1. Praise:

    In Shabbat's Torah portion Jacob is renamed Israel shortly after he confesses to God how he is unworthy of all Your covenant-love and Your truth which You have done with Your servant… (Gen. 32:9-10) If this does not cause us to praise God, it is only because we have not yet realized how unworthy we really are in His sight.

    • Lord, we praise You for saving us although we had come so short of Your glory (Rom. 3:23).

    • Jacob's confession demonstrates once again how precious is Your amazing grace (Rom. 3:24).

    • We thank You for how You drew us – and are drawing Israel – with cords of love (Hos. 11:4).

    • We humbly acknowledge that we love You only You because You loved us first (1 John 4:19).

    • We bless You for giving us this superb example of salvation by Your grace, yet also showing us how we are transformed into a new man by "wrestling" with You over our flesh (Gen. 32:24-30).

    • We are so grateful that You are the One who makes the initial approach to sinners (John 6:44, 65), and then by Your grace they are drawn into Your kingdom (Eph. 2:8-9; Col. 1:12-13).

    • We have great expectations knowing that what You have begun in us, You will complete (Phil. 1:6).

    • We rejoice that You said "the lame" – like Jacob/Israel – take the prey (Isa. 33:23b; 2 Cor. 12:9-10).

    • When we are overwhelmed, we bless You Yeshua for being our Rock (Psa. 61:-12), and for the victory that You have already obtained by overcoming the world (John 16:33).

    • Thank You Lord for Jacob affirming both the need and effectiveness of prayer (Gen. 35:3b).

  2. Government:

    The forming of a right-wing coalition to govern Israel has become a bigger battle in prayer than our praying about the elections. Part of this is the discouragement and frustration that hits us as we see so many of these politicians trying to wring out of Bibi Netanyahu every last drop of power and status that they can get during the negotiations. Still, as of today, it looks like Israel's new right-wing coalition government will soon be in place.

    • Aid us Lord to pray in line with Your Word, being led by Your Spirit, while not giving in to anger, discouragement and doubt – so that we just give up and stop praying (Luke 18:1)!

    • We declare over the formation of Israel's next government that You have established Your throne in heaven and Your kingdom rules over all – including these negotiations (Psa. 103:19).

    • Lord God, deal with the pride of these supposedly servants of Your people (Prov. 13:10).

    • As You dealt with Jacob – wrestle with and cripple Israel's politicians and their pride (Gen. 32:31).

    • Abba, confront those who are "religious" about their power-hungry stances which causes Your name to be dragged in the mud – both among Israelis as well as outsiders (Prov. 11:9; Matt. 23:23, 25).

    • Overrule Bibi Netanyahu's thinking so that he deals in righteousness at this time (Prov. 21:1).

    • Impart Your wisdom and discernment to Netanyahu throughout this process (1 Kin. 3:9; Eccl. 8:5b).

    • For Your glory's sake, move on Bibi Netanyahu to cry out to You (Psa. 50:15).

    • Continue to clear out the dross in Israel's political system so that righteousness and justice become the goal of every one of Israel's political leaders (Isa. 1:25-27).

    • Use the new coalition to hedge in Israel's overly aggressive Supreme Court in order to create a godly balance between the unelected judiciary and the elected legislative authorities (1 Cor. 14:33).

    • Meanwhile, Israel's current Prime Minister Lapid said he will fight against the new coalition in order for Israel to be a Jewish, democratic and liberal state, yet we say that You, Messiah Yeshua, will reign as King over Israel (Psa. 74:12; 103:19; Isa. 33:22).

    • Shut the mouths of the current government ministers who are actually encouraging Israelis to revolt and to not obey the next government (Dan. 6:22; Rom. 13:1-4).

    • Lord, in Your mercy do not allow Israel to become divided (Jer. 3:18; Ezek. 37:22; Hos. 11:1).

    • You who are Israel's Shepherd (Psa. 23:1; 80:1-3), protect Your flock from the wolves – both inside and outside of Israel – who are trying to destroy Your sheep (Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:11-12).

  3. Internal security:

    The next government is already being set up to be blamed for causing the current increase of terrorist activity in Israel. Yet this terrorism was ignited under Israel's left-wing, pro-Palestinian government that we just prayed out of office. Here are the statistics: In 2022 – 280 terror attacks and 110 shooting attacks; in 2021 – 91 and 25 respectively. Overall this year, Israel's security forces have stopped more than 500 attacks – a definite answer to prayer!

    • God, thank You for recording in the Torah portion Jacob's purchase of Shechem, today's Nablus in northern Samaria, almost 3,000 years before the creation of a Palestinian people (Gen. 33:18-20).

    • Let Your terror fall on the Palestinians just like it fell on Israel's enemies in Jacob's day (Gen. 35:5).

    • Regardless of what the world says – lead the new government to deal aggressively with all terrorists who are in the land that You gave to Abraham and his seed (Psa. 9:19-20; 10:16; 35:1-8).

    • Use the IDF leaders to be like a torch among the terrorist sheaves (Zech. 12:6).

    • Continue to give great success to Operation Break the Wave and its capturing or killing of terrorists, along with the disruption of their demonic plans to murder as many Jews as possible (Ezek. 37:10).

    • Prepare the IDF to deal with the increase of violence that will inevitably accompany the downfall of the Palestinian Authority once President Abbas is no longer in charge (Psa. 44:4-5).

    • Use this increase in terrorism as the catalyst which forces Israel to extend its sovereignty over all the land west of the Jordan River – as it says in Shabbat's prophetic portion (Obad. 1:17-20).

    • [Esau/Edom (Gen. 36:1) is one of Islam's spiritual foundations.] Lord, in line with the prophetic portion, use the pride of Muslim terrorists to both deceive them and shame them (Psa. 83:16-18) and ultimately, if they will not repent, to cut them off (Obad. 1:3a, 10).

    • Continue to protect Israel's security forces and civilians against all attacks (Isa. 54:17).

    • Make the way smooth between the new political leaders and the leaders of the IDF (Prov. 17:14).

    • Give Israel's new leaders wisdom and boldness in dealing with its "friends" like America, who now "demand" that Israel not build or extend its sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, or the EU which has for years financed illegal Palestinian building in areas of Judah and Samaria (Ezra 4:3; Neh. 2:20).

    • Send laborers into the Palestinian harvest, and bring many to a saving knowledge of Yeshua as their Savior (Matt. 5:44; 9:38; Rom. 12:14)

  4. External security:

    Shabbat's prophetic portion has a warning against all nations who curse Israel or prevent it from doing God's will. This is especially relevant to Israel's "friends" in the West: For the day of YHWH is near on all the nations; as you have done, it shall be done unto you; your reward shall return upon your own head. (Obad. 1:15)

    • Lord, move on the new coalition members to trust You more than to trust man (Jer. 17:5-8).

    • Impart wisdom to Israel's intelligence agencies to know what its enemies are planning and then give Israel divine insight on how to defend itself against them (Job 34:21-22; Psa. 144:1).

    • Set Your plans for dealing with Iran's threats in the minds of the IDF's Iran Command (Prov. 21:31).

    • Do the same with those in the IDF who focus on Hizbullah in Lebanon (Psa. 3:8).

    • Lord of hosts; release Your weather-weapons against Hizbullah's chemical weapons (Job 38:22-23).

    • Let faith arise in all members of the IDF as they realize that You who have brought back Israel will also defend it (Jer. 31:10), and that You do go out with the IDF to battle (Deut. 20:1-4).

    • Continue to shake Iran internally through the on-going demonstrations (Job 38:12-13; Psa. 18:7).

    • Orchestrate circumstances so that Iran's modern-day "Hamans" fall into the traps they have set for innocent Iranians or Israelis or anyone else (Est. 7:10; Psa. 35:6-8; Gal. 6:7).

    • Create confusion in the minds of Iran's nuclear experts – leading to explosive mistakes in all of Iran's nuclear facilities (Psa. 35:26; 129:5; Ezek. 21:31).

    • Lord, create a modern worm to infiltrate and destroy Iran's cyberwarfare abilities (Jonah 4:7a).

    • Guide the Iranian Church in prayer for their national situation and to bless Israel (Num. 24:9b).

    • Create real peace and unity of purpose between Israel's next Defense minister, the new IDF Chief of Staff Halevi, PM Bibi Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich in whatever areas he deals with (Psa. 133:1).

    • Oversee and bless Israel's military weapons development projects – especially its laser weaponry and its cyberwarfare abilities (Prov. 8:12).

    • May Israel not "go down to Egypt", but know what to share and what to keep for itself (Isa. 31:1-3).

    • Give Israel wisdom as to what to do – or not do – concerning reports that Saudi Arabia is slowly but surely moving towards being its partner in the Abraham Accords (1 Chr. 12:17; Prov. 16:7).

  5. Aliyah:

    There is a powerful prophecy about aliyah in Shabbat's prophetic portion: They shall walk after YHWH; He shall roar like a lion. When He roars the children shall tremble from the west [lit: the sea]. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria, and I will cause them to dwell in their houses, says YHWH. (Hosea 11:10-11)

    • Lion of Judah, arise and roar and cause Your children stuck in the West to return home (Isa. 43:5-7)!

    • Use the new coalition to fulfill Hosea 11:10-11 and build houses for Your people (Ezek. 28:25-26).

    • Direct many Western Jewish leaders to lead their communities back to Zion (Jer. 51:6-9).

    • Thank You that we see the literal fulfillment of Zechariah 8:1-8 in Jerusalem today.

    • Please fulfill many more of Your prophetic promises concerning aliyah in our days – such as Psalm 147:2; Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 31:8-10; Ezekiel 36:23-24; and literally hundreds of others.

    • Enable the new Minister of Aliyah and Absorption and the new Minister of Interior to welcome all Jews and not limit any whom You are bringing home (Isa. 62:10).

    • God, oversee any changes in the Law of Return – if in fact any are needed (Prov. 19:21).

    • We praise You for the large numbers of new immigrants – over 60,000 – who have come to Israel already this year, and we boldly ask You for more than 100,000 in 2023 (Isa. 43:5-7; Eph. 3:20).

    • Settle the new immigrants throughout the land – in the Galilee, on the Golan, in the Negev, along the Gaza envelope, in the Jordan Valley and within all of Judea and Samaria (Jer. 32:41-44).

  6. Salvation:

    The last line in Shabbat's prophetic portion points to the outcome of Messiah Yeshua's return: And deliverers shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be YHWH's. (Obad. 1:21; cp. Zech. 14:5b, 9, 16-17)

    • Lord Yeshua, remove that veil over Your people's minds when they think of You (Rom. 11:25-26).

    • During this season of light, reveal Yourself as the Light of the world to many of Your people (John 8:12; 12:46): Israeli politicians and judges; hippies searching for "truth"; Holocaust survivors; those terminally ill; the LGBTQ+ community who will find true love only in You; IDF soldiers, naval and air force personnel; IDF career officers; women who have had abortions; unsaved family members of Messianic Jews; medical personnel; police and security guards; ultra-Orthodox rabbis and others in their communities; settlers on Israel's mountains; prisoners and prison officials; college students; Israelis living outside of Israel; [please add groups or Jews whom you know personally to this list.]

    • Lord, as many Israelis are drawn to various Christmas activities, use the Carols sung at this season, as well as Handel's Messiah, to open their hearts to the truth of Your Word (Psa. 36:9; 119:105, 130).

    • Lord, may the thousands of born-again workers from the Philippines who care for elderly Israelis provoke them to jealousy with their love for You and for these Jews (Rom. 11:11b).

  7. Messiah's Body:

    We are shocked at how the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, which point to Messiah's birth as a fulfillment of God's promises to Israel, are taken by the Church out of context and then applied only to the church, or only to gentiles. This makes the birth of Israel's Promised Messiah totally non-Jewish – and totally false! Is it not time for believers to see what His birth meant to the New Testament writers?

    • Open the minds of Your Body to the biblical meaning of Your promise to Miriam through the angel Gabriel: He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him His father David's throne. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:32-33).

    • As believers read the birth narratives, shake their familiarity of these verses, confronting them with their context, which is that the people were Jews who were expecting their Messiah: Matt. 1:1, 18, 20-23; 2:2-6, 15-18; Luke 1:15-17, 27, 31-33, 54-55, 68-79; 2:4, 11, 21-26, 29-32, 38.

    • Remind Your Body that the root – Your promises to Israel's forefathers – supports the Church and not the other way around (Rom. 11:18; 15:8-12; cp. Matt. 1:1).

    • Remove all distortions created by man-made traditions from off Your Word (Matt. 15:6b).

    • Enable the Body to see Israel in the way You see it – as the apple/pupil of Your eye (Zech. 2:8). [Note: As we see the world through our pupil, so God sees the world through His nation Israel!]

    • Show believers that their eternal destiny is now tied in with Israel's eternal destiny much more than with their birth-nations destiny (Rom. 11:17-18, 24; Eph. 2:12-14, 19; cp. Isa. 14:1; Zech. 2:11).

  8. Water:

    We prayed for God to release the rain over His land. So far the rainfall has not been consistent, but it has been enough to soften the ground in preparation for the heavier rains to come.

    • Lord, watch over and care for Your land (Deut. 11:12).

    • While most of Your people are not righteous in Messiah yet, still You Son said that because of Your mercy as a Father, You would pour out the rain and so we ask You to do just that (Matt. 5:45b).

    • We need lots of water to see Your promise of the land of Israel becoming like the Garden of Eden come to pass – so please send abundant water at this season for Your name's sake (Ezek. 36:34-36).

  9. IFI:

    As mentioned above, it is very discouraging to see what is happening in the formation of Israel's next government. Only His grace keeps us on the walls, interceding for His will to be done. Pray for us to be encouraged and strengthened in the battle because the weariness of interceding while also keeping informed of the news in order to pray with the understanding is at times more than we can bear in the natural. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team

Psa. 121:1-8