1. Praise:

   God's written Word is one of His most precious gifts to us. It is His light revealing His salvation and then the way to walk with Him and please Him (Psa. 119:105).

   • Lord, we bless You that there is Ultimate Truth – and it is found in Your Word (John 17:17).

   • Along with Your Word, we also want to thank You for Your creation which reveals so much about Your essential nature (Psa. 19:1; 89:5a; Rom. 1:19-20).

   • We are in awe that You not only created everything, but You sustain it all by Your Word (Psa. 33:6; 75:3; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2-3).

   • Thank You for Your Spirit which causes us to hunger for more of You and leads us to feed on Your Word – resulting in Your joy being manifest in our lives (Isa, 49:10; Jer. 15:16).

   • We bless You that Your Word hidden in our hearts, helps us to resist sin (Psa. 119:11).

   • We praise You Abba for revealing Yourself so fully in our Lord Yeshua (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2-3).

   • Lord Yeshua, thank You for being willing to be tested when You became God's Word manifest in the flesh, and also for being a shield and a strong tower to us today (Psa. 18:30; 61:3; Prov. 18:10).

   • Hallelujah! Your Word, both Living and written, accomplishes all You send it out to do (Isa. 55:11).

   • Lord, thank You that the Jewish people have preserved Your Word over the centuries (Rom. 3:1-2).

   • We take great comfort in knowing that Your essential nature never changes (Mal. 1:6; Jam. 1:17).

2. Salvation:

   As Chanukah and Christmas, both festivals of light, coincide, this is a fitting time to pray for Jewish people in Israel and worldwide to come to know the true Light of the world – Yeshua their King Messiah. In the Torah portion we read that Joseph, a wonderful foreshadow of Yeshua, knew his brothers, but they knew him not (Gen. 42:8). And this is still the situation today.

   • Lord, please remove the gentile clothing that many in the Church have placed on You, and reveal Yourself to Your family according to the flesh – the Jewish people (Gen. 45:3; Rom. 9:1-3).

   • Also Lord, remove that false picture of Messiah – in particular of You Yeshua as Israel's Messiah – that Rabbinic Judaism has placed on You (Isa. 52:14; 53:3).

   • As the Chanukiah [the Chanukah menorah] lights increase nightly, let there be a parallel increase of a revelation of who You really are in many Jewish hearts (Psa. 36:9b; John 1:5; 6:44-45).

   • You placed on Jewish eyes a partial veil for the gentiles' sake. Please remove it (Rom. 11:25-26).

   • As You are doing with many Muslims, reveal Yourself also in visions and dreams to multitudes of Jews throughout the world (Joel 2:28-29).

   • Use Isaiah 66:1-2 in the prophetic portion to inspire many more Jews to read all of Your Word.

   • Continue to use gentile believers to provoke Your people to jealousy, and reveal to each believer their specific God-given way of how to do this (Rom. 11:11).

   • Quicken all Jews, especially Israelis, who hear the gospel at this time in the form of Christmas carols or through Handel's Messiah, to start to seek the One who is being exalted (Jer. 29:13).

   • Lord, may all hidden Jewish believers listen for Your timing for them to confess You openly.

3. Government:

   Bibi Netanyahu presented his new coalition this past week. It is right-wing, Zionistic and has some ultra-Orthodox [Haredi] parties. The cries of the dangers to liberalism, gays, abortions, and many other anti-biblical ideals that have been tied into "democracy" are already being hurled against this new coalition from inside and outside of Israel. Yet we asked God to override the election results and to establish a government that would bring Him, and not man, glory. So in line with the 1st Timothy 2:1-4 exhortation, we will continue to pray for Israel's new government.

   • Lord, we need Your guidance more now than even before the elections in order to pray for Israel's new leaders – and as You guide us, we commit to giving You all the glory (Psa. 50:15).

   • Lord God, seeing so many liberal humanists going crazy over this right-wing coalition – like The NY Times – we rejoice as this indicates that Israel is moving in the right direction (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Thank You for Netanyahu's public rejection of that NY Times anti-Israel coalition editorial.

   • We pray for him that as the US Biden Administration criticizes the moves of Israel's new leadership, he would have Your wisdom to know what to say – or not to say (Prov. 26:4-5).

   • Anoint all of Israel's leaders to use Your Word in response to the attacks from the nations (Jer. 1:12).

   • Give Bibi wisdom to know how Israel is to handle its relations with Ukraine and Russia (Dan. 2:21).

   • Show him how to hold this coalition together and to guide it in line with Your will (Psa. 32:8-9).

   • Let the coalition truly fear You and not man as it legislates rules and laws for Israel (Psa. 146:3).

   • Hedge in the more radical members if they try to move Israel in a direction that is more rabbinic and not more biblical, thus unknowingly rendering the Word of God void (Mark 7:13).

   • Oversee the distribution of the various ministries' portfolios (1 Chr. 16:4; 1 Cor. 12:5-7).

   • Provide godly counsel to all the coalition members and enable them to hear all counsel that comes from You (Prov. 1:5; 8:14-16).

   • Root out the bitterness that has been expressed by the Israeli political parties that will soon be in the opposition (Deut. 29:18b; Heb. 12:15).

   • Prevent Israelis from heeding the calls by these bitter politicians for there to be civil disobedience in relation to the new Netanyahu coalition (Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

   • Enable the new government to move quickly and righteously to deal with the high cost of living, housing, security, and all other problems Israel needs to deal with at this time (Prov. 29:2; Isa. 32:1).

4. Internal security:

   Palestinian terrorists are continuing their murderous, hate-filled orgy and Israel's security forces are aggressively going after them. We still believe that the only solution to stopping internal terrorism today is for Israel to extend its sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan River. The new coalition has a number of parties that have pledged to do just that.

   • Regardless of what the nations may say or do, let Israel's new coalition extend Israeli sovereignty over much more – if not all – of its land west of the Jordan River (Isa. 54:2-3; Obad. 1:17).

   • Use the recent exposure of the EU's illegal support for Palestinians to take over Area C – which is under full Israeli control as per Oslo – to cause Israel to be more zealous in extending its sovereignty.

   • Let Israel break all agreements with the EU which do not include Judea and Samaria (Joel 3:1-2).

   • God of Israel, as every poll among the Palestinians reveals that the majority rejects the two-state solution and backs Hamas' plans to wipe out Israel and kill all Jews everywhere – we pray for You to arise and scatter Your enemies, especially those who delight in war (Psa. 17:8-13; 68:1, 30b; 83:1-4).

   • Yet merciful Lord, save some and turn them into followers of Israel's King (Matt. 5:44).

   • Continue to uncover and reveal every terrorist plot against Your people (Obad. 1:6; Mark 4:22).

   • Protect all of Israel's security forces who guard over Your people –physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually – and command Your angels to guard over them (Psa. 91:11).

   • Let their successes against terrorism be so miraculous that many Palestinians see that it is You who are fighting for Israel against their anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist plots (Ex. 14:25b; 1 Sam. 4:7-8).

   • Thank You for being alive today to actually see that great army Your prophesied would come out of the graves of the Holocaust (Ezek. 37:1-14).

   • Abba, protect a division of responsibilities that is righteous in Your sight with the rearrangement of political and security powers within the new coalition (Isa. 32:1; 60:17b; Zech. 8:8).

   • Bring about a change of the rules of engagement so that the IDF can act effectively in self-defense and in the defense of civilians, including against stone-throwers whose intent is to murder innocent Jewish civilians (Num. 35:17; Rom. 13:1-4).

   • Increase the safety on the roads in Judea and Samaria from the varied terrorist attacks (Psa. 121:4).

   • Lord God, deal with the evil US Administration which just equated IDF actions against terrorists with terror attacks against innocent civilians and who insist that Israel investigate all incidents when a Palestinian is killed, yet do not demand this of the Palestinians when Jews are murdered (Isa. 54:17).

5. External security:

   Iran is being distracted and drained by the internal demonstrations that have rocked that nation over the past several months. Yet it is still the number one threat to Israel at this time, therefore we need to keep the IDF – especially its Iran Command – in prayer so that it will not to be distracted from this clear and present Shi'ite danger.

   • Provide the IDF's Iran Command with accurate intelligence as to what is going on both internally in Iran and the extent of its ties with Russia, China and North Korea (Job 12:22; Jer. 11:18).

   • Abba, shatter the ties between Iran and these nations (Judg. 9:23).

   • Also destroy all ties between Iran and its proxies in the Middle East and worldwide (Prov. 16:5).

   • As You set Your throne in Iran through the growth of the Church, we ask You to also hasten the day when its king and princes are destroyed – as per Your word in Jeremiah 49:38.

   • God Almighty, prepare a modern-day Cyrus to take over in Persia/Iran (Isa. 44:28-45:4).

   • Lord of hosts, destroy the Iranian nuclear program and Hizbullah's cache of chemical weapons in Lebanon, using either supernatural events, natural agents or via the IDF (Num. 16:30; Psa. 44:4-5).

   • Give the IDF Your plans and strategies to know how to respond to outside threats (Josh. 5:13-6:5).

   • We know You are making Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to the nations today, so we need You to lead us in prayer as more nations condemn Israel for defending itself (Zech. 12:2-3).

   • May Israel's next defense minister have a trust relationship with Netanyahu and Hertzi Halevy, the next IDF Commander in Chief, and let there be a strong three-fold cord made of them (Eccl. 4:12).

   • Abba, in the absence of any real superpower in the world today, if this is the time to for Israel to be the head of the nations – tell us so that we can pray in agreement with You (Deut. 28:13; Amos 3:7).

6. Aliyah:

   Praise the Lord that so far over 70,000 new olim [immigrants] have landed in Israel in 2022. Many are Jewish or part of a Jewish family and the vast majority is from Russia and Ukraine.

   • Continue bringing Your people home from the ends of the earth (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:10) and keep the doors of Israel open to receive them regardless of their background, finances, etc. (Isa. 43:16-21).

   • Let wealthy Christians and Jews receive a burden to generously aid with the aliyah (Ezra 1:4).

   • Lord, please have the final say as to whether Israel's Law of Return should be changed (Prov. 19:21).

   • Regardless, keep the gates of Your nation open to welcome home all You are gathering (Jer. 31:10).

   • As You say in Jeremiah 32:41-44, let the olim settle throughout all of Your land.

   • Lord, root all of the new olim from this year securely into Israeli society (Amos 9:14-15).

   • Provide them with everything that they need to be rooted deeply in Israel: including housing, jobs, language skill, friends, and a joy and a hope for their future (Jer. 29:11; 33:10-14).

   • Use the new coalition to accomplish all that which we just prayed about (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Pry open the gates of any nation that refuses to let the Jews living there return home (Ex. 9:1).

   • Pry open the comfortable cages in which Western Jews are trapped (Psa. 107:3; Zech. 8:7).

   • Give biblical insight to more gentile believers to see what You so clearly express in Jeremiah 32:41 and that You expect them to work with You to fulfill this (Isa. 49:22; 60:8-11; 66:10-14).

   • [The prophetic portion contains a verse specifically about gentile believers: [Gentiles] shall bring all your brothers for an offering unto YHWH out of all nations… (Isa. 66:20a)]

7. The Body of Messiah:

   If Israel's role in God's current plans is either ignored or replaced it results in Christians being dangerously unrooted in God's Word. And a condition like that in today's world will result in deception, compromises and seeking for thrills, all of which are already seeping into the halls of the modern Church – particularly in the West.

   • Remove all fear about preaching on modern Israel and how it fulfills Your prophetic Word from every bible teacher/elder – especially in Western churches (Psa. 119:89; Matt. 5:18; Acts 20:27).

   • Reveal to believers the dire need today to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3), which obviously includes a solid biblical theology about Israel (Rom. 11:1-6).

   • Show gentile believers that if the Jesus they worship and proclaim is not the historical Jew of the New Testament – then they are looking to another Jesus, and are proclaiming another gospel which is not linked to God's promise to Israel's forefathers (Rom. 15:8) and are in danger of being infected by another spirit which is not God's Spirit (2 Cor. 11:3-4).

   • Let gentile believers see that their salvation is a proof that God's initial promise to Father Abraham is still valid today – and that that promise included a land for his children (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 3:8).

   • Lord, at this season, reconnect Your Body to its biblically kosher roots (Rom. 11:18)!

8. Water:

   We are still praying for the heavens above Israel to open and pour down rain.

   • Lord, speak to the rain and snow to fall on Your land at this time (Job 37:6).

   • Release Your snow and hail, letting them war against Israel's enemies in the land (Job 38:22-23).

   • We ask based on Your merciful nature and not because Israel is righteous today (Matt. 5:45b).

9. IFI:

   We know that there is a tightening of finances for many at this time, and that applies to us as well. We simply ask You to pray for the Lord to continue to supply whatever this ministry needs to run the race He has ordained for us, including finances, health, wisdom and especially insight into how He is leading us to intercede. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom and hag sameach – happy holidays,

For the IFI team

Luke 1:31-33; 2:32