1. Praise:

   At times when God tests us He asks us what He asked Abraham in Shabbat's Torah portion: Is anything too hard for YHWH? (Gen. 18:14a) During this time of war in Israel, an affirmative answer to this question enables us to pray more effectively.

   • Lord, as the Creator of heaven and earth, there is nothing too hard for You (Jer. 32:17, 27).

   • In fact, as we look deep into our hearts, knowing that You have already saved us, we are absolutely convinced that You can do the impossible (Prov. 15:11; Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:19; Luke 1:37; 18:27).

   • We praise You for choosing us before we ever said "yes" to You (John 15:16; Eph. 1:4).

   • We rejoice that Your promises are established forever in eternity (Psa. 119:85).

   • We are reassured that since You exist outside of time, nothing takes You by surprise (Isa. 37:16).

   • Thank You for revealing Your plans to us so that we can pray (Gen. 18:17-18 in the Torah portion).

   • And we bless and praise You for telling us that our prayers are Your delight (Prov. 15:8b, 29b).

   • Thank You for including in Your Word many complaints, fears, and other emotional turmoil over life's battles which the authors confess to You as this encourages us to be honest with You and not to try and pretend that we are spiritually mature all of the time (Psa. 55:1-8; 61:2; 77:3; 2 Cor. 4:7-18).

   • We bless You for the many ways in which You are forcing us to trust You at this time even when we are not very clear about what You are doing – or what You are allowing to be done (Prov. 3:5).

2. "Operation Swords of Iron":

   Shabbat's Torah portion has a promise from the Angel of God to Abraham that is very relevant in Israel's war against Hamas today: By myself I have sworn, says YHWH, that because you have…not held back your only son, in blessing I will bless you …and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. (Gen. 22:16-17; cp. 24:60).

   • God, in line with this promise, when the war is over let Israel possess all of Hamas' "gates" in Gaza.

   • We rejoice that yesterday an IDF commander said that they were at Gaza City's gates (Isa. 55:11).

   • You are a God of vengeance (Deut. 32:41-43; Psa. 79:10) who has used human armies throughout history as Your arm of vengeance, and so we ask You to use the IDF to take revenge on all those who have murdered – or who plan to murder – Your people (Isa. 34:8; Ezek. 25:12-17).

   • Lord, guide Israel's war efforts against Hamas, including using unconventional methods (Isa. 30:21).

   • Provide the IDF with all the equipment, courage, wisdom and protection it needs (Psa. 44:1-3).

   • Also, supply the needs of every soldier's family anxiously waiting at home (1 Sam. 30:24).

   • Prevent all friendly fire incidents or accidents from injuring or killing IDF soldiers (Psa. 121:4).

   • King Messiah, arise and scatter Hamas' demonic spiritual protection (Psa. 68:1, 30b; Zech. 9:5b).

   • Release Your angelic armies to fight alongside the IDF at this time (Psa. 59:5; Zech. 9:14-15a).

   • Lord of hosts, adjust the IDF's rules of engagement to line up with Your biblical standards which are very different from the West's humanistic ones (Gen. 6:9; Deut. 20:10-18; Prov. 21:30-21).

   • Sharpen Israel's drone operators to find and take out Israel's enemies (Isa. 31:5; Zech. 9:13-16).

   • Show the IDF the most effective way to destroy Hamas' vast underground tunnel system in Gaza, and the terrorists and explosive traps that are in them (Job 26:6; 34:22; Psa. 95:4; 124:6-8; 139:11).

   • Cut off the electricity, and destroy all fuel supplies which keep the tunnels inhabitable – and force the terrorists to come out of their hiding places in the sight of the IDF (Psa. 35:1-8; Mic. 7:15-17).

   • Also God, release Your fear to drive Hamas out of their "sewers" (Job 18:5-11; Mic. 7:16-17).

   • Alternatively, so shake the ground under Gaza that all of the tunnels and the evil contained in them, are swallowed up by the earth (Job 38:12-13; Isa. 24:19-20: Jer. 49:21).

   • Thrust the enemy headlong into the traps they have set for the IDF (Psa. 35:8; 141:9-10; Eccl. 10:8).

   • In Your mercy, guard over the hostages and set them free (Psa. 79:11; 102:20; Isa. 49:24-26).

   • Send Your angels to pull them out as You did with both Lot and Peter (Gen. 19:16; Acts 12:5-11).

   • Let Israel strive to free the hostages, yet to fight Hamas with all of its might (Num. 24:8-9, 20).

   • Aid Israel's intelligence services to rightly discern all intelligence data gathered out of Gaza, Judea and Samaria and also out from Lebanon (Job 12:22; Prov. 15:3; Obad. 1:6).

   • Be with believing soldiers and give them a boldness to walk in the gifts of the Spirit, even bringing forth words of wisdom and gifts of healings on the battlefield (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

   • Lord God of hosts, impart to Israel's leaders – and to us as ammunition in prayer (Amos 3:7) – what Your end goals are for this war (Prov. 16:4-5; Jer. 30:16; Obad. 1:15-20).

   • Do not allow Israel to hand over Gaza to the Palestinian Authority which is as anti-Semitic, and anti-Zionistic as Hamas, and who fully back and pay for demonic violence against Israel (Matt. 12:43-45).

   • As Gaza is part of Judah's inheritance, let Israel repossess it (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Obad. 1:17).

   • While it is evident that Hamas is the Palestinian's ISIS, yet Lord we watch in frustration and anger as Western nations try to hinder Israel from destroying it completely, and so we ask You to fight against all humanistic attempts to protect these who are Your enemies today (Psa. 35:1; 83:1-4).

3. Internal security:

   Israel is warring against terrorists in Judea and Samaria and having great success. Thankfully, the war against Hamas has kept much of this out of the headlines.

   • Continue to make Israel's battle against Palestinian terrorists in Judea and Samaria hugely successful as they capture or kill Hamas and other terrorists who are embed there (Obad. 1:18; Zech. 12:6).

   • Send massive confusion and great fear into the hearts of all Palestinian terrorists who have a visceral hatred against Israel and the Jews (Psa. 40:14-15; Jer. 17:18; Ezek. 35:11-13).

   • Expose and destroy all of their hiding places and weapons caches (Isa. 54:17a; Ezek. 32:26-27).

   • Use our prayers as Gideon's trumpets and let these terrorists destroy each other (Judg. 7:21-22).

   • Guard over Israel's political and military leaders' unity in purpose today (Amos 3:3).

   • Lord, raise up in Israel's government and military the Sons of Zion who fear You and honor Your Word (Psa. 40:3), and replace all the Sons of Greece – those who fear man (Joel 3:6-8; Zech. 9:13).

   • Also surround each government and military leader with sons of Zion as well as sons of Issachar as their personal advisors to whom they pay attention (1 Chr. 12:32; Prov. 20:18; 24:6).

   • Prepare all civilian security personnel to be ready and able to protect each of the communities they are assigned to – in Judea and Samaria and in the rest of the nation (Josh. 1:14).

4. External security:

   Iran is the mastermind behind most of the current military threats against Israel. Not only did they work for years with Hamas to plan the October 7th massacre, but they also control Hizbullah – their very dangerous proxy in Lebanon. The Iranian regime needs to be removed for the sake of Israel, the Iranians, the Lebanese, and the rest of the world.

   • Lord, You are building Your throne in Elam – ancient Iran – through the miraculous growth of the Iranian Body of believers, and for this we bless and praise You (Jer. 49:38a). More, Lord!

   • Now we ask You to fulfill the second part of that verse and destroy Iran's leaders (Jer. 49:38b).

   • God Almighty let Iran's constant threats against Israel fall on their own heads (Job 4:8; Gal. 6:7).

   • Let Your adversaries' pride in cursing Israel drive them to destruction (Num. 24:9b; Obad. 1:3-4).

   • God, download Your strategy to the IDF's Iran Command to show Israel how to recompense Iran for being the human masterminds behind the massacre of Your people (Deut. 3239-43; Nah. 1:2).

   • Reassure Israel with how You helped them to win every multi-front war against them – in 1948, in 1967 and in 1973 – and that You are still the same Almighty God of Israel today (1 Sam. 17:4; 2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 20:15; Psa. 3:1-8; 44:1-4; Mal. 3:6).

   • Lord, have the last word in whether Hizbullah should war against Israel at this time (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Release panic and fear into all of Iran's proxies surrounding Your nation (2 Chr. 17:10; Jer. 4:19).

   • Set these whom You hate (Psa. 11:5) against each other and reignite the 1400 year-old war between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims (2 Sam. 22:3; Psa. 55:9; 68:30b; Prov. 28:17).

   • Messiah Yeshua, guard over, bless and spiritually mature all Iranian believers, and guide them as they prayer for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and bless and pray for Israel (Gen. 12:3a; Psa. 122:6).

5. Government & society:

   Israel's emergency unity war government was formed by adding a politician who is basically a son of Greece – Benny Gantz. While this is not the best way to win a war, we continue to pray looking to and trusting in God and not man (Psa. 20:7-9).

   • Promote Sons of Zion, and remove any Sons of Greece from Israel's government (Deut. 1:13).

   • As long as Bibi Netanyahu is still Israel's leader, use him for Your glory and help him to focus on doing what is needed to protect Israel today (Job 32:8; Psa. 68:27-28; Dan. 2:21).

   • We thank You for the increase in Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] men joining the IDF, and for the many other Haredim doing good works to comfort and care for many devastated Israelis (Isa. 35:3; 40:1).

   • Abba, comfort Israeli families whose loved ones were killed, who will be killed, who are hostages, or worst of all – whose destiny remains unknown (Psa. 23:4; Isa. 25:8; Jer. 31:13).

   • Guard over the minds and hearts of Israelis who gather the dead bodies and body parts (Psa. 140:7).

   • Provide all the needs – physically, emotionally, mentally, financially and spiritually – of the many Israelis who are today in internal exile, and let them see Your hand in this (Psa. 86:17; Jer. 29:11).

   • Prepare Israeli society for whatever will be the outcome of this war (Isa. 42:9).

   • Miraculously sustain Israel's economy at this hour (Psa. 65:9; 78:20).

   • Use the Hamas attack to finally convince Israelis that dividing up Your land only brings war, death and destruction – as seen in Gaza, South Lebanon, and in Judea and Samaria (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

   • Also use it to smash the "two-state solution" idol in Jewish hearts despite US President Biden and other leaders still insisting that this must be the final solution (Psa. 96:5; 97:7; 106:34-36).

   • May Nehemiah's declaration in 2:20 be ready proclaimed to the nations who want Israel to allow for the creation of a "Palestine" in any manner in Your land – including in Gaza (Neh. 2:20).

   • Silence the wicked, or deceived, people in positions, of influence, especially in the media, who dare to compare Hamas' attacks and Israel's response as both equally evil (Psa. 31:18; Eccl. 3:7b).

   • Continue to use Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan who has blasted the UN over their inability to condemn Hamas for its appalling acts against Israeli civilians – including Israeli Arabs (Gal. 4:16)!

   • Give Israel Your wisdom concerning its relations with its so-called allies who have stood against it in such a vicious manner as it battles Hamas – especially Turkey, Jordan and Egypt (Job 16:20; 42:7).

   • Lead Israel to outmaneuver all of the American administration's ungodly demands (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • God, hedge in America's new Israeli Ambassador, Jack Lew, who despite being an Orthodox Jew, has a very dangerous tract record against Israel (Isa. 33:7).

6. Aliyah:

   God is restoring His people to His land for His holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:21-24). We emphasis this since many believers are ignorant of it because they do not truly believe the Tanach.

   • Use the outrageous increase of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attacks worldwide as a result of Israel's war against Hamas to show Jews in exile that while it may not be totally safe in Israel, it is safer than living among the gentiles (Isa. 5:13-16; Jer. 32:37).

   • Also let this increasingly perilous time for them turn many into Sons of Zion and expel from their thinking all humanistic excuses preventing them from coming home (Psa. 137:5-6).

   • As You did in the Torah portion, send angels to drag today's Lots out of their comfortable conditions in their modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:15-16).

   • Thank You that around 300,000 Israelis have returned home as a result of the war (Deut. 30:3-5).

   • Help them to remain here and not return to their captivity among the nations (Amos 9:14-15).

   • During the war, keep Israel's gates open for every Jew who wants to return (Isa. 60:8-11).

   • Let the war force Israel to extend its sovereignty over more of Your land in order to provide enough room for all the Jews whom You are chasing home (Isa. 49:18-22; Jer. 32:41-44; Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Lord, fulfill Your Word and let some of the new immigrants repopulate Gaza (Zeph. 2:6-7).

   • Speak to more gentile believers to carry Your people home – even at this time (Isa. 49:22).

7. Salvation:

   We pray for "all Israel" to be saved as that brings glory to God (Psa. 79:9; 85:9; Isa. 46:13)! Also, we pray for Israel's security because for Israelis to be saved they must be alive!

   • Save every Hamas hostage, especially those who will die in captivity (Hos. 13:14a).

   • Reveal Messiah to hostages' families as the One who has already conquered death (John 11:25).

   • Redeem many IDF soldiers, especially those who will die in battle (Deut. 20:1-8; John 15:13).

   • Let every believing soldier shine brightly as a living witness to You, Lord Yeshua (Isa. 35:3-6).

   • Shake up unsaved Jews when they read in the Torah portion of two Yahwehs in two different places in one verse, and let them question You – and not their rabbis – as to what this means (Gen. 19:24)!

   • Also, let what Abraham says to Isaac in the Torah portion burn in their hearts: My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering… (Gen. 22:8a)

   • Lord, reveal Yourself to some Hamas terrorists during this war (Psa. 83:16; Matt. 5:44) and let them surrender to You, then to the IDF, and end up provoking Jewish soldiers to jealousy (Rom. 11:11)!

8. Body of Messiah:

   This is a crucial time for the Body to stand in the gap for Israel and their own nation (Ezek. 22:30-31). Also, believers need to have godly discernment to not just accept what any so-called prophet declares about Israel's war in Gaza and what it is fulfilling prophetically. Only after the fulfillment can we really say, This is that which was spoken… (Acts 2:16)

   • Use the war to prod more believers to read the Tanach so that they have some idea of what You are doing in Israel, as well as in the world, at this time (Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:9; Luke 24:25; 2 Pet. 1:19).

   • Reveal to the Body that Satan wants to destroy Israel to prove Your Word to be a lie (Jer. 31:35-37)

   • Warn them to not resist what You are doing today with all of Your heart and soul (Jer. 32:41-44).

   • Lord, cast out of the Body all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic teachings which opens them up to theological errors and even to worshipping another "Jesus" (2 Cor. 11:4; Eph. 4:14-15).

   • Lord Yeshua, in Your Body raise up the Sons of Zion and remove the Sons of Greece (Zech. 9:13).

9. Water:

   Israel is in its early rainy season.

   • Abba Father, we look too You to provide for all of Israel's water needs (Matt. 5:45b).

   • Also use the water as a weapon as Israel battles against Your enemies (Job 38:22-23).

   • Let the water which You send be a witness to Your grace among many Israelis (Isa. 41:17-20).

10. IFI:

    It is a battle to know how to intercede for Israel at this time. Thank you for praying for us to have the Spirit's discernment and to not be discouraged or overwhelmed in this war.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Num. 6:24-26