1. This week's prophetic portion concludes with Amos 3:1-8, and there are some truths in that which encouraged our praise – and a healthy dose of the fear of the God of Israel – this morning.

    • Hear this Word that YHWH has spoken against you, sons of Israel…You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities [cp. Luke 12:48]. Can two walk together unless they are agreed? …If a ram's horn is blown in a city, will the people not also tremble? If there is a calamity in a city, has YHWH not also done it? For the Lord YHWH will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord YHWH has spoken; who will not prophesy?

      Amos 3:1-8

    • We bless You that what You say is so consistent throughout Your Word (Numbers 23:19).

    • You do not change and Your Word stands forever (Psalm 119:89).

    • Thank You for being totally sovereign – even if at times we just cannot see it (Revelation 17:17).

    • Thank You for sovereignly choosing us (John 15:16).

    • We praise You for watching over Your Word to do it (Jeremiah 1:11-12).

    • Ah, Lord YHWH! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm. Nothing is too great for You… Behold, I am YHWH, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

      Jeremiah 32:17, 27

  2. US President Trump's declaration this past week that Jerusalem is Israel's capital is an answer to prayer and – for those with open eyes – a signal for more prayer about the possible results.

    1. We prayed for the peace of Jerusalem – focusing especially on the "day of rage" 'response coming from the Islamic spirit in the Palestinians.

      • This is Your city, and while it was good to hear Trump's declaration, what You say in Your Word is the truth we trust in. Great is YHWH, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful on high, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Psalms 48:1-2)

      • Lord, watch over Your city at this time and do not allow the enemy to have its way (Psalm 121:4).

      • We do pray for Jerusalem's peace – in both the security and spiritual realm (Psalm 122:6).

      • Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. (Psalms 51:18) We ask for Your security walls to surround this city – both now and in the future.

      • As birds flying, so YHWH of Hosts will defend Jerusalem; defending, He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it. (Isaiah 31:5) Amen and amen!

      • Lord, unless You defend this city, all that Israel's security forces do will be in vain (Psalm 127:1b).

      • And since You do defend Jerusalem, please place all security personnel in exactly the right place at the right time to be those warrior-guardians You have raised them up to be (Ezekiel 37:10).

      • Give the security forces discernment to know who the "bad guys" are and who are innocent.

      • Pour out Your fear upon any Muslims who are planning to kill Israelis (Exodus 23:27).

      • Shout the mouths of those media outlets who only look for huge headlines and end up exaggerating that which is in reality a small issue (Jeremiah 9:3-5).

      • Use the fear that some Israelis have of the possible consequences of what Trump said to cause them to cry out to You (Psalm 50:15).

      • Lord Yeshua, precious Prince of Peace – send Your peace into many Israelis' hearts (Isaiah 9:6-7).

      • As US Vice-President Mike Pence travels to Israel and other nations in this region, please protect and use this Christian Zionist for Your glory (Psalm 115:1-3).

    2. We are concerned of what might be asked of Israel as "payment" for this declaration. Trump comes from the business world and still wants to see the "ultimate deal" of an Israeli-Arab-Palestinian peace, so we must pray for Israel to not compromise on any essential issues.

      • Lord, cut off all demands from America that are not in line with Your will (Psalm 33:10-11).

      • Keep those in the administration who were against this in the first place from placing unreasonable demands from Israel into Trump's heart (Proverbs 21:1).

      • Give courage to the believers who are in his inner circle to remind Trump that by blessing Israel, America is blessed and warning him to not spoil that with any quid-pro-quo demands (Numbers 24:9b).

      • While we understand why Israel's PM Bibi Netanyahu was so excited about this and seems to take Trump's opinion into account in almost every decision he makes – remind him that he is the leader of Israel and not just a governor of another American state (Joshua 1:6-9).

      • Give courage to Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to reject all dangerous and unbiblical demands.

      • Give grace so that both Bibi and Donald walk in agreement with You (Amos 3:3).

  3. The Palestinian leader Abbas threatened that if Trump did what he did, then the peace process was dead. Hallelujah! So we prayed that for once, what Abbas said he would do – he actually did.

    • Lord, how long will this demonic peace process threaten Your land and nation (Ecclesiastes 3:8)?

    • Take advantage of the rage among the Palestinians to kill this land-for-peace process once and for all.

    • I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

      Psalms 120:7

    • Expose Abbas for who he really is – a Holocaust denier, master terrorist, and anti-Semite (John 3:20).

    • As the Palestinians continue to riot in Israel – use this to wake up Israelis to the truth that there is no real peace partner on the other side (Psalm 55:21).

    • Encourage all intercessors to pray in line with Your Word on this issue and not be deceived by the nice words of "peace" and "love" that tend to muddle the thoughts of too many in the Body.

    • And Yeshua [said], Beware that no one deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I AM, and shall deceive many.

      Mark 13:5-6; cp. Jeremiah 9:5; 29:8; Romans 16:18; Ephesians 5:6

  4. We do thank you for continuing to pray with us for Israel's security. For all Israel to be saved, they must be alive, so that this prayer burden has a kingdom goal as well as an earthly goal.

    • Lord, we bless You that Israel has declared its red lines and then backed them up with military action. Continue to give Israeli leaders the courage to do this (2 Chronicles 32:7).

    • Forbid that this Jerusalem declaration in any way distracts Israel's leaders from any security issues.

    • Create a great unity between Netanyahu, Defense Minister Liberman and IDF Chief of Staff Eisenkot.

    • Abba, as per Your threat to break the bow of Elam (Jeremiah 49:35) – where modern Iran sits – we ask You to apply this to the Shi'ite Crescent Iran is establishing Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea (49:37-38).

    • Since the Shi'ites delight in war, we ask You to "scatter" them as per Psalm 68:30.

    • Speak to Russian leader Putin to understand it is better to side with Israel than Iran (Exodus 32:26).

    • Yet do not allow Putin to use Israel for Russian purposes.

    • Bring to Israeli intelligence services accurate actionable intelligence and the wisdom to know with whom this information should be shared (Matthew 10:27).

    • Lord of hosts, assign to all of Israel's borders a huge host of huge angels – for Your glory (Malachi 1:5)!

    • Pour out a spirit of alertness on all IDF soldiers – especially during the winter season (Proverbs 6:9).

    • Abba God, expose all terror tunnels – today (Job 12:22; Psalm 139:12).

    • Thank You for the advances Israel has made in cyberwarfare. Make this nation the cyberwarfare superpower in today's world (Deuteronomy 26:19; 28:1).

    • But YHWH is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

      Psalms 94:22; cp. 62:2, 6

    • And YHWH will create over all the site of Mount Zion, and on her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for on all the glory shall be a defense.

      Isaiah 4:5

  5. We then prayed for the Church to wake up and get serious with the things that God is doing in today's world to wrap up the age.

    • We do thank You for the Israeli Body of Messiah that is alive in Israel today (Isaiah 2:3b).

    • Protect it from false prophets, false teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15-16).

    • Mature Christian Zionists beyond the basic understanding of blessing Israel so that they can be blessed, unto the stage to where whatever they do in relation to Israel is for You (Colossians 3:17).

    • Why are church leaders in the nations of the world, whose political leaders are rebuking Trump for agreeing with biblical truth that Jerusalem is Israel's capital, not also speaking truth? (Zechariah 8:16).

    • Reveal Your heart towards Israel to the Chinese and Iranian Churches and let them see that what You are doing in restoring this nation to its land – is with all of Your heart and soul (Jeremiah 32:41).

    • Move among Arabic speaking churches to have Your heart for the Jews and Israel (Deuteronomy 7:8).

    • Use the African churches throughout the West to provoke Western Christians with a love for the Bible, a renewed love for the Lord Yeshua and a biblical revelation of Israel.

    • Rebuke and remove all elders who do not honor Your Word and Son above all else (Ezekiel 34:1-10).

    • This year is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation; we confess we need a new one (Psalm 51:12).

    • Return us to You, O YHWH, and we will turn; renew our days as of old,

      Lamentations 5:21

  6. Water

    • We do thank You for the wonderful rainfall we received in Israel this past week (Psalm 68:9).

    • Lord, we need much more and are asking You for rain to fall in all the right places (Zechariah 10:1).

    • Please release the hail and snow that are stored by You for a time of trouble (Job 38:22-23).

    • We are still trusting and asking You to fill up the Sea of Galilee by the time Israel's rainy season is over.

    • You do watch over this land. Please provide it with all the water it needs (Deuteronomy 11:11).

  7. We next prayed for spiritual water to be poured out on the Jewish people over Chanukah – which starts this coming Tuesday evening.

    • Thank You for the Chanukah victory of the sons of Zion over the sons of Greece (Zechariah 9:13).

    • As the Chanukiah – the Chanukah eight branched menorah – is lit, and its light increases over the feast, may the true Light of the World, Messiah Yeshua, also increase in many Jewish hearts (John 1:9; 12:46).

    • For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we shall see light.

      Psalms 36:9

    • Lord, watch over and give a huge harvest of all the seeds we planted and watered (1 Corinthians 3:6).

    • Continue to grace us to be lights representing You to all we meet (Matthew 5:14-16).

    • You said Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:27). We know that that is true and trust You to guide us in paths of righteous ness for Your name's sake (Psalm 23:3).

    • Chanukah is a time of miracles, so please save Your people, the remnant of Israel (Jeremiah 31:7b).

    • Pour out that gift of repentance that all need in order to come to You (Ephesians 2:8-10).

  8. We ended by asking God to bring His people home – aliyah.

    • Lord Yeshua, open the eyes of the Church to see that helping Your people return to Zion is an essential part of what You are doing in preparation for Your soon return (Psalm 102:16).

    • Let more believers give financially to help Jewish families return and get settled (Isaiah 60:5, 11).

    • As Jews celebrate Chanukah in exile, make them truly homesick for Israel (Isaiah 62:4-5).

    • How shall we sing YHWH's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth; if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

      Psalms 137:4-6

    • Lord, over Chanukah, let Trump release Jonathan Pollard to come home to Israel (Matthew 27:15).

    • Enable Jews in non-Western locations to come home– from Ethiopian, India, China, etc. (Isaiah 43:5-7).

    • Help all Jews who are searching for documentation to prove their Jewish heritage to find it.

    • Bless all organizations, both Christian and Jewish, whose goal is help gather the scattered children of Israel. Bless them with all the finances and workers they need to fulfill their tasks (Philippians 4:19).

Shabbat shalom and hag Chanukah sameach

The IFI team