1. Praise:

   The annual Torah reading cycle begins again on Shabbat. Genesis 1:1 is the foundation for the rest of Scripture. After all, if God did not create all that exists, then He is not God. Yet since He is the Creator, then nothing is too difficult for Him.

   • Ah Lord YHWH, behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and out stretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for You:Jer. 32:17; cp. 32:27

   • We bless You for Your physical creation which is both good and beautiful (Gen. 1:31a; Psa. 19:1).

   • Lord Yeshua, Living Word of God and Creator of all – we praise and exalt You (John 1:1-3).

   • God, bless You for revealing to us that You created all things through Yeshua (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16).

   • We praise and thank You that even though You knew all about us before we were created, yet You still elected us to be Your children before the world was created (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15; Eph. 1:4-5)!

   • Thank You that in the prophetic portion You tell us nothing can take You by surprise so that we can trust You even in the face of the horrific events that we have seen in Israel this past week (Isa. 42:9).

   • Thank You for bringing us into Your kingdom at just this time in history (Est. 4:14b; Col. 1:13-14).

2. Internal security:

   Last Shabbat Hamas launched an all-out war on Israel with a huge rocket barrage and thousands of terrorists infiltrating southern Israeli communities. More than 1300 Israelis have died so far, many thousands are injured and traumatized, and over a hundred soldiers and civilians have been taken hostage. Israel is now in an official state of war against Hamas, naming it "Operation Iron Swords". We need to pray that this not based on revenge, but on God's justice which through the IDF must be applied to these Hamas demon-possessed murderers.

   • Lord, we remind You of Your promise in the prophetic portion in Isaiah 43:2-3a to guard Israel and ask for You to minister that for Your regathered nation at this time (Jer. 31:10; Eph. 3:20-21).

   • Again, in the prophetic portion, You say that You will fight against Your enemies, so arise and do just that against Hamas and all of Israel's other foes: YHWH shall go forth as a mighty man; He shall stir up zeal as a man of war: He shall shout, yes, roar, and prevail against His enemies. (Isa. 42:13)

   • Lord, now many nations say they stand with Israel, yet confront them with their past wickedness of thwarting Israel from destroying Hamas in all its previous wars (Psa. 5:4; 45:7; Prov. 11:9; 16:12).

   • Use the very real comparison of Hamas with ISIS to prevent Western nations from trying to stop Israel from completely destroying Hamas from off of Your land (Psa. 9:5, 15; 10:16: 44:2). [We are already seeing infuriating signs of this – including from America, the EU and the UN.]

   • Create a unity among Israel's political and military leaders with a goal to win this war (Amos 3:3).

   • Surround these leaders with godly counsel and block them from all else (Prov. 20:18; 24:6).

   • Impart to them Your ultimate objectives for this war (Job 21:29-30; Prov. 16:4-5, 9; Zeph. 2:4-7).

   • Use the war to destroy that "king" from Gaza – the Islamic spirit which rules there (Zech. 9:5b).

   • Send wisdom from above to Israel's leaders concerning what to do about the many hostages who are under Hamas' cruel control (Gen. 14:14; Deut. 40-43; 1 Kin. 8:46-53).

   • Have mercy and miraculously release each hostage just like You did with Peter (Acts 12:5-11).

   • Lord God Almighty, raise up those "governors" [Modern Hebrew = generals] of Judah who will gain a total victory over Israel's enemies, including in Judea and Samaria (Zech. 12:6).

   • We declare Psalm 68:35 and Isaiah 41:10-16 over all of the various divisions of the IDF today.

   • Supply Israel's soldiers with all they need – equipment, courage, rest and the proverbial jaw bones of asses so that each one can defeat a thousand enemy terrorists (Deut. 28:7, 10; Judg. 15:14-15).

   • Lord, please enable clear communications of the rules of engagement between every IDF warrior in the field and their commanders (Judg. 7:16-18; 1 Cor. 14:8).

   • While there was obviously a huge failure by Israel's intelligence services, still we ask You to help Israel in obtaining, and interpreting, intelligence correctly – today and tomorrow (Job 34:21-24; 42:2).

   • Guard over and use every believing soldier for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3).

   • Shove Israel's enemies into the traps which they have set for Your people (Psa. 140:4-5; Eccl. 10:8).

   • Supernaturally defeat Hamas whom You hate because they love violence (Psa. 11:4-6; Prov. 8:13).

   • Lord, release harsh weather events to aid Israel in defeating terrorism in Your land (Job. 38:22-23).

   • Use this vicious attack to once-and-for-all convince Israelis that giving up land results in war and death as seen in Gaza, South Lebanon, and in Judea and Samaria (Lev. 25:23; Prov. 22:28; 23:10).

   • As Israelis recognize this reality, let them demand that the government extend its sovereignty over their/Your land – and take back all land that was given unto their/Your enemies (Josh. 1:2-3, 6).

   • Use this to shatter that two-state solution golden calf idol in every Israel heart (Ex. 32:20).

   • We trust that all You have promised to Israel about Your land is settled in eternity (Psa. 119:89), and pray that You will use this war to watch over and fulfill even more of those promises (Jer. 1:12).

3. External security:

   It seems likely that Iran told Hamas to attack at this time because of its fear of a deal between Israel, Saudi Arabia and America. Hizbullah and other Palestinian terror groups linked with Iran in South Lebanon, and in Syria, have been testing Israel's responses. Also, the UN peace keeping force in Lebanon has left the border area, which is an answer to prayer as if Israel needs to war against Hizbullah, it will not need to be concerned about killing UN soldiers.

   • If Israel needs to fight a multi-front war, encourage them with how they have gained victories in multi-front wars in 1948, in 1967 and in 1973 (Psa. 3:1-8; 124:1-8).

   • Lord, this may be counterintuitive, but if this is the time for Israel to pre-empt Hizbullah and Hamas, who have set up bases in Lebanon, then direct them to do just that (Mic. 4:11-13).

   • God, keep the IDF's Iran Command focused on the Iranian threat despite the war in Gaza (Jam. 1:8).

   • Lord, provide the IDF such miraculous success against Israel's enemies that the world, especially the Muslim nations, will need to confess that You are with them (Ex. 14:25; Deut. 20:1-4; Psa. 44:4).

   • Use that success to cause a paralyzing terror of the IDF to fall upon Your enemies (Josh. 2:11; 9:24).

   • Guide the IDF's deployment of men and equipment throughout Israel (Psa. 31:3; Prov. 21:31).

   • Also, because You know the future, prepare Israel's society for all that is to come (Isa. 46:9-10).

   • Severely shake Iran – physically, socially, financially, politically and militarily (Isa. 2:19, 21).

   • If this Hamas attack was indeed ordered by Iran, deal with them as You did with Haman (Est. 7:10).

   • Show Israel when and how to pre-empt Iran's nuclear program (Jer. 10:25; 51:20-24).

   • Lord, protect, bless and mature all Iranian believers, guiding them as they pray for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and as they pray for and bless Your nation, Israel (Num. 24:9b; Psa. 122:6).

   • God, if this Israel-Saudi Arabia normalization deal is in fact from You, then direct every detail, and use this Hamas attack to push the deal forward (Prov. 20:24: Jer. 10:23).

   • Use Hamas' demonically directed attack to stop America from insisting that any Israeli-Saudi deal includes compromises or benefits to the Palestinians (Psa. 33:10-11; Rom. 8:28).

4. Government & society:

   Israel now has an emergency unity government – with Benny Gantz being brought in to form a war cabinet. While we preferred to not see this happen, it is now a reality, and so we need to ask God to use it for His purposes.

   • Lord, as you have let this come into being, we ask that Gantz's previous thinking that a Palestinian State is what is needed for Israel to have peace will be erased from his mind and will not hinder what Israel needs to do to completely destroy Hamas (Prov. 16:9; 19:21).

   • Draw PM Bibi Netanyahu to encourage himself in You – especially at this time (1 Sam. 30:6).

   • Instead of the Saudi normalization deal, let him see a victory over Hamas as the best way to cement his legacy and let him pursue that will all of the wisdom which You have given him (Prov. 15:30).

   • Use the Hamas atrocities to heal Israeli society, starting with the repentance of the opposition and anti-judicial leaders' vocal hatred of Israel's democratically elected government (1 Tim. 4:1-2).

   • What we are asking of You, Lord God, Almighty Creator, is that since nothing is too hard for You, please create blessing and good in Israel from this terrible situation (Gen. 1:1-3; Rom. 8:28).

   • Yet do not let anyone who encouraged reservists and pilots to refuse to serve – although all who refused are serving willing now – to be released from their accountability in boosting the enemy's boldness to attack against what Hamas saw was an internally divided Israel (Gal. 2:11; Jam. 5:16).

   • God, please protect Your people throughout society, including from any attempts by even a small section of Israeli Arabs to become Hamas' spies and fighters internally (Psa. 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

   • God, comfort all families whose loved ones were killed, who are hostages, or – what is probably worst of all – their destiny still remains unknown (Psa. 23:4; 86:17; 119:50, 76, 82; Isa. 61:2b-3).

   • Judge of the earth (Psa. 82:8), block Israel's High Court from interfering with war-related decisions which need to be made but which might offend their left-leaning humanistic worldview (Rom. 3:19).

   • We again ask You to fulfill Isaiah 1:25-27 as soon as possible.

   • Continue anointing Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan to boldly speak truth (Isa. 2:3b; Gal. 4:16).

   • Anoint all Israeli spokespeople to respond with boldness and clarity when, as we are already seeing, there are attempts to equate Hamas' attacks and Israel's response as both wrong (Psa. 81:10; 109:1-3).

5. Aliyah:

   God's ingathering of His people is ultimately for His glory (Isa. 43:5-7). We repeat this biblical truth because many in the Church, especially in the West, are ignorant about this connection as a result of not being taught the full counsel of God (Acts 20:27), which includes the Tanach!

   • Convict Jews who still live in the captivity throughout the world of their resistance to You as they read Isaiah 43:5-7 in Shabbat's prophetic portion,

   • Use the increase of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attacks at this time to show especially Western Jews that they are deceiving themselves about their comfort and security in exile (Psa. 78:56-61; Isa. 5:13).

   • Speak clearly to them of their need to flee "Babylon" today to save their lives and the lives of their loved ones – even at the cost of forsaking their "comfortable" lifestyles (Jer. 51:6-10).

   • God, continue driving out Your "enemies" which have taken up residence in Jewish hearts, including Messianic Jews, and cause many to reject even considering to make aliyah (Psa. 68:1; 89:10-11).

   • Use the war to force Israel to extend its sovereignty over more of its land, including over Gaza, thus providing sufficient room for all the Jews whom You will bring home in the near future (Isa. 54:2-3).

   • Lord, direct every believing Israeli in exile to return home today (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

   • Lord Yeshua, anoint all believers who understand Your kingdom purposes for aliyah today to have a supernatural influence on the rest of Your Body (Matt. 13:33).

   • Raise up many more gentile believers to help carry Your people home during this time (Isa. 49:22).

6. Salvation:

   Our ultimate goal in praying for "all Israel" to be saved, is that in their salvation God will be glorified (Psa. 79:9; 85:9; Isa. 46:13)! Also, please remember that one reason why we concentrate on praying for Israel's security is that for Israelis to be saved – they need to be alive!

   • Lord, as Your people read the beginning of Genesis, use these verses to challenge them about their need for personal salvation: Genesis 3:15 – the first mention of the gospel; 3:21 – blood is shed for Adam and Eve's sin and then God Himself covers them; 5:3 – Adam's sin nature is passed down to the rest of the human race; 6:5 – man's heart is wicked and perpetually evil; 6:8 – Noah receives God's grace before he is seen as righteous.

   • Open their eyes to Your promise in the prophetic reading that Israel's Messiah would also be a light to the Gentiles (Isa. 42:6-7; cp. Luke 2:30-33)

   • Draw all Israelis who are furious with You over what Hamas has done, as that fury indicates that they actually do believe in Your existence although they do not know You personally yet (Jer. 31:3).

   • Save all of Hamas' hostages, especially those who will not return home alive (John 11:25).

   • We ask for the same mercy for every IDF soldier who will die in battle (Deut. 20:1-8).

   • Send forth laborers into the harvest field of Your people during this tragic time (Luke 10:2).

   • Increasingly use Messianic Jews and Christians as a light in Israel's society (Psa. 36:7-9; Phil. 2:15).

7. Body of Messiah:

   Especially with the events surrounding Israel today, the Body of Messiah must become much more familiar with every part of God's Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

   • Use today's headlines to draw Your people to studying Your lines (Matt. 13:52; 2 Tim. 2:15).

   • Reveal to Your Body how essential a knowledge of the Tanach is in order to discern what You are doing in Israel today (Deut. 4:6; Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:9; 2 Tim. 3:1-17).

   • Teach Your Body that in the original Hebrew it does not say "You shall not kill" (Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17), but You shall not murder, so that they can support Israel's battle against terrorism with a clear conscience (Num. 35:16-18, 21, 31; Psa. 94:1-6; Matt. 19:18; 22:7).

   • Also teach believers that "turn the other cheek" applies to Your disciples when being persecuted (Matt. 5:1-2, 38-39) and does not apply to nations fighting their enemies (Eccl. 8:11; Rom. 13:1-4).

   • Cleanse Your Body from all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic teachings and tendencies – especially replacement and fulfillment theologies (Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:21-23).

8. Water:

   Israel has entered its rainy season. It is wonderful that so many Israelis still see the rain as a gift from God's hand.

   • Thank You for all the Israelis who do see rain as a blessing from heaven (Isa. 41:17-20).

   • God, because You are a merciful Father, give to Israel all the water it needs (Matt. 5:45b).

9. IFI:

   Many of you have written to us, telling us that you are praying for Israel and for us personally. We so appreciate your prayers as it has been very hard to digest what has happened and what Israel will be facing in the near future. We are physically fine, but mentally and emotionally, it's been rough. Yet knowing that our God reigns helps us trust in Him – and that upholds and encourages our spirits. Thank you for standing with us and with Israel.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Psa. 121:3-4