1. Praise: Starting with this Shabbat, the prophetic portions until the fall feasts are known as the Shabbats of consolation or comfort. The reading for this weekend is Isaiah 40:1-26.

    • The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of YHWH, make straight in the desert a highway for our God…And the glory of the YHWH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the YHWH has spoken it.Isa. 40:3, 5
    • The voice said, 'Cry'. And he said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is grass, and all the goodness of it is as the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit of the YHWH blows on it. Surely the people are as grass…but the Word of our God shall stand forever.Isa. 40:6-8

    • Praise You for revealing Your glory in Your Son, our Messiah Yeshua (John 1:14).

    • Thank You that Your Word does not return void – but it does all that You sent it out to do (Isa. 55:11).

    • We bless You for watching over Your Word to perform it (Jer. 1:12) – both in Israel and in our lives.

    • Since Your Word is forever established in heaven, hallelujah – it will not fail (Psa. 119:89).

    • Thank You that the unfolding of Your Word gives Your light even to the simple (Psa. 119:30).

    • What a joy it is to know that we Your sheep, can hear Your voice (John 10:27). Quicken us to do that in as You lead us in intercession this morning.

  2. Elections: As the campaign continues, most politicians are in "attack mode" against all they see as opponents – both left and right. We were led to pray for the next government based on what God has promised He would give to His nation in these days.

    • I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counsellors as at the beginning: after you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.Isa. 1:26

    • Lord, raise up many righteous judges and advisors in this nation at this time (Prov. 14:34).

    • Turn, backsliding children, says YHWH, for I am married to you…I will bring you to Zion, and will give you pastors after My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.Jer. 3:14-15

    • May many in the next government have the best interests of Israel and its people in mind, and not their own future or enlargement. Serve YHWH your God and His people Israel. (2 Chr. 35:3b).

    • Give us a government that will not be enticed to divide this land anymore (Lev. 25:23).

    • We ask for a government that takes seriously its obligation to open wide the doors for all of the scattered Jews to be regathered (Jer. 31:10).

    • I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds. They shall be fruitful and increase and I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them. They shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither be lacking, says YHWH.Jer. 23:3-4

    • Raise up a government through whom You can be glorified (Isa. 60:21).

    • Allow Israel's next leaders to see that at this time security is more vital to prioritize than being forced into a false "peace process".

    • Lord, give us a government period! Forbid a stalemate leading to another election (Prov. 21:1).

    • Hover over the campaign chaos and bring forth a government of godly light and order (Gen. 1:2-3).

    • We thank You that ultimately the government is on Your shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7),

    • May You manifest Your authority and power in and through Israel's next government (Matt. 28:18).

  3. Post-Netanyahu: This past week we heard a partial answer to a prayer burden as Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu mentioned two people whom he could see as his successor. We have prayed much for him to mentor someone to take his place. While the men – Ron Dermer, Israel's ambassador to America and Yossi Cohen, the head of the Mossad – may or may not be good choices, the very fact that Bibi is thinking about who could take his place is very encouraging.

    • Lord, thank You for this movement in Netanyahu's thinking (Prov. 21:1).

    • If there are others whom You want added to his list, then place them on his heart (Prov. 19:21).

    • We still see Netanyahu as the only one to be Israel's leader today. Please watch over the timing of the handing over the baton in running this nation (Dan. 2:21).

    • Give Israel rulers who are like the sons of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do… (1 Chr. 12:32)

    • Make Bibi a mentor of leaders (2 Tim. 2:2).

  4. Snared: Two anti-Israel, pro-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement US congresswomen – both Muslims – have been barred from visiting 'Occupied Palestine' over the weekend. Israel was placed in a no-win scenario from the beginning. After weeks of debate, it decided to ban them, based on an Israeli law that gives the prime minister and government a legal right to ban those who aim at Israel's destruction via the BDS movement. This has pleased US President Trump and many conservatives in America and in Israel – yet is being called "undemocratic" and other labels by many others – including some of Israel's friends. We prayed for God's protection to surround Israel specifically over this decision.

    • Blessed is YHWH, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped like 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, Maker of heaven and earth.Psa. 124:6-8

    • Lord, only You really know whether this was the right decision to take, Either way, we hold up Your Word to You for this nation: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

    • Do not allow a major division to occur among Israelis over this decision.

    • Move on Israel's friends in America to either stand with this decision or to be quiet (Psa. 46:10).

    • May this move increase Netanyahu's profile positively among the Israeli voters (Psa. 75:6-7).

    • Please protect Israel's reputation and security as we see it being used in America's election campaigns already and in dangerous ways (Psa. 56:1; Isa. 54:17).

  5. Security: Judea & Samaria (aka the West Bank), is an area to which God specifically promises to restore His people. It is also an area of security concerns as there are attacks every week, and with PA President Abbas' fragile state and old age, there is the question of what happens once he dies.

    • Lord, we are in Samaria because of Your covenant love (Jer. 31:3-5), so we ask in confidence for Your protection over Your people in their biblical homeland (Psa. 121:4).

    • We are also in Judea and Jerusalem, just as You said we would be in Zechariah 12. Therefore, extend Your wings of protection over all who live in these areas as well (Psa. 17:8).

    • Thank You for giving many settlers who live there a sense of being right where the bible says they are supposed to be (Psa. 119:18, 105).

    • Please protect all the roads and bus stops (Psa. 23:4).

    • May the Israelis in these areas grow deep roots and bear much fruit (Isa. 27:6).

    • Let thousands of more homes be built and may it be done quickly (Isa. 54:2-5).

    • Give to Israel's security and intelligence forces discernment to know what to expect when Abbas dies.

    • Impart Your plans for that time to the IDF (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • Continue to aid the security forces to thwart the evil schemes being hatched against Israelis (Psa. 35:8).

  6. Security: Gaza's security fence has been the scene of massive demonstrations for more than a year which are supposed to be reignited today. Iran is the not-so-hidden force behind Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad's ability to war against Israel. Yet an endgame plan to this continuous outrage still eludes both the IDF and the government.

    • Lord, while we understand Israel does not want to fight a three front war [Gaza, Lebanon, Syria], show it what it can do to dampen the fires Hamas is always igniting against Your nation (Isa. 41:115-16).

    • Keep the IDF soldiers along the Gaza fence alert and prevent all successful kidnapping attempts.

    • Thank You that the Gaza area communities are growing and prospering, But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. (Ex. 1:12) Amen!

    • Lord Yeshua, we bring these brave Israelis to You, asking You to heal them and their children from all the trauma that they have suffered over the years (Matt. 4:24, 9:2-7).

    • And please let them know that it is You who is at work in their lives (John 12:13).

    • Concerning Hamas, You are my king, O God; command victories for Jacob. (Psa. 44:4)

    • Create great unity in the upper echelons of the IDF and send them plans directly from Your throne.

    • Expose Hamas' exploitation of its children as they use them as human shields between Hamas terrorists and the IDF and make it to been seen by the world as a form of child abuse that is as wicked as anything Jeffery Epstein did with his sick pedophilia (Luke 17:2).

  7. Security: Hizbullah faces off with Israel along the Lebanese and Syrian borders – and is a much greater threat than Hamas. Reportedly, almost weekly Israel attack Iranian weapons caches and transports in both Syria and Iraq – and will amazing success.

    • Thank You for the intelligence Israel obtains to attack these Iranian threats so accurately (Job 28:11).

    • Continue to undermine all of the enemy's plans (Psa. 129:5).

    • Move on the Israelis positioning its spy satellites, especially if they miss something (Prov. 20:24a).

    • Expose any hidden tunnels that the IDF has not already found (Job 12:22).

    • Protect all IDF plans from the enemy's infiltrations (Psa. 31:20).

    • Enable Israel's cyberwarfare to be heads and tails above all others (Psa. 16:7).

    • Guard over all the communities who live in the northern part of Israel (Psa. 121:4).

    • Bless Israel's Air Force and its Navy as they go out on missions to protect this nation (Isa. 31:5).

  8. Security: Iran is the main instigator with its finger in all the areas of concern surrounding Israel. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza are on Iran's payroll, and so is Hezbollah in Lebanon and in Syria. Iran also has other groups in Syria and Iraq who are committed to following its orders. Israel has not been timid in dealing with these threats – in some areas more forcefully than in others. Yet we were led to pray for the defeat of the spirit of Persia by interceding for the growing Body of Iranian believers.

    • Lord Yeshua, thank You for building Your church in the very presence of the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18).

    • Guide our Iranian brothers and sisters to know when to speak and when to be silent (Eccl. 3:7b).

    • Teach them how to intercede for their nation and for this – Your nation of Israel (Luke 11:1; Gen. 12:3).

    • Set them free from all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic spirits (Num. 23:8; 24:5).

    • Raise up the Iranian church in exile to be strong encouragers of their brothers and sisters at home.

  9. Aliyah – the immigration of Jews from exile to Israel: There was a flight carrying over 200 new immigrants from North America to Israel this past week. This is a partial answer to prayer. Also, a recent report said the number of Israeli's leaving Israel for extended periods has dropped significantly in recent years – another answer to prayer.

    • Lord, with anti-Semitism exploding in the West, please use it to shake up Jews who are too comfortable to ever consider coming home (Jer. 16:16).

    • Confront all Jewish Zionists who stay in exile with the double-mindedness of their position (Jam. 5:12).

    • Use the upcoming fall feasts in to make Jews in exile "exceedingly abundantly" homesick (Jer. 50:4-5)!

    • Often children and grandchildren are the excuse to stay in exile. Show those who use this excuse that for those very children's sake – it is imperative for them all to return (Jer. 31:16-17).

    • Wake up the Church to its financial responsibility to help the Jews return (Isa. 60:3-6; Rom. 15:27))

    • As Bibi goes to the Ukraine, show him how to speak the truth in love to the Jews still there (Eph. 4:15).

    • Give us a new government that will fling wide open the doors of this land so that every type of Jew will be able to come home – including the Messianic Jews (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Speak to the Messianic Jews to be ready to return at Your command (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

We finished by praying for the Israeli Body of Messiah to be all that its Lord needs it to be at this specific time in history. That we would mature into the stature of our Messiah and despite our various differences and many opinions, our love for one another would provoke unsaved Israelis to jealousy.

Thank you for standing with us and this nation.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

The IFI team