1. Praise: In Israel Simchat Torah (the Joy of [God's] Law/Teaching) is celebrated this Shabbat. This seals up the fall feast cycle, and the last chapters of Deuteronomy along with the first chapter of Genesis are read – symbolizing that the joy in the reading of God's Word should have no end.

    • Thank You that in today's chaotic world, Your Word gives us light (Psa. 119:105, 130).

    • We bless You that the Living Word, Yeshua, by His Spirit, makes Your written Word come alive and makes it the joy and rejoicing of our hearts (Jer. 15:16).

    • Praise You for Your Word which is alive and always working in our lives (Heb. 4:12).

    • I will … and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth, for You have magnified Your word upon all Your name. (Psalms 138:2). We rejoice that as this verse reveals, Your Word is faithful because You are faithful; Your Word is true because You are true. Your Word, which rests upon Your name – Your essential nature – is everything that You are. Hallelujah!

    • What a relief that there is an absolute truth in the universe and Your Word embodies it (John 17:17).

  2. Covid-19: We are in the middle of Israel's second lockdown and are still not sure whether it is going to be successful or when Israel will be able to exit this situation.

    • Thank You that Covid-19 did not take You by surprise (Isa. 44:7-8).

    • We continue to ask You to lead us specifically on how to pray into this situation (Psa. 25:9; 32:8).

    • Please Abba, show the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) who mainly only obey their own rabbis and flaunt government directions – unless their rabbis say different – that preserving life is more important than preserving their man-made traditions (Mark 7:9; Rom. 10:1-3).

    • Help Israel's leaders see how they just do not have the answers to this crisis and then in grace, lead many of them to look to You – and not man – for help and direction (Psa. 118:8-9; Isa. 45:22).

    • Lord, concerning an exit strategy, intervene and guide all decisions (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

    • Place angelic guards in front of any "exits" that only lead to more dangers (Num. 22:3).

    • As politicians try to deal with Covid-19, do not allow politics to determine policies (2 Chr. 1:10).

    • Be involved in each meeting where Israeli leaders are making decisions (Num. 11:25; Hag. 1:14).

    • May the fear of this virus lead more Israelis to take all the proper precautions (Ex. 9:20-21).

    • Hedge in the Israeli media whose reports about this battle are too often tilted according to whether they are for or against PM Bibi Netanyahu (Ex. 23:1).

    • By Your mercy and wisdom, give the government an economic way forward that will help those who are really hurting financially due to the lockdowns (Deut. 15:7-8).

    • Yet do not let Israel's unemployment benefits keep people away from wanting to work (Eccl. 2:24).

    • By Your grace on the education system, let no Israeli child suffer in their growth (Isa. 54:13).

    • Pour out Your divine help on all the medical and hospital workers in all areas of need (Isa. 41:10).

    • Oversee the plans of the IDF in fighting against this virus spreading on its bases and in its soldiers.

  3. Israeli society: We are very troubled over the violence against the police from the Haredi and the anti-Bibi demonstrators. This hatred of one Israeli against another is displeasing to God and to most Israelis.

    • Lord, we thank You for the Israeli police and we bless them in the name of Yeshua (Deut. 10:8).

    • Give them divine protection and supernatural guidance (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:39; Psa. 23:3b).

    • Impart courage, encouragement and strength to those committed to protect Israelis (Josh. 1:9).

    • As they deal with rioters, may Your patience and wisdom rest on them (Psa. 140:4; Isa. 60:18).

    • Protect these protectors of Israeli society from the spirit of hatred attacking them (Psa. 109:5).

    • Anoint the police commanders to rely very clear and enforceable guidelines (Neh. 4:18-21).

    • Aid those who train the police to understand how to instruct them to be excellent in their jobs.

    • Use all believers in the police force to be like leaven which infiltrates the whole loaf (Gal. 5:9).

    • Almighty God, please protect Your nation from the spirits of lawlessness and violence that are being released like an overflowing flood on many Western nations – especially America (Psa. 124:1-8).

    • Cut off all financial aid that comes from foreign entities to support these anti-Bibi groups.

  4. The Israeli Body of Messiah: It should surprise no one that the Body struggles with the same issues that most of Israeli society struggles with. Yet we are called to shine for our Lord regardless.

    • You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:14a, 16) For Your glory help us to do this.

    • We rejoice that today Your praises ascend from Israel in many different languages (Acts 2:4-12).

    • Lord, raise up many more in the Body to make this a time for concentrated intercession (Psa. 50:15).

    • Show us what You are doing today, so that we can agree with You in prayer (Amos. 3:7).

    • Remind us that regardless of what we see or hear, our God reigns (Psa. 96:10; 99:1; Isa. 52:7b)!

    • Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord decrees it? (Lam. 3:37) Amen!

    • Lord Yeshua, lead us to keep our eyes on You, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2a).

    • Remove from Your Body all diversions, distractions and false conspiracy theories that wear down and divide the saints (Dan. 7:25; 1 Thess. 5:1-6).

    • Prepare the Body for the huge influx of Israelis who are about to be saved (Psa. 14:7; Rom. 11:26).

  5. Aliyah: We do see God using Covid-19 as a hunter to drive His exiled people home to Israel (Jer. 16:16). The increase in interest among Jews in the nations has been phenomenal and even with the restrictions and quarantines, thousands of Jews who can are coming home.

    • Thank You that Jewish Agency head Herzog said there could be around a quarter of a million Jews coming home to Israel in the next five years! For Your holy name's sake, do it (Ezek. 36:21-24).

    • Lord, as many who want to return are being hindered by restrictions on international travel, or paperwork. please move these stones of stumbling out of the way (Isa. 62:10).

    • Open up not only the airways, but open up the sea lanes as well (Isa. 60:8-9).

    • Supply all the needs of all aliyah organizations that are being stretched at this time (Deut. 8:9).

    • Show Western Jews that it is time to transplant their lives – and not their lifestyles (Psa. 49:10-13).

    • Open the eyes of the Jews in America and Europe to see the anti-Semitic graffiti on the walls, and to cast away all their "I-can't-make-aliyah-now" excuses into the depths of the sea (Jer. 51:9-10).

    • Strip Jews of all humanistic ideas that their captivity in exile is now their "home" (Psa. 137:1-6).

    • Thank You for the reports of younger Jews coming to Israel to get established, so that they can then bring home and help their parents get settled as well (Deut. 5:16).

    • Open wide the doors for all Jews living in exile, regardless of what they believe, or their skin color, or the amount in their bank account – to be welcomed home to Israel (Isa. 43:5-7; Zech. 8:6-8).

    • Abba, we need a miracle. Raise up affordable housing in the Jewish State (Jer. 32:14-15).

    • Lead more new immigrants to live in the periphery and not only in the big cities (Jer. 33:12-13).

    • Build up the Negev for Your holy name's sake (Obad. 1:20b).

    • Create employment opportunities, even at this time that will pay a decent wage.

    • Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul. For thus says YHWH, just like I have brought all this great evil on this people, so will I bring on them all the good that I have promised them.Jer. 32:41-42

    • Wake up more believers to see that this end time restoration of Your people to Your land is for Your glory and that You want them to be actively involved (Psa. 67:1-7; Isa. 43:5-7; 49:22; 60:1-12).

  6. Security – internal: Most Palestinians living in Judea, Samaria and Gaza have been raised to hate Israel and all Jews. This is mostly religious brainwashing, and is very difficult to overcome – although nothing is impossible to God (Jer. 32:17, 27). Yet because of this background, Israel has to defend itself against terror attacks on a daily basis. Most times Israel wins – and for that we thank God and thank You for your steadfast praying for Israel's security.

    • Behold He who guards Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. (Psa. 121:4) Thank You Lord.

    • Lord of hosts, thwart all attempted terror, kidnapping and car-ramming attacks (Jer. 31:10).

    • Continue to provide Israel with all the accurate intelligence it needs to stop terrorists (2 Kin. 6:12).

    • Impart Your strength and courage to the IDF in all of these geographical areas (Ezek. 37:10).

    • Lord, let Israel's leaders – both military and political – have the soldiers' backs (Zech. 12:5-6).

    • Praise You for helping Israel to be at the cutting edge of cyberwarfare (Deut. 28:7, 12-13).

    • Thank You that while Palestinian Authority President Abbas has decreased the cooperation between the PA security forces and Israel's security forces, they still do work together.

    • When Abbas does die, do not allow whoever takes his place to be so "reasonable" that Israel ends up agreeing to, or being pressured into, seeing a Palestinian State on Your land (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

    • Thank You for the Saudi Arabian ex-intelligence chief who just criticized the Palestinian leadership for being against the Israel-UAE normalization treaty and for always choosing the losing side. Use the PA's rabid anti-Arab responses to widen the divide between them and many Arab nations (Psa. 55:9).

    • Confound all links between the PA and Turkey, Iran, and Hizbullah (Psa. 35:26; 129:5).

    • Have mercy on all Palestinians under the PA or in Gaza under Hamas who do not have hatred in their hearts against the Jews. Save them for Your holy name's sake (Jer. 12:16).

    • Open wide the doors for many more Palestinians to emigrate (Psa. 10:16; 78:55).

    • Let Israel extend sovereignty over all its biblical heartland in Your timing and way (Ezek. 36:8-11).

  7. Security – Turkey: With its egomaniac President Erdogan, Turkey is now as great a danger to Israel as Iran. Turkey has military tentacles in Syria, Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, and in the Azerbaijan vs. Armenia conflict. It works with Russia, although it is a NATO member nation, and works with Iran, although it is a Sunni nation and Iran is Shi'ite. And Erdogan has just proclaimed that Jerusalem belongs to Turkey.

    • As Turkey could be a nation in Your end-time plans, please show us how to pray (Psa. 23:3b).

    • Awaken the Turkish Church to know how to pray for their nation as well (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • Reveal to them that if their nation or its leaders curse Israel – they are in deep trouble (Num. 24:9b).

    • Lord, arise and deal with Erdogan who is acting in all his ways as Your enemy (Psa. 68:1).

    • Let his arrogant pride be his downfall as per Proverbs 16:18.

    • As he is now threatening to touch the apple of Your eye – Jerusalem (Zech. 2:8b), defy him.

    • Guide Israel so that it does not get caught up in this Turkish quagmire (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • Yet do not allow Israel to be intimidated or to back down from this Turkish bully (Eccl. 8:11).

    • Enable the Israeli Navy to defend all of Israel's assets in the Mediterranean (Ezek. 37:10). - Thank You that there are some in the Trump administration who are opening their eyes to this very dangerous Turkish non-delight (Jer. 4:19)!

    • Show America how to increase its protection of its nuclear weapons stored in a US base in Turkey.

    • Wake up Russian President Putin with Erdogan's openly declared ambitions – to be the new Caliph of the Sunni Muslim world – and make Putin very uneasy in dealing with him (2 John 1:7).

    • Abba, please protect the Kurdish people from Erdogan's hatred of them. In fact, use his rage against the Kurds to finally get the various Kurdish groups to work together (Psa. 133:1; Eccl. 4:12).

    • Raise up at least one NATO leader – so far, amazingly, French President Macron – who has courage to confront Turkey's wicked plans (Psa. 82:8).

  8. US Elections: For Israel, a Biden victory would most likely be disastrous. He has already said he would reinstate the Iranian nuclear deal that President Trump wisely pulled out of and Biden has a long track record of wanting to see a truncated Israel next to a Palestinian State.

    • God, have mercy on Israel and America and watch over the November 3rd election.

    • Rule sovereignly over this election and may the result bring glory to You (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Recall for Trump's good all he has done to bless this nation and the Jews in America (Gen. 12:3a).

    • Prepare Israel for the day after the elections (Isa. 46:9-10).

    • Prepare the American Church for the day after the elections (John 6:6).

  9. Water – physical and spiritual: While Israel's water situation is good, this is the time of the year when we cry out to God for more rain to replenish the land. And since water is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit, we also prayed for Israel's salvation.

    • Thank You for all that You have done in the past two years in answer to our prayers and the prayers of many others (Isa. 41:17-20).

    • Send the gentle rain to break up the hard ground before the winter heavy showers come (Psa. 65:10).

    • We are asking for snow over the whole of this land during the winter season (Job 37:6).

    • Continue to give Israeli scientists breakthroughs in water technology (Psa. 136:5; Prov. 2:2).

    • Speak to Your people to not take water for granted and to be more conservation-minded.

    • Yeshua, because of You, living water, Your Spirit, flows out of us (John 7:37-39). We ask that You use us – both Jews and gentiles – to continue to provoke Your people to jealousy (Rom. 11:11-14).

    • Rain down on this dry nation and remove the famine of Your Word (Amos 8:11).

    • You have placed a thirst for Yourself in Your people. At this time, remove all that has blocked the recognition of that thirst, and let the living waters of salvation spring to life (Isa. 12:2-3).

Hag sameach and Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem,

For the IFI team