1. Praise: Shabbat's prophetic portion is Ezekiel 36:16-38. This is the wonderful portion in which God says that He will restore Israel to His land and save Israel through a born-again experience – and yet warns Israel that this is not for Israel's sake, but for His holy name's sake. Also, in 36:37, God is very clear that He waits for Israel to ask Him to do this – so again we see how prayer is an integral part of God's overall plans for His kingdom coming to earth.

    • Thank You that we serve You, a God Who watches over Your word to perform it and that we have the privilege live in a day when we see it coming to pass so openly (Jer. 1:12).

    • Bless You that You never change; You are the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

    • Hallelujah! Your faithful love and great mercies are made new to us every day (Lam. 3:23).

    • In Ezekiel 36:37 You say that You wait for Israel to ask You to do all that You have promised to do for them. We in the Body are grateful that being grafted into the house of Israel (Rom. 11:24-25) we can now stand in the gap and ask You to actually do for them all that You have promised (Jam. 5:16).

    • We rejoice in doing Your Word, which is the rock we can build upon (Isa. 40:8; Matt. 7:24-25).

    • We confess that You are good and that Your covenant-love endures for all eternity (Psa. 118:1).

    • Praise You that Your covenant-love is based on who You are and not on who we are (Deut. 7:7-8).

    • What joy to serve a risen Savior who is in the world today (Matt. 28:5-6; Luke 24:5-7, 34).

  2. Aliyah: This modern regathering of Jews from all the places where God has scattered them is for His holy name's sake. And because of that we continue to ask God to bring His people home.

    • But I had pity for My holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the gentiles… So say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord YHWH; I am not doing this for your sakes…but for My holy name's sake…And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the gentiles, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the gentiles shall know that I am YHWH…when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes. For I will take you from among the gentiles, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land'.Ezek. 36:21-24

    • Thank You for watching over this word to fulfill it in our day (Num. 23:19).

    • Use this fulfillment to show the world that Your Word is the Word of the Living God (Isa. 46:9-10).

    • We rejoice to hear there are now more Jews living in Israel than in any other nation (Ezek. 39:28)!

    • Bless You for the 21,000 new immigrants who came last year from almost 70 nations (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • We also rejoice in another answer to prayer as we have hear reports of the increase in the number of Jews inquiring about aliyah (Luke 11:9-10; 1 John 5:14-15). Yet we ask for more, Lord!

    • Open the way physically for all who wish to immigrate to Israel to be able to travel (Isa. 60:8-9).

    • May all Jews in exile who have begun the process have the strength to follow through (Luke 9:62).

    • Give the current and the next governments plans to receive and settle all who return (Ezek. 36:11).

    • Thank You for the current Aliyah minister, Pnina Tamano-Shata and her active work in the return of the Ethiopians and others. Make a place for her in the next government as well (Matt. 25:21).

    • Smash open the gates and bring the 8,000-10,000 Jews in Iran home (Mic. 2:12-13).

    • Make all the young Israelis who left Israel very homesick and turn their hearts to Zion (Psa. 84:7).

    • Let them return with their silver and gold – and bitcoins – to settle in Your land (Isa. 60:9).

    • Abundantly supply all the needs of all organizations helping to carry Your people home (Isa. 49:22).

    • Especially wake up the churches to both their privilege, as well as their responsibility, to pray for and to help the Jews in their nations return to Israel (Isa. 60:3-12; Matt. 6:9-10; Rom. 15:27).

    • Reunite families and bring home many more Holocaust survivors (Jer. 31:8).

    • Remove all the excuses Jews have for not returning now – before it is too late (Luke 14:16-24).

  3. Salvation – is also for His holy name's sake as seen in Ezekiel 36. In fact, the clearest description of what it means to be born-again – or born from above – is found here [see below]. This is most likely why Yeshua expected Nicodemus to understand what He was talking about in John 3:5-10.

    • I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. I will also give you a new heart, and will put a new spirit within you. I will take away your heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, to keep My judgments, and do them. And you shall dwell in the land I gave to your fathers; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.Ezek. 36:25-28

    • As Your people return, we ask You to reveal Messiah Yeshua to them in Your land (Zech. 12:10).

    • Give many new immigrants a Damascus Road encounter with their King (Acts 26:13-16).

    • Lord, for Your holy name's sake, save anti-missionaries, university professors and students, rabbis and their students, prisoners, many in Israel's LGBTQ+ communities, politicians, those who have had abortions or done them, unsaved loved ones in Messianic Jewish families, and others (Luke 19:10).

    • Watch over all the seeds that have been planted and bring forth a mighty harvest (1 Cor. 3:6).

    • Speak to many closet Jewish believers to take a public stand for their faith now (Luke 9:26).

    • We bless You for the living and maturing Body of Messiah in Israel today (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20).

    • Prepare the Israeli Body to be ready and able to receive an influx of new believers (Isa. 54:2-3).

    • Raise up those shepherds after Your own heart – in line with Your promise (Jer. 3:15).

    • Mature the Body in Your Word so that they can help disciple new believers (Matt. 28:18-20).

    • Teach Your Body, both in Israel and internationally, how to share the good news from the Old Testament scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

    • Grant unity of the Spirit in the Israeli Body between all genuine believers (Eph. 4:3).

  4. Israeli elections – March 23rd: We press on, asking God to give Israel a government through which He can be glorified. After all, is not this – His glory - the goal of all we pray, say and do for our great God and Savior, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah (Matt. 11:25-27; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 5:12-14).

    • Not unto us, O YHWH, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?' But our God is in the heavens: He has done whatever He has pleased.Psa. 115:1-3

    • In the political realm also, raise up the shepherds You promised to Your people (Jer. 23:3-4)

    • Make those who are running for office clarify what are their policies (Prov. 1:20; 17:7, 28).

    • Let those who want to replace Bibi Netanyahu explain how they plan to defend Israel against Iran, Hizbullah, the US Biden administration, the EU, the UN, the International Criminal Court, etc.

    • Refresh a weary Israeli electorate to get out and vote, and guide them (Psa. 68:9; Isa. 40:30-31).

    • In Isaiah 43:19 You say You are about to do a new thing. May one of the fruits of that promise be an Israeli government that stands in unity and with real stability (Psa. 133:1-3). 

    • Israel has had three successive governments who were divided and as You said, none of them have stood the test of time and stress (Luke 11:17). Grant a unity this time that is in line with Your will.

  5. Israel's current government: The issues that they are dealing with today are very crucial – some even bordering on the existential if one does not take into account what God says about His plans for this nation (Jer. 31:35-37). Below are three issues we prayed into this past week.

    1. Covid-19: God was totally sovereign before Covid-19 and He is still sovereign today!

      • YHWH has established His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all.Psa. 103:19

      • We have asked You to give wisdom to Israel's leaders, and while we do not necessarily agree with all of their decisions, we trust that as this prayer is in Your will – You are answering (Prov. 2:3-6).

      • Hedge in the government from making any decision which are against Your will (Prov. 21:1).

      • If decisions are being made for any reason other than the well-being and safety of Israel's citizens, expose those reasons and reverse these decisions (Job 12:22; Ezek. 34:1-6).

      • Give Israel wisdom on how to deal with this pandemic in its global aspects, especially as it touches international travel and tourism (Jer. 31:6; Mic. 4:1-2).

      • Help Israeli believers to heed Your voice as You direct them in this crisis (John 10:27).

      • Guide the Israeli Body to judge righteously and with much mercy (Matt. 7:1-5).

    2. The International Criminal Court has decided to investigate Israeli "war-crimes" supposedly committed by the IDF when it was defending Israeli civilians from rocket attacks and violent demonstrations by Hamas, the terrorist rulers in the Gaza Strip.

      • Bless every nation who has openly said this is not righteous or just (Num. 24:9b).

      • Give Israel wisdom to know how to protect its army from this "lawfare" assault (Psa. 5:6-7).

      • If Israel is supposed to be quiet and let You defend it – show them (Ex. 14:13-14; Prov. 26:4).

      • If Israel is to have a team of legal experts to fight this unjust accusation, show them (Prov. 26:5).

      • Show Israel if this should be fought more in the diplomatic arena than in the legal one.

      • You say in Shabbat's Torah portion that You are a "jealous God" Arise and be jealous over Your nation, defending it against this anti-Semitic attack (Ex. 34:14; Zech. 2:5, 8b).

      • Hamas and the PLO are excited about this decision, but since the ICC is also investigating Hamas for war-crimes, let them fall into the net they think they have set for Israel (Psa. 35:6-8).

    3. The Biden administration has already reneged on many of Trump's pro-Israel policies. And when we hear the US State Department spokesman saying Jerusalem's status is not set but needs to be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, this is just one more sign of how far into the valley of judgment America is driving itself today (Joel 3:1-2).

      • Prepare Israel's leaders for any changes in the US administration in the future, specifically if Joseph Biden is replaced for whatever reason by vice president Kamala Harris (Isa. 42:9; 45:21; Matt. 24:25). [Just this morning we read that Harris and Netanyahu had a "good" phone conversation yesterday.]

      • Sovereignly intervene in the choosing of the next US ambassador to Israel (Prov. 16:9).

      • Continue to cut off all ungodly apron strings between Israel and the US (Psa. 20:7; Isa. 31:1-3).

      • Do not allow Israel to wait for US approval, but may it annex Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley in Your perfect timing (Gen. 12:7; Jer. 31:3-5; 33:12-13).

      • Give Gilad Erdan, Israel's US and UN ambassador, wisdom and insight for all recommendations and any feedback that he gives to Israel's leaders (Prov. 13:17b; 25:13; 27:6a).

      • Speak to him and through him whenever he speaks to the UN or in the White House (Psa. 81:10).

      • Remove all fear of man from Erdan and place in him the healthy fear of the Lord (Psa. 27:1; 118:6).

      • Surround him with believers, both Jewish and gentile, who will provoke him to jealousy in wanting a closer relationship with You through his Messiah and King, the Lord Yeshua (Rom. 11:11, 14).

  6. Security – external: Iran has already expanded its demonic activities since Biden took over America. It attacked an Israeli vessel in the Persian Gulf, and possibly committed eco-terrorism by intentionally dumping crude oil in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel's coast, and its proxies in Iraq and Yemen have increased attacks against US troops and Saudi Arabia respectively. Today, there is no nation willing to consistently deal with Iran militarily except Israel, and it has been doing this over the past decade – with help from America from time to time. Yet now under Biden…?

    • Give Israel's current and future governments a consistent policy towards Iran's actions (Jam. 1:8).

    • Download to the IDF Your strategy and timing in line with Your will in all this (Psa. 144:1).

    • Grant creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to those in charge of strategy and tactics (Psa. 44:4-7). 

    • Bring the military and the political leaders into one accord in dealing with Iran (1 Chr. 11:10).

    • Raise up advisors who understand the mindset of the Iranians, and who know that Shi'ite Islamic eschatology really does have an impact on what Iran's current leaders say and do.

    • Send Your terror on Iran's leaders, causing them to make major geopolitical mistakes (Josh. 2:9).

    • If this oil-spill turns out to be Iranian eco-terrorism, we ask for Your response (Rev. 11:18b).

    • Release Your angelic hosts to war once again with the spiritual prince of Persia (Dan. 10:13).

    • May Biden's wishy-washy approach to Iran give them enough rope to hang themselves (Est. 7:10).

    • If a defense alliance between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is of You, then let Israel pursue it. But if not, block all Israeli attempts to agree to it (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Anoint the Iranian Church to intercede for their nation and government (Luke 18:1; 1 Tim. 2:1-4).

  7. Security – internal: There will be a day when the only inhabitants of God's land will be those, whether Jew or gentile, who have put their trust in Him (Jer. 12:14-17).

    • YHWH is King forever…the worshippers of other gods are perished out of His land.Psa. 10:16

    • Lord Yeshua, as this indicates that the only hope for the Palestinians is found in You, we ask You to build and protect Your Church among them at this time (Matt. 16:18).

    • With the upcoming elections within the Palestinian Authority on May 22 and a later election of the president, please prepare the IDF for all possible scenarios – especially if Hamas wins (Isa. 14:29-32).

    • Enable the IDF to stockpile all the weapons and ammo it needs to defend Israel in the near future, without it having to depend on outside help (Isa. 41:15-16; Ezek. 37:10; Mic. 4:11-13; Zech. 10:4-5).

    • Continue to protect Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, from being kidnapped (Jer. 31:10).

    • Let the rules of engagement from the commanders to the soldiers be very clear (1 Cor. 14:8).

    • Guard over the Israelis in Judea and Samaria as they go about their daily lives (Psa. 121:4).

    • Anoint the IDF to understand how to defend them (Prov. 21:31; Ezek. 37:10).

    • Anoint the settlers to be ready to defend themselves while they look to You for help (Psa. 121:1-2)

    • Thank You for the current growth of these settlements, and let that continue regardless of what the world and the Biden administration say (Ezek. 36:8-12).

  8. Water: We continue to thank God for all of the rain and snow that we have received so far this season and for the excellent state of the Sea of Galilee. It is as of this writing less than one half meter below being full! Let's ask Him to make it full to overflowing by the time the rains cease this year.

Shabbat shalom, thank you and blessings from Zion,

For the IFI team