1. Praise:

    Shabbat's Torah portion begins Joseph's story. It teaches us that whether we end up as servants in a rich man's house or being falsely accused and thrust into jail – God remains with us.

    • …behold, I [Yeshua] am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen.Matt. 28:20

    • There is no place where we can hide from You, and we praise You for that truth (Psa. 139:7-14).

    • Thank You for loving us so much that You watch over us all of the time – whether we sense Your presence or not (Psa. 121:3).

    • We bless You that even when we are confused and depressed, You are still there (Luke 24:15-17)

    • Looking back, we often can see how You worked in us for Your glory and our good (Rom. 8:28).

    • What a relief to know that despite all the chaos and confusion today – You reign (Isa. 52:7)!

    • With joy we confess You, Messiah Yeshua, as King of kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:11-16).

    • Thank You Abba for revealing to us that our prayers are acceptable and pleasing in Your sight as we are now seen as righteous in Messiah Yeshua (Prov. 15:8b, 29b; Isa. 45:24-25; 2 Cor. 5:21).

    • Lord, we praise You because You are good and Your covenant-love endures forever (Psa. 107:1).

    • Thank You for Your patience in helping us to work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12b-13).

    • Yeshua, the Father has placed us in Your hands, and in You we are secure (John 10:28-29; 17:12).

    • Thank You for giving us a living hope through Your resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3).

  2. Government:

    The more we read of how Israel's current government operates, the more we grieve as so much of what it aims to do is anti-biblical. Is it time for the government – which is led by politicians who betrayed their voters – to be brought down?

    • Shabbat's prophetic portion has a verse which describes Israel's government perfectly: Can two walk together unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3) Lord, they do not agree, so end it in Your timing.

    • Lord God, this is a coalition of many "kings." Please direct them to do Your will (Prov. 21:1).

    • While this government remains in office, rein it in from all disastrous decisions (Prov. 22:12).

    • Speak clearly to Israel's politicians – in the coalition as well as the opposition – of how they need to place the good of Israel ahead of their personal ambitions (Lev. 19:17-18).

    • Lord, please prevent Foreign Minister Yair Lapid from becoming prime minister (Psa. 75:6-7).

    • Deal with the idols and stumbling blocks that many of Israel's current leaders have set up in their hearts, which make You furious – and in mercy turn them from this grievous sin (Ezek. 14:3-6).

    • Remove the idolatry of power, stripping politicians of their addiction to it (2 Chr. 31:1; Luke 8:29).

    • Confront those who insist on calling good evil and evil good and put darkness for light (Isa. 5:20).

    • May all the good you intend to bring about through this government be accomplished (Josh. 21:45).

    • Bless and use every politician who wants to do that which is right in Your sight (Prov. 14:34).

    • Guide the coalition to make godly decisions as they deal with Israel's medical system.

    • If there is not enough money budgeted for the medical system, Lord multiply it (2 Cor. 9:10).

    • Block the authorities from mandating the Covid-19 vaccine for anyone (1 Tim. 2:1-3).

    • All guidelines that are not in line with Your will, please amend them quickly (Lam. 3:37).

    • Give parents wisdom as to whether their children should get vaccinated (Psa. 78:4; Eph. 6:4).

    • The coalition has made a promise to lower housing costs. Hold them to it Lord (Nah. 1:15b).

    • Let all corruption be rooted out of Israel's construction and housing industries (Ex. 20:16-17).

    • May many more houses be built in the Negev, the Golan Heights, the Jordan Valley and all other areas of Your land in order that Your word will be fulfilled (Jer. 32:42-44; 33:12-13).

    • Shut the mouths of anyone – Israeli or foreigner – who rails against the building up of Your land (Dan. 6:22) and give Israel courage to just do it (Ezra 4:1-3; Jer. 31:4; Ezek. 36:10; Amos 9:14).

    • Allow for adequate infrastructure to be part of the planning for new buildings (Luke 6:48).

    • Regardless of how we view this coalition, we ask You to watch over Romans 8:28 with it.

  3. Jerusalem:

    America still wants to reopen their consulate for the Palestinians – which was in West Jerusalem. This would re-divide the city and while it can only be done legally with Israel's consent, rumors out of the White House say that the US will do this regardless of what Israel says.

    • As Jerusalem is Your city, and Israel is its steward, forbid any man-made division of it (Psa. 48:2).

    • We proclaim to all who would interfere with what Israel is doing in accord with God's will in Jerusalem, The God of heaven, He will prosper [Israel]; therefore [Israelis] His servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:20b)

    • Lord, prevent the reopening of a US consulate, and instead, in Your good pleasure do good to Zion, by building up and protecting Jerusalem (Psa. 51:18).

    • Bring Biden's schemes over Jerusalem to nothing (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Shame all the US Democratic politicians who are anti-Zionist and rage against Israel (Psa. 6:10).

    • Continue, in Your zeal, to watch over and fulfill all of Your Word in Zechariah 8:1-8.

    • We read that the building up of Jerusalem heralds the return of the Lord (Psa. 102:16). Do not allow anyone or anything delay that blessed event.

    • Build all of the new Jerusalem neighborhoods despite the opposition from the world – including the E1 corridor [east of the city], Atarot [to the north], and Givat Hamatos [in the south] (Psa. 147:2).

    • Lord, as has just been reported, if PM Bennett is going to hinder the building of Atarot jut to please Biden, we ask that You would hinder Bennett from continuing as Israel's leader (Dan. 2:21a).

    • Let all of Jerusalem and its daughters [suburbs] be built in such a way that younger couples will be attracted to it and will be able to afford to live here.

    • Open up a way for the city of Jerusalem to buy back property that is owned by many of the major Church denominations of the world (Lev. 25:13; Prov. 22:28).

  4. Security:

    We prayed specifically for the IDF and Israel's military industry. The IDF's chief artillery officer said that past wars involved three dimensions: land, sea and air, but now three more dimensions have been added: cyber, underground and electromagnetic. Israel needs to be at the cutting edge of each one of these six "dimensions".

    • We are blessed to be witnesses of Your faithfulness in watching over Your Word and creating an exceeding great army out from the graves of the Holocaust (Jer. 1:12; Ezek. 37:10).

    • Anoint Israel to remain at the cutting edge of militarily development, especially in those new areas of cyberwarfare, underground tactics, electromagnetic offense and defense – and we would add in the swiftly developing area of quantum computing (Prov. 8:12).

    • Let Israel's army and its military industries strive to be totally self-sufficient from depending in other nations – but forbid that Israel would ever think it can be self-sufficient from You (Isa. 30:1-2; 31:1).

    • Do not allow the IDF to put too much trust in its advanced military robots (Psa. 20:6-9).

    • We trust You and not the IDF's weapons – yet we thank You for all of them (Isa. 41:15-16).

    • In Your anointing let Israel's pilots, soldiers and sailors use these weapons efficiently (Judg. 15:15).

    • Strengthen Israel's submarine unit and guide their geographic placement (Psa. 107:23-31).

    • Thank You for the increase in the IDF's budget (Psa. 36:8; 2 Cor. 9:8).

    • Protect these finances, reduce all waste, and use them for their designated purposes (1 Cor. 4:2).

    • May the planned increase in training for reserve soldiers be super effective (Psa. 18:34).

    • Increase the cooperation and communication between the various IDF divisions (1 Chr. 13:1-2).

    • Guard the morals of the IDF soldiers and build up true friendships so that those who serve will be both strengthened and encouraged (Num. 23:10; Deut. 6:25).

    • Let all believers in the IDF be paired with other believers in their service (Mark 6:7).

    • Lord, anoint the believers in Israel's army to be bold and under Your direction, to use the various gifts of the Spirit as and when needed (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-14).

  5. Internal security:

    Again, we believe that ultimate security will only come when Israel extends its sovereignty over all of the land which God has promised to it. Unfortunately, there is no way that this could happen under the current coalition government – except by miraculous intervention.

    • Lord, arise and stir up some Israeli leaders to push for the extension of Israeli sovereignty over – if not all of the land – at least a little bit more than is under its sovereignty today (Deut. 7:22).

    • Father, we ask for You to comfort the family and friends of the Israeli who was murdered and the three Israelis who were injured in the terror attack in Jerusalem's Old City this past week (2 Cor. 1:3).

    • Use this attack to wake up Israelis – especially in Jerusalem – to be more alert (Neh. 4:9).

    • Give divine wisdom to the security forces to prevent further attacks (Psa. 44:4).

    • In line with the above prayer, we bless and praise You that Israel's security forces uncovered and captured a large Hamas terror cell over the past several months (Psa. 44:5-7).

    • Give them more successes like this one in uncovering and neutralizing terrorists (Job 34:21-22).

    • Show Israel's security forces how to deal with any Arab citizens who act as traitors during a war and sides with the enemy, causing riots and disruptions inside of the nation (Psa. 55:9; Eccl. 8:11).

    • Protect Israel's security forces physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually (Psa. 121:4).

    • Do not allow Israel to be deceived into thinking that only Hamas is its enemy – when the Palestinian Authority desires to see Israel wiped off the map as well (Psa. 55:19-21; 83:1-4).

    • Lord God, confront strongly all government coalition members who are encouraging other nations to give money to that anti-Zionist, terror-supporting, Palestinian Authority (Isa. 14:29-32).

  6. External security:

    This Monday [Nov. 29th], the "P5+1"– the five permanent UN Security Council members + Germany – will meet with Iran to try to resurrect that super-dangerous nuclear deal orchestrated by ex-US President Obama with the Islamic Republic. Israel is very concerned because most likely only Israel will be willing to initiate at a military response to stop the development of a nuclear device that will empower the radical Shi'ite regime in Iran.

    • As the P5+1 negotiate with Iran, prepare Israel to know what to do and when to do it (Prov. 16:9).

    • Provide Israel with all it needs to stop Iran whose repeated aim is to destroy it (Prov. 21:31).

    • Show Israel how to deal with Iran's proxies Hizbullah and Hamas, even by pre-emption, as they will be commanded to attack Israel when it attacks Iran.

    • Lord, arise against Iran's leaders which continually fight and curse Your people (Psa. 35:1-8).

    • Use the arrogance of Iran's current regime to draw it into Your deadly trap (Prov. 16:18).

    • Let the regime's constant cursing against Israel fall back on their own heads (Num. 24:9b).

    • When Iran's Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, who is reportedly very sick dies, let confusion and chaos overtake the remaining leadership – and let it impact all of their proxies as well (Psa. 129:5).

    • Stop Iran's money train, and all monies that have been released to it, burn it all up (Rev. 16:16-18).

    • Thank You for the large earthquakes shaking parts of Iran in recent weeks (Job 38:12-13; Isa. 2:19).

    • We rejoice as we read about the large demonstrations against Iran's regime in a major Iranian city. Lord, use this and others like it to bring down that wicked leadership (Jer. 49:38b).

    • Set the Iranian people free from a government that is driven by the Spirit of Islam (Job 39:5).

    • Raise up a new Iranian leader who like Cyrus, will be appointed for Your purposes (Isa. 44:28-45:4).

    • Send laborers into the harvest and gather millions of Iranians into Your Kingdom (Luke 10:2).

    • Thank You for the signing of a military pact between Israel and Morocco, bringing this relationship which has been under the table for years – out into the light today (Prov. 27:10a).

    • Bless Morocco and its people with a genuine move of Your Spirit and save multitudes (Num. 24:9b).

  7. Aliyah & salvation:

    Praying for aliyah – for Jews in exile to immigrate to Israel – is also praying for their salvation as "all Israel" gets saved in the land (see Zech. 12:10 for example).

    • We thank You for the report that because of an increase in anti-Semitism, about a third of the Jewish leaders in the EU are preparing to leave – with many aiming to come to Israel (Jer. 16:16).

    • For Your name's sake draw, or drive, Your people in exile back to Israel (Jer. 31:3; Ezek. 36:24).

    • Over Chanukah allow the spirit of the Maccabees to fall on the Jews in exile and set them free from that enticing spirit of humanism which traps them outside of Your land (Zech. 9:13).

    • Use the concern – even fear – of Jews to publically exhibit the Chanukiah [the Chanukah lampstand] at this time as another wake-up call to get them to realize it is time to return to Zion (Jer. 50:4-5).

    • Let Jews both in exile and in Israel stop trying to assimilate and be liked by the gentiles and instead grace them to embrace their calling to be a nation apart from all the other nations (Num. 23:9b).

    • Remove every roadblock of whatever sort there is in Israel that would prevent a smooth and joyful homecoming for Your scattered people (Isa. 62:10; Jer. 31:10).

    • Let the Jews who have "silver and gold" come home with their wealth, yet regardless of any Jew's financial situation, Lord bring all of Your people back home soon (Isa. 43:5-7; 60:9).

    • Place a burden on many more believers in the Church to support the restoration of Your nation in every way possible (Isa. 49:22; 60:3-12; 61:5).

  8. Water:

    The rains are coming slowly and prayer is needed for the heavens to open over His land and to bless His people.

    • Thank You for the gentle rains that fell in Israel this past week (Isa. 55:10).

    • We ask for enough rain to completely fill up the Sea of Galilee and the aquifers  (Lev. 26:4).

    • Use this rain to restore all the areas of the land that were damaged by arson (Deut. 11:11-12).

We appreciate your prayers for IFI's finances and again thank you as you continue to pray for us.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team