1. Praise: The last few chapters of Hosea are this Shabbat's prophetic portion.

    • O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in Me is your help…I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely; for My anger has turned away from him.Hos. 13:9; 14:4

    • Thank You for healing our backslidings and loving us freely as well.

    • We know that You will do this for Israel as well and praise You for keeping Your word (Num. 23:19).

    • Hallelujah! The government is upon Your shoulders, King Yeshua (Isa. 9:6-7).

    • We thank You for the spiritual nourishment that Your Word provides us (Jer. 15:16).

    • Thank You for the gentle rains that have been falling on Jerusalem this morning (Psa. 68:9).

    • We are secure in You because of Your revelations like this: For I am YHWH, I change not. Because of this you sons of Jacob are not destroyed. (Mal. 3:6)

    • It is by YHWH's covenant-love that we are not destroyed, because His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.Lam. 3:22-23

  2. Many Israelis are very frustrated and angry over the government's cease-fire deal with Gaza's Hamas terrorist overlords – especially after the hundreds of rockets they fired at Israel earlier this week. While we do not know all that PM Bibi Netanyahu and the other responsible parties know, on the surface it looks like appeasement – or to Muslim eyes, dhimmi submission – to the spirit of terrorism that has mocked, attacked and had its way with Israel since March. Division among the people will not help to heal this confused and bruised nation at this time.

    • Lord, bring unity to the people of Israel even as many do not agree with this cease-fire (Judg. 20:1).

    • Channel the anger and frustration of the residents of the southern communities who have been the focus of various Hamas terror attacks into redemptive purposes (Gen. 50:20).

    • Please, God, prevent this frustration and anger from turning into violence. Violence will no more be heard in your land, wasting nor ruin within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isa. 60:18)

    • Bring forth words of peace and truth from all the synagogues in Israel this Shabbat (Jer. 33:6).

    • We look to You to protect Your people always – and especially at this time (Psa. 121:4).

    • For YHWH is our shield; yea, our King is the Holy One of Israel.Psa. 89:18

  3. We prayed for Netanyahu and the government coalition. Avigdor Liberman, the Defense Minister quit in response to the cease-fire, although there were political considerations that also went into his decision. The coalition is now very fragile and Bibi needs to decide what to do – appoint another defense minister – right now he is taking on that as well as being prime minister and foreign minister – or go to early elections [Regular elections are scheduled for November 2019].

    • Lord, thank You for a leader who even in an election season is willing to make unpopular decisions for what he sees as the good of the nation (Gal. 4:16).

    • If the cease-fire decision was correct, confirm it to him. If not, confront him (Prov. 3:11-12).

    • Do not permit the power and authority of these three ministries to rest solely on Netanyahu.

    • Grace him with a gift of being able to delegate (Ex. 18:13-26).

    • Lord Yeshua, raise up Your person to be Israel's defense minister at this time (Est. 4:14b).

    • Pour out Your amazing grace upon Netanyahu in all areas of his life (Ex. 33:17).

    • If early elections need to be called, may they happen as soon as possible (Eccl. 3:1).

    • Forbid that Liberman undermines the current government from the outside (Dan. 6:22).

    • God of Israel – arise and rule. I will be your king: where is any other that may save you in all your cities? (Hos. 13:10a)

    • Abba, concerning the municipal elections, while we did not receive the specific answer in Jerusalem for which we asked You, still we thank You for raising up those whom You have chosen (Dan. 2:20; 4:25).

  4. Even though a cease-fire was agreed upon, there are threats of violent demonstrations along the Gaza border by Hamas in "celebration" of the victory of this past week. The concern is that many of the soldiers who were positioned there during the height of the action this week are still there and are facing this hate-filled inspired mob for the first time.

    • Abba, please rain on Hamas' parade literally – and include a healthy dose of hail (Job. 38:27-28).

    • Enable the commanders to communicate orders to their new soldiers with clarity.

    • Pour out strength and courage to all the new-to-the-Gaza-border soldiers (Deut. 31:6).

    • Give to all the IDF forces a quietness and peace of mind in the midst of the battle (Psa. 140:7).

    • Since the IDF response has not be strong enough or painful enough to stop these deadly demonstrations, guide the IDF to know what changes need to take place (Prov. 20:18; 21:31; 24:6).

    • You are my king, O God; command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push our enemies; through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. 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. In God we boast all the day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah.Psa. 44:4-8

    • Lord God, please reveal to Israel's leaders what Your ultimate end-goal is with Gaza so that they can plan accordingly. There are many purposes in a man's heart, but the counsel of YHWH shall stand. (Prov. 19:21)

  5. The threat from the north hangs over Israel's head and affects all other actions it takes. With Iran supporting and training Hizbullah in Lebanon and Syria and having other Shiite forces in Syria, this dark cloud of existential danger must always be on the minds and hearts of Israel's leaders.

    • Aid the government and the IDF to set and keep its' redlines concerning Iran (Matt. 5:37).

    • Provide a unity in the leadership concerning the northern threats and plans of action (Psa. 133:1).

    • Provide accurate actionable intelligence upon which to plan (Josh. 2:23-24).

    • Anoint all the special commandos which Israel uses to infiltrate its enemies camps, etc.

    • Thank You for all the times Israel has pre-empted the devious plans of Iran in Syria and elsewhere.

    • Use the renewed US sanctions on Iran to dry up their financial backing of Hizbullah (Prov. 23:5).

    • When the war in the north starts, prepare Israel to end it as soon as possible (Josh. 10:9; 11:7).

    • Prepare Israel to be more concerned about the security of its civilians than the safety of the civilians that Hizbullah has set up to be its human shields (Rom. 13:3-4).

    • May Israel's northern communities be preparing for war, and thankful for the current calm (Eccl. 3:4, 8).

    • Lord, pour out Your fear on Iran's current leadership, making them declare what Nebuchadnezzar said: At the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation. And all the people of the earth are counted as nothing; and He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the people of the earth. And none can strike His hand, or say to Him, What are You doing? (Dan. 4:34-35)

  6. There has been an uptick of terrorist attacks in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. Hamas has cells there and seems to have released them to attack Israelis.

    • Provide all the intelligence and wisdom Israeli security forces need to stop these attacks (Prov. 2:6-8).

    • Lord, help Israel see that these are not lone-wolf attacks, but all attackers are linked with an Islamic wolf pack which is determined to destroy Israel (Psa. 83:4).

    • Thank You for the reports of the growing Body of Believers among the Palestinians.

    • Protect them and use them as salt and light among the rest of the Palestinians (Matt. 5:13-16).

    • Strip them of all anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic leanings (3 John 1:4).

    • Keep Palestinian Authority leader Abbas alive and stubborn, and use him to block all plans to divide Your land or any unity agreements with Hamas in Gaza (Ex. 14:1-4).

    • Enable Israel to know how to deal with the increase of unrest under Abbas today.

    • When Abbas passes from this life, there will most likely be a very uncivil war between the various Palestinian factions – including Hamas. Keep Israel out (Prov. 26:17).

  7. We prayed into that American "peace deal of the century" that is currently under lock and key. No details have been released, yet there are already certain things that raise major concerns for those who are looking at this "deal" through biblical eyes. We deal with them in the prayers below.

    • Lord, whenever US President Trump calls this a "real estate deal" – it produces much fear in our hearts for the future of America. Please send to him someone to whom he will listen, who will warn him that this is Your land and not just another piece of real estate (Lev. 25:23).

    • When we hear that Israel received Jerusalem and is now expected to reward the Palestinians with a major concession – it infuriates us as that is not what Trump originally said. It is also setting up Trump and America to experience Your wrath and judgement (Joel 3:1-2). Please wake up the American Church to stand in the gap against this unbiblical trade-off threatened by their leader (Ezek. 22:30).

    • Abba, thank You for Netanyahu refusing to clearly state that he supports a two-state solution (Eccl. 3:7).

    • Bless Bibi and keep him as wise as a serpent in this specific area (Matt. 10:16b).

    • For America's sake, keep this hidden peace deal – hidden (Ezek. 35:12-13)!

    • Or use Israeli elections to hinder the coming-out party for this "deal of the century".

    • Do not allow Israel to look to America for its security – but to keep their eyes on You (Psa. 121:1-2).

    • Do not allow the fear of man to cause Israel to do that which is evil in Your sight (Heb. 13:5b-6).

  8. Water: We are having a rainy day throughout much of Israel but it is not a steady consistent rain and so far this rainy season has not produced what the land of Israel needs. But God…

    • Thank You Lord for every drop of rain that You are providing for this land (Lev. 26:4).

    • We are trusting and asking You to full up the Sea of Galilee to overflowing by the time the rainy season is finished (Zech. 10:1).

    • Please send the snow to fall on Mt. Hermon and the other high points throughout this land (Job 37:6).

    • Allow a gentle rain to fall on the dry farmlands (Psa. 147:8).

    • May all Israelis cry out to You for the water from heaven (1 Kin. 8:35-36).

    • Create new water sources as You said You would in Isaiah 41:18-20.

    • Continue to send a heavy morning dew to this nation (Gen. 2:6).

    • Allow the rain to renew all the brunt out areas near the Gaza border (Psa. 135:5-7).

  9. We finished by praying for the return of the Jews in exile. Please pray for the Jews in your nation or region – especially the unsaved Jews – who are out of God's prefect will by remaining outside of Israel. Also ask the Lord to open wide the doors here in Israel to receive all Jews – regardless of race, religion, etc., as it is here in this land where all Israel will be saved.

    • And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the gentiles…And the gentiles shall know that I am YHWH…when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes. For I will take you from among the gentiles and gather you out of all lands, and will gather you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them.Ezek. 36:23-27
    • And I will pour on the house of David, and on the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayers. And they shall look unto Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be bitter over Him, as the bitterness over the first-born.Zech. 12:10

Prayer Conference: Please continue to pray that all who should be here – will be. If you are planning to join us and have not yet let us know, it would be very helpful to hear from you.

Shabbat shalom

The IFI team