1. Praise: It's easy to trust God when all our prayers are answered. But can we trust Him when He is silent? Or when things happen and we are not sure what He is doing or how He wants us to intercede? This is why it is so imperative today to understand that His name – that is, His essential nature which never changes – is our strong tower. We should trust in who He is and not in what He does or does not do. And this truth is also foundational for our intercession for Israel at this time.

    • The name of YHWH is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and is safe.Prov. 18:10
    • For I am YHWH, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.Mal. 3:6

    • Since You never change the essence of who You are, we rejoice that You are full of covenant-love, mercy and Your faithfulness is exceedingly great (Lam. 3:22-23).

    • Praise You for being our Rock, as well as the Rock of Israel (Psa. 18:2, 46; 2 Sam. 23:3a).

    • Thank You for the prayers You have answered and all those whose timing is still future (Psa. 50:15).

    • We confess that You are the God who loves us even when our prayers are not answered (Eccl. 5:2).

    • Bless You for so often challenging us with Proverbs 3:5 during these days: Trust in YHWH with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.

    • And while You might "hide" Your presence, yet You are always with us (Isa. 45:15; Matt. 28:20b).

    • You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is set on You, since he trusts in You.Isa. 26:3

  2. Government: It is very obvious that Israel's unity government is not united. The fruit of this is a dysfunctional government at a time of severe crisis economically and with the coronavirus.

    • I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.1 Tim. 2:1-3

    • Lord, lead us in prayer for Israel's current government as we rest on the reality that You allowed this government to be formed even though You knew how dysfunctional it would be (1 Cor. 1:27-31).

    • You who created this world out of chaos – please create unity among Israel's rulers (Gen. 1:2-4).

    • Lead them for Israel's sake to humble themselves before You and each other (Prov. 29:23).

    • Encourage and lift up all those with Your priorities on their hearts (Isa. 37:34).

    • Give Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu fresh vision (Prov. 29:18a).

    • Pour out on Netanyahu an abundance of Your grace and wisdom (Luke 2:40).

    • Open his eyes to see that it is You who are guiding and sustaining him (Psa. 31:3; Prov. 16:1).

    • Protect him and all the other Israeli leaders from all spirits of manipulation (Num. 23:23).

    • Surround Israel's leaders with godly counsel and remove all else (Prov. 11:14; 20:5; Jer. 23:18).

    • With all Israel is facing, arrange the government's priorities to line up with Yours (Rom. 12:2).

    • Abba, Defense Minister and alternative PM Benny Gantz seems to be a stone of stumbling to this nation today. If that is true, please change his heart or remove his scepter of authority (Prov. 19:21).

    • Pour out a new love for this nation and its people on Israel's politicians (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

  3. Reunification: The extension of Israeli law over 30% of Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley that was part of the Trump peace plan unveiled in January has hit a snag and it does not look like it will move forward at this time. The snag is partly in Israel as COVID-19 numbers soar and government focuses on that. In addition, Gantz and his Blue & White party does not want to do this until the entire world agrees. And in the White House reportedly Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has placed unreasonable demands on Israel and Netanyahu that were not part of the original plan, before America will support this move.

    • Remind Netanyahu of how he said this would happen as soon as he became prime minister again and convince him to go ahead with this – America or not (Matt. 5:37).

    • Lord Yeshua, extend Your sovereignty over Bibi and lead him in Your direction (Psa. 32:8).

    • Give him a forehead of flint to do what is right in Your sight and to not fear man (Ezek. 3:8-9).

    • Clear out all roadblocks in front of the reunification of Your land with Your people (Deut. 26:15).

    • Wake up American Christian Zionists to perceive how dangerous these extra conditions on Israel are to that nation – especially in the light of the November Presidential elections (Lev. 25:23; Num. 24:9).

    • Lord God, deal with Jared Kushner who as an Orthodox Jew has no excuse for hindering this.

  4. Covid-19: The battle against this "little fox" that has spoiled the world's vineyards, rages with increasing intensity in Israel. While Israel dealt with great wisdom during the initial virus wave, the current wave has put many Israeli leaders sinking in deep water. And the Israeli on the street is getting increasingly frustrated and angry. Demonstrations have ended in riots and it is established that a core of well-known left-wing activists and organizations with a clear agenda are playing prominent roles in the recent protests. We need God's leading in prayer over this issue.

    • Lord God, please steer Israel's ship of state through this Covid-19 storm (Psa. 107:29; Isa. 25:4).

    • Abba, raise up a righteous person with Your authority and wisdom to wage this war (Prov. 29:2).

    • God, shield Israel's responsible leaders from "information overload" (Psa. 65:7; 93:4).

    • Also protect them from disinformation (Psa. 63:11; 101:7; Prov. 19:5; 29:12).

    • Trade Israeli's individual stubbornness and with corporate responsibility (Lev. 19:18).

    • Blessed are the peacemakers. Restrain the trouble makers. (Matt. 5:9)

    • Provide the police with intelligence to identify and remove the disruptive leaders. (Prov. 24:6)

    • Grant patience to the police in the face of violence and insult. (Prov. 15:1)

  5. Budget: Israel needs to approve a budget towards the end of August otherwise it automatically goes to new elections. While new elections might actually be His will, we are not led to pray for that. So we are praying for a budget that will meet all of Israel's urgent current needs.

    • I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land in truth with My whole heart and My whole soul. For…just as I have brought all this great evil on this people, so will I bring on them all the good I have promised them… [And in this land] men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the places about Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, says YHWH.Jer. 32:41-44

    • Lord that promise includes economic prosperity. Please do that today (1 Sam. 15:29).

    • We need You to stimulate this economy once again (Deut. 8:5-10; 33:19).

    • Help the unity government be unified over the time span for the new budget (Jam. 4:13-15).

    • Anoint Finance Minister Yisrael Katz and remind him to work closely with Bibi.

    • As there are so many areas that need a solid financial commitment, we look to You to guide how Israel's money pie will be divided (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • Lord Yeshua, remind Your church of their financial responsibility towards Israel (Isa. 60:5-10).

  6. Security – Iran: The many explosions that are hitting Iran over the past two weeks seem to be more than just a decaying infrastructure – although that is also a major problem for them. Reports are appearing that this is a coordinated US-Israel "war-between-the-wars" move. Regardless, it has caused great confusion and concern in the Iranian leadership and that is an answer to prayer.

    • Sovereign Lord, may all Your purposes be accomplished in these explosions in Iran (Isa. 2:19, 21).

    • Use these attacks to undermine Iran's nuclear project completely (Mal. 1:4-5).

    • Inspire new strategy and tactics to the IDF as they study the fruits of these explosions (Psa. 44:4-5).

    • If this is a joint US-Israel venture, please put duct tape over the mouths of those Americans who seem to always want to expose Israel's involvement in projects like this (1 Sam. 2:9; Zech. 2;13).

    • If Iranian dissidents are involved, protect them from capture (Psa. 27:5).

    • Use these shakings to cut more links – financial and otherwise – with Iran's many proxies in the ME, like Hizbullah in Lebanon and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza (Prov. 16:5).

    • Increase the internal Lebanese pressure and anger against Hizbullah's involvement with their nation.

    • Thank You for the defection to Israel of a high raking Hamas naval officer who brought with him important intelligence reports. May this magnify the spirit of paranoia in Hamas (Jer. 9:4-5; Mic. 7:5).

  7. Security – Turkey: This once strong Israeli ally is now a very dangerous enemy under its President Erdogan. He has a goal of restoring the Ottoman Empire as a Sunni Islamic Kingdom.

    • God, the ME situation has become complicated with Erdogan as Turkey's head. Please give Israel all the intelligence information it needs to know exactly what this man is planning (Psa. 66:7; 144:10).

    • Provide Israel with all the wisdom it needs to understand what to do in the shifting security alliances with the nations bordering on and in the Mediterranean Sea (Psa. 33:10-12).

    • Do not allow the danger from Iran to blind Israel to the closer danger of Turkey (Psa. 41;9).

    • Impart to the born-again Church in Turkey wisdom on how to pray about and possible deal with the spirit of anti-Christ that has Erdogan in its demonic grip (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3).

    • Use his arrogance and pride to bring him down (Psa. 59:12; Prov. 16:18; 29:23).

    • Lord, have much mercy on the Kurds who have been a blessing to Israel. They are being attacked by Turkey and Iran – both of whom are working together against them ((Gen. 12:3a).

    • Cause Turkey to be humiliated and drained financially by their involvement in Libya (Prov. 26:17).

    • Show Russian president Putin that his ties with Erdogan will lead to nothing but trouble (Prov. 16:5).

  8. Aliyah: The conjunction of rising anti-Semitism, the coronavirus, the chaos in Western cities, and the economic turmoil, has made moving to Israel look more inviting for many Jews in exile.

    • Then they shall know 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 left none of them out there.Ezek. 39:28

    • We thank You for the reports of a tsunami of Jews wanting to return (Jer. 51:5-10).

    • Make these reports reality – and for Your holy name's sake gather them all in soon (Ezek. 36:23-24).

    • Wake up the Church to see that they are to be a part of this (Isa. 49:22).

    • Drain all finances from any Israeli plans to support Jews remaining in exile.

    • Use the reality of more Jews coming home to encourage Israel to extend sovereignty over all the area of Judah, Samaria and the Jordan Valley (Jer. 31:3-5; 50:19-20).

  9. Salvation: At some time soon, all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26).

    • Thank You for Your promises and that this salvation is part of Your divine plan (Psa. 14:7).

    • We ask for an exponential increase of the Body of Messiah in Israel over the summer (1 Cor. 3:6).

    • Move upon many Jews – both in Israel and still in exile – to understand the importance of all of the Old Testament and not just the Torah, and to start reading it daily (Psa. 19:7-11; 2 Tim. 3:16).

    • Lord Yeshua despite social distancing, draw Your people near (Matt. 14:36).

    • Lord Yeshua, remove that divine mask that is still on the eyes of many Jews today (Rom. 11:25).

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team