1. Praise:

   Shabbat's Torah portion reminds us that the God we serve and worship is absolutely sovereign in heaven and on earth and is Lord of all.

   • Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is YHWH your God's, the earth also, with all that is in it. Only YHWH had a delight in your fathers to love them, and He chose their descendants after them – even you above all people – as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and no longer be stubborn, for YHWH your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, mighty, and awesome…Deut. 10:14-17a

   • We bless You that You are in total control as the Lord of both heaven and earth (Matt. 11:25).

   • Although Satan is called the god of this "age" (2 Cor. 4:4) – You reign over all (Psa. 96:10; 103-19).

   • In Shabbat's prophetic portion You encourage us to trust You even when we do not understand what is happening: Who is there among you that fears YHWH, that obeys the voice of His Servant, yet walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of YHWH, and lean upon his God. (Isa. 50:10; cp. Prov. 3:5).

   • We praise You for encouraging us to live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).

   • We trust in Your ways and thoughts which are much higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9).

   • What a comfort to know that You are alive and actually hears our prayers (Jer. 10:10; 1 Thess. 1:9).

   • We bless You for always being the perfect Father to us (Deut. 8:5; Heb. 12:5-8).

   • We rejoice that You, Lord Yeshua, are interceding for us even right now (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).

   • We trust You to guide our prayers in these very confusing and chaotic times (Psa. 10:17).

   • You are so good to have given us Your prophetic Word – our light in dark times (2 Pet. 1:19).

   • From Shabbat's Torah portion: He is Your praise, and He is Your God; He has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen…Therefore you shall love YHWH your God, and keep His charge, and statutes, His judgments, and commandments, always. (Deut. 10:21, 11:1)

2. Israel's Government:

   So many of Israel's existential issues failed to bring any unity out of this government coalition, yet Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream did! Actually, this call by B&J's to boycott Israelis in Judea and Samaria is very serious as boycotting Jews has historically always been the first thing that anti-Semites legislated. Still, there are other vital issues that need to be dealt with by this very fragmented and fragile government.

   • We know You are in control despite what we see in Israel's government today (Dan. 4:17b, 25b).

   • Lord, remember all our prayers and use this government for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3).

   • Lord, how long can the government blame all of Israel's problems on ex-PM Bibi Netanyahu? They wanted him gone; he's gone! Now let them take the responsibility and govern (Prov. 8:15).

   • We ask You to hedge them in from doing anything that is not of You ((Job 5:12; Luke 1:51).

   • Yet use them to fulfill all that You have ordained for Israel at this time (2 Chr. 36:22; Isa. 14:24).

   • Do not let this multiple-personality coalition reign one second longer than ordained (Dan. 2:21-22a).

   • Use any anti-biblical moves of Israel's coalition to cause God-fearing Israelis to pray (Psa. 50:15).

   • Let PM Naftali Bennett return to his Zionistic roots and to stand firm there (1 Kin. 18:21).

   • Stir up members from Yamina, his own party, to encourage him to do just this (Prov. 12:15; 19:20).

   • Lord, please forgive Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who in total ignorance of Jewish history, blamed the rise of global antisemitism on Bibi and Israel's lack of effective public relations (Num. 15:28)!

   • Bring someone to him who will teach him the reality of this ancient hatred (Ezek. 35:5; Acts 18:26).

   • Muzzle him and forbid any of his anti-biblical schemes from bearing fruit (Zech. 2:13).

   • Yeshua, Lord, save Lapid before he does any more damage to Israel (Acts 9:1-6).

   • Thank You for making all things to work for the good of Your chosen as this B&J's issue has caused many Jews and gentiles to stand in support of Israel in Judea and Samaria (Isa. 61:5; Ezek. 36:36).

   • Guard Your land and nation from those desiring to delegitimize Israel's right to exist (Jer. 31:35-37).

   • Show the government how to deal wisely with the Israel-made spyware Pegasus program that some nations have used in ways which were against their agreements with NSO, the Israeli company that produced and sold them the program.

   • Let truth prevail as Israel investigates NSO and its dealings (Psa. 33:4; 60:4)

   • Lord, why is Israel blamed because nations and entities are using this spyware in questionable ways. Do people blame knife manufacturers for all knife related murders? (Isa. 59:14-15; Jer. 9:3).

   • Do not let Israel grovel before the world in anyway – especially with such unjust accusations as what we are hearing from these hypocritical nations over this program (Deut. 28:13).

   • Shabbat's Torah portion reminds us that You give Your nation an ability to gain wealth so that You can establish Your covenant which You swore to Israel's fathers (Deut. 8:18). So we pray that Finance Minister Liberman and the rest of Israel's coalition will pass a budget that will accomplish this.

   • Allow all budgetary changes that are in line with Your will to pass (Prov. 21:1).

3. Israel & America:

   Reports of how US President Biden's administration is dealing with Israel are very alarming – for America! They've told Israel to not build in Judea and Samaria, its biblical heartland, because they want to see "Palestine" created on God's land. They also want to reopen their Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem which will, in effect, re-divide Israel's capital, as well as other anti-Israel decisions that come forth from Washington.

   • As dealing anti-biblically with Israel brings a curse, wake up the America Church to understand that this is the determining factor as to whether the US will be blessed or cursed (Num. 24:9b; Joel 3:1-2).

   • Open their ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying about Israel today (Jer. 32:41; Rev. 3:22).

   • Reveal the true agenda of the people in power in America as they deal with Israel (1 Sam. 16:7).

   • Help PM Bennett be prepared for his meeting with Biden in August, bringing him wise counsel and giving him a heart to hear that counsel, while blocking pride from deceiving him (Prov. 15:22).

   • Place on Bennett and his counselors that same spirit that was on the sons of Issachar (1 Chr. 12:32).

   • Give him boldness to warn Biden and the US against interfering with Your nation (Psa. 105:13-15).

   • Replace the fear of man and the lust for power with the fear of God in Bennett (Prov. 29:25-26).

   • Anoint Gilad Erdan, Israel's Ambassador to American and the UN to be a godly voice to Bennett.

4. Security – external:

   Iran is the existential threat to Israel. But we include Hizbullah in Lebanon, and the EU and America's resistance to Israel expanding in Judea and Samaria in line with God's Word, as other modern foes.

   • God, in Shabbat's prophetic portion You declare, I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children. I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunk with their own blood…and all flesh shall know that I, YHWH, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isa. 49:25b-26; cp. Psa. 35:1). Lord, fulfill Your Word today (Jer. 1:12).

   • Show Israel's government that protecting this nation must be its top priority (Rom. 13:1-4).

   • Let the IDF know how to respond if Russia takes a more aggressive stance to defend Syrian airspace against Israel attacks targeting Iranian and Hizbullah activity (Psa. 44:4-7; Isa. 41:14-16).

   • If these strikes against Iran in Syria are still from You, may the IDF continue to attack (Prov. 21:31).

   • If not, give Israel new strategy to prevent Iranian incursions on its borders (2 Sam. 5:24).

   • Lord, aid Israel to gather accurate intelligence on what Iran and its proxies are planning against Your nation in all areas bordering Your nation – in Lebanon, Syria and in the Gaza Strip (2 Kin. 6:12).

   • Thank You for hindering America's attempts to reenter the evil Iranian nuclear deal (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Let the true extent of the reportedly massive damage from all the recent attacks against Iran's nuclear program come to the light (Job 12:22; 28:11b; 34:21-22; 42:2).

   • Move sovereignly against Iran's nuclear program, so that Iranians will truly fear You (Psa. 9:19-20).

   • May the arrogance and pride of Iran's leaders lead them to overextend their resources (Rev. 18:7-8).

   • Thank You for how You have been answering our persistent prayers, as we see Iran in desperate shape in so many areas: severe drought; massive water shortages; economic nosedive; social unrest with large demonstrations against their current wicked leadership, and more (Jer. 49:35-38).

   • Strengthen Your Body in Iran, showing them how to pray for their nation's rulers (1Tim. 2:1-4).

   • Miraculously bring about Your order out of the chaos that is consuming Lebanon (Gen. 1:2).

   • Use this chaos to destroy Hizbullah's reputation and power in Lebanon (Prov. 16:18: Isa. 2:11).

   • Break up this terrorist organization from within, destroying their hierarchy (Luke 11:17).

   • Overturn every plot Hizbullah has planned against Israel (Prov. 17:19).

   • Have mercy on many Lebanese civilians, and remove from them their hatred of Israel (1 Kin. 5:1).

   • Exorcise from the Lebanese Church all spirits of antisemitism and anti-Zionism ((Psa. 51:2).

   • Teach them how to pray for their nation and its government (Luke 11:1).

   • Protect and guide all Israeli spies and collaborators in the Middle East (Psa. 91:14; Isa. 33:16).

5. Security – internal:

   It is time for Israel to extend its sovereignty over all of the land that God has given it. Shabbat's Torah portion mentions God swearing to give the land to Israel several times.

   • All the commandments I command you this day observe to do them, that you may live, multiply, and go in to possess the land which YHWH swore to your fathers.Deut. 8:1; 7:13; 11:8-9

   • Lord, this is a land that You care for (Deut. 11:12), which You gave to Israel to be stewards over for Your holy name's sake. Encourage Your nation to possess their rightful inheritance (Psa. 78:55).

   • Move in miraculous ways, even if it appears to be the worst time for Israel to do this (Isa. 44:6-8).

   • Thank You for letting Israel know in Shabbat's Torah portion that it did not get the land because of being so righteous, but because You would keep Your promise to Israel's forefathers (Deut. 9:4-6).

   • When Palestinian Authority President Abbas is finally removed from office, if Hamas taking over Judea and Samaria will force Israel's hand to have to extend its sovereignty over all of that area, please show us that this is of You so that we will not pray against it (Amos 3:7).

   • Lord, prepare the IDF to do everything needed to repossess all of Your land (Judg. 11:21-24).

   • Lord God, send another squadron of hornets to destroy all Palestinian terrorists (Deut. 7:20).

   • Forbid that Israel be afraid of dealing strongly with its Palestinian enemies because, as it says in Shabbat's Torah portion, You shall not be terrified of them, for YHWH your God is among you, a mighty God and terrible (Deut. 7:21).

   • Please prevent Israel from dividing Your land any further (Lev. 25:23; Prov. 22:28).

   • Encourage the right wing members of the government, especially PM Bennett, to resist a freeze on building in the settlements in Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and in Jerusalem (Neh. 2:20).

   • Abba, in Shabbat's Torah portion You said You would give Israel the land "little" by "little" so that it can effectively possess it (Deut. 7:22). We ask for another "little" part to be possessed soon.

   • Stop FM Yair Lapid from telling the world that he favors a "two-state solution" when You do not see that as an option for Your nation in anyway whatsoever (Lev. 25:23; Prov. 21:30).

   • Lord Yeshua, wake up the Western Church to see the judgments coming on their nations in relation to their governments efforts to divide Your land (Jer. 51:24; Ezek. 36:5; Joel 3:1-2).

   • Remove all influence that the NGO Human Rights Watch has as we heard their blasphemous anti-Israel bias when they just compared the terrorist group Hamas with the nation of Israel claiming that both committed war crimes in the recent conflict (Jer. 2:3).

6. Aliyah:

   We continue to pray into the regathering of Israel's scattered people because that is a prophecy that is fulfilled before the Lord returns. Also, aliyah brings glory to our God.

   • Fear not: for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, 'Give up'; and to the south, 'Keep not back. Bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth, even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him.Isa. 43:5-7

   • Lord, for Your holy name's sake release the Jews who are still captive in exile (Ezek. 36:21-24).

   • As we read in Shabbat's prophetic portion, bring Your people back home so that they can experience Your comfort, joy, gladness, and respond with thanksgiving and praise (Isa. 51:3).

   • We bless You for all the Jews who have returned and are now rooted in Your land (1 Kin.19:30).

   • Do not allow Israeli bureaucracy or coronavirus, or whatever, hinder aliyah in any way (Isa. 62:10).

   • Prepare many hearts of Jews in exile to hear You calling them home over the Fall Feasts which will be observed in September this year (Deut. 6:3-4).

   • Let Western Jews understand that they are transplanting their life – not their lifestyle (Jer. 50:4-8).

   • Lord, speak to many Jewish leaders in exile to lead their people home (Psa. 77:20).

   • Protect the Jews in the West, especially the younger generation, from the lies and blasphemies which are being spread about Your nation on how it protects itself from its enemies.

   • Let Israel's government open wide the doors for all Jews to come home and be settled (Jer. 32:41).

   • Use all Christian Zionists who are obeying Isaiah 49:22 to be like leaven in Your Body (Isa. 14:1-2).

Correction: The July 16th Prayer Alert was wrongly worded on the Israel's Supreme Court's decision concerning surrogacy for same sex couples. What the Supreme Court had decided was that same sex couples have a right to surrogacy services, which is against God's Word as anything to do with a gay lifestyle is not in line with God's will for humanity.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team