We read Psalm 16:1-2 as we began this morning.
Watch over me, O God; for in You do I put my trust. Oh my soul, you have said to YHWH, You are my Lord; I have no goodness apart from You.
Psalms 16:1-2Lord Yeshua, You are our delight and we trust in You (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Regardless of how we feel, You are faithful and unchanging (Isaiah 25:1; Malachi 3:6).
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.
Revelation 5:12We bless You Lord with all that is within us (Psalm 103:1-2).
It is by YHWH's mercies [His covenant-love] that we are not destroyed, because His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23We are so grateful for the truth of Romans 8:28:
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
We join with Peter in declaring that Yeshua the Messiah, He is Lord of all! (Acts 10:36).
Israel and the US are trying to finalize details of a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] that sets the terms of America's financial aid for Israel's military over the next decade. Obama has added many restrictions and yet he has increased the amount Israel will receive. There are positive and negative aspects to this MOU and we are just not sure what God's will is. And that is all the more reason to pray.
Abba, if this deal that is now on the table is of You, then let Israel agree to it.
If it is not of You – for whatever reasons – then do not let Israel to agree to it.
Please guide PM Bibi Netanyahu to know what to do – and guide him quickly (Proverbs 21:1).
Lord, if this is not of You, move upon him to make a decision that is of You (Proverbs 16:19; 19:21).
Abba, If this is Your way to wean Israel off all financial aid from America – then let those responsible accept it and we will trust You to supply all of this nations' needs (Psalms 20:7; Proverbs 21:31).
For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put them to shame, those who hated us.
Psalms 44:6-7Watch over Romans 8:28 concerning this deal.
In relation to this, may Your will to be done, as it is in heaven, so may it be on the earth (Matthew 6:10).
We continued to pray about the US elections. We are interceding about this as the election results will have a great impact both on Israel and the rest of the world.
God, this could be an earth-shaking event, regardless of who wins – so please direct our prayers.
If You are doing something prophetic, show us how to pray (Amos 3:7).
Lord, by Your Spirit, prevent us from praying against Your will in all of this (Romans 8:26).
Abba, prevent Israel from getting entangled in this election in any way.
Impart Your wisdom to Israel to know how to respond regardless of who wins.
Yeshua, may Your Body in America take a stand for their nation and pray for mercy (Ezekiel 22:30).
Lord, show the American Church who to vote for and that they do have a responsibility to vote.
He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
Daniel 2:21…until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.
Daniel 4:25b; 5:21b
We continued to pray for Israel's government (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Lord, looking at the current crop of governmental leaders in the world, especially in the West, we bless and thank You for Bibi Netanyahu – despite all his faults.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, we bless you in the name of Israel's King, Messiah Yeshua (Matthew 2:2).
Prevent him and the rest of the coalition from deciding anything that is not in line with Your will.
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against YHWH.
Proverbs 21:30Abba, it seems that every week there is another investigation against Netanyahu or his wife Sara. Reveal the truth about them and if there has been sin, may they be courageous enough to admit it (Psalm 51:1-4).
Do not allow these investigations distract Bibi from the important issues Israel faces today.
Lord, make all the spouses of the current government members – be they men or women – be the kind of "help-mates" they were created to be (Genesis 2:18).
This next week, the Turkish parliament will vote on the reconciliation deal between Israel and Turkey. We do not like this deal and definitely do not trust Turkey's President Erdogan.
Lord, in the natural we do not see how this deal will benefit Israel. Yet if this is of You, then let it pass and turn out to be a blessing.
If this agreement is not of You, let the Turkish parliament reject it.
If it is approved by Turkey, help Israel's leaders see that the current Turkish government is not someone they can trust in at all (cp. Ezekiel 29:6-7 Egypt was judged because of being an unreliable ally to Israel).
Forbid that Israel would restart to sell high grade military equipment to Turkey.
Hedge in Erdogan from touching Israel in any way that brings it harm. Deal with him as You deal with Balaam when he tried to curse Israel (Numbers 22:18; 23:8, etc.)
There has been a rapprochement between Turkey and Russia recently. Some see this as part of the alliance of nations that comes against Israel as per Ezekiel 38-39 – Gog & Magog.
Lord, is this part of that which Your servant Ezekiel prophesied about? As we watch and pray, show us.
Abba, give to Israel's government absolute wisdom from on high in knowing how to deal with the very dangerous Russian Bear and its leader Putin (Psalm 40:4).
Do not put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man in whom there is no salvation.
Psalms 146:3Enable Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman to have deep insight into where Putin is coming from and to where he is headed.
Lord, forbid that Israel be lulled to sleep as Russia establishes itself in Syria.
Lord, let Your Spirit of wisdom, insight, etc., rest on all of Israel's government ministers.
Israel's security followed on from the previous intercessions. We prayed about the situation in the south, along the Gaza border, as the Hamas terrorist overlords continue to threaten Israel's existence.
Lord, we thank You that this past week saw the 17th terrorist tunnel collapse.
Abba, whether this is You sovereignly acting, or the IDF, we give You the glory for having those who dig graves for Your people Israel fall into their own traps (Psalm 35:7-8).
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will reap.
Galatians 6:7May the very real fear of being buried alive inside these terror tunnels spread throughout Gaza and cause the people to refuse to dig or send their children to dig them.
Lord, aid Israel's military to perfect its tunnel detection equipment.
Use the collapse of these tunnels to reveal to some Gazans that Israel's God reigns (Isaiah 52:7b)!
You are my king, O God; command victories for Jacob.
Psalms 44:4
We then prayed for Israel's security in the north and northeast – against Hizbullah in Lebanon and against all of the various Islamic fanatics in Syria.
Lord, thank You for draining Hizbullah of its manpower, weapons, spirit, courage, honor and unity in the Syrian chaos (Joel 2:20).
Continue to diminish this organization who constantly curses Your people (Numbers 24:9b).
For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel – at the time of its restoration (vv. 1-2)] will perish. Yes, those nations will be completely wasted.
Isaiah 60:12; cp. Zechariah 12:9Abba, as nothing is impossible to You (Jeremiah 32:17, 27), we ask for the salvation of some Hizbullah terrorists. Turn them into powerful Christian Zionists!
Lord, do not allow the IDF on the northern borders to be anything less than totally alert and sharp.
Allow all communications in the IDF between commanders and soldiers be clear and precise.
Prevent any successful kidnappings of Israelis – soldiers or civilians.
Make any incursions into the Golan Heights be a red-line for this government, releasing an immediate and harsh response.
Use the 2,000 plus Syrians whom Israel has treated medically as Israel's friends inside enemy territory (2 Kings 5:14-19).
Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.
(2 Kings 5:15)
Saturday evening starts the fast of Tisha b'Av [9th of the Hebrew month of Av]. The actual day is Shabbat, but since we do not fast on Shabbat – the fast is delayed until the next day. This has been a time of many terrible events in Israel's history [see: http://ohr.edu/1088]. The book of Lamentations is read as both the first and second temples were destroyed either on or very close to this date.
Lord, protect Your nation on this day (Psalm 121:4).
Forbid any attacks – externally or internally.
As Your people read Lamentations, may Your Word not come back void but accomplish a deep work in their hearts (Isaiah 55:11).
Show them that the Comforter they are looking for has already come (Lamentations 1:9, 16; cp. John 14:16. Note that the Holy Spirit is called "another Comforter" who takes Yeshua's place after He ascends. So Yeshua called himself a "Comforter" – one of many titles the Rabbis apply to Messiah!).
Help Jews in exile who keep this fast see that by remaining there – they are still part of the problem.
The salvation of Israel was the next target of our intercessions.
Father, reveal Yeshua to many over this weekend – especially those who will not be on this earth for Tisha b'Av 2017.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draw him…
(John 6:44a)As You are doing with many Muslims, give to multitudes of Jews dreams, visions, and revelations of the Lamb of God.
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29b)Use the small Ethiopian believing community to leaven all the rest (Luke 13:21).
Do the same with the believing remnant in all areas of Israeli society.
Open the eyes of soldiers who stand guard over this nation during these hot summer days.
Abba, draw to Yourself the children of Messianic believers who have walked away from the way they were raised (Proverbs 22:6).
Reap a harvest with all of the seeds we have planted and watered (1 Corinthians 3:6).
We ended by praying for aliyah – the return of the Jews in exile to Israel.
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 43:5-7Lord, bring the remaining 8,000 Ethiopian Jews home speedily.
Abba, release the 350,000 Jews who are stuck in Germany from whatever is holding them there.
God, move upon the Jews south of the equator – in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa – and draw them back to their God-given inheritance (Jeremiah 12:14).
Lord, may the results of the US elections speak to millions of American Jews that Bibi would be better!
Use the increase in anti-Semitism in the West to wake up the Jews who refuse to consider coming home to Israel (Jeremiah 16:16).
Touch the hearts of all Israelis who are currently living outside of Israel – to return quickly.
Speak to the Messianic Body in exile about aliyah (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).
Your faithfulness in standing in the gap for Israel and for us is most encouraging. It bears much fruit – yet it will not be until we stand face to face with the One who intercedes continually for us (Hebrews 7:25) that we will have any true idea of how vital is this that He has called us to.
Thank you and Shabbat shalom
For the IFI team