1. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Messiah which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Messiah Yeshua to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

   Ephesians 3:14-21
   

   • Thank You, Abba Father, that Your power is so much greater than we can even imagine and it is at work within us through Yeshua.

   • Thank You for the love of Messiah which passes knowledge.

   • Thank You for Your Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

   • Thank You for Your call to us to intercede and that we can know that You hear and answer.

2. Netanyahu in the USA – this past week our Prime Minister has been in the USA in discussion with President Trump and others. At the same time police allegations have rolled on, with their suggestions that he has acted corruptly. Also at home in Israel the ruling coalition has looked more and more as though it could fall, which would lead to early elections in the coming months.

   • Thank You for empowering Netanyahu with an anointing to communicate effectively during his speeches in the US.

   • Thank You that he used Your Word with authority when he spoke.

   • Thank You that You have raised him up to be the leader of Israel at this time and that with all his weaknesses he has shown himself an effective and good leader of the nation.

   • Protect him from being distracted by all the turmoil of police allegations and the coalition crisis at home.

   • Enable Netanyahu to keep focused on the task of leading the nation even in the face of many distractions.

   • May he know as Nehemiah knew, when many distractions and enemies tried to prevent him from doing God’s work, Our God will fight for us. (Nehemiah 4:20)

3. Corruption allegations – In recent months four separate cases have been investigated by police to judge whether Bibi Netanyahu has acted corruptly. We deeply desire justice and righteous standards in Israel's public life. However, much of the motivation behind all of these corruption allegations is a hatred of Netanyahu and the desire to find any means to bring him down. 

   • Reveal the truth quickly and bring to an end this obsession in the media with the past behaviour of Prime Minister Netanyahu and members of his family.

   • Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

     Proverbs 14:34
     

   • Raise up and anoint righteous leaders in all areas of public life in Israel.

   • Drive back those forces in the legal process and the media which are not seeking righteousness but to disrupt and deflect the nation from Your purposes.

4. Coalition crisis – the ultra orthodox parties in the coalition are pushing for a change in the law granting exemption from army service for those studying Torah in yeshiva. The secular parties oppose such exemptions. Both want their way. This could bring the govt to an early end, bringing forward the next elections from November 2019 to maybe this June.

   • We don't seek an early election but Lord, have Your way in Your time.

   • May Israel’s leaders not give to blackmail from the ultra-Orthodox leadership.

   • Please turn the hearts of all Israel’s leaders to desire the best for the nation and away from serving their own personal ambitions.

   • Bless those ultra-Orthodox who willingly serve in the IDF and suffer rejection from within their community for doing so.

   • Grant us good laws which treat each person righteously so that all groups in the population share the burden and the privilege of defending the nation.

5. Iran – One of the main issues for discussion between Netanyahu and Trump has been Iran. Trump has to make a decision regarding the future of the 2015 deal regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile the reality of Iran’s international ambitions is only too obvious to Israel as Iran has become firmly encamped just across the Syrian border on the Golan Heights. At the same time Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy, is the dominant power in neighboring Lebanon. Moreover, Iran is boasting about her rocket stockpiles and her ability to produce nuclear materials and weaponry.

   • Give President Trump wisdom and boldness to make the right decision on the Iran deal.

   • Defend Israel, the nation You have chosen. Whether You use international diplomacy, Israel’s army or Your angelic hosts, defend us for Your holy name’s sake!

   • Give Israel’s leaders unity and wisdom to know what to do in response to the Iranian threat on our borders.

   • Thank You that You say, Behold, I will break the bow of Elam (Iran), the foremost of their might. (Jeremiah 49:35) and I will set My throne in Elam, and will destroy from there the king and the princes. (Jeremiah 49:38)

6. Israel’s Leadership – Whether or not Bibi Netanyahu is judged to have acted corruptly and whether or not he is forced out by the current circumstances, his time as Prime Minister will one day come to an end.

   • May Netanyahu remain as leader for exactly as long as You intend, Lord.

   • May he know himself when it is time to leave the office of Prime Minister.

   • Give him the wisdom and discernment to prepare a person of Your choosing to take his place.

   • Lord raise up the next Prime Minister to be a person after Your heart (1 Samuel 13:14) who will serve the nation in righteousness.

   • Put Your anointing on all those called to leadership roles in Israel.

   • Use all those who are currently in high office to bring about the next government and Prime Minister of Your choosing.

7. Aliyah – While Israel is the nation with more Jews than any other in the world, there is still a large majority of Jews worldwide living outside of Israel and needing to come home.

   • Lord, unlock the millions of Jews from the USA so that they will return home.

   • Use the rise in anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe to stir the hearts of Your people so they decide to make aliyah.

   • Use the recent political and economic changes in South Africa to prompt the Jews to come home.

   • By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion… How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

     Psalm 137:1,4
     

8. Salvation of Israel – The Lord does not want only to bring His people home but also to save them.

   • Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean.

     Ezekiel 36:25
     

   • Thank You, Lord, that You promise to save Your people. Pour clean water on them.

   • Speak to all the religious Jews who are sincerely seeking for the truth. Reveal the King of the Jews to them. May those who already know You be willing to confess Yeshua as Messiah.

   • Break the stronghold of the rabbis control over the minds of the people.

   • Reveal Yourself to multitudes of soldiers while they are keeping watch on their guard-posts.

   • Anoint the believers in the army so they might be willing to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15)

9. IFI – For the next two and a half weeks Chuck Cohen will be ministering in Germany together with Heinz-Jurgen Heuhsen of IFI-Deutschland.

   • Watch over their travelling and protect their families back home.

   • Anoint their teaching.

   • Encourage those who come to their meetings and challenge many who have not understood or accepted Your purposes for Israel in these days.

Shabbat Shalom from the IFI team!