1. Praise: Why do we focus our prayers on Israel? It is because in His Word, God often says that He has chosen this nation for His glory, and also that through them He will show the rest of humanity that Israel's God – is God! Verses from Shabbat's prophetic portion are proof of both of these reasons.

    • Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, YHWH will be magnified beyond [+from, on] the border of Israel.Mal. 1:5
    • From the rising of the sun even to its going down, My name shall be great among the gentiles; and everywhere incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure meal offering. For My name shall be great among the gentiles… For I am a great King, says YHWH of Hosts, and My name is feared [+revered] among the gentiles.Mal. 1:11, 14b

    • Thank You for Your people Israel, through whom You gave the world the Bible, the prophets, the Messiah – and so much more (John 4:22; Rom. 9:4-5).

    • We rejoice for this chance to praise You and to pray for Your blessings on Your nation and Your people (Gen. 12:3a; Num. 24:9b).

    • What a wonder to see Your plan of salvation promised to Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, and the rest of their seed, the Jewish people, then in the prophesied Seed Yeshua unto the gentiles (Gal. 3:8).

    • We desire to glorify You through our prayers for Your nation (Psa. 50:15; Isa. 43:21).

    • Thank You for watching over Your word to fulfill it today (Psa. 147:2; Jer. 1:12; Zech. 8:1-8).

    • Thank You for answering our prayers (Psa. 116:1-2) and for the many who stand in prayer for this nation and its people – for Your holy name's sake (Isa. 45:25; 46:13; Ezek. 36:23).

    • Lord, we trust in Your name – that is Your nature, who You are – and not in what You might or might not do (Prov. 18:10), therefore we rest knowing that You are always merciful, faithful and just.

  2. The Body of Messiah: We prayed for the Body in Israel and in the nations, as these days can be filled with much confusion and doubt, fears and expectations – some false and others true.

    • Lord Yeshua, give Your Body, by Your grace, unity but not uniformity (John 17:17-22).

    • Help the Body to grow and mature in biblical unity, grace and truth (1 Cor. 10:23-24).

    • Sanctify them [the Body of believers] through Your truth; Your Word is truth.John 17:17

    • May we not forsake any weak members for the enemy to cut off like the Amalekites did with Israel in the wilderness (Deut. 25:17-18). Instead, fill us with love for all our messianic family (1 Pet. 1:22).

    • Lord, remove all false shepherds and wolves in elders' clothing from Your Body (Acts. 20:28-30).

    • Replace them with those who have been called by You (1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Tim. 6:12).

    • Lord Yeshua, mature the worldwide Church – for Your glory (Matt. 16:18; John 12:23; 16:14).

    • We praise You for the growth and maturing of the Israeli Body of Messiah (Jer. 31:31-34).

    • Draw us all to look to Your Word for wisdom and insight and not to the media or the academia or the traditions of man or to creeds of various denominations (Eccl. 12:11; Mark 7:13).

    • Protect us all from information overload (Eccl. 12:12).

    • Open up the Tanach, the Old Testament, to more believers, so that they have an understanding of what You are doing on the earth today (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:10; 32:41; Ezek. 36:1-36; Zech. 12:2-10).

    • Thank You for all the Christian Zionists whom You have raised up today, yet they are still a remnant of the remnant of Your Body (Isa. 52:7). Increase their numbers and influence like leaven (Gal. 5:9).

    • Draw more of the next generation of believers to see what You are doing in and with Israel.

    • Increase the understanding and practice of intercessory prayer in the Church (1 John 5:14-15).

  3. US elections & Israel: We prayed that regardless of the results of the American elections, it would be used by God for His glory. Also that it would catapult Israel into its God-ordained role in these last days as the head of all nations, even if the total fulfillment of that will not be realized until after the Lord returns.

    • Messiah Yeshua, we say to You, Baruch ha'ba b'shem Adonai. (Matt. 23:39)

    • Whomever the next US president will be, do not allow the Body in Israel, America or the rest of the world to be shaken out of its focus on Your kingdom purposes (Luke 11:2; Heb. 12:22-29).

    • Even if Biden wins, prevent the enemy from placing doubts in believers' minds about the necessity and power of intercession (Luke 11:9-10; 18:1; Rom. 12:12; 1 Thess. 5:17).

    • If this is the last two months of Trump's presidency, as he considers his options, do not allow him to unintentionally lead Israel into any untenable position that is not of You (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • Make Israel's leadership ready for whoever will be the next American leader (Prov. 16:1).

    • In this interim period of uncertainty, give Israel great wisdom and discretion (Job 12:19-16).

  4. Government: Israel's government would be a cause of deep concern were it not that we know that Zion's God reigns (Isa. 52:7)!

    • Either bring Israel's government into unity or bring this nation to new elections (Matt. 6:10).

    • Heal Netanyahu's terrible relationships with Benny Gantz and Naftali Bennet (Prov. 13:10).

    • We thank You for the Members of Knesset who are doing an excellent job of serving Your people. Increase their stature with all Israelis at this time (Psa. 112:9; Prov. 15:33; 21:21).

    • Give Israel's government courage to move ahead with promised building projects (Psa. 147:2)

    • Impart vision to build more diffusely, and not just in the major population centers (Obad. 1:19-20).

    • Bring about righteousness and just dealings in the building industry (Lev. 19:13a; Prov. 14:34).

    • Israel's building plans for Jerusalem have been condemned by the EU, UN, and other serial Israel-bashers. We proclaim: The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, or right, or memorial, in Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:20)

    • Lord, let the E1 corridor – between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim to its east – be built (Psa. 147:2).

    • Thank You that the right to build in all of the areas west of the Jordan River is legal according to international law as per the San Remo agreement and the Palestinian Mandate, as well as biblically accurate according to all the promises in Your Word concerning this land (Jer. 32:41-44; 33:12-13).

  5. Covid-19 & society: Israel is slowly exiting its second lockdown and is in the process of buying vaccines from outside. All this raises more issues for us to cover in prayer.

    • Thank You for a continuing drop of the morbidity rate in Israel (Deut. 32:39; Eccl. 3:3a).

    • Help the government make decisions that are fair and correct concerning what businesses can open and who should remain closed; who can meet to pray and demonstrate and who cannot (Prov. 8:20).

    • Yet we see that no one knows what the future holds, except You. Please lead all of us (Eccl. 3:11).

    • By a healthy fear of God, stop all decisions that are made only for political gain (Psa. 36:1).

    • Guard over all decisions made about the opening of schools (Psa. 23:3b).

    • Let Prof. Ash, Israel's corona-chief's, voice and opinions be heard (Psa. 89:20-21).

    • Help him to enunciate clear and enforceable guidelines for after the lockdown (Neh. 4:18-21).

    • Encourage and strengthen all hospital and medical personnel.

    • Prevent Israel from buying vaccines that are not of You (Prov. 16:9).

    • If there is a vaccine that is God-ordained, bring it to – or out from – Israel (Psa. 134:3).

    • Prevent the taking of any vaccine from being made mandatory (Rom. 14:5).

    • Do not allow a spirit of fear to be the deciding factor on whether or not to be vaccinated.

    • Prevent the whole issue of a vaccine from causing division in Your Body (Eph. 4:3).

    • Help Your Body to hear the voice of their Good Shepherd – especially in this area (John 10:27).

  6. Anarchy & lawlessness: What we have seen in the streets of America over the summer, which still continues today, is starting to appear in Israel – especially in the anti-Bibi demonstrations.

    • Do not allow these spirits to pass into the borders of Your nation (Mal. 1:5).

    • Reveal Yeshua to all Israeli zealots who are looking for a "radical" cause to support (Gal. 1:14)!

    • Use this season's weather to reduce these anti-the-people's-choice demonstrations (Job 38:22-23).

    • Pour out wisdom, patience, restraint and discernment on the police.

    • Yet when they need to act, let them do so with clarity of mind and purpose (Eccl. 8:11).

  7. Security – internal: With the possibility that Biden will be the next US leader, the Palestinian Authority has decided to play nice and reinstate its co-operation with Israel.

    • If this is not of You – cut off the restoring of ties even before they begin (Prov. 11:21; 16:5).

    • Increase the influence of any Palestinians who truly want to live peacefully with the Jews.

    • Decrease the influence of all those who possess Jew-hatred in their hearts (Psa. 35:20; 120:7).

    • Show us how to pray into the possible Biden-Harris US administration and its relations to Israel's settlements, its land and the Palestinians (Gen. 12:7; Joel 3:1-2).

    • Make the next US ambassadors to the UN and Israel to have a love for Israel (Psa. 126:1-2).

    • We thank You for raising up IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi for just a time like this (Eccl. 3:1).

    • Continue to use him to lead the IDF and forbid that any political ambitions distract him.

    • Prepare the IDF and Israel's other security forces for whatever they will face in Judea, Samaria and along the Gaza security fence regardless of who will be the next US leader (Prov. 21:31).

    • Forbid Israel from giving Hamas any breathing space to plan or carry out their attacks (Num. 10:9).

    • Protect IDF soldiers – many of whom are teenagers – from traumatic experiences (Psa. 140:7).

    • Lord, please guard over all of the vehicles and transportation hubs in Judea and Samaria (Jer. 32:37).

  8. Security – Iran: There was a joint US-Israel assassination of a high ranking Al-Qaeda head in Tehran some months ago. That exposure, and the UN's IAEA report saying Iran has enough uranium to produce two nuclear weapons, which is way over the limits of that evil P5+1 nuclear deal, increases pressure on Iran, and makes it more likely to strike out. As the best defense is often a good offense, Israel is probably contemplating a "hit-back-first" plan, and is working on those details today.

    • When Iran's nuclear capabilities need to be dealt with, may Israel do what needs to be done – with or without the US, or anyone else, other than You (Psa. 44:4-8).

    • The IDF is Your army. Use it to bring about Your plans and purposes at this time (Jer. 51:19-24).

    • Blow away any IDF plans not from You, and highlight all plans that are from on high (Psa. 89:18).

    • Lead the IDF to think out of the box in offensive and defensive plans and actions (2 Sam. 5:23-25).

    • Thank You for setting Your throne in Elam (Iran), by the growth to the Iranian Church (Jer. 49:38a).

    • Quickly Lord, watch over the rest of that verse and destroy Elam's king and princes (Jer. 49:38b)!

    • May Iran's equipment fail through natural means (Jam. 5:3).

    • Destroy its relationships with its allies (Psa. 35:26).

    • Continue to weaken its economy (Hag. 2:6-8).

    • Destroy all ties between Iran and Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Psa. 83:1-18).

    • Confound all Iran's links with Russia, China, Turkey and Syria (Psa. 129:5).

    • Thank You that the IDF found and destroyed the roadside bombs planted along its southern Golan/ Syrian border by Iranian agents (Job 12:22).

    • Praise You for the quick and effective military strikes in Syria in response (Gal. 6:7).

    • We ask for Your continued anointing on Israel's UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, who is doing a good job especially in exposing the UN's hypocrisy and Hizbullah's demonic plans in Lebanon (Psa. 80:17).

    • Lord, arise! Destroy Hizbullah's worldwide illegal drug trade (Psa. 68:1, 30b).

    • Expose all terror tunnels that are being built against Your nation and people and let those building these tunnels fall into their own traps (Psa. 35:8; Eccl. 10:8).

    • Continue to guard over and hid all of Israel's spies and collaborators in enemy nations (Psa. 17:8).

    • Anoint and use our family in Messiah in every nation in the ME (Psa. 121:3; 1 Thess. 5:23-24).

  9. Aliyah: From this Shabbat's Torah portion comes a verse telling Isaac not to leave this land. As aliyah is the regathering of those whom God has scattered, this is an excellent verse for many in exile to ponder as they read it this weekend.

    • YHWH said to Isaac, 'Do not go down to Egypt….Remain in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. For to you and your seed will I give all these lands, and I will establish the oath I swore to Abraham…I will make your seed to multiply as the stars of the heavens, and will give to your seed all these lands, and in your Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed',Gen. 26:2-4; cp. Gal. 3:8

    • Father, many Israelis have left this land. Speak to them to return now (Jer. 30:3).

    • As a civil war has exploded in Ethiopia, pressure the Israeli government to bring home all the remaining Ethiopian Jews before the end of 2020 (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Shake up the European Jews and scare the exile out of them (Jer. 51:9-10).

    • Wake up the US Jews as anti-Semitic attacks increase and return them to Zion (Psa. 137:1-6).

  10. Rain: So far, we have had a good fall season with intermittent rain nearly every week.

    • Thank you for the rain we have already received – and the forecast for more (Zech. 10:1).

    • Continue to bless this land with a gentle soaking rain at this time (Ezek. 34:26).

    • Keep Israelis safe as they drive in the rain (2 Kin. 9:20).

    • Let the rain fall in the right areas to fill all the aquifers and the Sea of Galilee (Deut. 8:7; 11:10-12).

    • Make this land to be like the Garden of Eden – for Your holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:34-37).

Blessings and shalom from Jerusalem

For the IFI team