1. Praise:

   The prophetic portion reveals God's ultimate goal for our salvation – as well as for Israel's restoration: Your people [Israel] shall all be righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands – so that I may be glorified. (Isa. 60:21-22)

   • We bless You Lord for You have chosen Israel and us for Your holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:22).

   • We praise You God for Your saving grace towards us which brings You glory (2 Thess. 1:11-12).

   • Thank You for encouraging us that whatever we say or do should be for Your glory (1 Cor. 10:31).

   • We exalt You Lord Yeshua for giving us an example of this – even in Your distress (John 12:27-28).

   • Abba Father, it is truly amazing to read that one of the reasons why You answer our prayers when we are in distress is so that we will give You all of the glory (Psa. 50:15; cp. John 14:13).

   • God, we have great comfort and great trust in You as we read that You already knew all of history's events before mankind was even created (Isa. 45:21; 46:9-10)!

   • Please Lord, for Your name's sake, hasten that day when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of YHWH as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14; cp. Isa. 11:9).

   • We thank You for the privilege of knowing in general terms what is on Your heart as revealed in Your Word, and then being asked to pray it back to You (Amos 3:7; John 14:13; 1 John 5:14).

2. Government:

   Some Israeli political parties' have negotiated with other parties in order to try and get more seats in the November 1st national elections. We have already prayed about this and will persist in interceding about these vital Israeli elections. As of this time, the polls are showing that there could once again be no clear winner. [King of Israel, come quickly!]

   • Lord, continue to cleanse Israel's political scene from all unrighteousness (Isa. 1:25-26).

   • Sift through the candidates and weed out those whom are not from You (1 Sam. 16:11-12).

   • Raise up God-fearers in Israel's parliament who desire to serve Your people (2 Chr. 35:3b).

   • Work in the minds of Israel's voters to elect the party/parties of Your choice (Prov. 16:1).

   • Thank You for exposing the true heart intents of many politicians (Psa. 7:9).

   • We especially ask for Defense Minister Benny Gantz's heart to be fully revealed (Jer. 17:10).

   • We ask You to block Gantz and current Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman from being a part of the new governing coalition (Dan. 2:21a).

   • Block all Israeli politicians with an agenda to destroy Israel's biblically-based existence (Isa. 3:12).

   • Pressure Israel's political parties to reveal their policies to the voters and give the electorate ears to hear and understand what the parties truly stand for (Prov. 23:12).

   • After the elections, guide the negotiations and form a coalition in line with Your will (Prov. 16:9).

   • We ask that the new Israeli government will deal with the very high cost of living (Lam. 5:4); will make employment a priority (1 Thess. 4:11-12); will work to improve the education system (Deut. 4:9; 6:7; Psa. 78:5), and will also focus on security and aliyah (Jer. 32:41-44).

   • Lord God of Israel, during Your fall feasts, work in the hearts and minds of Israeli politicians and voters so that the results of the election draws Israel closer to its complete restoration – both physically and spiritually (Isa. 1:26-27; 46:13; Luke 2:32; Rom. 9:4).

   • Continue to hedge in Israel's current transitional government from doing anything that is not in line with Your will – while releasing them to accomplish all that is in Your will (Prov. 8:15-16; 21:1).

3. Internal security:

   Again we read in the Torah portion of God swearing to give His land to Israel's forefathers and their seed. …when you have entered the land which YHWH your God gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it, and dwell in it, take the first of the fruit of the earth …and go to the place where YHWH your God chooses to place His name [Jerusalem's Temple Mt]. And you shall go to the priest…and say unto him, 'I profess this day unto YHWH your God, that I am come unto the country which YHWH swore unto our fathers to give us'. (Deut. 26:1-3)

   • Lord, Your land was promised to Israel over 200 times and You also swore to give it to them over 40 times, so we ask You to watch over Your words and fulfill them very soon (Isa. 55:11; Jer. 1:12).

   • With as much mercy as possible, arrange circumstances, like in the 1967 Six Day War, so that Israel has no choice but to extend its sovereignty over the rest of its God-given inheritance (Obad. 1:17).

   • Use our prayers like a trumpet blast before You and give Israel's security forces Your wisdom and accurate intelligence to defeat its enemy in the land (Num. 10:9, 35).

   • Let Israel increase its offensive actions against all Palestinian terrorist groups as it is obvious that the Palestinian Authority has very little control over them at this time (Deut. 28:7).

   • Release angelic support and protection as the IDF goes after terrorists (Psa. 34:7; 35:5-6).

   • [An IDF officer was killed possibly because of Israel's stringent rules of engagement.] Lord, we are very grateful that the death of IDF soldiers in today's war against terror is extremely rare (Psa. 89:18).

   • Send divine comfort to the family of this officer and to all families whose loved ones have fallen in battle as any new death of an Israeli soldier dregs up many raw feelings (Psa. 23:4; 86:17; 94:19).

   • If the rules of engagement need to be changed – let them be changed and let the nations' negative feedback at a more offensive IDF stance be absolutely rejected (Job 12:21: Psa. 33:10-11; 118:9).

   • Lord God, in these days of increasing violence, we look to You to protect and support the Israelis living in Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and all the rest of Your land (Psa. 121:4).

   • Keep these civilians alert and ready to respond to attacks with what You give them (Judg. 15:15).

   • Raise up in Israel a government that will build many new houses and communities throughout Your land – especially in its biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria (Jer. 33:10-14).

   • Lord, please quickly fulfill Your promise in the prophetic portion that violence and destruction will no longer be heard in the land of Israel – but instead, salvation and praise (Isa. 60:18).

4. External security:

   As of now any chance of resurrecting the Iranian nuclear deal has been put off until at least after the November 8th midterm USA elections. While this is a partial answer to prayer, we need to intercede for Israel to know what to do and what not do at this time.

   • Lord God of hosts, even under Israel's transitional government, if You want Israel to deal with Iran's threats through increased military actions, release them to do just that (1 Kin. 8:44-45; Psa. 54:5).

   • Provide all accurate intelligence Israel needs to know what Iran is planning (Job 12:22).

   • Fulfill Deuteronomy 28:10, from this week's Torah portion, in the minds and hearts of Iran's leaders.

   • So terrorize them concerning Israel that they make major geo-political mistakes (Psa. 35:1-8).

   • [The "Octopus doctrine" is an Israeli military directive that focuses on hitting the Iranian octopus' head, that is striking Iran itself, as opposed to striking only its tentacles – its various proxies.] God, we thank You that Israel is finally targeting Iran itself and its leaders (Jer. 51:20-25).

   • Let every attack inside Iran be exceedingly abundantly successful and accurate (Ezek. 32:24).

   • Expose what Iran has in the deep places of the earth and guide Israel to destroy them (Psa. 95:4).

   • Confound all communications between Iran and each one of its proxies (Psa. 129:5).

   • Lord, arise and shake Iran sovereignly – physically, socially, economically and militarily (Psa. 68:1).

   • Deplete the nations' economies – like Russia, China and even some EU nations – who are supporting Iran financially, yet Iran declares its goal is to destroy "the Zionist entity" – Israel (Num. 24:9b).

   • Use the Iranian Body as Your weapon disrupting the demonic plans of Iran's leaders (Eph. 6:12).

   • May Israel lead all nations in intelligence, weapons and creative strategy (Deut. 28:13).

   • Allow all questions of IDF's Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi's successor be resolved quickly, and give Kochavi wisdom and courage to continue in his position until this issue is settled (1 Cor. 14:40).

   • Let Israel know what Hizbullah's leaders in Lebanon are planning (Jer. 11:18; 23:24)

   • If Hizbullah attacks Israel, be the IDF's Commander and lead them to victory (Psa. 149:6-9).

   • Have Israel respond disproportionately to any Hizbullah attack whatsoever (Zech. 10:3-5).

   • Cause confusion, division and lack of funds to disrupt Hizbullah's operations and bring about the downfall of this terrorist organization suddenly (Psa. 9:6; 41:11; 73:6-9, 17-18; Prov. 16:4).

   • Guard over Israel's relations with Turkey, giving it great discernment (Psa. 59:12; Prov. 13:5).

5. Aliyah:

   In the Torah portion, in Deuteronomy 28, God lays out a list of blessings and curses so that His people will have an understanding of what is happening to them in history, and why it is happening. As you read this chapter please note that God's blessings describe Israel's situation today much better than His curses. Also, understand that the ultimate curse on the nation of Israel was not its destruction – but exile/captivity among the gentile nations (Deut. 28:63-68).

   • Thank You for reversing the curse of exile since the 1880s and regathering Your people (Jer. 31:10).

   • We bless You for glorifying Your name before the world today through the aliyah (Psa. 106:47-48).

   • Lord, since Jews in the West often hide their Jewishness while in public, as they go to the holyday services, make them fed-up with this subterfuge and let them set their sights on Zion (Jer. 51:9-10).

   • Release all Jews who cannot freely leave the gentile nations in which they reside (Neh. 9:9-10).

   • Let every Jew who can freely leave their captivity among the gentiles take advantage and leave at this time while they can still bring their family and material wealth with them (Isa. 60:9).

   • Do not allow any physical or mental disabilities to stop Your people from making aliyah (Jer. 31:8).

   • Use today's worldwide disasters, as well as the sharp increase of anti-Semitism, and the increased governmental control over religious practices to cause Jews to come home (Jer. 16:16).

   • Send a divinely-created tsunami of homesickness into Jewish hearts during the feasts (Isa. 62:4-5).

   • Speak to all Latin American Jews that their time in captivity is over and draw them home (Jer. 31:3).

   • Speak to all Latin American believers to help their Jewish neighbors to return home (Isa. 49:22).

   • Bring home all Russian and Ukrainian Jews who are stuck in Europe (Psa. 107:1-3; Isa. 49:12).

   • Let the new government fling open wide the doors to all of Your people (Isa. 57:14).

   • Create deep and firm roots in Your land for every new immigrant (2 Kin. 19:30; Isa. 37:31).

   • We bless You for every believer and all Christian groups who are supporting the aliyah and ask for You to supply their needs to continue doing just that (1 Cor. 9:9; 1 Tim. 5:18).

6. Salvation:

   We are in the Hebrew month of Ellul which is known as the month of repentance. Each morning as a shofar sounds in synagogues many Jews attend services and recite prayers of forgiveness – towards God and their fellow man. Many of these prayers are either based on Scripture, are from the Word itself, or have huge amounts of scripture in them.

   • Lord, do not allow Your Word to return to You empty but let it accomplish that which You send it out to do in the lives of Your people today (Isa. 55:11).

   • Change all rote-repetition of these prayers into a real dialogue with You (Eccl. 12:11; Heb. 4:12).

   • Use the prayers of repentance that are being prayed as a spark towards true repentance (Joel 2:13).

   • Place in the children's mouths some very tough questions to their parents about why they have not moved to Israel when twice a year they proclaim, "Next year in Jerusalem!" (Matt. 21:16)

   • Lord Yeshua, You preached and healed in synagogues throughout Israel. Please move through Your land with that type of authority and healing once again (Matt. 7:28-29; 13:54; Luke 4:15).

   • Lord, in the Torah portion (Deut. 29:4; cp. Rom. 11:8-10, 26), Moses said You had blinded Israel to Your truth! Have mercy; remove that blindness and save a huge remnant in Israel today (Jer. 31:7b).

   • Lord God, no one deserves Your salvation (Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:23), and so we ask that You would have mercy on every Jew by Your awesome grace, during this season (Matt. 9:13; Luke 18:13-14).

   • May Holocaust survivors who have received Your love from believers, come to see that this not only comes from You – but is also a fulfillment of Isaiah 60:14 in Shabbat's prophetic portion.

   • As gentile believers provoke Jews to jealousy, let them come to know that You Yeshua, God the Son, are their Savior and Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. (Isa. 60:16).

   • As in the book of Acts, pour out Your Spirit on Your people, transforming Israel into the light to the nations that You ordained her to be (Prov. 1:23; Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Zech. 12:10; Acts 2:2-4, 17).

7. Body of Messiah:

   In the prophetic portion God speaks several times to gentile members of the Body of Messiah as to what they should do to help Him as He restores Israel. He also warns nations of the consequence of not serving/helping Israel at this time. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Israel] shall perish; yes, those nations shall be totally wasted. (Isa. 60:12)

   • Lord, is it not time for most of Your Body to see the signs that this age is coming to an close and to stand with You as You restore Israel – for You holy name's sake (Psa. 102:13-16; Ezek. 20:41)?

   • Reveal to the Body that the Tanach [Old Testament] is the foundation of the New (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

   • Transform all "New Testament" believers into Bible believers (Acts. 20:27; Rom. 15:8-12).

   • Remove the blindness from believers about the importance of aliyah (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 32:41).

8. Water:

   This verse from the Torah portion relates to our requests for rain. Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land which You have given us, as You swore unto our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey. (Deut. 26:15)

   • Guard over Your land against drought (Deut. 11:12).

   • Prepare the ground for the heavier rains by pouring out showers at this time (Psa. 65:10).

9. IFI:

   Thank you for continuing to pray with us and for us. We so appreciate and treasure your support in prayers, in financial gifts and by notes of encouragement.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team

Psa. 121:1-8