1. Praise: In the midst of political chaos and civilian disasters and a sense of not really being sure what God is doing at this moment – although being very clear that He is setting the stage for the return of His Son – we looked back on some of our prayers that God has answered, and is in the process of answering, and we were greatly encouraged to press on.

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

    • We thank You for the many answers to our intercessions that we have seen over the years, and for teaching us that faith and patience are needed to see Your promises come to pass (Heb. 6:12).

    • We praise You for always watching over Your Word to perform it (Jer. 1:12).

    • We declare You as the King of kings and Lord of lords – right now (Matt. 28:18; Rev. 19:16)!

    • We rest in the biblical truth that the government is already on Your shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7).

    • Hallelujah! You who guard Israel – and us – You never slumber or sleep (Psa. 121:3-4).

    • Thank You that Israel set Jerusalem free from Jordanian rule 54 years ago this coming Monday.

    • Bless You for building Jerusalem and regathering Israel's outcasts right before our eyes (Psa. 147:2).

    • We are awed by Your miraculous sustaining power seen in the fact that Israel still exists today in the face of all the declared hatred and desire to destroy it coming from its many enemies (Psa. 83:1-5).

    • We praise You for all the good that PM Bibi Netanyahu has done for Israel over the years he has been in office, especially his strong stance against an Iranian nuclear weapon (Psa. 80:17).

    • Thank You that you have kept aliyah steady, even during the Covid-19 crisis (Jer. 31:8-9).

    • We rejoice in all Your answers to prayer for new and advanced weapons systems being developed by the IDF to protect this nation, in order that all Israel can be saved (Zech. 12:4-10).

    • Thank You that despite the constant pressure from most of the nations and international NGOs, there is still no Palestinian State on Your land (Psa. 10:16).

    • Thank You for the growth in numbers and spiritual maturity in Israel's Messianic Body (Col. 1:3-6).

    • We praise You for all our prayers You have not answer in the way we expected, but that You have answered in ways which will fulfill Your purposes – for Your holy name's sake (1 John 5:14-15).

  2. The disaster on Mt. Merom last week when 45 ultra-Orthodox [Haredi] Jews were killed in a stampede was the worst civilian tragedy in modern Israel's history. As expected, many are now trying to find a scapegoat on whom all guilt can be laid, and there are many choices – from PM Bibi Netanyahu, to Israel's Public Security minister Ohana, to its politicians, or its Chief of Police, or the police in general. Yet there is one group that must take a huge portion of responsibility – the Haredi community. Most live insular lives, obeying only their rabbis and rejecting most government rules. And if the police interfere in their lifestyle in anyway – literally all hell breaks loose. Most Haredi men do not serve in the IDF and until recently most did not work, living off public aid from the rest of Israeli society. Some of their sects are even extremely anti-Israel.

    • Lord, based on Romans 8:28, we ask for You to bring good out of this terrible tragedy.

    • Use this disaster to shake up the whole Haredi community to seek You for answers (Isa. 55:6).

    • Work especially in the hearts of the Haredi leaders, turning them to Yourself (Psa. 80:3, 7).

    • Show the Haredi how often their traditions have negated the clear Word of God (Mark 7:8-9).

    • Enable them to humble themselves and take responsibility where needed and then to ask You what changes in their worldview, teaching and lifestyle need to be made (Psa. 69:32).

    • Raise up righteous Haredi rabbis who do see the problems and want to fix them (Psa. 23:3-4).

    • Thank You for the groups of "modern Haredi" who are taking responsibility today (Acts 4:19).

    • Let these "modern Haredi" voices and their influence be increased (Prov. 10:21a, 24b; 14:9).

    • Comfort all who have lost loved ones and/or are traumatized by this disaster (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

    • Heal all survivors – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually – in Your Son (Acts 4:7-12).

    • Cut off from Israel's future governments all Haredi threats and manipulations (Num. 23:23).

    • Lord Yeshua, capture the hearts of young Haredi who are following leaders that are not training them up as they should and turn them to You (Prov. 22:6).

    • Remove the anti-Zionistic spirit from any Haredi group in Israel, and let them recognize Your hand in the restoration of Your nation (Psa. 102:13-16).

    • Give wisdom to Messianic Haredi believers to know what to say and not to say (Psa. 81:10; 141:3).

  3. A new government: PM Netanyahu couldn't create a coalition so President Rivlin has handed the baton to Yair Lapid, head of Yesh Atid, a left of center party. He now has 28 days to form a government or the baton will go back to the Knesset for a brief time and if there is not enough support for anyone to be Prime Minister, Israel will head to another election in the fall. Yamina head, Naftali Bennett, who is even more right-wing than Netanyahu, is apparently as of this writing, joining hands with Lapid and all the other anti-Bibi groups – some of which are very left-wing – to sit in the next government as its first prime minister, even though he swore during the campaign that he would not!

    • Lord God, first we want to thank You for hearing and answering our prayers as we wait expectantly for a government through which You will be glorified (Psa. 115:1-3; Jer. 14:7; Matt. 6:9-10).

    • While that probably will not be the coalition which is being formed now, we know You are watching over our requests to answer them in Your way and timing and we trust in You regardless of what we see or hear (Prov. 3:5; Hab. 2:4b; 2 Cor. 5:7).

    • We do see You cleaning out the political dross and ask You to continue that process (Isa. 1:25-26).

    • Overrule all negotiations so that a government of Your choice is established (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

    • Guard Israel from having a humanistic government that will ignore Your Word (1 Sam. 15:23, 26).

    • Forbid the creation of any government that depends on anti-Zionist parties to survive (Prov. 16:5).

    • Lord, provide Israel with those shepherds after Your own heart which You promised (Jer. 3:15).

    • Give Israel a government that has a burden for aliyah and the absorption of all the new immigrants.

    • Give Israel a government that honors this verse from Shabbat's Torah portion: The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine, and you are strangers and sojourners with Me. (Lev. 25:23)

    • Watch over David's last words given to him by Your Spirit and fulfill them in the next government: He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (2 Sam. 23:1-3)

  4. Security – internal: There is an increase in Palestinian terrorism, including a shooting attack which left one Israeli seriously injured and his 19 year old friend dead. Also, in May, besides Ramadan, there are some Israeli celebrations and Palestinian observances that clash. On top of that, Palestinian Authority [PA] President Abbas postponed the Palestinian elections and blamed Israel. Israel expects this month to be very tense and violent, so we thank you in advance for your prayers.

    • Lord, You did not bring You people back to their land to see them slaughtered. We ask You to protect Your people from all acts of terrorism and violence at this time (Jer. 31:10; 32:41-42).

    • As the current government with Netanyahu is still in charge, let them not be distracted or divided by politics or court cases when it comes to Israel's security (Rom. 13:1-4; Jam. 1:8).

    • As the IDF increased its presence in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley in preparation for these days, please grant divine wisdom in the deployment of troops, the clarity of commands, and the discretion and appropriateness in response to all provocations (Deut. 33:26-29).

    • Watch over this word from Shabbat's Torah portion against all Palestinian terrorists: You shall chase your enemies…Five of you shall chase an hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. (Lev. 26:7-8)

    • Give the IDF all the intelligence needed and Your strategy as to what to do with it (Josh. 5:13-6:5).

    • Uncover any planned terrorist attacks and foil them (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • Thank You for preventing all successful kidnappings (Jer. 30:16).

    • Lord, arise and dampen the fires which the spirit of Islam starts over Ramadan (Psa. 68:1, 30b).

    • Keep all IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians alert, especially in this hot weather (Gal. 6:9).

    • Place a hand of restraint on the Jewish settlers, unless they need to protect a life.

    • During Ramadan, continue to save multitudes of Palestinians – even some in the midst of carrying out a terror attack (Acts 9:1-6).

    • Show them how You are restoring Israel and then let them submit to You (Psa. 67:1-7).

  5. The Palestinian Authority has asked the UN to investigate Israel on charges of apartheid. This accusation is gaining strength worldwide and is being used as lawfare against Israel, with the purpose being that if the Jewish State is founded on apartheid principles, then it is racist and does not deserve to exist. Of course, this accusation is a satanic lie with not one iota of truth in it.

    • We condemn this lying accusation. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn… (Isa. 54:17a)

    • This accusation is a curse by the PA against Your nation. Deal with them as per Genesis 12:3a.

    • Let them fall into their own net that they have tried to set for Your nation (Psa. 57:6).

    • As the NGO, Human Rights Watch, just came out with a report falsely accusing Israel of being an apartheid state, please deal with that organization as per Numbers 24:9b.

    • Thank You for Israel's UN and US Ambassador Gilad Erdan who speaks against this and against all other lies that are vomited out in that modern global tower of Babel (Psa. 80:17; Acts 26:25).

    • Raise up more voices within Israel's government to stand strongly with him (Acts 2:14a).

    • Wake up the South African Church to denounce this diminishing and distortion of the real crime of apartheid (Est. 4:14).

    • Lord, may it be shouted from the rooftops that Israel is the only nation in all of history that has taken black people out of Africa [Ethiopian Jews] to set them free – from dictators, famine, war, poverty and slavery– and to help them to become an integral part of Israel's society (Gen. 12:2; 18:8).

  6. Security- external: Israel is coming to grips with the fact that the US Biden administration will re-enter the Iranian nuclear deal, and is preparing for the fruit of that. Of course, knowing the Bible, this American appeasement of Iran will be much worse for America than for Israel.

    • For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel as God restores it in the last days], shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.Isa. 60:12

    • In the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US, show Israel what is going on behind the scenes and then guide it to know how to prepare and when needed, how to respond (Job 12:22).

    • Lord God Almighty, we ask You to rule over these negotiations (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Lord, break all traps set for Israel in any agreements between Iran and the nations (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • Let a godly caution descend on Israel's government in its attitude and relations with US President Biden and all of his administration (Psa. 118:8-9).

    • Give Israel wisdom to know with whom to share the intelligence data they gather, and to recognize that the current American administration and its State Department is not pro-Zionist (Heb. 5:14).

    • We ask You to show Israel how to correctly analyze all the intelligence it gathers (Jer. 51:15).

    • Even in the midst of Israel's political chaos, grant that the political leadership be in unity with the military leadership on when and how to act to protect Your nation (2 Kin 6:12).

    • Thank You for IDF Chief of Staff, Avi Kochavi, who, as a direct answer to our prayers, prepares the IDF to fight the next war, and not the last one (Isa. 26:6, 11-12).

    • Thank You that according to Micah 4:11-13, although nations plan to destroy Israel – You are still in control and are setting a trap for them. So prepare Israel to arise and thresh and use the outcome, as we read in verse 13, totally for Your glory!

    • Lord God, continue to shake up Iran – physically, socially, and politically (Job 9:1-8).

    • Shake up Iran spiritually as well during Ramadan, by saving multitudes of Iranians, (Rev. 7:9-10).

    • Dry up all Iranian resources that it uses for anything other than caring for its people (Jam. 5:1-6).

    • Cut all ties between Iran and Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and all its other proxies (Psa. 55:9).

    • Watch over Jeremiah 16:19-21 in this Shabbat's prophetic portion in relation to the Iranians.

    • Teach the Iranian Church how to pray for their nation and government (Luke 11:1; 1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • Give Israel great wisdom in its relations with Saudi Arabia and Russia (Psa. 23:5).

  7. The Israeli Messianic Body is in the midst of growing pains. The good news from this is that there is an Israeli Body and it is growing and maturing.

    • Lord Yeshua, we thank You for building Your Body in Israel today (Matt. 16:18).

    • In these confusing days, lead Your Body to turn to Your Word for its guidance (Jer. 15:16).

    • Teach us to filter the news through Your Word and not vice-versa (Psa. 119:97-100).

    • Abba, grace us to trust You, especially when we do not understand what You are doing (Prov. 3:5).

    • Thank You that You are always faithful because that is Your nature (2 Tim. 2:13).

    • Work in us so that we allow You to truly rule over us as our King, Judge and Lawgiver (Isa. 33:22).

    • Lord, we pray this prayer, which ends this Shabbat's prophetic portion, for the Israeli Body: Heal me, YHWH, and I shall be healed. Save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise. (Jer. 17:14)

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Israel

For the IFI team