1. Praise: This Shabbat's prophetic portion is 2 Sam. 22:1-51. We looked at two verses from there to jump-start our time of praise and thanksgiving to our great King.

    • I will call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies… YHWH lives; and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.2 Sam. 22:4, 47

    • What a joy it is to know that You hear and answer the prayers of Your saints (1 John 5:14-15).

    • We do not take lightly Your care for us. Praise You Abba (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

    • Lord Yeshua, thank You for calling us Your friends (John 15:15).

    • Hallelujah! Your mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).

    • YHWH has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has unveiled to…the nations.Psa. 98:2

    • We bless You for bringing us into Your kingdom for such a time as this (Est. 4:14b).

    • Oh give thanks to the God of Heaven; for His mercy endures forever.Psa. 136:26

  2. Security: Hamas, the Islamic rulers in Gaza, have called for demonstrations today under the banner, "Child's Martyrs Day." Even the UN was so shocked that they rebuked Hamas, warning them about putting children in harm's way. The UN also told Israel to not harm any of these children – which could be up to 17 years old – although many of them have been brainwashed to hate the Jews and trained on how to kill them.

    • God, put a heavy burden on Gazan parents to keep their children and teenagers at home (Eph. 6:1).

    • Lord of hosts, may calmness and an anointing be upon all the IDF soldiers who are going to be facing this outpouring of hatred against themselves (2 Sam. 22:35-36).

    • Protect their minds and spirits form the spirits of anti-Semitic Islamic rage (2 Sam. 22:18).

    • Give clarity to the young soldiers to see and understand what they need to do (2 Sam. 22:49).

    • Enable the IDF to pick out and target the ringleaders (2 Sam. 22:38-41).

    • Make the rules of engagement very clear and precise (1 Cor. 14:8).

    • Lord of hosts, release Your angels to aid in this spiritual battle on Israel's southern border (Mal. 1:5).

    • Quicken Israel to take advantage of this rare UN rebuke to use it to spread the truth about Hamas.

  3. Security: Trump's abandonment of America's Kurdish allies has shaken this nation deeply – regardless of which side of the political spectrum people stand. There are numerous editorials and statements saying that once again, Israel can only rely on itself. America's other allies in this region are even more shaken by this move – especially as Turkey and its evil leader Erdogan, and Iran, are both beneficiaries of this move.

    • Lord, show us what You are doing and how to pray into this (Amos 3:7).

    • Thank You Lord that Israel always can rely on You (Psa. 121:4).

    • We have prayed for America to be removed as an idol that too many Israelis look to as opposed to looking to You. Use this situation to answer that prayer (Isa. 30:1-3).

    • Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and lean on horses and trust in chariots, because it is great; and in horsemen, because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek YHWH!Isa. 31:1

    • Pour out a spirit of the fear of God on Israel's leaders (2 Sam. 23:3).

    • Do not let Israel trust in its chariots or horses, although we thank You for them (Psa. 20:7-9).

  4. Security: We prayed for the IDF to have divine strategy and tactics in place in the light of these shocking developments. As of today, Turkey has already attacked the Kurds and invaded NE Syrian territory – killing many people, most of whom were likely civilians. While much of the world is incensed about this Turkish invasion, words and not actions is the order of the day. Meanwhile, Iran has seen America not respond to its attack against a US drone, or its attack on Saudi Arabia, another American ally, and now forsaking of the Kurds, and it feels emboldened. Israel is very aware that it could be targeted like Saudi Arabia was, as Iran sees that while America talks tough, so far there is no action except economic sanctions.

    • Surround our leaders with wise advisors as the situation in the Middle East has become much more dangerous because of Trump's decision (Prov. 24:6).

    • Enable the IDF Chief of Staff Kochavi and Prime Minister and Defense Minister Bibi Netanyahu to communicate and see eye to eye on how Israel should prepare and what – if anything – it should do.

    • If pre-emption is part of Your strategy, make it part of the IDF's strategy as well (Psa. 144:1-2).

    • Thank You for Israel's miraculous ability to obtain accurate actionable intelligence (Job 12:22).

    • Continue to bring to light whatever needs to be known (Job 28:11b; 34:21-22).

    • If anything is hidden and the IDF is not aware of it, let it be uncovered (Psa. 139:12).

    • Hedge in Russian President Putin from taking advantage of this situation in a way that is harmful to Israel (Num. 23:8).

    • As this move has Israel's enemies salivating, thinking that this is their chance to destroy Israel, may Micah 4:11-13 become a reality and may You receive all the glory in Israel's victory (Deut. 32:43).

  5. Security: The biblical feast of Succot starts this Sunday evening and goes for eight days. Many Israelis are building booths outside and will spend time there including eating and possible sleeping outside in these fragile structures. Obviously, the threat of terrorism is heightened at this season.

    • He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.Psa. 121:3-4

    • You have protected this nation so faithfully to this current time that we boldly confess that You will continue to be Israel's Rock and its Shield (Deut. 32:3-4, 30-31; 33:29; Psa. 89:18; 115:9; Mal. 3:6).

    • Help Israel's security forces to know what to look for and not be distracted (Psa. 18:34).

    • Help Israel's security forces to know when to shoot and to shoot accurately.

    • We ask for accurate intelligence that will uncover terrorist plots before they can occur (Job 5:12-14).

    • Be a present comfort and encouragement to the soldiers who will be on duty instead of celebrating Succot with their families (2 Chr. 35:2).

    • Lord of mercy – please prevent any successful kidnappings, knife and rock attacks, car-rammings and fire-bombings. In the day of my trouble I will call on You; for You will answer me. (Psa. 86:7)

    • Watch over Your people as they celebrate this feast that You have ordained (Lev. 23:39-43).

  6. Politics: Israel still has no new government. Netanyahu is heading a government yet he does not have a ruling coalition. And big egos seem to be getting in the way of finding a solution. It is very possible, unless God miraculously intervenes, that Israel is heading for a third election early next year.

    • Lord, intervene! Give us a government in lines with the godly government of Romans 13:1-4.

    • We know that You are still in control and based on Your clear word about things like this, we look to You to lead us as we continue to intercede (Psa. 33:10-11; Prov. 19:21; 21:1; Dan. 2:21; 4:17, 25).

    • We trust Your timing to allow a government to be established but ask that it would be done sooner rather than later (Eccl. 3:1).

    • Have mercy. Forbid that Your nation be a laughing stock to the nations around us (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • When You elected this nation, You knew it was a stubborn and stiff-necked people. So Lord, pour out Your Spirit and massage those stiff areas that hinder Your will from being done (Isa. 32:15).

    • Please Lord Yeshua, come and minister to Your people in those areas that are not being taken care of because of a lack of a government (Isa. 40:1-12).

    • With all this confusion, we thank You that Trump's "Deal of the Century" peace plan has been delayed once again (Lev. 25:23; Prov. 22:28).

  7. Anti-Semitism & Aliyah [the return of the scattered Jews to Israel]: In Germany, on Yom Kippur, there was a terror attack against a synagogue that killed two people who were bystanders. The synagogue and the Jews inside were miraculously protected, yet this has shaken up the German Jewish community. They are asking for more protection from the German government when they should be thinking about coming home.

    • Behold, I will send for many fishermen, says YHWH, and they will fish them. Afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.Jer. 16:16

    • Lord, have mercy and show Your people in exile that they will be much safer in Israel than living in the nations (Jer. 31:10). [While they will not be 100% safe here – they will be safer.]

    • May the Jews who are openly questioning whether they can ever live safely in Germany conclude that they cannot and have much influence on the rest of the Jewish community (Jer. 50:6-8).

    • Use this attack to speed the uprooting of Your people from all of Europe (Jer. 50:19).

    • Let the anti-circumcision laws that some EU nations are passing prove to the Jews that they are no longer welcomed to stay in Europe – as Jews (Gen. 17:7-14).

    • Lord, for Your glory's sake, continue to bring Your people home from all the earth (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • During Succot, move on the younger generation to want to settle in Israel.

    • Increase the effectiveness of all the aliyah organizations – both Jewish and Christian (Isa. 49:22).

    • Place in increased urgency on these groups to aid Jews to return to Israel today (Jer. 51:8-10)!

  8. Succot, the feast of Tabernacles, or Booths, begins this Sunday evening. The book the rabbis ask the Jews to read at this time is Ecclesiastes. Why? This is a harvest feast and in the presence of the abundance that is evident at this season, we need to see that it is all vanity and emptiness without God.

    • Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work to judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.Eccl. 12:13-14

    • Lord, at this time reveal Yourself to many in Israel as well as to Jews in the nations (Luke 24:31).

    • As they consider how flimsy life is – let them seek You as their true foundation (2 Sam. 22:2-3).

    • Increase the sense of emptiness in many lives and point them to Your Son as the only One who can satisfy (John 6:44; 7:37-38).

    • Yeshua, as You did when here on earth – walk once again among Your people (John 1:29).

    • Enter into many festival booths and let them see Your nail-pierced hands (Zech. 12:10).

    • Messiah Yeshua, precious Lord of all, bring healing to many who are hurting – whether with PTSD, or the death of a loved one, or the memories of the Holocaust, rapes and abortions, or whatever the deep fears and wounds are – we have confidence in Your ability to touch and heal.

    • Behold, two blind men were sitting by the wayside. When they heard that Yeshua passed by, they cried out, saying, 'Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!' The crowd rebuked them saying they should be silent, but they cried louder, 'Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!'Matt. 20:30-31

We ended by praying for a fresh spirit of intercession to fall on the Israeli Messianic Body and for physical rain to fall on this land.

Chuck Cohen, IFI's director, is traveling to America for several weeks of ministry. Please keep him in prayer as well as the rest of the IFI team here in Zion. Thanks in advance.

We appreciate your co-laboring with us in intercession for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done here in Israel and unto the ends of the earth.

Shabbat shalom, hag sameach and blessings from Jerusalem,

The IFI team