable and accurate information.

      • Let Israel's military planners think out of the box. After all, David killed a giant with one stone…

      • Lord, destroy the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's weapons, commander structures and bases.

      • If Israel attacks, make it so overwhelming and so successful that Your fear falls on all of Israel's foes throughout the Middle East.

      • Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, YHWH. Let them be ashamed and troubled forever; yes, let them be put to shame, and perish, that men may know that You, whose name is YHWH - You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

        Psalms 83:16-18

  8. We prayed for the Body of Messiah to understand what its role is in all of these situations. While we recognize that no believer is called to take on all the burdens that he sees, still there is a place on the walls of Jerusalem for every member of His Body. If you are not sure where your place is, ask Your Lord. He desires for you to be in His assigned place in these critical days, and so do we.

    • For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

      Ephesians 2:10

    • Lord, wake up anyone in the Body who is asleep on their guard (Ephesians 5:14).

    • Abba, help Intercessors for Israel, and our co-laborers in the nations, to be refreshed, encouraged and in the exact place of Your sovereign choosing for us all.

    • See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

      Ephesians 5:15-17

    • Fill us afresh with Your Spirit - day by day (Ephesians 5:18b).

  9. We finished by praying briefly for the security forces who will be guarding Israel today.

Thank you for standing with us and this nation at this time.

Blessings and Shabbat shalom,

The IFI team

For I know the plans I have for you, says YHWH;
plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11