The prophetic portion last Shabbat was Ezekiel 36:18-38. Looking at various verses and themes in this chapter and seeing how they are being fulfilled today, we thanked God for watching over His word.
36:5-6 Lord, since You are doing this in
the fire of [Your] jealousy
, we have great confidence that what You have decreed is what we are seeing come to pass today.36:8 Bless You for making Israel's mountains, (i.e, the whole land. cp v. 4, 6) fruitful for Your people.
36:22-23 Hallelujah! What You are doing in this land with Your people is for Your holy name's sake.
36:24 We praise You that the aliyah – the immigration of Jews from exile to Israel – is Your will today.
36:25-27 Thank You that the salvation of Your people is also Your will today. So we bless You for the first-fruits of Israel's total redemption which is evident in the Israeli Body of Messiah.
36:30 Thank You for multiplying the fruit of this land to provide for Your people and others as well.
In stark opposition to the above, the world powers are devising ways to divide God's land and dispossess Jews from those very mountains of Israel to where God is bringing them back. The UN is today an enemy of God and His people; its attacks against Israel are continuous. Whether through the UN Human Rights Commission and its decree to blacklist all businesses operating in the so-called "occupied territories", or UNRWA which keeps Palestinians as "eternal" refugees, or its day to honor the Nakba – the "catastrophe" of Israel's restoration – or all of the UN Security Council resolutions against this little land, in all these we see Zechariah 12:2-3 coming to pass as God Himself makes Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all nations that dare come against His plans and purposes for His land at this time.
YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Psalms 33:10-11
Lord, defend Your nation and Your people in very obvious ways so that You receive the glory.
Call on Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.
(Psalms 50:15)The global attack against Israel's settlements is increasing. Since they are biblically correct, please arise and defend them.
For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, and Your arm…because You favored them. You are my king, O God; command victories [deliverances, salvations] for Jacob.
(Psalms 44:3-4)Please be that prophesied wall of fire around this nation today (Zechariah 2:5).
Thank You for the settlers in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. Encourage them with (Deuteronomy 11:24).
Anoint Israel's representatives in the nations to speak truth (Zechariah 8:16a).
Abba, anti-Semitism, the eternal hatred You said the spiritual ancestors of Islam had (Ezekiel 35:5), has now permeated most societies. Hedge it in, and use it for Your holy purposes (Jeremiah 16:16).
Tear away the façade and reveal the deep anti-Semitic roots that are being renamed as anti-Zionism.
Lord, rip this wicked spirit out of Your Body and replace it with Your love for Zion (Psalm 132:13)
Against the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement that is trying to destroy Israel financially, bless the produce and companies in Your land – especially those in the so-called "occupied territories".
Bless all those nations and the various states in America that have stood against BDS.
Lord Yeshua, why is most of the Western Church either silent or in agreement in the face of this attack against Your prophetic plans? Do they not see that this only makes Your judgment on their nations that much more severe (Genesis 12:3a; Ezekiel 22:30)? Please, wake up Your Body (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).
We continually pray for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. With the dearth of leaders in the West who see clearly and speak truth, we are encouraged to continue to do so.
Lord, thank You for raising up PM Netanyahu in Israel at this time (Daniel 4:25b; 5:21b).
Strengthen everything in him that pleases You – and remove everything else (Psalm 80:17).
May he learn to fear You more than man (Proverbs 1:7; 29:25).
Place Your words in his mouth even more as we enter deeper into these last days (Psalm 81:10).
The ordering of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from YHWH…A man's heart plans his way, but YHWH directs his steps…There are many purposes in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand.
(Proverbs 16:1, 9; 19:21) Hallelujah, amen!Gift Netanyahu with an ability to delegate and surround him with faithful people to help him.
Reveal to Bibi whom he needs to raise up to follow him.
Defend him from all distractions – whether personal or political, at home or internationally.
Be a shield about him against all attacks – whether physically or spiritual assassination attempts, or exhaustion, confusion, the spirit of fear, etc. (Psalm 3:1-3).
As You did with Gideon, may Your Spirit clothe Himself with Netanyahu (Judges 6:34).
Israel's leaders need to have specific direction from God in many areas. We were led to pray into a few of these crucial situations for Israel today.
Israel and Turkey are attempting to restore relations. Turkey needs this much more than Israel does.
Lord, may there be no compromising or apologies from Israel's leaders to Turkey's current leadership.
Block all manipulation and other spiritual attacks from impacting Bibi in this issue (Numbers 23:23).
Abba, Bibi needs anointed counsel on this. Both raise it up and help him to heed it.
The American-Israeli Memorandum of Understanding on the next decade of military aid that will be given to Israel covers a number of areas of concern. When America signed the Iran nuclear deal, in deference to the Middle East getting that much more dangerous, the US promised to increase aid to Israel to keep Israel's qualitative edge. Yet what is being offered by Obama & Co. does not do that. Please note, that better than 60% of this military aid Israel receives must be spent buying from American military companies.
Lord, are You saying to Bibi and his government, that which You said to Moses at the Red Sea?
Do not fear. Stand still and see the salvation of YHWH, which He will prepare for you this day.
(Exodus 14:13)Is this another issue in which You are forcing Israel to face the biblical truth that it is called as a people that
shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations
? (Numbers 23:9b)Abba, renew the minds and hearts of many Israelis who think that without US support Israel stands no chance of survival. We call this out as idolatry and ask You to break this "unbiblical" chord!
Lord of hosts, continue to strengthen Israel's military relations with other nations – especially India.
Regardless of Israel's links with other nations, we look to You alone to protect this – Your nation.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of YHWH our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. Save, YHWH; let the King hear us when we call. Psalms 20:7-9
Iran: We are amazed, yet not surprised, at the lack of response from the nations to Iran's betrayal of the nuclear deal, and its public threats to both Israel and America. Israel must not go to sleep on this danger.
Arise God and scatter those who delight in war (Psalm 68:1, 30).
Lord, regardless of how much Iran tries to hide what they are doing, we trust You to provide Israel with the most accurate and up-to-date actionable intelligence possible (Job 26:6; 34:22; Psalm 139:12; Daniel 2:22: Hebrews 4:13).
Any plans Israel has devised to deal with this Iranian threat that are not of You remove from the table.
All plans that have Your approval, may they shine as lights in a dark place (Micah 4:11-13).
You said You would break Elam's/Iran's bow (Jeremiah 49:35). We ask that You would do it soon.
You also said You would destroy it's king and princes (Jeremiah 49:38b). So we ask You to remove the scepter of authority from the Ayatollah, the Mullahs and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
And You said You would set Your throne in Elam/Iran (Jeremiah 49:38a). Lord, thank You for doing that as You save multitudes of Iranians today.
Please know that Islam is not the fasting growing religion in the world today. While it may be that in the West, everywhere else multitudes are coming to Yeshua. In fact, some say that the Church in Iran is the fastest growing Church in the world! If the growth of the Church in China and Mongolia, among the Karen people, in India, Vietnam and Indonesia, in Egypt and the Syrian refugee camps, in Latin American and among the gypsies in Europe are included, you can see why Yeshua still is the Overcoming Victor. Also, there are more Jews in the kingdom of the King of the Jews today than at any other time since the beginning of the book of Acts. Yet as all this is an answer to prayer (Luke 10:2), we prayed for more Muslims to be turned from our enemies into our family.
Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigns! Revelation 19:6
Save many more Muslims in Iran.
Help Iranian believers to remain hidden from the authorities and to have both boldness and wisdom.
Use all our brothers and sisters who are in chains and in prison under Islamic regimes to be bold in their proclamation of Yeshua, their savior and Lord (Daniel 3:16-18; Hebrews 13:3).
Continue to do a mighty work among Syrian refugees in Jordanian refugee camps (Psalm 107:1-22).
Yeshua, we hear of Your supernatural appearances to Muslims and them recognizing You. We thank You for this and ask You to continue to visit these people who are so trapped by satanic deception.
Lord, include Muslims in government positions and many religious leaders as well (Acts 9:1-8).
Impart to Egyptian President el-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah an undeniable revelation of Yeshua.
Lord, have mercy on the many deceived Hizbullah fighters. Bing them out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of Your dear Son (Colossians 1:13) – and then make them Zionists! (Psalm 48:2)
Set ex-Muslim believers free from the demonic spirit of anti-Semitism that they have been raised with.
With the Islamic world fighting one against another, Lord bring it all down (Luke 11:17).
Passover is quickly approaching, as the Seder-meal is on Friday evening, April 22nd. With the retelling of the Passover story, somehow a vital truth is missed, that on that first Passover night in Egypt, the Passover was not a feast or a meal – but it was the Lamb. So we asked for this to be revealed to many Jews, and that as Yeshua has supernaturally appeared to many Muslims, he would do the same with His covenant people.
[Eat the lamb] with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in a hurry. It is YHWH's Passover… Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said…take a lamb for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover…And you shall say, It is the sacrifice of YHWH's Passover, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our houses. Exodus 12:11, 21, 27
We thank You in faith that the Body of Messiah in Israel is bigger this year at Passover than last year.
Let the children at the Seder ask some very pointed questions, like, "Where is the Lamb?" (Psalm 8:2a)
Lord, save many unsaved family members and other loved ones of Messianic believers (Acts 16:31).
Abba, be gracious to the Holocaust survivors and their offspring and reveal the One who can relate to be abandoned by You and all the world (Psalm 22:1-2).
Bring them unto their Great Shepherd Yeshua (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:10-11).
Lord, as the exodus from Egypt was a type of aliyah – a going up from the nations to the Promised Land – we ask for You to birth a deep, clear vision for aliyah in Jews in exile at this season (Psalm 137:1-6).
Be the One to fill the emptiness in the hearts of all those sitting at the Seder who have had one of their loved ones die this past year – under whatever circumstances (2 Corinthians 1:3).
We finished by praying for the Church to really understand what Paul meant by,
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, also the branches. And if some of the branches [the Jews] were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree [a gentile], were grafted in among them [the Jews], and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree with them [the Jews], do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root [God's covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that includes the gospel to the gentiles] bears you.
(Romans 11:16-18, cp. 15:8; Galatians 3:8)
Shabbat shalom and thank you for praying with us – for His holy name's sake. The IFI team