1. Praise:

   Shabbat's Torah portion restarts the reading cycle with Genesis. The most vital and foundational verse in all of the Word is Genesis 1:1. If it were not there, and if it were not true, then the rest of the Bible would not have a solid foundation. After all, if God is not the Creator – then He is not God and He cannot do what He has promised. Progressive revelation in scripture depends on what has been revealed before, so Genesis 1:1's revelation which opens the Bible gives a solid theological footing to all that follows [see Jer. 32:17 below as just one example of this].

   • You, God, created everything – in every realm of existence – and for that we praise You (Gen. 1:1).

   • As You are the Creator, we proclaim that "nothing is too difficult for You:" (Jer. 32:17; cp. 32:27).

   • We stand in awe seeing that since You exist outside of time, You already know – and at times even tell us – the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:9-10; John 13:19).

   • We bless You for still being deeply involved with Your creation (Psa. 136:23-26; 147:9).

   • The heavens declare God's glory, and the earth shows forth the work of His hands. (Psa. 19:1) This Psalm tells us that You have given mankind two basic witnesses of You awesome majesty – creation (19:6) and Your Word (19:7-8). We praise You for the beauty and encouragement of both of them.

   • We thank You for the revelation of the incredible truth that we have been created in Your image and therefore we have not descended from some slime ball in a mud pit (Gen. 1:27-28; 9:6).

   • We praise You that just as we are seen as righteous through of Your grace, Noah was also, by Your grace, seen as righteous in his generation (Gen. 6:8-9; Rom. 5:17; Gal. 2:21).

   • But now thus says YHWH who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, 'Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are Mine. (Isa. 43:1) Amen!

2. US-Israel relations:

   According to most of Israel's mainstream media, Israel must repair its relationship with US President Biden's Democratic Party. Of course, this is all former PM Bibi Netanyahu's fault who, like Trump in America, is the scapegoat for all the problems that the current government faces. Yet today there is a radical group of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel Democrats – the "Squad" – who get way more attention than they should in America's mainstream media, and so have more influence than they should. Historically, it has always been a small radical group of committed fanatics who rise up to rule over the majority of moderate, lukewarm, citizens. We prayed for the US Church not to fall asleep or to be diverted from this existential issue of their leaders cursing Israel.

   • Lord Yeshua, wake up Your Body in America to the "Squad" and its associates who are widening the door for Your judgment to hit that nation even more severely (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 60:12).

   • With the Biden administration undoing so much of the good that Trump did in the area of US-Israel relations, please anoint Your Body in the US to stand in the gap, crying out for mercy (Ezek. 22:30).

   • Stir up many believing American politicians to understand this danger and to pray and also do what they can to enable You to have mercy in the midst of judgment (Hab. 3:2; Jam. 2:13).

   • Do not allow any issue to divert or distract the US Body from what is biblically the #1 reason for a nation being judged – cursing Your people and dividing Your land (Jer. 10:25; 51:24; Joel. 3:1-2).

   • Help all of us to interpret the world through Your Word and not vice-versa (Psa. 36:9; 119:130).

   • Lord, wake up all of Israel's leaders to understand the dangerous undercurrents in today's US-Israel relations (Isa. 36:6; Ezek. 29:6-7).

   • Hedge in Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid from being totally subservient to America, or to any other nation, and instead give him a sense of Your calling on Your nation (Num. 23:9a).

   • If the "Squad" will aid Israel to cut all unbiblical ties with the US and instead, look to You – then we say "Amen" and ask for prayer guidance for both Israeli and American believers (Amos 3:7).

3. Government:

   Israel's leaders must be set free from the fear of man and inundated by the fear of God. They also need to be shielded from the very prevalent and dangerous spirit of Humanism that has overtaken most Western thinking and goals. This spirit actively opposes God and His Word. [Obviously, this introduction applies to each one of us in the Body of Messiah as well.]

   • Lord, let Your fear permeate the hearts and minds of Israel's political leaders (Job 28:28).

   • Raise up advisors for them who will constantly remind them of Your Word (Deut. 8:6; Prov. 15:22).

   • Let Your priorities become the priorities of the current coalition (Psa. 33:10-11; Prov. 19:21).

   • Block Israel's current government from enacting anything not in Your will and help them to enact all that is pleasing unto You (Prov. 21:1).

   • As Israel's leaders get overwhelmed with all of the serious issues that they face – remind them of the Psalm in which the author is also overwhelmed and so cries out to You for help (Psa. 61:1-2).

   • While there were some good things PM Naftali Bennett said in his UN speech this past week, he was definitely not as confrontational or prophetic as ex-PM Netanyahu. Lord, is this Your will (Job 8:2)?

   • We thank You that he stressed the dangers of Iranian activity today and how much more dangerous it would become if that nation gained nuclear weapons (Psa. 35:17-21).

   • Abba, let the same spirit that helped Netanyahu stand firmly against America rejoining the evil Iran deal come upon Bennett, and then make him bold to proclaim it every chance he gets (Num. 11:25).

   • Rebuke Bennett for airing internal issues between him and the Israeli Health Ministry before the world in the UN and then again when he was speaking to the press (Prov. 6:16, 19b).

   • We thank You that Bennet did not bring up the Palestinian issue (Prov. 10:7; Eccl. 8:10).

   • If Israel's current right-wing/left-wing/Islamic-fundamentalist governing coalition keeps Your nation from being as strong and courageous as it should, then quickly bring it down (Job 12:12-14, 17-25).

   • Forbid the coalition from doing – or refraining from doing – anything solely on the basis of "we are not like Bibi" (Luke 9:62)!

   • Download Your solution to Israel on how to deal with the coronavirus crisis (Prov. 16:9).

   • Give political and medical leaders ears to hear Your instructions (Psa. 32:8-9; Prov. 5:7; 22:17).

   • Blow away all the confusion that has come from various medical experts and many statistics – and let Your solution and guidance lead Israel through this valley of the shadow of death (Psa. 23:3-4).

   • Shield the educational system and the teachers from any ungodly coronavirus regulations which will prevent them from teaching Israel's children and university students (Isa. 54:13).

   • Thank You for all of the Covid remedies currently being developed in Israel (Zech. 8:13).

   • Help them to come to the market quickly without any obstacles from either government regulations or roadblocks from big pharmacy companies (Isa. 62:10).

4. Security – internal:

   The IDF disrupted major Hamas terrorist plans which were being plotted in Judea and Samaria. There were some terrorists killed and a few IDF soldiers were injured. It is now being reported that the IDF will increase this activity as the Palestinian Authority [PA] security forces have backed off in resisting Hamas. While these pro-active moves by Israel are necessary and a partial answer to prayer, if the end-goal is to leave the PA in charge, then this activity is not sufficient nor is it God's will which is that Israel would extend its sovereignty over all of Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and even the Gaza Strip – thus possessing the PA's area as well.

   • YHWH is King forever and ever: unbelieving gentiles are perished out of His land.Psa. 10:16

   • Send that angel who confronted the tribes of Israel in Judges 2:1-5 to confront Israel again today.

   • Lord, let Your fear permeate the hearts and minds of Israel's military leaders (Eccl. 12:13).

   • Raise up advisors for them who will constantly remind them of Your Word (Deut.11:25; Josh. 10:8).

   • Reveal to Israeli leaders that only by possessing all of their God-given inheritance will there be true peace and safety (Obad. 1:17).

   • Let Your priorities become the priorities of the political and military leadership (John 7:17).

   • Psalm 44 relates that Israel never conquered the land by itself since it was always You using Israel's armies. Do the same today and we will give You all of the praise and the glory (Psa. 44:1-8).

   • Thank You for the effective pre-emption by the IDF of Hamas' demonic plans (Isa. 41:15-16).

   • Continue providing Israel all the actionable intelligence it needs to stop every attack (Job 34:21-22).

   • Protect Israelis who live and travel in Judea and Samaria – which is exactly where You have drawn them back to be (Jer. 31:3-5; Ezek. 36:8-12; Zech. 12:5-7).

   • Bring more Israelis to settle in all of the land that You have given to Your people (Jer. 32:42-44).

   • Hold PM Bennett to his promise that under his leadership settlements will grow (Amos 9:14-15).

   • Lord, pour out Your mercy and guidance to increase road safety in all of Israel (Psa. 12:5; 32:8).

   • Miraculously give to Israeli drivers patience, consideration of others and an ability to think ahead.

5. Security – external:

   We are so grateful, and trust in the reality that God is totally in control. This is especially true when it seems that no one in the world wants to deal with Iran militarily to stop their progress towards developing nuclear weapons – except Israel. One would think that after Hitler at least some nations would pay attention to radical regimes who openly declare that their goal is to wipe out the Jewish people and to annihilate the Jewish State. As this is definitely not the case, we are faced with one more reason not hope or trust in man (Psa. 118:8-9).

   • Lord, arise! Defend Israel against its enemies as it says in Shabbat's prophetic portion: YHWH will go forth as a Mighty Man; He shall stir up jealousy as a Man of war: He shall cry, yes, roar; He shall prevail against His enemies. 'I have held My peace for a long time; I have been still, and refrained Myself: now…I will destroy and devour at once. (Isa. 42:13-14; cp. Ex. 15:3; Rev. 19:11-16)

   • Lord God, Iran has Israel surrounded: Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza in the south; Hizbullah in Lebanon in the north; Iranian proxies in Syria, Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen. Yet none of this has taken You by surprise, therefore we ask You to once again fight for Your people (Psa. 35:1; 44:4).

   • Cause Iran's economy to crash – yet have mercy on many Iranian citizens (Psa. 89:13-14).

   • Send Your Spirit and pluck out a harvest from among these terrorist groups and nations (Matt. 5:44).

   • An Iranian general just said that Iran has six armies at their disposal in the Middle East. While this is true, we recall what Micah 4:11-13 states and ask You to spring Your trap in Your perfect timing.

   • Break the bonds that tie these anti-Christ enemies together and so discourage them that at least some of their people come to know You (Psa. 83:9-18).

   • Expose all the plots that Iran, and Israel's other foes, are planning against Your nation (Obad. 1:6).

   • As in biblical days, set Israel's enemies against each other (Judg. 7:22; 2 Chr. 20:22-23).

   • Send forth supernatural terror and fear and confusion on all of Your/Israel's enemies (Psa. 70:2).

   • Release all of the weapons at Your disposal to deal with this Iranian threat, and when it is all over, we ask that You alone – and not the IDF – will receive the glory (Ex. 7:14-16; Psa. 115:1-3).

   • Reinforce the angelic hosts who are guarding this nation wherever they may need it (Psa. 34:7).

   • Let a spirit of paranoia and distrust sprout up in the minds of the leaders of Russia and China against the Iranian leadership, especially with Iran's new radical Shi'ite President Raisi.

   • Aid Israel's military industries to develop and quickly manufacture new offensive and defensive weapons – especially in the area of laser weaponry (Prov. 4:18; Isa. 60:1).

   • As You say in Shabbat's prophetic portion, be Israel's Savior in every way conceivable (Isa. 43:3-4).

6. Aliyah & salvation:

   As these are intimately linked in Scripture, praying for one or the other stirs up God to answer both. For example, in Jeremiah 31:6-7 the "watchmen' ["notzrim," which in Modern Hebrew is the word for "Christian"] are told by God to pray for the salvation of the remnant of Israel (31:7). And how does He answer? By bringing many of His people back home (31:8-9)!

   • As Your people in exile read Shabbat's prophetic portion, quicken Isaiah 43:5-7 to them so that wherever they may be geographically they will see that You are speaking to them.

   • Use the current government to make coming home easier for Jews of all backgrounds (Isa. 62:10).

   • Help Israel's government to push aside all the bureaucracy which so often blocks the building of affordable housing for both the new immigrants and also for veteran Israelis (Like 6:24; Jam. 5:1).

   • Frighten the exile out of many Western Jews (Jer. 16:16).

   • May the results of German's recent elections, which seem to have given more power to some anti-Israel left-wing German politicians, stir up the Jews there to come home (Jer. 51:9-10).

   • Use the anti-Semitic machinations of the Democrat's "Squad" and their associates to shake up liberal Jews in America to flee while they still can bring their "silver and gold" with them (Isa. 60:8-9).

   • As Your people read in the prophetic portion that Messiah was to be both a covenant to the Jews and a light to the gentiles, let them see the reality of Yeshua fulfilling that today (Isa. 42:6; Luke 2:32).

   • Lord, open up the eyes of the blind Jews and set them free from all wrong rabbinic interpretations which blind them to the truth of who You are (Isa. 42:7, 16).

   • Encourage more Notzrim to persistently pray for Israel's salvation and restoration (Luke 18:1).

   • Thank You for every Christian pro-aliyah organization which is helping to carry Your people back home on their shoulders as per Isaiah 49:22.

   • Let the love that they show to You and Your people provoke Jewish people to jealousy (Rom. 11:11)

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team