1. Praise:

    Shabbat's prophetic portion has a wonderful verse spoken to a pre-believing Israel! How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good-news [In Modern Hebrew – the gospel], that proclaims peace; that brings good-news of good, that proclaims salvation [yeshu'ah: the feminine form of Yeshua's name]; that says unto Zion, 'Your God reigns!' (Isa. 52:7)

    • Yes, Lord, You are Israel's God regardless of its spiritual condition as You have sovereignly chosen them because of Your love and in order to keep Your oath to their forefathers (Deut. 7:6-8; 10:14-15).

    • And regardless of whether people believe in You – You still reign (Psa. 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1)!

    • You are also the God and Father of all believers in Messiah Yeshua, and we are blessed to know that You reign on this earth today (Gen. 14:22; 2 Kin. 19:15; Dan. 4:35; Matt. 11:25a; Acts 17:24).

    • Lord Yeshua, we rejoice that the Father has given all authority over this world to You so that You are now King of kings and Lord of lords (Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 28:18; Acts 10:36; Rev. 19:16).

    • Thank You that Your Word reveals who You are – our Shield, our Fortress, our Shepherd – and so much more (Deut. 33:29; Psa. 18:2; 23:1; 80:1-2; Isa. 64:4).

    • In a world quickly changing and faced with the media's slanted reporting, we trust Your Word as the ultimate truth in the universe (Psa. 119:89; Isa. 40:8; Mark 13:31; 1 Pet. 1:25a).

    • Hallelujah! You are faithful, and able, to do that which You have said (Num. 23:19; Jer. 32:17, 27).

    • Seeing Israel restored today makes Your prophetic words even more of a reality (2 Pet. 1:19).

    • We take great comfort in knowing that nothing ever surprises You (John 13:19; 14:29).

    • We bless You for being a God who is always willing to hear our prayers (Psa. 5:1-3; Phil. 4:6).

  2. Government:

    Shabbat's Torah portion opens with God's command to Israel that hopefully – though prayer – will become more of a reality after the November 1st elections. Judges and officials shall you set in all you gates, which YHWH your God gives you in your tribes, and they shall govern the people with righteous judgment. (Deut. 16:18)

    • Lord God, we ask that the results of the upcoming election will draw Your nation closer to Your declared will in Deuteronomy 16:18 [see also Ex. 18:21-22].

    • Let all Israeli politicians who pursue that which is totally just [+ righteous] in Your sight find a place in the next government (Deut. 16:20a).

    • Abba, You see the internal bickering in almost every Israeli political party; please use this to carry on clearing out the dross and paving the way for righteous leaders (Isa. 1:25-26).

    • During Israel's campaign season, enable the parties on the right to lay aside their differences and places of offence and begin to genuinely work together (Prov. 18:19; Matt. 6:12).

    • If Bibi Netanyahu will be the next prime minister, turn his heart totally towards You (Prov. 21:1).

    • As per Deuteronomy 17:8-13, raise up more politicians who will work for a just Supreme Court.

    • Guide Israelis to vote as You direct them and not according to the directions of any religious leaders, whether Jewish or Muslim (Prov. 14:15; 19:21).

    • Deafen the Israeli electorate to any anti-biblical media bias (Job 13:4; Psa. 63:11b; 1 Tim. 4:1-2).

    • Lord, create a stable government that views aliyah and security as its top priorities (Isa. 14:24, 27).

    • Let all ministerial appointments in the next government be made on the basis of ability, rather than on the basis of political connections (Psa. 75:5-7; Prov. 18:16).

    • Assign godly counselors to each politician and give politicians ears to hear what these counselors are suggesting (Job 38:36; Prov. 2:2; 11:14; 15:22).

    • We are grieved that Israeli Prime Minister Lapid attended a LGBT event in Israel and we again ask that he would not be Israel's leader after the elections (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:26-27).

    • Hedge in Israel's transitional government to only do what You have decreed (Isa. 46:10; Lam. 3:37).

  3. Internal security:

    Reports are increasing of heightened agitation among Palestinian leaders over who will take charge once Palestinian Authority President Abbas is no longer around. With Hamas waiting to take over, as well as the real possibility of a war between the various Palestinian factions, Israel needs to have God-given plans in place to deal with this impending crisis.

    • Lord, if dealing with this crisis means Israel should let its enemies fight against each other without interfering, then please guide Israel's leaders to do exactly that (2 Chr. 20:23; Ezek. 38:21).

    • Remind Israel from the Torah portion that You permit them to have peace with nations outside of the land – but forbid them to do that with any foreign entities inside (Deut. 20:10-18; Psa. 10:16)!

    • Continue to block all attempts to establish a "Palestine" on Your land (Lev. 25:23; Ezek. 36:5).

    • Arrange circumstances which will push Israel to possess all of its possessions (Obad. 1:17).

    • We praise You for having been with Israel in every war it has fought in the modern era, even though as it states in the Torah portion, this does not mean that Israelis will not die in battle (Deut. 20:1-9).

    • We give You all the glory for answering prayers as there has not been a revival of arson-terrorism in Israel or of fire-balloons being launched from Gaza (Psa. 50:15)..

    • Anoint every IDF soldier with discernment and alertness, and protect these mostly young Israelis, who battle against Palestinian terrorism daily (Psa. 3:3, 6; 140:7).

    • Provide Israel with all the intelligence it needs to keep way ahead of its enemies (Psa. 139:12).

    • Uncover all Palestinian weapons caches, letting the IDF either capture or destroy them (Obad. 1:6).

    • If the signs of a "gun-intifada" come to fruition, release Your angelic hosts to fight alongside Israel's security forces and quickly squash this uprising with as much force as necessary (Eccl. 8:11).

    • Yet Lord, please have mercy on all Jewish and Arab Israelis living in Judea and Samaria, and on all Palestinians who only want to live at peace with their Israeli neighbors (Psa. 9:13-14).

    • Give Israel's security forces divine plans to deal with any Israeli-Arab vs. Israeli-Jew conflicts inside of mixed cities during all future internal or external military actions (Psa. 59:6-10).

  4. External security:

    The government that was under Prime Minister Bennett, and is now under PM Lapid and Defense Minister Gantz, took a very quiet approach with US President Biden's administration concerning the renewing of the Iran deal. We are not sure if a different approach would have made any difference, yet today Lapid and Gantz are "shouting" from the rooftops that the current deal being offered to Iran is very dangerous to Israel, to the rest of the Middle East and also to the world. But the US administration seems to be purposefully deaf to all of these warnings.

    • As Iran's demonic wrath spits at Israel daily, we bless You for this challenging word to Israel in the prophetic portion: I, even I, am He that comforts you: who are you that you should be afraid of a man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass, and forget YHWH your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the earth's foundation; (Isa. 51:12-13a)

    • Lord, have mercy on Your people and judge Your enemies in such a way that all mankind sees You fulfilling Your Word at this time in history (Isa. 51:22-23; 55:11; Jer. 1:12; 30:16; 51:10-11).

    • So deal with Israel's Iranian enemies that they come to know that You are God (Psa. 83:15-18).

    • As You are Israel's Creator and Protector, we trust You will hear our prayers for the defense of Your chosen nation (Psa. 121:4; Isa. 43:15, 21).

    • If the Iran deal is part of Your plans for judging the nations, impart wisdom to Israel to know what it should do and what it should not do after it is signed (1 Chr. 22:12; Prov. 1:5).

    • Prepare Israel to deal with any Iranian threat without depending on anyone else (Isa. 31:1).

    • Use the reports that Israeli F-35s have overflown Iran without Iran detecting them to increase the already heightened paranoia about Israel's covert abilities among Iran's leadership (Josh. 2:9-11).

    • Since You state that pride leads to destruction (Prov. 16:18), is it not time for You to deal with the pride of Iran's arrogant and anti-Semitic leaders (Job 12:18-19; Jer. 49:38b)?

    • Let Israel take full advantage of Russia's removal of some S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Syria to intensify attacks against Iran's entrenchment in, and weapons transfers through, Syria (Psa. 44:4-6).

    • Lord, use Israel's success in attacking Iran's incursions into Syria to discourage Iran (Neh. 6:15-16).

    • Break the connection between all of Iran's proxies – in Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen – confusing their communications with each other and drying up all of their funding (Job 12:24-25; Psa. 129:5).

    • If Hizbullah initiates a conflict over Israel's drilling for gas in the Mediterranean – let Israel see this as act of war, and fight Hizbullah until that organization is totally destroyed (Mal. 4:1).

    • Whether Israel wars with Iran and/or Hizbullah, God we ask that You again intervene supernaturally and fight with Israel against its enemies (Josh. 10:8-14).

    • Teach Your Church in Iran and in Lebanon how to pray for their nations and how imperative it is for them to pray for and bless the nation of Israel (Num. 24:9b; 1 Tim. 2:1-4).

  5. Aliyah:

    God's regathering of His scattered people is one of the clearest signs of the end of this age. Also, it is the only thing in all of His Word that God declares He will do with all of His heart and soul: Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly [lit: in truth] with My whole heart and with My whole soul. (Jer. 32:41).

    • Thank You Abba for being alive today to watch You fulfill Psalm 147:2, Jeremiah 31:10, Ezekiel 36:24, and so many other verses in Your Word concerning aliyah.

    • Lord, increase the number of Jews making aliyah today (Isa. 43:5-7). [As of the end of July, around 40,000 Jews and their families have come home!]

    • With another anti-Semitic murder in France that the authorities say was not anti-Semitic, wake up the French Jews to know that their protection in that nation has vanished (Jer. 16:16).

    • Protect the Jews in Ukraine who are unable to leave at this time, and reunite them with their families who have returned to Israel as soon as possible (Jer. 3:14-18).

    • Let many Jews come home now, bringing their wealth with them (Isa. 60:9).

    • Show Israelis who had left for "greener pastures" that there is bread in Zion today (Ruth 1:16).

    • Drain the "captivity" of the Jews, leaving none behind (Psa. 85:1; 126:1; Jer. 30:3; Ezek. 39:27-28).

    • When needed, release angels to drag Your stubborn people out of "Sodom" (Gen. 19:15-17).

    • May every new immigrant succeed in settling in the land You promised them (Amos 9:14-15).

    • Remove the desire for the "leeks and onions" of the nations from their appetites (Num. 11:5).

    • Aid all the new immigrant children who started school this past week to quickly become adjusted.

    • Reveal to the greater Body of Messiah that You expect them to be co-laborers with You as You fulfill this amazing prophetic sign (Isa. 49:22-23; 61:5).

    • Thank You for every Christian organization which ministers in expediting the aliyah or providing assistance to help settle new immigrants (Rom. 15:26-27).

    • Bless these ministries with good relations with Israelis and Jewish organizations (Psa. 133:1).

    • Use the believers in these ministries to provoke Jews to jealousy by allowing Your love for the Jews to come pouring out of them and to be ready with a word in due season (Prov. 15:23; Rom. 11:11).

  6. Salvation:

    The Torah reading contains the prophecy of that Prophet whom God would send to Israel. When Yeshua was living and teaching in Israel, many Jews wondered whether He was the fulfillment of this word (John 1:45; 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:21-23; 7:37). He was and still is!

    • I will raise up a Prophet for them from among their brothers, like [Moses], and will put My words in His mouth. He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him, and…the man who will not obey My words which He shall speak in My name, I, even I, will require it of him.Deut. 18:18-19

    • Lord, may You people question once again whether Yeshua is this Prophet (Luke 24:44).

    • Reveal to them that no one has ever spoken like You did – as one with the complete authority of the God of Israel (Matt. 7:29; John 7:45-46).

    • As Jews read Isaiah 52:8-10 in Shabbat's prophetic portion let them consider that the salvation of their God was prophesied to spread to gentiles, and that in Messiah Yeshua, this is exactly what has, and is, happening.

    • As the shofar sounds each morning of this month of Ellul, speak clearly to Your people from Isaiah 44:22: I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and…your sins: turn back [+repent] unto Me, for I have redeemed you.

    • Anoint Your words that are found throughout the high holyday prayer books (Isa. 55:11; Heb. 4:12).

    • Lord Yeshua, reveal Yourself to many Jews in dreams and visions, and open their hearts to the truth of who You really are – their King Messiah and Lord (Joel 2:28; Acts 9:5).

    • Oh that Israel's salvation would come out of Zion! When YHWH brings back the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.Psa. 14:7; 53:6

  7. Water:

    This was an extremely hot week in Israel, so it is an excellent time to ask God for rain.

    • After the long dry period, pour out rain on Israel and confirm Your weary inheritance (Psa. 68:9).

    • We proclaim that You are the only One in all of existence who can send the rain – and ask You to do that as soon as possible (Jer. 14:22).

  8. IFI:

    Thank you for praying for us and the ongoing needs of this ministry: encouragement, wisdom, financial supply, health and strength – mentally as well as spiritually – and anything else that the Lord lays on your hearts.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Israel

For the IFI team

Rev. 22:21