1. To start, we read a few verses from this Shabbat's prophetic portion.

    • In that day YHWH of Hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the rest of His people, and for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle to the gate.

      Isaiah 28:5-6

    • Thank You that You will impart to us the strength to carry on interceding in 2018.

    • We praise You that You, being faithful in the past, will continue to be that forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).

    • To You be glory and honor and power here on earth and throughout all the ages (Revelation 19:1).

    • We bless and thank You for the rain and snow that is falling on Your land this day (Psalm 68:9).

    • We are so grateful for the revelation that You actually delight in our prayers (Proverbs 15:8b).

    • We are also encouraged that You promise to answer all prayers in line with Your will (1 John 5:14-15).

  2. Israel is experiencing a few days of rain and snow in the higher elevations. This is an answer to pray – yet we need to continue to pray for the land and lakes and aquifers are still in need of water.

    • Abba, we bless and praise You for the water that is falling on Your land at this time (Isaiah 41:17-20).

    • Please comfort all those who suffer because of not having suitable accommodations to deal with the cold, wet and windy weather (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28, 41).

    • Also, give wisdom and patience to all who need to drive on the wet roads of Israel.

    • As the security forces are out in this weather protecting Your people, we ask You to keep them safe, alert and comfortable enough to do their jobs (Psalm 33:20; Isaiah 51:3).

    • Lord Yeshua, as You multiplied the loaves and the fish – so multiple the rain (John 6:9-11).

    • Continue to bless this land with wet weather for the remainder of the rainy season (Deuteronomy 11:14).

    • Use the weather to protect this nation when needed (Job 38:22-23).

    • Use the rain to destroy any terror tunnels in Gaza (Job 12:15b).

  3. Security is always on our radar as intercessors for Israel.

    • Lord, guide the Trump administration so that whatever they decide concerning their financial support of the Palestinians, the outcome will not harm Israeli security.

    • We do thank You that You constantly watch over this nation (Psalm 121:4).

    • We give You the glory for aiding Israel to win the war against terror (Isaiah 19:17), and ask that Israel would not be prideful in that accomplishment, but be willing to share its know-how with allied nations.

    • Increase Your protective shield over Israeli hospitals, schools, and other public places (Psalm 3:1-3).

    • We pray Your word in Isaiah 28:6b over all Israeli checkpoints and border crossings.

    • Provide all the actionable intelligence the security forces need to protect Israelis (Zechariah 10:5).

    • Hinder all kidnapping attempts (Exodus 21:16).

    • Lord of hosts – release a host of angelic protection on all of Israel's borders (Psalm 34:7; 91:11; 103:20).

  4. We prayed for the nations surrounding Israel – that any anti-Israel plans would be revealed and that the gospel would be able to be freely declared in them.

    • Concerning plans that these nations might be developing to hurt Your nation, we remind You of Your word: YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plans of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)

    • Fortify the ties the Egyptian and Jordanian leaders have with Israel (1 Kings 5:1).

    • May those good ties permeate their whole nations (Luke 7:3-5).

    • Enable Muslims who have been treated in Israeli hospitals to destroy the lies about Israel in their Islamic families and societies – whether from Syria, Egypt and Gaza, or from nations more distant.

    • We thank You for the believers in all these nations. Use them as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16).

    • Strip all anti-Israel/anti-Semitic spirits from our family in Messiah in Islamic nations (Numbers 24:9a).

    • Yeshua, You are a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:32)

  5. Obviously, we are very encouraged by the various shakings that have taken hold of Iran. This is a definitive answer to prayer – although not yet a complete answer. So we continue to watch and pray about this evil Shi'ite Islamic regime and the precious Iranians who are trapped under its claws.

    • [Yeshua] spoke a parable to them to teach that men ought always to pray and not faint.

      Luke 18:1

    • We thank You for how You are shaking Iran – physically, spiritually, socially and politically.

    • Lord God Almighty, continue to shake to such an extent that it not only destroys Iran's king and princes (Jeremiah 49:38), but it also strikes a mighty blow to the principality of Islam (Philippians 2:10-11).

    • We bless the common Iranian and ask that You would empower them to do what needs to be done to see this demonic regime overthrown (Matthew 5:44).

    • Allow Iran's propaganda – that the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel are responsible for the current riots and demonstrations in the streets – to backfire on the leadership (Psalm 7:15-16).

    • Is it not time, Lord, for You to deal with the "prince" of Persia once and for all (Daniel 10:12-13)?

    • Lord, You said You would break the bow of Elam/ancient Iran (Jeremiah 49:35). Do it for Your holy name's sake and let the Iranians know it is You – Israel's God – who did it (Psalm 115:1-3).

    • Show the Iranian Church that they need to bless Israel and also show them how to pray for their nation at this time (Genesis 12:3; Romans 8:26-27).

    • Abba, we have seen in history how a vacuum has given rise to a much worse outcome. Prevent that from happening in Iran and prepare the next generation of leaders to rule wisely (Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 5:21b).

    • Release the Iranian Jewish community to return to Israel – quickly and completely (Jeremiah 16:14-15).

  6. What is happening in Iran impacts many other issues surrounding Israel. Since the Iran regime is the main supporter of Hezbollah, providing weapons, finances and orders, and since Iran has reestablished its relationship with Hamas in Gaza, doing basically the same as with Hezbollah, it might use either or both to attack Israel, trying to divert the world's attention from how it deals with its people in its streets.

    • Enable Israel to know specifically what is going on inside of its enemies' headquarters (2 Kings 6:8-12).

    • Bring the boastful plans of Hamas and Hezbollah to nothing (Proverbs 16:5).

    • Do not allow Israel to be deceived by Saudi Arabia, but to recognize that while this nation is at this time a "frenemy" – once Iran is dealt with, it could easily morph into a dangerous enemy (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Let the demonstrations against the Iranian regime travel to both Lebanon and Gaza and may the people there also rise up against their Hezbollah and Hamas overlords respectively.

    • Use this inner turmoil in Iran to negatively impact its relations with all its allies (Psalm 129:5).

    • Lord, hedge in Russian President Putin and Turkey's President Erdogan from taking advantage of this situation to gain even more power and influence in the Middle East (Proverbs 19:21).

    • When the UN Security Council meets later today to discuss the Iranian situation, surprise us with a decision that puts Iran into a geopolitical pressure-cooker (Job 12:23).

  7. Much corruption is being exposed in many areas of Israeli society. From government to business leaders, this seems to be the accusation of the day. How much is true and how much is political plots – only God knows. Yet even if only some of these revelations are true, we thank God for that.

    • Righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a shame to any people. (Proverbs 14:34) Since this verse is true, we ask You to uncover and remove all sin that is infecting Israeli society at this time.

    • We are desirous of truth to prevail in all walks of Israeli life – especially in the government and media.

    • For thus says YHWH of Hosts: As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath… and I did not repent, so again I have thought in these days to do well to Jerusalem and…Judah. Fear not; do these things. Each man shall speak the truth to his neighbor, and judge with truth and justice for peace in your gates. Let no one think evil in your heart against his neighbor, nor love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate, says YHWH.

      Zechariah 8:14-17

    • Lord, uphold the leadership whom You have set in place at this time (Daniel 2:21).

    • Show Israel's leaders their wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9-10) and grace them to repent as needed.

    • Fulfill this word for Your glory's sake: "And I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. (Isaiah 1:26)

    • Please swiftly conclude all the investigations against Israeli PM Netanyahu and his wife Sara.

    • May the truth be revealed and not that which the left-wing or Israeli media wants (Job 12:22).

    • We are amazed and so grateful for how well Netanyahu is running the nation in the face of the constant pressure of these investigations (Romans 8:28).

    • Lord, please reveal to us Your choice of who will replace Netanyahu when it is Your time for him to step down, so that we can pray for that person (Amos 3:7; 1 Timothy 2:1-3)).

    • [Israel has past the first reading of a law to make it easier to decide on the death penalty for a terrorist.] Lord, we know that the death penalty for a murderer is what You have commanded (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12; Leviticus 24:17; Revelation 13:10) – yet there are concerns about what the response from the enemy will be. Please give Israeli leaders wisdom as they debate and vote for or against this law.

  8. The Body of Messiah in Israel is growing and therefore there is a growing concern to keep it protected through intercession. Since Yeshua will not return until He hears from Jerusalem, Baruch haba b'shem YHWH – Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHWH, and since the Adversary knows that when He appears, his demonic reign over men ends for a long period of time, the Israeli Body becomes a special target for demonic attacks, deception, confusion and discouragement. We treasure your prayers for us and all the rest of the Body here in Zion.

    • Raise up throughout this Body Elders after Your heart (Jeremiah 3:15; 23:3-4).

    • Remove any Elders who are not supposed to be in that position (Ezekiel 34:7-10).

    • Protect the Israeli Body from deception in whatever form it tries to enter (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24-25).

    • Give to the leaders, and the rest of the Body, a greater anointing to test the spirits and prove all things (1 John 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).

    • Forbid that any ministries from outside who are not called by You are given an open pulpit in this land.

    • If there are any ministries that have set up shop in Israel who are not of You, remove them.

    • Bring in and guard all ministries who are called by You to be here.

    • Protect the Body from being manipulated by finances in any way (Hebrews 13:5).

    • Lord Yeshua, grace us with a single-minded focus that we are called to see You glorified, so that Your Father will be glorified in and through You (John 5:23; Philippians 2:9-11).

    • Protect the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), but scatter all man-made unity (Genesis 11:1-9).

    • Pour out on all members of Your Body a deep hunger for Your Word (Jeremiah 15:16).

    • Write Proverbs 3:5-6 on our hearts: Trust in YHWH with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

We finished by praying for the aliyah, the return of Jews in exile back to Israel.

Thank You for standing with us as we intercede for His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

Blessings from Zion

The IFI team

Your Words were found, and I ate them;

and Your Word was to me the joy and gladness of my heart;

for I am called by Your name, O YHWH, the God of Hosts.

Jeremiah 15:16