1. We entered into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4).

   • From this week's prophetic portion: My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt Him. [Yet] how shall I give you up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver you, Israel? …My heart is turned within Me; My compassions are kindled together. I will not carry out the heat of My anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not enter into the city. (Hosea 11:7-9)

   • Thank You for exposing to us how deeply You love Your people – Israel and the Body of Messiah.

   • Praise You that Your love for us is because of who You are – and not because we are so wonderful!

   • We proclaim You as Lord of Lords, King of Kings, the God of the whole earth (Revelation 19:6, 16).

   • Great is Your faithfulness. It is new [or renewed] every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

   • We trust You because of what You have done in watching over Your word to fulfill it (Jeremiah 1:12).

   • We look forward with excitement to what You will be doing to fulfill Your word in the future.

   • You are the Eternal Creator, a God outside of time and space, who in the fullness of time sent Your Son to become a man (Galatians 4:4), in order to redeem us from all that hindered us from being fully Yours. – Give thanks to YHWH for He is good; for His covenant-love is forever. (Psalm 136:1)

2. In line with 1st Timothy 2:1-3, we prayed first for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

   • We thank You for giving Israel a leader that we can pray for – and not against.

   • Lord, it seems that every week there is another investigation against Netanyahu for some wrong-doing, yet so far none has proven to be accurate. Thank You for sustaining him during this continuous assault.

   • 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 again ask that the truth would be known in any and all investigations (Job 12:22).

   • If Bibi is innocent of all charges, then as You vindicated both Joseph and Daniel, so vindicate him.

   • Do not allow all these "little foxes" to spoil that which You are wanting from him (Song 2:15).

   • Be his shield against those that rise up against him (Psalm 3:3; 5:12).

   • Surround Bibi with godly advisors and make his wife Sara be a blessing (Proverbs 12:20; Isaiah 1:26).

   • Protect Netanyahu from pride in any form whatsoever (Job 33:16-17).

   • Turn Netanyahu to this week's Torah portion and when he reads about Jacob wrestling with the Angel of the Lord, stir up in him a need to draw closer to You (Genesis 32:24-30).

   • As he reads Your Word, make it come alive to him and not return void (Isaiah 55:11; Hebrews 4:12).

3. The settlers in Amona have rejected a proposed plan by the government to move them to another hilltop in their area. They would be willing to relocate if the move is delayed until the new temporary dwellings are built first. Their rejection is based on the history of Israeli governments not keeping to their commitments. As we consider the destruction of settlements in the Sinai, the Gaza Strip, and in some areas in Samaria, we can understand their concerns. Still, this is a no-win situation as the government is caught between a rock and a hard place – the settlers and the Supreme Court. But God…

   • Abba, David's Psalm 124 comes to mind over this situation, especially verses 7-8: Our soul has escaped as 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.

   • Lord, for Your glory's sake – break this snare that the settlers and the government find themselves in.

   • Abba, as Chanukah approaches, we recall what a miraculous victory Israel had over the plans of man. Do it again in this day. May again "a great miracle happen here" [written on Israeli dreidels].

   • And I will plant them on their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, says YHWH your God.

     Amos 9:15
     

   • Regardless, please prevent Jew lifting up their hands against another Jew. May there be no violence or bloodshed. (Proverbs 6:16-19).

   • Place that wisdom that You gave to King Solomon concerning dividing the baby, on Netanyahu as he deals with dividing this land, when in his heart he really does not want to do this.

   • Do not remove the old landmark which your fathers have set.

     Proverbs 22:28
     

   • May both the security forces and the settlers see each other as brothers and deal with each other with as much mercy as possible.

   • These are the things that you shall do. Each man speak the truth to his neighbor; judge with truth and justice for peace in your gates.

     Zechariah 8:16
     

4. US President-elect Trump has chosen David Friedman, his Jewish attorney, as America's next Israeli Ambassador. Since left-wing American Jewish groups are upset over this, it is most likely an excellent choice. Yet both he and Trump will need to be covered in prayer to do that which is right in God's eyes with this – His land and people.

   • Lord, this choice seems to indicate that Trump will actually move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – much to the consternation of all Your enemies! And while it will likely cause an increase in violence against both Israelis and Americas – and not just in the Middle East – it is the biblically right thing to do. So we say "amen!"

   • …Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, as it is God's throne; not by the earth, for it is His footstool; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;

     Matthew 5:34b-35; cp. Psalms 48:2
     

   • Abba, 50 years ago, on June 7, 1967, Jerusalem was reunited. Will You seal that great miracle by having America finally and openly declare that this city is Israel's eternal capital? Be glorified and do it.

   • May the spirit that was on President Truman – who while strongly urged by his administration and the US State Department to not recognize the newly born State of Israel in 1948 – yet did so within the hour of Ben Gurion's declaration of Israel's independence, be placed upon Trump as he will face that same anti-Semitic/anti-Zionist animosity against his decision to move America's embassy.

   • You moved then and You are the same today as You were in 1948 (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).

   • Use Friedman to strongly advise Trump of the dangers of dividing Your land (Joel 3:1-2).

   • During this transition phase in America, please keep the mouths of ambitious Israeli politicians closed.

   • Establish excellent relations between Friedman and VP Mike Pence, our Christian Zionist brother.

5. The situation in Syria is hellacious. The West has watched as Syrians have been bombed, raped, chemically gassed and dispossessed and have essentially done nothing (cp. Ezekiel 38:13). The vacuum that the West – especially Obama – has created is now filled with Russia, Iran, Hizbullah, blood and dead men, women and children. Yet if Israel dares to build a house in Judea, Samaria or Jerusalem, then the West wakes up and shouts their unholy objections and threats from the UN rooftops.

   • Lord, have mercy on all the innocent people caught in this horrific Syrian situation.

   • Lord have mercy on those who are not innocent as well, as but for the grace of God, that would be us.

   • We thank You for all that Israel has done and is doing to bring some sanity and mercy to our enemies.

   • We bless You that many Syrians who have been ministered to in Israel, came as enemies and are now friends of this nation and its people. May many of them become like Naaman who said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. (2 Kings 5:15b; see verses 8-19)

   • Abba, guard over the mouths of Israel's leaders to not talk out of turn regarding the final outcome of what happens in Syria Set a watch, YHWH, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)

   • Give wisdom to the government and the IDF in dealing with this very real threat (Proverbs 20:18; 24:6).

   • Lord, if in fact the Islamic State has captured Russian missiles, show Israel what – if anything – to do.

   • Protect Israel from any traps that may be set for the day after this conflict is resolved (Psalm 141:9).

6. We then asked – in faith-stretching intercession – for God to remove Assad from being Syria's leaders, as well as for Him to break the Iranian Shi'ite Crescent that they are in the process of establishing from Iran through Iraq, Syria, and ending on Lebanon's Mediterranean seacoast.

   • As per Jeremiah 49:35, we remind You of Your promise to break the bow, the crescent, of Elam [ancient Persia, modern Iran].

   • Deal with Syrian President Assad according to Your righteous standards (Jeremiah 23:2).

   • Let his days be few; let another take his office.

     Psalms 109:8
     

   • He removes kings and sets up kings.

     Daniel 2:21b
     

   • Use Trump to put the fear of God into Iran's leaders – forcing them into major geopolitical errors.

   • Use Netanyahu's recent trip to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to also put Your fear into Iran's leaders.

   • As Netanyahu publically warned Iran's leaders to not mess with Israel, use their pride to cause them to make huge mistakes in judgment, leading to their removal from over that nation and its people.

   • Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; also let those who hate Him flee before Him…He scatters the people who delight in war.

     Psalms 68:1, 30b
     

7. We then prayed for Muslims to be saved, for God to make our enemies – our family.

   • At this season of remembering Messiah's birth, draw multitudes of desperate Syrians to Your Son.

   • For my eyes have seen Your Salvation which You have prepared before the face of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.

     Luke 2:30-32
     

   • May they see that not only is Allah not helping them, but it is in his name that they are being killed.

   • We bless You for the reports of multitudes of Muslims who are coming to faith (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

   • Use all missionaries in the Muslim theater to look to You and to proclaim Your Word (Isaiah 55:11).

   • Continue to visit many of these deceived people via dreams and visions (Hosea 12:10).

   • Strengthen the Church in Iran. Bless and protect it, and strip all anti-Zionistic teaching from its ranks.

   • May Your people reach out to the millions of Muslims who are now living in the West (Luke 10:2).

   • Pluck out a large number of Israeli Arabs, Kurds and Yazidis for Your holy name's sake (Psalm 79:9).

8. We also prayed for the salvation of the Jewish people, both in exile and in Israel.

   • Lord Yeshua, watch over the seeds that Your Body has planted and watered and give an increase during this Chanukah/Christmas season (1 Corinthians 3:6).

   • We ask You to remove the veil over the eyes of many Jews before 2016 has ended (Romans 11:25-28).

   • Open up eyes to see the true Light of the world (John 1:9).

   • For God who said, 'Out of darkness light shall shine;' has shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Yeshua the Messiah.

     2 Corinthians 4:6
     

   • Abba, forbid that any Messianic Jew or Christian Zionist would ever be ashamed of the good news of Messiah Yeshua (Romans 1:16).

   • Lord Yeshua, may this be the time when You reveal Yourself to Holocaust survivors and their children; to terror victims and their families; to unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews; to many in the ultras-Orthodox community, including many of their rabbis; to women who have had abortions; [please add the group that God has laid on your heart to this list].

9. A final burden was for the Israeli navy.

   • Protect them and use them to protect this nation from all seaborne attacks (Ezekiel 37:10).

   • We bless You for the new ships and naval weapons that Israel is building.

   • Use Israel's submarine fleet to deter the actions of any nation that thinks they can destroy this nation.

   • Visit and save Israeli sailors. They who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; these see the works of YHWH and His wonders in the deep. (Psalms 107:23-24)

   • Watch over and prosper Israel's off-shore oil fields.

We have had a number of wonderful days of rain and even some snow on Mt. Hermon. But the land of Israel still needs lots more water. Please continue to pray for this.

And join with us as we pray for IFI's January International Prayer Conference, Jerusalem.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from the IFI team.