1. Praise:

   In Leviticus 23:40b we read this instruction for celebrating the feast of Sukkot – Tabernacles or Booths – which starts Sunday evening: … and you shall rejoice before YHWH your God seven days.

   • Thank You Lord for encouraging us to rejoice before You (Ex. 18:9; Psa. 2:11; Phil. 4:4).

   • We rejoice in who You are – and not just for what You do (Psa. 118:1; 136:1).

   • We read that the joy of the Lord is our strength and whether that means Your joy over us or our joy in You – or both – we thank You for strengthening us with Your joy today (Neh. 8:10b).

   • Lord God, we bless You that the Torah portion declares You as Israel's Rock – mighty, immoveable, a fortress and high-tower – One who can always be depended upon (Deut. 32:3-4, 15, 18, 30-31).

   • We praise You for King David's testimony in the prophetic portion: YHWH lives! Blessed be my Rock, and exalted be God – the Rock of my salvation. (2 Sam. 22:47) Amen!

   • What a relief there is in knowing that we can cry out to You when we are overwhelmed and You lead us to that exalted Rock – whom we know today as Yeshua (Psa. 61:2; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4).

   • Thank You for David declaring this truth which also applies to us who are in Messiah Yeshua: He rescued me, for He delighted in me. (2 Sam. 22:20b)

   • It is an amazing and humbling reality to know that You chose us first before we had any chance of saying yes or no to You (Jer. 1:5: John 15:16a; Eph. 1:3-6; 1 John 4:19).

   • Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve [+ worship] God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (Heb. 12:28) Amen!

2. Salvation:

   This past week was Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – and we prayed for many Jews to be saved. Now in faith we thank God for all who did receive Yeshua and ask Him to guide them to their ordained place in His Body. We also prayed for the Body in and outside of Israel, to be ready and willing to receive and disciple these new believers in Messiah.

   • Abba, we have great confidence that You answered our prayers and that many Jews were saved in Israel and in the nations, and we bless and praise You for each one of them (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Also, there are likely those whom You have begun to draw to Your Son yet the process of salvation is not yet finished (John 6:44). Please complete the work of grace which You have started (Phil. 1:6).

   • Lord Yeshua, shield new believers from any doubts and fears that might assail them because of their being Jewish, whether from themselves, their Jewish family or friends (Psa. 3:3).

   • Remind them that they believe in the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Israel's promised King (Rev. 5:5).

   • Mature them through all the spiritual attacks that they will encounter (Rom. 8:37-39; Eph. 6:12).

   • Gift them a deep hunger for Your Word and a commitment to read and meditate on it "religiously" (Jer. 15:16; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).

   • In the prophetic portion: God, His way is perfect; YHWH's Word is pure: He is a buckler to all who trust in Him. For who is God, save YHWH? And who is a rock, save our God? (2 Sam. 22:31-32)

   • Join them with other believers for fellowship, encouragement and edification (Acts 2:42: Jude 1:20).

   • Build Your Body in Israel and anoint them to disciple new believers (Matt. 16:18; 2 Tim. 2:1-2).

   • Hold new Jewish believers back from being thrust into the spotlight too soon (1 Tim. 3:6).

   • When new Messianic Jews in exile join congregations, raise up someone who will have the biblical wisdom and godly courage to tell them about returning to Israel (Isa. 49:22; Jer. 16:16a).

   • Do not allow any Christian to tell new Jewish believers that they are no longer Jewish and must not circumcise their sons or celebrate the feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23, etc. (1 Cor. 7:18).

3. Government:

   Israel's November 1st national elections are less than a month away. All polls indicate another tight race, but we trust in Him who reigns over the polls and are asking Him to let His chosen person lead Israel at this hour. Also, the current transitional government must make major decisions concerning security and we are praying for God to oversee each one of them.

   • Lord, as You are the one who installs and removes leaders, we ask for You to install the one of Your choice who can lead Israel on a biblical path into the near future (Psa. 25:4; 27:11; Dan. 2:21).

   • Raise up an Israeli government through which You will be glorified (Psa. 115:1-3; Isa. 48:11).

   • Continue to reveal the true heart intent of politicians wanting to be elected so that Israelis will know who and what they are voting for (Luke 16:15).

   • Watch over this verse from the prophetic portion in relation to Israel's politicians: Your eyes are upon the proud to humble them (2 Sam. 22:28b).

   • Again we ask for the dross in Israel's political system to be dealt with so that righteous leaders can be restored (Isa. 1:25-27), resulting in a nation that walks closer to Your Word (Prov. 14:34).

   • After the elections, allow a godly coalition to come together quickly (2 Chr. 29:36).

   • Lord God, please hedge in the current transitional government from approving anything, like the Lebanon maritime deal, that is not in Your will or Your timing (Job 19:8; Prov. 8:15-16).

   • Yet let them accomplish all that You have already ordained for them (Heb. 3:4).

   • Protect Bibi Netanyahu from US representatives who are warning him about who can serve in his coalition (if he wins), since there are some right-wing, biblically-oriented Zionists who probably will be in it – yet these American hypocrites said nothing about the Muslim Brotherhood Ra'am party that was in the Bennett-Lapid government (Psa. 146:3; Isa. 40:21-24).

   • Protect him from the constant attacks he endures from most of Israel's media (Psa. 35:2; 115:9).

   • Use Bibi's need to go to a hospital over Yom Kippur draw him and all his family closer to You.

4. Internal security:

   Israel's security forces are fighting against a rise in gun attacks against Israelis. And while they are having great success, the world is beginning to complain about the "disproportionate" number of terrorists killed compared to the number of innocent Israelis killed! This is particularly infuriating when it comes from Israel's supposed allies – especially America.

   • Thank You for using the nations to force Israel to be a separate and unique people (Num. 23:9b).

   • Deafen Israel's leaders' ears to any criticism of its defense of its citizens – particularly when it comes from Israel's so-called "friends" in the West (Psa. 41:9; 146:3-4).

   • What a joy to see Your Word being fulfilled as the IDF has become that exceedingly great army which You said would arise from out of the graves of the Holocaust (Ezek. 37:10). Hallelujah!

   • As You have done recently, continue to thwart many more planned terror attacks (Psa. 37:12-15).

   • Encourage Israel to increase its offense actions against terrorists and their strongholds (Psa. 44:4-5).

   • Set Palestinian terrorist groups and factions against each other (Psa. 35:26).

   • Provide all that the IDF needs to defend this nation including enough manpower, sufficient finances and supplies (2 Chr. 8:4-6).

   • Anoint IDF soldiers with courage, strength and discernment and encourage them with these verses from the prophetic reading: YHWH is my Rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, and my Rock; in Him will I trust. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my Savior who saves me from violence. (2 Sam. 22:2-3; see also vv. 32, 35, 40, 47)

   • Protect Israel's excellent intelligence gathering teams and increase their discernment (Mark 4:22).

   • Lord, guard over Israel as it celebrates Your feasts over the next weeks (Lev. 23:4; Psa. 121:4)

   • Bring in a government that will aim to expand Israel's sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan Valley which You have promised to it from the time of Moses (Deut. 32:49, 52; Isa. 54:2-3).

   • Bring to pass Your promise to King David in the Davidic covenant: I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them anymore, as before, (2 Sam. 7:10)

   • As the only hope for the future for any Palestinian is salvation (Jer. 12:14-17), we pray for Your Spirit to be poured out on the true Body of believers in their midst (Mark 1:8; Luke 11:13; 12:12).

   • Lord, cast out from the Palestinian Church all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic demons (Matt. 12:28).

   • Save some Palestinian terrorists and turn them into Christian Zionists (Rom. 11:11).

5. External security:

   A maritime deal with Lebanon concerning areas in the Mediterranean Sea from which they can extract gas seems to have collapsed. Whether this was an appeasement of Hizbullah or a good deal for Israel and Lebanon – only God knows. Personally, we have our doubts. Meanwhile, Iran's internal troubles are growing daily, and this is an answer to prayer.

   • If this Lebanese-Israeli maritime deal is not of You – forbid it from passing and forbid the US from pressuring Israel's temporary government from going ahead with it (Job 12:17-21).

   • As Israel has rejected the latest changes to the deal by Lebanon, we thank You for Defense Minister Gantz telling the IDF to be prepared for a war against Hizbullah (Josh. 4:13; 2 Chr. 17:17-18).

   • If Hizbullah does attack Israel – let Israel's response be so over-the-top that it puts the fear of the IDF and of Israel's God on every one of Israel's enemies (Ex. 14:25; 2 Sam. 10:19).

   • Lord use the ultimate outcome of all of this to weaken Hizbullah's hold on Lebanon and cause great turmoil to break forth inside of Hizbullah's ranks concerning it (Mark 3:24-25).

   • Within a very short time of each other and with great suddenness please set both the Iranians and the Lebanese free from their current terrorist overlords (Jer. 49:38b).

   • Lord Yeshua, bring down the spirit of Shi'ite Islam that rules over both nations (Dan. 7:13-14).

   • Increase the demonstrations in Iran against its leaders and enable them to be supernaturally effective in destroying Iran's wicked regime (Job 21:20-30; Psa. 7:11; Prov. 10:27; 16:4).

   • Lord God, shatter Iran's declared plans to destroy Israel (Isa. 8:9-10).

   • Totally bankrupt financially the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp.

   • Wake up the Iranian army to protect the people from the Ayatollah's henchmen (Rom. 13:1-4).

   • Use Iranian believers to work in signs and wonders in the midst of the demonstrations (Acts 2:43).

   • Remove the distorted view of You that Islam has put over the minds of the Iranians (2 Cor. 11:4).

   • Let the deaths of so many Iranian demonstrators make it impossible for the US, the UK, France and Germany to even consider renewing the demonically dangerous Iranian nuclear deal (Prov. 11:21).

   • If Israel needs to pre-empt Iran's nuclear weapons facilities – let the destruction be so complete that it puts the fear of the IDF and of You – Israel's God – upon all of Israel's enemies (2 Chr. 20:29).

6. Aliyah:

   We rejoice in the 60,000 new immigrants [olim] who have arrived in Israel since last Rosh Hashanah. Israel is now expecting thousands more Russian Jews to also come home.

   • Lord, help Israel to be prepared with all that is needed for the new olim to get settled (Isa. 42:9).

   • Provide the finances, both common-sense and divine wisdom, to aid the new olim (1 Chr. 12:32).

   • Watch over 2 Kings 19:30 especially at this time – and may it be large remnant who escape: The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

   • Lead many new olim to settle in areas where more Jewish Israelis are needed: the Negev, the Golan, the Upper Galilee, the Jordan Valley and of course Judea and Samaria (Jer. 32:41-44; 33:12-14).

   • Keep the gates open for Russian Jews who want to escape from Putin (Job 12:14).

   • Let Jews in the West see how suddenly things have changed and that tomorrow they might not be able to come home bringing their wealth or even their families with them (Prov. 29:1; Eccl. 9:12) .

   • Shake out of their nest all Jews who are at ease in their captivity outside of Israel (Eccl. 5:10).

   • Let Jews who are losing homes due to the various disasters, use their insurance money to flee Babylon while they can, and to start a new life in Israel (Jer. 51:9-10).

   • Increase the sending out of Your fishers and Your hunters throughout Jewish communities in the captivity to both gather and chase Your people home (Jer. 16:16).

   • May the November 1st elections in Israel and the November 8th midterm elections in America show multitudes of America Jews that the time to come home is now.

   • Also use these election results to draw back the many Israelis living in America (Jer. 51:45).

   • Wake up the Church to its responsibility to help with the aliyah and the settlement (Isa. 60:3-11).

   • Lord Yeshua, redirect the financial reserves of Your Body so that it is freely available to aid in the aliyah and settlement of Your people – as this is all for Your holy name's sake (Rom. 15:27).

   • Let Your Body see that aliyah is an answer to a prayer they have prayed for over 2,000 years: Our Father in heaven, may Your name be sanctified, (Isa. 43:5-7, 21; Jer. 32:41; Ezek. 36:22-24, 32-36).

7. Water:

   We have entered into the early rainy season in Israel and treasure your prayers for rain to fall on Israel – filling up the Sea of Galilee and all of its underground aquifers.

   • Father God, whether Israel is righteous or not – and today it is not – we recall what Your Son said, and ask based on Your mercy, please send the rains (Matt. 5:45).

   • We bless You for the rains – which is described as incredible gifts from You (Job 5:9-10).

   • With tourism back, please guard over how water is used by both Israelis and tourists.

   • Lord, provide the water that Israel needs for all the new olim who will be arriving soon (Jer. 14:22).

8. IFI:

   There has been an increase of attacks on us personally. These are mainly little foxes which end up making a big mess in our minds and souls. Please pray for God's shielding of this ministry and those of us who are actively involved with it. Also, ask Him for a smooth transition as we are making physical changes to IFI's office space. Thank you in advance for this and all the other blessings that you have sent to us.

Shabbat shalom v'hag Sukkot sameach

For the IFI team

2 Cor. 4:13-15