1. Praise: A few verses from this Shabbat's prophetic portion found in Hosea 12;12-14:10 was the way we started our time of praise and thanks to our awesome God:

    • I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction: repentance shall be hid from My eyes.Hos. 13:14
    • I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for My anger is turned away…Hos. 14:4

    • Thank You, Yeshua, that our salvation is based on Your resurrection, that we are saved by Your grace and that our salvation comes only through faith in You (Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:8).

    • Abba, we know that our eternal life starts now. Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Yeshua the Messiah, whom You have sent. (John 17:3)

    • We bow before You humbly with gratitude for the price beyond comprehension that You paid for our salvation (Matt. 13:44; Eph. 3:8).

    • Bless You for Your love for us which is beyond imagination (Eph. 3:17-19).

    • Hallelujah! You have risen from the grave and have defeated death (Luke 24:6; 1 Cor. 15:21).

    • Messiah Yeshua, we praise and glorify You who are the Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

  2. Government: Bibi Netanyahu is still Israel's prime minister. He has been miraculously helped to be able to compartmentalize between his legal woes and the security of this nation. A large part of that is the prayer support he receives from all over the world.

    • Protect his family from all attacks against them – especially from the media (Psa. 35:2).

    • Give Bibi and his family a restful and refreshing Shabbat (Psa. 23:2).

    • Speak to him out of Your Word this weekend (Psa. 56:4).

    • Let him cry out to you and sense the prayers of the saints sustaining him (Psa. 50:15).

    • As of today, Netanyahu is still Your anointed leader of Israel. Use him for Your glory (Psa. 80:17)!

    • Keep him focused on Your will and not to be too distracted by all the personal attacks that are aimed at him and his family.

    • Provide Bibi with all the physical and mental health He needs to complete Your will (Prov. 3:7-8)..

    • O Lord, save him and his house. Reveal Your Son to him today (Jer. 31:7; John 6:44)!

  3. Government: As of this moment it looks like Israel is heading for its third election. Israel needs an outpouring of God's mercy. Many Israelis are rightfully angry and cynical about their political leaders.

    • Lord, You are still on the throne and You are Israel's King as the government is upon You (Isa. 9:6).

    • Abba, You said that all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28). Work this out for Your glory.

    • As Israel is Your chosen nation, watch over that world and bring light out of this chaos (Gen. 1:2-4).

    • Lord, please hedge in the media during this campaign.

    • Lord, hedge in the judiciary as well during this campaign.

    • Again, we plead with You to give us a government that will glorify You (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • Are You hardening hearts of Israeli politicians who You do not want to be in the next government?

    • Whatever it takes to fulfill Isaiah 1:25-26, do it and show us how to pray in line with Your will and timing. I will turn back My hand on you, and purge away your dross as with lye, and take away all your alloy, and I will restore your judges as at first, your counselors as at the beginning; afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.

    • Raise up faithful shepherds over this nation in the government and all other areas (Jer. 23:3-4).

  4. Security: A mutual defense pact with America is being negotiated. We are not sure if this is of God. Netanyahu is for this and since he has proven himself to be Mr. Security, we prayed for God's will to be done – and if this of God, that Israel would still look to Him and not to America.

    • Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek YHWH!Isa. 31:1

    • Lord, the problem in the above verse was not the joining with Egypt – but the trusting in men as opposed to trusting in You (Psa. 118:8-9; Jer. 17:5-8). May this not be the case with Israel today.

    • We ask that Israeli would look to You more and more (Psa. 121:1-2).

    • God, as US Secretary of State Pompeo, who is Your son, speaks to Netanyahu, help him to know what should and should not be included in this deal.

    • Do not allow pride on Bibi's part blind him to agreeing with something that is not Your will for Israel (Psa. 36:11; Prov. 11:2).

    • Surround Netanyahu with godly counsel in this situation (Prov. 20:18; 24:6).

    • Forbid that this pact hinders the IDF from having total freedom to defend this nation (Ezek. 37:10).

    • We trust in You to watch over Israel in line with Your promises (Psa. 121:4; Jer. 31:10, etc.).

  5. Security – Gaza: After three weeks without official demonstrations at the Gaza fence, Hamas' March of Return is being renewed today.

    • Thank You for the short respite of the last few weeks (Prov. 1:33).

    • Watch over our soldiers on duty today. Protect them in every way including from friendly fire.

    • Shield their spirits from the hatred that is directed at them. For our shield belongs to YHWH, and our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psa. 89:18)

    • Grant clarity of vision to those on guard to see and discern what the threat is and who the ring leaders are (Psa. 92:9-11).

    • Prepare the IDF for new forms of attack. Make the response appropriate and effective (Prov. 21:31).

    • Give us victory beyond the numbers (Lev. 26:8).

    • Lord God, remove the rulers of Gaza from power. The king will perish from Gaza. (Zech. 9:5b)

    • Forgive us for the withdrawal from Gaza. In Your time and Your way return us (Zeph. 2:7).

  6. Security – Iran: Many nations are concerned with Iran's not-so-secret attempts to develop nuclear weapons and the missiles to fire them. Iran's leaders are leading their people to ruin and destruction – but according to their apocalyptic Shi'ite eschatology, all that is in line with Allah's will!

    • I will set My throne in Elam, and will destroy its king and princes, says YHWH.Jer. 49:38

    • You are setting Your throne in Elam – ancient Persia/modern Iran – by the incredible growth of the Iranian Church (Matt. 16:18; Psa. 9:1-5).

    • We bless You for that and we bless our Iranian brothers and sister from Zion (Psa. 134:3).

    • Lord, please fulfill the second part of that verse and "destroy" the rules of Iran (Psa. 68:1, 30).

    • Release panic and pressure to force Iran's leaders into making major geo-political mistakes.

    • Use the internal issues – the earthquakes, the lack of food, the droughts and floods – to make the Iranian leaders double minded in their outlook (Jam. 1:8).

    • Lord, now that it has been exposed to the UN, deal with Iran's ballistic missile program – either sovereignly or if need be by Israel knowing how to destroy it (Jer. 51:19-24).

    • Lord, set the common Persians free from their wicked leaders (Psa. 79:11).

    • We thank You for the demonstrations against the regime that have been taking place. More, Lord!

    • Comfort the survivors and families of the hundreds who have been killed (Psa. 23:4).

    • Use the prayers and praise of the Iranian believers to confound all Iran's demonic plans (Psa. 129:5).

  7. Security – Iran: We prayed for the IDF to know exactly what Iran's anti-Semitic leaders are planning and to have the wisdom to know how to pre-empt or defend against it.

    • Lord of hosts, if the IDF or military intelligence is missing anything important, reveal it (Job 12:22).

    • If the IDF or military intelligence is concentrating on anything that is disinformation or a distraction – remove it from the table (Psa. 32:8-9).

    • Any tunnels or other traps that are still hidden, let them be uncovered quickly (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • Pour out Your wisdom on all Israeli intelligence analysts to see what needs to be seen (2 Kin. 6:17).

    • Send confusion on all the intelligence analysts of Israel's enemies (Psa. 35:4).

    • Remove all competition from the IDF branches – and let them work as one man (Judg. 20:11).

    • We bless You for the long reach of the IDF and ask that the fear of both the IDF and of You would fall on Your enemies. Let us flee from the face of Israel, for YHWH fights for them… (Ex. 14:25)

    • Continue to provide Israel's military industries with wisdom from on high to develop new cutting edge defensive and offensive weapons and weapon systems.

    • Protect Israel from all cyber-attacks and help it to be in the forefront of cyberwarfare (Deut. 28:13).

    • Make PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Bennett, and the IDF Chief of Staff Kochavi a strong three-fold cord (Eccl. 4:12)!

    • For Your holy name's sake – defend this nation (Psa. 44:4-8).

  8. Anti-Semitism & aliyah: This Thursday the UK is holding its national elections and if Jeremy Corbyn – the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel Labour leader – gets in, many British Jews have said they will leave. Yet most are not talking about coming home – but going elsewhere in exile.

    • We are grateful for the circumstances that are loosening the grip of British Jews on their birth nation.

    • We pray that their paths to places of refuge other than Israel will be closed (Hos. 2:6).

    • Lord of Hosts, it is for the glory of Your name that You are restoring Israel (Ezek. 36:36) Prepare the hearts of Your people in Great Britain to come home.

    • While many do not know You, in mercy bring them to Israel to meet You. YHWH, I have heard the report about You and I fear. YHWH, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known. In wrath remember mercy. (Hab. 3:2)

    • May the UK Body of Messiah see the need to pray for the return of the Jews (Isa. 49:22; Dan. 9:3)

    • In this time of both fishers and hunters we beseech You to work in the nations to regather all the scattered Jews to this land (Jer. 16:16).

    • We bless all the fishers who are still out there fishing for Your people.

    • Open the gates for all who wish to immigrate and are held back by bureaucracy in Israel (Isa. 26:2).

    • Give us a new government with an open door policy for immigration (Luke 15:18-24).

    • Prepare this new government for the wave of immigration that You will be bringing (Isa.. 43:5-7).

    • Return to Israel all Israelis who have moved abroad for a time and have not come back. May they once again love the land of their birth (Isa. 62:5)

  9. Salvation: In this Hanukah and Christmas season, many Israelis are drawn to the outward celebrations of the holidays.

    • Please use this time to provoke Your people to jealousy to seek You (Rom. 11:11-14)

    • For my eyes have seen Your Salvation which You have prepared before the face of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.Luke 2:30-32

    • Messiah Yeshua, You have fulfilled the first part of this promise: the gospel has gone to the ends of the earth. Now please fulfill the second part so that You can be proclaimed as the glory of Your people Israel. I bring near My righteousness. It shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not wait; I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory. (Isa. 46:13)

    • Thank You that You have already supplied the ransom from spiritual exile for Your chosen people (Hos. 13:14).

    • Remove the veil from their eyes that they may see their true Messiah. On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. The afflicted also will increase their gladness in YHWH, and the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Isa. 29:18-19)

    • Do not delay, Yeshua! Today is the day of salvation (Isa. 49:8).

    • From Zion we call out to You, Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHWH. (Psa. 118:26a)

We have had some rain in Israel recently. We praised God for that and asked Him to give us much more – even to the point that the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee, would be filled to overflowing. Please join us in asking for the precious water from heaven to fall on this land.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from the city of the great king, Yeshua the King of kings (Rev. 19:16).

The IFI team