1. Praise: There are always reasons to praise our God and King. One of the greatest – and a huge source of encouragement in difficult times – is Jeremiah's declaration in Lamentations.

    • It is by YHWH covenant-love that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!Lam. 3:22-23

    • We rest secure in the truth that You, Lord Yeshua, are Lord of all (Matt. 28:18; Acts 10:36b).

    • Thank You for ruling over this world and protecting Your own (Psa. 103:19; 121:3-4).

    • We are so blessed to live at this time to see so many of Your promises become reality (2 Pet. 1:19).

    • We praise You for Your Word – our light and truth for this day (Psa. 1119:105, 130; John 17:17).

    • Hallelujah! We serve a God who hears and answers the prayers of His people (1 John 5:14-15).

    • And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.Psa. 50:15

  2. Salvation for Muslims: It is Ramadan, Islam's holy month. Many Muslims actually seek for a relationship with God, yet how can a Muslim find that while looking at a god who does not exist? We prayed for many trapped in Islam to have a revelation of Yeshua.

    • Lord, take advantage of this time and reveal Yourself to many Muslims (Acts 9:3-6).

    • You who healed a Syrian general of leprosy, can heal spiritual leprosy also (2 Kin. 5:13-18).

    • With many mosques closed because of Covid-19, let Muslims hear You in solitude (Psa. 46:10).

    • Bring a harvest from all gospel seeds that have been planted in the lives of Muslims (1 Cor. 3:6).

    • Save many Islamic leaders as You confront them in their wicked deception (Gal. 4:16).

    • Give ex-Muslim believers faith and boldness to allow You to speak through them (Matt. 10:19-20).

    • Use the internet and social media to share the Word with spiritually hungry Muslims (Rev. 14:6-7).

    • Protect and expand the true church among the Palestinians (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20).

    • Thank You for the growing Iranian Church. Provide all their needs at this time (Phil. 4:19).

    • As You give Western believers divine encounters with their Muslim neighbors, may they not be ashamed of the good news of Messiah Yeshua (Rom. 1:16-17).

  3. Government: This week, Israel's Supreme Court decided that PM Bibi Netanyahu can form a government, although he has been indicted but not convicted of anything yet. They also said that the unity agreement between Bibi's Likud party and Benny Gantz's Blue & White party is basically kosher. As of today, a new government will be sworn in on May 13th. Yet there are still some issues…

    • Thank You that the Court ruled according to the law on both these issues (John 7:24).

    • In general, please apply Proverbs 21:1 to all the Supreme Court judges.

    • Again, we ask that if this unity government is of You, let nothing stand in its way (Luke 11:2).

    • Yet if this unity government is not of You, please forbid its creation (Num. 22:32).

    • Oversee the giving out of ministry portfolios to people who really want to serve Israel (Prov. 14:34).

    • We want to thank You for all the prayers You have answered: that Netanyahu will continue to be Israel's' prime minster for the next 18 months (Psa. 80:17); that Avigdor Liberman is not part of the government; that all anti-Zionistic parties are in the opposition, and that the Arab Joint List will not be the head of the opposition – receiving security updates monthly (Psa. 129:5).

    • For this and so much more, we bless You for leading us so precisely as we prayed (Psa. 5:8).

  4. Government: Yamina is a party of several small national religious parties. Naftali Bennet and Ayeled Shaked head this group. Its biblical stance is closer to what most Christian Zionists believe than any other political party in Israel today. But it seems that bad blood between Bennet and Bibi has blocked Yamina from having a greater impact. They are now requesting the Health Ministry, which is promised to Blue & White. We would rather see them get it, yet it seems impossible as of now.

    • Lord, nothing is impossible with You (Jer. 32:27), so please heal the rift between Netanyahu and Bennet (Prov. 16:7; 18:19).

    • Thank You for the excellent job Bennet has done as defense minister recently, and the courage that Shaked brought to the table when she was justice minister to seek for judiciary change.

    • Allow both of them to have an increasing influence on Israeli society for good (Prov. 16:9).

    • Abba, as the Health Ministry has overnight turned into an important post, it would seem that Yamina would be the right party for this job. Open wide these doors if this is Your will (Psa. 75:6-7).

  5. Israel & Covid-19: The Health and Finance ministries have come out with an exit-strategy for Israel from the nation's anti-coronavirus lock-down. This plan might also be an answer to our recent prayers, and now we have the responsibility to pray it through.

    • We bless You Lord for how You have protected Your people during this crisis (Jer. 31:10).

    • Thank You for the various medical personnel that have gone out of their way to be there for those who are hurting and/or sick (Lev. 19:18b).

    • Thank You that many Israelis see all life as precious – whether young or old – and we agree because we are all made in Your image (Gen. 1:27; 9:6).

    • Let this mindset be extended to babies in the womb as well (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).

    • Thank You answering prayer and guiding the authorities to come up with a plan (Prov. 19:21).

    • Help them to communicate it clearly so that the public knows what to expect (Job 12:13).

    • Use this plan to cause hope to spring up in the hearts of all Israelis who have struggled mentally and emotionally under the mandatory lockdowns (Prov. 13:12).

    • As a clear plan is expressed, provide Israelis with the patience needed to implement it (Jam. 5:11).

    • Provide all the finances needed to restore Israel's healthy economy (Hag. 2:8).

    • As with the best of plans there will be glitches. Smooth over them with Your mercy (Psa. 4:1).

    • As many closed businesses reopen, show them if something needs to be reorganized (Ezra 3:9).

    • Help unemployed Israelis to be willing to work in jobs they would not have considered before this virus crisis, whether because of pride or any other reasons (2 Thess. 3:10).

    • Abba, protect this nation, and its leaders, especially Bibi, from trusting in any One World Order or implanted tracking chip ideas that are now being talked about by the world's elites (Psa. 118:8-9).

  6. Security & the IDF: This past week, the IDF's top brass met to consider how the IDF needs to move forward since the Covid-19 crisis had impacted its previous plans. The main issue is that the finances needed to implement the "Momentum" plan are now needed elsewhere to Israeli society. Yet in Israel's region, without a strong IDF there will be no Israeli society to worry about!

    • We bless You for Israel's army which is willing to not only protect the people of Israel but also to serve them in times of non-military crises – like we have seen in recent weeks (Ezek. 48:19).

    • We ask for blessings from Your throne upon the IDF's leadership (Judg. 3:10; 6:14).

    • Continue to anoint IDF Chief of Staff Avi Kochavi in his important role (Neh. 11:14; Zech. 10:5).

    • Forbid that any political ambitions get in the way of his ability to lead (Jam. 1:8).

    • Keep him humble and able to listen to what the other IDF leaders see and think (1 Pet. 5:5).

    • Guard his relationship with Netanyahu and the new defense minister – Benny Gantz (Eccl. 4:12).

    • Help the IDF leaders to plan to fight the next war and not the last one (Prov. 21:31).

    • To do that they need Your divine help to see into the near future (Josh. 5:13-15).

    • As they deal with financial restrictions that will negatively influence the "Momentum" 5-year plan, raise up wise counselors who will show them Your specific path for today (Prov. 20:18; 24:6).

    • Allow messianic believers in the IDF access to some of these leaders and an opening to share with them the prophetic scenarios which are laid out in Scriptures (Isa. 22:22: Rev. 3:8).

  7. Security – Iran: It has been reported that Iran is slowly withdrawing from Syria. This is partly a result of the policy of Defense Minister Bennet to drive Iran out by making it too costly for them, as well as for Syria's President Assad, to remain. Israel has attacked Iranian and Hizbullah targets much more frequently, making it clear that it will not allow Iran to settle in Syria and from there to threaten the destruction of the Jewish State, which it declares as its goal weekly, if not more often.

    • Thank You Lord, for moving on Israel to pre-empt Iranian plans in Syria (Psa. 44:5-8).

    • Forbid Gantz, the next defense minister, from backing off of this successful strategy (Psa. 56:9).

    • So much of this depends on Israel's excellent intelligence gathering. Increase its effectiveness and its discernment to know what is important and what is not – or is simply disinformation (Eccl. 9:18a).

    • Bless You for all the weaponry You have provided for Israel – yet we trust only in You (Psa. 20:7).

    • Continue to allow this "war-between-the wars" to remain just that and not break out into a major conflict – until it is Your time to deal with Iran's wicked leaders once and for all (Jer. 49:38).

    • Continue to restrain Russia from defending Iran in Syria, or from criticizing Israeli attacks.

    • Show Syrian President Assad that hosting Iran is very dangerous to his rule (Prov. 11:21; 16:5).

    • Remind Israel's leaders of the lesson the Jews have learned from history: that they can believe in the threats of their enemies more than in the promises of their friends (1 Kin. 2:5-6; Psa. 120:7).

  8. Security – Gaza: Israel is trying to negotiate a prisoner exchange with Hamas for two IDF soldiers' dead bodies and two Israelis who somehow wandered into Gaza.

    • Lord, please be involved in the negotiations over this prisoner exchange (Psa. 20:1-5).

    • Do not allow Israel to cave in to Hamas' demands of hundreds of prisoners being set free for two dead Israeli soldiers' bodies and two Israelis who are now imprisoned in Gaza (Psa. 103:6).

    • Comfort the families of these dead and imprisoned Israelis, and hold them back from pressuring Israel to do that which will result in many other deaths and casualties (Psa. 23:4; 119:50).

    • Yet aid Israel to do all it can to see all these hostages returned (Jer. 31:16-17).

  9. Annexation: Israel's plan to annex 30% more of Judea & Samaria – its biblical heartland – has poured fuel on the current explosion of anti-Israel hatred from most nations. This is actually anti-God hatred as Psalm 83 makes very clear [see first point below]. It is also a sign that Satan sees his time as short and is raging. All this points to Messiah Yeshua's return as near.

    • God, keep not silence! Do not hold Your peace! God, be not still! For Your enemies are roaring! These that hate You have lifted up their heads [arrogant rebellion]. They have taken shrewd counsel against Your people, and consulted against Your treasured ones. They have said, 'Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.Psa. 83:1-4

    • Lord, as this Psalm was written about 3,000 years ago and the enemy has not succeeded in erasing Israel's name yet, we know that You will not allow them to succeed at this time either (Mal. 3:6).

    • Abba, give us a government with chutzpah to annex regardless of what the world says (1 John 2:17)!

    • Thank You that the composition of the unity government leans towards being Zionistic (Psa. 53:17).

    • We bless the Trump administration for being in favor of this move (Num. 249b).

    • Thank You for US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who said in a Jerusalem Post interview, that Trump's peace plan allows Israel to annex "areas essential to Israel's Biblical DNA"! Hallelujah!

    • Direct the US-Israel mapping teams that are laying out those areas that Israel can annex to include all the areas You are wanting Israel to fully possess – at this time (Deut. 7:22).

    • May none of the threats against Israel prevent it from doing You will (Isa. 54:17).

    • Raise up Israeli leaders to declare to the world what Nehemiah did to his foes: The God of heaven, He will prosper us, therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:20)

    • Thank You for Netanyahu pursuing this. Use his desire to be remembered as someone who protected Israel have him press forward with annexation regardless of all opposition (1 Cor. 16:9).

    • Provide the settlements with all the security they need at this time (Psa. 121:4).

    • Wake up believers in the nations to see that if their nation comes against Israel's annexation, that nation will fall deeper into the prophesied Valley of Jehoshaphat – God's judgment (Joel 3:1-2).

    • Shake up all Jewish communities in exile, especially its leaders, who are warning Israel to not inherit its God-given inheritance (Num. 34:1-29). This is insanity (Num. 13:27-33)!

    • Thank You that the EU nations are not united in opposing this yet. Keep it that way (Mark 3:24-25).

  10. Aliyah: With the rise of anti-Semitism in general and as a result of coronavirus anti-Semitic conspiracy theories – the Jews in exile must see that God has ended Israel's long exile among the nations, and that it is time for them to return home.

    • When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations, then shall they know that I am YHWH their God, who caused them to be led into captivity among the gentiles, but I have gathered them into their own land, and have left none of them there anymore.Ezek. 39:27-29

    • Lord, with many Jews sending the bodies of their loved ones who died in exile to be buried in Israel – show them to return now and not wait until they are dead to come home (Zech. 8:4-8).

    • Once Israel annexes more of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, use those areas to attract Jews in captivity to the freedom that is waiting for them and their children in Zion (Jer. 31:3-5; Zech. 12:6-7).

    • Draw many to settle in the Negev, the Golan and the Galilee areas as well (Jer. 32:41-44; 33:12-14).

    • Thank You for the increase of inquires of exiled Jews concerning aliyah (Jer. 50:4-5).

    • Use the new government to open the doors to receive all Jews who want to return (Isa. 62:10).

    • Help Jews in exile to find all the documents they need to satisfy Israel's requirements (Ezra 2:62).

    • Provide all the finances that are needed to aid Jewish families to return (Ezra 1:1-4).

    • Open up the coffers of the Church to be a major part of this provision (Isa. 60:5-10; Rom. 15:27).

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team