1. Praise:
    We began reading Psalm 40:1-5.

    • Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.Psalm 40:5

    • During this season we remember the forty years in the desert and the wonder that we are here.

    • We are in awe that we are Your children. (1 John 3:1)

    • O Lord my God When I in awesome wonder,
      Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made,
      I see the stars I hear the rolling thunder,
      Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

    • Thank You for the beauty of nature which reminds us of Your glory.

    • What a comfort to know that You neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4)

    • We praise You that the miraculous is normal for You. (Jeremiah 32:27)

    • While we are in awe of the Almighty Creator, we rejoice that You are intimately involved with our lives. (Psalm 139:1-4)

    • Bless You for Your faithfulness to Your covenants and promises. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

  2. Government:
    Next week Benjamin Netanyahu’s mandate for forming a coalition will end. At present, no progress has been made in negotiations. If Netanyahu does not succeed in forming a coalition, the mandate will be given to Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party to see if he is able to form a coalition.

    • Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.1 Timothy 2:1-2

    • Thank You for those who are willing to serve this nation in this way.

    • Abba, we ask You for mercy on our nation. Give us the government that will bring You glory, not the government that we deserve.

    • May the fear of God fall on all those who are in the political arena. We desire that they will bow before You in flexibility. (Job 29:2)

    • Dull media manipulation of this situation. (John 8:32)

    • Hold back our enemies from taking advantage of any vulnerability that is presented by this impasse.

  3. Benjamin Netanyahu and the current government:
    Since April, the government has been operating without a real mandate or authority.

    • In this time, under external threats, give wisdom, unity and humility to those who are in the government. Place a shield around them. (Psalm 3:3)

    • Abba, we need those who are in authority to function within their portfolios, especially at this time. Give them priorities and clarity of decision. Anoint and equip them for this season.

    • It is our prayer that You will give unity at this time. Keep open communications among this group.

    • But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."Matthew 12:25

    • Lord Yeshua, we lift up to You those career public servants who are required, without real leadership, to keep the nation functioning. Bless these individuals with a sense of direction and effectiveness during this very challenging period. (Isaiah 30:21)

  4. Internal security:
     As we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, the streets are teeming with families. This holiday continues until Monday evening.

    • Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”  Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.Psalm 122:6-9

    • Within all of this crowding and busyness, we ask You to give patience and long fuses to all those who have to deal with the public. (Ephesians 4:1-2)

    • May all our security personnel know Your presence and protection. Grant them peace, discernment and patience.

    • Lord of Hosts, we beseech Your protection and safety throughout the city today. Reveal any evil plans. Allow safety on public transit. (Psalm 91:11)

    • Abba, please keep Your hand on the area of Gaza that Your glory may be seen. We ask that the Jewish communities that border the Gaza enclave will have a peaceful and joyful Shabbat.

    • Please protect our soldiers who are on duty at the Gaza fence today. Give wisdom and courage and clear orders from their commanders. (Proverbs 2:6)

  5. Judea and Samaria:
    Mahmoud Abbas is facing old age and ill health. Those around him are already jockeying for position in the coming regime. Hamas has quietly been establishing a presence in Judea for the last few years. We suspect that the transition of power, when it comes, may be accompanied by violence.

    • God of all wisdom, give Israel precise and accurate information on what is going on in this area. Grant clarity to those who gather that information. May those who use this information have Your wisdom, priorities and strategy on how to use it. (Proverbs 4:7)

    • Help us to be prepared for the storm that is to come. Turn our eyes so that we will know where to look. (Psalm 121:1-2)

  6. Syria:
    So much has shifted in Syria in the last couple of weeks that we really don’t know what is going on. Turkey has attacked the Kurds in north eastern Syria, the Kurds are making an agreement with the Assad regime, the Russians have moved into the bases abandoned by the Americans, the Americans are trying to broker a cease fire. This is a very volatile situation with a lot of shifting positions and many conflicting reports.

    • Abba, our prayer is for clear and accurate intelligence on what is happening in Syria and on our border. Please give wisdom and discernment to those who analyze this information. (1 Kings 3:9)

    • Lord of Hosts, we ask You to place Your angels on our borders to protect us from being dragged into a war. May the soldiers on this border be strong and courageous and understanding of what they see.

    • When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.Deuteronomy 32:8

    • The boundaries of our neighboring nations have been set by men. Use this confused time and set of events to realign them according to Your will.

    • Forbid that ISIS should rise again. (Psalm 68:1)

  7. Delegates to the Feast:
    It has been a joy to see members of about 100 nations come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.

    • Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.Micah 4:2

    • We bless our brothers and sisters as they return to their home nations with a burden to pray and intercede for Israel. (Zechariah 8:22)

    • The mandate to pray for Israel is diminishing in many places while it is increasing in others. May those who are here catch the vision and may it rise up from You.

  8. Body of Messiah in Israel:
    After what has been a difficult summer, we need to feel Your comfort, joy and strength.

    • This Shabbat, as we meet in our various congregations, build us in You. Help us to walk in the Spirit, to bring forth fruit and increase.

    • In whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.Ephesians 2:21-22

    • Purify us in Your fire that we may be more like You. (Malachi 3:2-3)

    • Protect us from deception.

We covet your prayers for the IFI team as we continue with preparation for the coming prayer conference in January.

Lift up Chuck as he ministers in the United States.

Shabbat Shalom and blessings from Zion.

The IFI Team