1. Praise:

   God's word of comfort to Israel in Shabbat's prophetic portion also can be applied to the Body of Messiah. [Note: the very existence of a Body composed of Jews and gentiles in Israel's Messiah is further proof that God's initial promise to Abraham is still valid (Gen. 12:3a. cp. Gal. 3:8).] Here is that word of comfort: Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isa. 55:3)

   • Thank You God for making with us an eternal covenant through David's Greater Son (Acts 13:34).

   • Son of David, we say to You, Blessed are You who comes in the name of Yahweh! (Matt. 23:39).

   • We bless You for enabling many gentiles to partake of Israel's spiritual blessings while in no way diminishing Your intentions to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people (Eph. 2:11-13, 18-22).

   • Yeshua Lord, thank You for confirming the promises God the Father made to Israel's forefathers so that gentiles would also be blessed with Your people Israel (Rom. 15:8-12).

   • From the prophetic portion: For your Maker is your husband; YHWH of hosts is His name and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel shall be called the God of the whole earth. (Isa. 54:5).

   • We bless You for this truth – which is a realty to both Israel and the Church (2 Cor. 1:20).

   • We trust in You, Lord God, and confess that You are the God of the whole earth today (Luke 10:21).

   • We praise You that in Yeshua, all of Your promises are yes and amen (Mal. 3:6; 2 Cor. 1:20).

   • While Your promises may seem delayed, we possess great hope in You as You have promised that they will come to pass – in Your timing and in Your way (Jer. 1:12; Isa. 55:11; Hab. 2:3; 2 Pet. 3:9).

2. Government:

   Israel's national elections will be held this Tuesday, Nov. 1st. We desire for His nation to bring Him much glory, which means praying for a Bible-honoring, land of Israel loving government (Jer. 32:17, 27), and that means a deeper crisis between Israel and the nations.

   • Lord, You are the One who makes Jerusalem a cup of trembling to the nations so we ask You to form a government which brings that prophetic word closer to the fulfillment (Zech. 12:2-3).

   • Abba, You said Israel would be blessed when You restored it to Your land (Jer. 32:41-42), and we see this happening today, so we also ask You to bless Israel with a righteous government (Prov. 29:2).

   • Continue removing the dross from Israel's political scene and move Your nation nearer to being a biblically righteous nation before You (Isa. 1:25-27).

   • Install a leader who will stand on Your principles and not be afraid of the nations (Judg. 11:14-27).

   • Strip Israel's leaders of the idolatry that Israel needs America to survive and thrive (Isa. 31:1).

   • Promote those who love Your land and want to see Israel possess it all (1 Sam. 15:23; Psa. 75:6-7).

   • Demote leaders who support a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians (Lev. 25:23).

   • Specifically, we ask that neither Yair Lapid nor Benny Gantz will have any part in the next coalition.

   • Give to Israel leaders who will seek the good of the whole nation (2 Sam. 5:1-3).

   • Raise up a government that sees aliyah and security as top priorities (Jer. 32:41: Rom. 13:1-4).

   • Abba, please raise up godly advisors for every minister in the new government and let the ministers be open to hear all advice that is from You (Prov. 11:14; 15:22).

   • Place a burden to deal with Israel's very high cost of living upon competent ministers (Psa. 41:1).

   • Enable the new government to institute godly judicial reform so that the Supreme Court regains the trust and respect of most of the nation – and not just the radical left-wing Israelis (Deut. 25:1).

   • In line with Genesis 9:6 in the Torah portion, raise up a government which fears You and is willing to use the death penalty, which is already a law in Israel, against murderers, especially terrorists.

   • Prevent the electorate from being swayed by Israel's left-wing, anti-Bibi Netanyahu media bias, but instead intervene so that they will be led to vote in line with Your will (Psa. 32:8-9: Prov. 19:21).

   • Lord, hedge in the current transitional government which is trying to put in place things that are not of You – such as the Lebanon Maritime deal, agreeing with the EU on boycotting Judea and Samaria and several other similar anti-biblical moves (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Regardless of the outcome of the election, Lord guide and encourage us as we pray (Luke 11:1).

   • Also, regardless of the outcome, we proclaim that Israel has a King in heaven today (Psa. 110:1).

3. Internal security:

   The prophetic portion has the verses where God tells Israel to enlarge its tents (Isa. 54:2-3). This is something that the next Israeli government needs to take seriously.

   • Lord, pressure the next government to extend Israel's sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan River and to expand Jewish settlements in the Golan and in the Negev (Obad. 1:17).

   • We ask specifically that the E1 corridor northeast of Jerusalem would be built (Neh. 2:20).

   • Rule over the next government (Prov. 21:1) so that it deals righteously, so that this verse from the prophetic portion becomes a reality: In righteousness you shall be established. You shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror for it shall not come near you. (Isa. 54:14)

   • Increase the anointing on Israel's security forces to stop all terrorist plans and attacks (Psa. 44:4-5).

   • Continue directing Israel's security forces to aggressively take the battle to the enemy (Isa. 28:5-6).

   • Increase the collecting of accurate actionable intelligence on Israel's part – including through the use of cyberwarfare techniques, as well as human sources (Job 12:22; Amos 9:2-3).

   • Lord, we bless You for using Israel's security forces to scatter those who delight in war like the Lion's Den Palestinian terror group out of Nablus (Psa. 68:1, 30b).

   • As this group now haves two of its key leaders killed, scatter the rest (Zech. 13:7).

   • As Palestinians see their terrorists being killed, yet Israel suffering very few casualties, let a real fear of You fall upon them (Ex. 14:23-25; Josh. 2:24).

   • Lord, put to shame all Palestinian terrorists so that at least some might be saved (Psa. 83:16-18).

   • Protect Israeli civilians from terrorism and from road accidents (Psa. 121:4).

   • Keep Israeli civilians alert and able to repel attacks with what You put in their hands (Judg. 15:15).

   • [Herzi Halevi, an Orthodox Jew living in a "settlement" will be the next IDF Chief of Staff, taking over in mid-January 2023.] Lord of hosts, we lift him up to You in prayer and ask for Your special anointing on him to defend Your nation (Ex. 17:11-13; 1 Sam. 9:16; Psa. 23:5; Isa. 10:27).

   • Surround him with godly advisors and give him ears to hear them (Prov. 20:18; 24:5).

4. External security:

   Internally, Iran is still dealing with anti-regime demonstrations which are not showing any signs of diminishing in either their demands or their zeal, while externally Iran is being sucked deeper into the quagmire of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

   • Give the new Israeli government Your wisdom, strategy and tactics in dealing with enemy nations and their proxies – in particular with Iran and Hizbullah (Job 12:16; 38:36; Prov. 21:30-31).

   • With Russia pulling some troops and other war-related equipment out of Syria, Lord guide Israel as it increases its attacks against Iranian and Hizbullah activity in Syria (Deut. 20:1-4; Psa. 20:7-10).

   • Turn Iran's involvement in Russia's war with Ukraine into a huge geo-political mistake (Psa. 129:5).

   • Use this involvement to cause even the EU and the UK to sanction Iran (Job 5:12-13; Isa. 7:5-7).

   • Derail Iran's money train and drain the finances of all nations still supporting Iran (Psa. 49:6-7).

   • As Iran's leaders are double-minded between focusing on its outside activities and inside turmoil, severely shake that regime and finally destroy…the king and its princes (Jer. 49:38; Jam. 1:8).

   • Protect Iran's citizens who are bravely demonstrating against their ungodly overlords (Ex. 1:15-21).

   • Prepare Iran's next leader to restore that nation to be a true friend of Israel (2 Chr. 36:23).

   • Use the growing church in Iran to reduce the influence of its current regime and to increase Your influence (Psa. 72:17-19; John 3:30).

   • Reveal to Israel precisely what is being planned against it by Hizbullah (Prov. 15:3; Dan. 2:22).

   • Do not allow Ukrainian leader Zelensky's constant and severe criticism of Israel's approach to the war between his nation and Russia influence in the wrong way the decisions Israel's leaders need to make for the security of Israel's citizens (Prov. 8:15-16; 21:1).

   • As some of his criticism borders on cursing Israel, for Ukraine's sake close his mouth (Psa. 31:18).

   • In line with Isaiah 54:17 from Shabbat's prophetic portion, we condemn all lying tongues against Israel by Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas, the UN Human Rights Commission, and all others.

5. Aliyah:

   There are still millions of Jews who either prefer their captivity in exile or they are trapped there. Either way, God wants them to return – and so we pray in agreement with Him.

   • Unsettle the hearts of Your people, shaking them out of their birth – or current – nations where they are still living when the gates of Israel are opened to them today (Job 4:14; Isa. 52:2).

   • Rebuke publically all Jewish leaders who dare to call their gentile nations "home" (Psa. 137:4-6).

   • Increase the release of both Your fishers and hunters to bring/drive Your people home (Jer. 16:16).

   • Let Jewish parents become more concerned for the future of their children and grandchildren than they are for their often way-too-comfortable lifestyle in the captivity (Jer. 31:15-17; 51:7-10).

   • As needed, send angels to Your people – like the ones who pulled Lot out of Sodom and Peter out of prison – who are stuck in today's Babylonian comfortable prisons (Gen. 19:15-17; Acts 12:7-11).

   • Lord, pluck out from the next government anyone who is an obstacle in the path of Your people returning home from the captivity (Isa. 62:10).

   • By Your Spirit, inspire every new Israeli politician to see aliyah as central to You (Jer. 32:41).

   • God, help Israel provide affordable housing for both Israelis and new immigrants (Isa. 65:21).

   • Increase the burden of Your Body to understand that they are supposed to aid the aliyah in many ways, such as carrying Jews home (Isa. 49:22); paying for them to return and be settled (Isa. 60:3-11); praying for them to return and be settled (Isa. 62:6-7; 1 John 5:14-15); and praising You as they see You restoring the nation of Israel for Your holy name's sake (Psa. 147:2; Ezek. 36:23-24, 33-36).

   • Lord Yeshua, remove the filthy spots and huge wrinkles in Your Body in relation to their often very arrogant views of Israel and the Jews (Rom. 11:18-21; Eph. 5:27).

6. Salvation:

   We read in the Torah portion that after Noah and his family entered the ark, it was God who shut them in (Gen. 7:16). And this is what happens when we trust in Yeshua, as God is the one who by His grace seals us by His Spirit into His Son (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13; 4:30).

   • Lord, once again in the Torah portion, we come face to face with the fact that there is nothing we can do to earn salvation (Gen. 8:21; Rom. 3:23), and just like we trust in Your grace, we ask for that amazing grace to be poured out on many in Israel at this time (Zech. 12:10).

   • Let Your promise in the prophetic portion of Your covenant-love and the covenant of Your peace provoke many Jews to seek You more earnestly for this gracious promise (Isa. 54:10).

   • Lord, as You appealed to the Jews in Your days on earth to come unto You (Matt. 11:28; John 7:37), obviously taken from Isaiah 55:1 in the prophetic portion, so please call them to Yourself again today.

   • Messiah Yeshua, thank You for the growth of Your Body in Israel (Isa. 28:16; Matt. 16:18).

   • As per Your promise, provide anointed shepherds for Your sheep in Israel (Jer. 23:3-4).

7. Body of Messiah:

   The Torah portion includes the story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). From this we see that not all unity is of God. In fact, their unity – based on humanistic efforts – was so dangerous that God Himself dealt with it by confounding their communication (Gen. 11:6-7).

   • Lord, gift Your Body with the unity of the Spirit for which we are encouraged to strive (Eph. 4:3).

   • Thank You that the worldwide Body composed of Jews and gentiles, in particular those who love Your nation and Your people, is a fulfillment of Isaiah 55:5 in the prophetic portion.

   • Convince all believers that the Old Testament is still Your Word today (Psa. 119:89; Matt. 5:18).

   • Remove all fear from elders of possible divisions in their congregations when it comes to preaching and teaching the truth about Israel (Gal. 4:16).

   • Lord Yeshua, strip off the Egyptian garb that many Christians – and Jews – have placed on You and let both groups see You as You are today: Israel's King and Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the Root and Offspring of David (John 1:49; Acts 2:36; Rev. 5:5; 22:16).

8. Water:

   The early rains are beginning to fall over Israel.

   • We praise You that Israel is not in a crisis-situation concerning its water as it was for so many years, and we give You the glory for hearing our prayers concerning this (Psa. 50:15).

   • Send the snow and hail this winter to rout Israel's enemies out of Your land (Job 38:22-23).

   • Send all the water that is needed to make Your land like the Garden of Eden – so that many gentiles will recognize Your hand in this restoration and will give You the glory (Ezek. 36:35-36).

9. IFI:

   Please pray with us for God to provide all the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health that we need to complete our race, as well as for all the finances which IFI needs to finish its God-ordained task. Thank You.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

For the IFI team

2 Cor. 4:13-15