1. Praise:

   Shabbat's prophetic portion has a prophecy about the global impact of the good news of Messiah Yeshua: For from the rising of the sun even to its going down My name shall be great among the gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering, for My name shall be great among the gentiles, says YHWH of hosts … for I am a great King, says YHWH of hosts, and My name is to be feared among the gentiles. (Mal. 1:11, 14)

   • Thank You for allowing us to see this prophetic word coming to fulfillment (Isa. 55:11).

   • We look forward to also seeing Your promise in Malachi 1:5 in that same portion: Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, 'YHWH will be magnified from [+ on; beyond] the border of Israel'.

   • Messiah Yeshua, we rejoice that You are the Lord of all today (Isa. 52:7; Matt. 28:18; Acts10:36).

   • Praise You for telling us that Your ways and thoughts are higher than ours, so that we will trust You even when we do not comprehend what You are doing or allowing to be done (Prov. 3:5; Isa. 55:9).

   • We bless You that what man means for evil, You can use for good (Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28).

   • We worship You, a covenant-keeping God, who is so faithful and merciful (Ex. 34:6-7a Psa. 36:5).

2. "Operation Swords of Iron" is Israel's war against Hamas. It began after Hamas slaughtered more than 1200 Israelis on October 7th and took over 200 hostages (Psa. 79:9-13).

   • Lord, guide the war and enable Israel to win an obvious victory (Psa. 89:23; 144:10; Isa. 30:30-33).

   • Supply all of the IDF's needs to be able to win in a way that glorifies You (Psa. 44:4; 115:1-3).

   • Protect IDF soldiers from friendly fire and other deadly accidents (Deut. 33:29; Psa. 89:18; 91:4).

   • Also guide them as they battle in an extremely dangerous urban warfare scenario (Psa. 2:4-5; 32:8).

   • Use the IDF to tread down the high places of Your enemies (Deut. 33:27-29).

   • Bless the soldiers with rest so that they can be adequately alert in battle (Psa. 3:5; 4:8).

   • Lord Yeshua, completely tear down Hamas' demonic spiritual protection (Psa. 68:20-21; 110:6).

   • Show Israel how to cut off every Hamas leader and leave Hamas headless (1 Sam. 17:45-451).

   • Release angelic hosts to support the IDF in this conflict (2 Kin. 6:16-17; Psa. 35:1-8).

   • Increase the IDF's effectiveness in destroying Hamas' huge underground tunnel system with any terrorists and hidden traps which are down there (Job 34:21-22; Psa. 95:3-4; 124:6-8; Amos 9:2-3).

   • Drain Hamas' fuel supplies which is needed to keep the tunnels inhabitable – and force them to come out in full sight of the IDF (Job 18:5-14; Isa. 24:17-18).

   • Let Hamas be snared by their own traps (Psa. 141:9-10; Eccl. 10:8; Gal. 6:7).

   • Have mercy on innocent Gazans, but expose all terrorists hiding in their midst (Obad. 1:6).

   • Abba, rescue Israel's hostages, sending angels as with Lot and Peter (Gen. 19:16; Acts 12:5-11), or guiding the IDF to find and set them free (Psa. 18:16-17; 124:7; 139:11-12; Isa. 49:24-26).

   • Impart wisdom to Israel's intelligence services as they interpret data gathered in Gaza – and in Judea and Samaria – about Palestinian terror activities (Job 12:22; Psa. 51:6; Prov. 2:6; Obad. 1:6).

   • Protect all of the IDF communications, yet confuse all of Hamas' (Psa. 55:9).

   • Anoint Israel's public relations campaign to clearly lay out what is truly at stake, especially as most nations are already turning their backs on the Jewish State (Isa.2:3; Joel 3:16).

   • Do not allow the humanitarian pauses, which Israel has agreed to under intense American pressure, to lead to a full ceasefire until after Hamas is totally destroyed (Ex. 17:14) and all the hostages, or their remains, are returned to their families (Job 5:12; Psa. 33:10; Isa. 18:9-10).

   • Expose the inflated figures put out by the Palestinians of how many of them live in Gaza, Judea and Samaria and their exaggerated figures of how many have actually died in the war (Deut. 33:29).

   • God, reveal very clearly to Israel's leaders what Your will is for Gaza after the war (Obad. 1:15-20).

   • Lord God, forbid Israel from turning Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority, who is a major part of the problem and should also be destroyed as soon as possible (Psa. 33:10-11; Luke 11:24-26).

   • Gaza is part of Judah's inheritance, so let Israel repossess it (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Zeph. 2:6-7).

3. Government & society:

   The war has opened the eyes of many Israelis who felt that peace with the Palestinians was essential for Israel's future. This has to ascend from the grassroots level to the leadership and so again we start this section by praying for the Sons of Zion to be raised up.

   • Lord God, promote many more Sons of Zion and demote many more Sons of Greece from Israel's current and future governments (Psa. 118:8-9; Zech. 9:13).

   • Do this throughout Israeli society, especially in the schools and universities (Job 36:22; Psa. 34:11).

   • Lord, use PM Bibi Netanyahu for Your glory as You guide him and keep him adamant concerning what Israel needs to do both during and after the war in Gaza (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

   • God of all comfort, comfort Israelis who have lost loved ones, or who will have to deal with this devastating fact in the very near future (Psa. 34:18; 147:3; 2 Cor. 1:3).

   • Also provide divine comfort and mental protection to everyone who survived the Hamas massacres, especially to the widows, orphans and youth (Psa. 23:4; 39:12; 61:1-2).

   • Supply all of the needs of the roughly half million Israelis who are in internal exile, and grace them with a hope for their future (Psa. 86:14-17; Jer. 29:11).

   • Equip Israeli society for whatever will come after the war (Psa. 90:12; Isa. 46:9-10).

   • Miraculously sustain Israel's economy at this hour (Deut. 28:8; Isa. 60:5-11, 17-18).

   • Let there be a huge increase in Israel's military industry of both armaments and new weapons so that Israel does not need to depend on supplies from other nations (Isa. 17:7; 31:1).

   • Let October 7th convince Jews in Israel and in exile that dividing up Your land brings war, death and destruction – and to finally turn away from this ungodly policy for the Jewish State (Joel 3:1-2).

   • Along with that, destroy the "two-state solution" peace idol and aid Israel to resist the pressure from many world leaders who insist that that must be the final solution (Num. 23:23-24).

   • Anoint all people who are speaking truth and confronting the lies in the media (Prov. 17:15).

   • Show Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan not only how to refute the lies declared in that anti-God den of iniquity, but also Your timing for when Israel should leave the UN (Num. 23:9b; Mark 6:11).

   • Teach Israel how to conduct relations with its so-called allies and friends who demand that it fight the war according to their humanistic thinking – and not in Your way (Num. 23:9b; Job 12:16-21).

4. Internal security:

   Israel's security forces are actively pursuing Hamas and other terrorists in Judea and Samaria. So far they have had excellent success for which we thank and praise God.

   • Lord, warn Palestinians, especially believers among them, of what is said about Jacob in the Torah portion: Cursed be he who curses you, and blessed be he who blesses you. (Gen. 27:29b)

   • As part of the above, send confusion and dread into the hearts and minds of all Palestinian terrorists who hate the descendants of Jacob (Deut. 11:25; Psa. 71:24; 129:5).

   • Enable Israel's war against Arab terrorists in Judea and Samaria to be miraculously successful, and aid them to capture or kill Hamas members and all other terrorists there (Zech. 9:14-15; 12:6).

   • Help Israel to thwart all the demonic plans against Your nation and people (Job 24:16; 38:15).

   • Lord, promote in Israel's military the Sons of Zion who trust in You (Psa. 118:6; Hos. 3:5), and demote all the Sons of Greece who fear man more than You (Prov. 29:25; Zech. 9:13).

   • Train Israel's civilian security forces to be able to protect the communities to which they will be assigned – whether in Judea and Samaria or elsewhere in the nation (Psa. 18:34; 144:1).

   • Shield Israel from cyberattacks and all dis- and misinformation campaigns (Psa. 101:7).

   • Thank You for keeping Israel's Arab citizens mostly peaceful during the war.

5. External security:

   Iran is the main culprit backing most of the military threats against Israel today. They control via their financial backing and military training, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and in Lebanon Hizbullah, as well as their proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

   • Lord Yeshua, we thank You for building Your throne in Elam – ancient Iran – through the growth of the Iranian Body (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

   • We again ask for protection and numerical and physical growth for the Iranian Body, and that You would anoint them as they pray for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and for Israel (Gen. 12:3a; Psa. 122:6).

   • We also pray for You to fulfill the rest of Jeremiah 49:38 and destroy Iran's leadership today.

   • Use the arrogance and hatred towards Israel and the Jews of these, Your adversaries, to quicken their total demise (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 8:9-10; Obad. 1:3-4).

   • Lord God, do a miracle and destroy Iran's economy yet continue to care for Iranian citizens who do stand with Israel against their own demonically-inspired leaders (Prov. 28:28; 29:2).

   • Swallow up all of Iran's underground nuclear facilities (Psa. 99:1; Isa. 24:19-20).

   • In Your timing draw Hizbullah into Your trap and release the IDF to finish them off (Mic. 4:11-13).

6. Aliyah:

   God's people are being regathered to His land for His glory (Isa. 43:5-7). We emphasis this for many believers are ignorant of it through a lack of trust in the Tanach as still being His Word.

   • Use the tsunami of Jew-hatred flooding the nations to wake up Jews in captivity that while it is not 100% safe in Israel, it is now, and will continue to be, safer than living outside (Jer. 23:3-4; 31:10).

   • Confront the dangerous Jewish pride which declares, "They will not drive us out from here," and remind them that most of the German Jews said the same in the 1930s (Prov. 16:18).

   • Reveal to them that it is You who are driving them out and drawing them home (Jer. 16:16; 31:3).

   • You who create the destroyer, use it to destroy the comfortable cages that have kept Your people trapped in captivity, and show them that life will never go back to what it once was (Isa. 45:7; 54:16).

   • Thank You for the increased interest in aliyah from America and France because of this external display of Jew-hatred (Psa. 9:13; 18:17).

   • Keep Israel's gates open for all Jews who want to return and remove all stumbling blocks in Israel from making aliyah, whether they be personnel or bureaucratic issues (Isa. 57:14; 60:8-11; 62:10).

   • Let the war press Israel to extend its sovereignty over more of Your land and use that to provide the room for Your people whom You are bringing home today (Isa. 49:18-22; 54:2-3; Jer. 33:12-14).

   • Lord, we ask that some of the new immigrants from this time will settle in Gaza (Zeph. 2:6-7).

   • Speak to more gentile believers that the time to carry Your people home is today (Isa. 49:22).

   • Anoint many more believers with a holy boldness to openly encourage and help their Jewish friends or acquaintances to make aliyah (Psa. 126:1-3; Isa. 60:3-11; Rom. 15:25-27).

7. Salvation:

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

   • Appear to all of Hamas' hostages – both Jewish and gentile – and save them (Isa. 25:8-9).

   • Save the family and friends of hostages, many of whom are crying out to You now (Psa. 50:15).

   • Messiah Yeshua, show their families that You are already victorious over death (John 11:25).

   • Save many IDF soldiers, including those who will die in battle (Deut. 20:1-8; Hos. 13:14a).

   • Use believing soldiers as living witnesses to You, provoking others to jealousy (Rom. 11:11, 14).

   • Save and heal the injured and the traumatized, both physically and mentally (Matt. 12:15; 14:14).

   • Reveal Messiah unto many Jews in exile who are all of a sudden fearful for their safety (Isa. 35:4).

   • Salvation comes from YHWH: Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah. (Psa. 3:8) Amen!

8. Body of Messiah:

   This is a critical season for Messiah's Body to intercede for both Israel and their own nations (Ezek. 22:30-31).

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

   • Teach believers how to hate evil in a godly manner (Psa. 97:10a; Prov. 8:13; Amos 5:15a).

   • Use Israel's crisis to draw more believers to study the Tanach and understand at least in part what You are doing in Israel, and in the world, today (Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:7-9; Mark 12:24; 2 Pet. 1:19).

   • As they do that, fulfill Psalm 119:130 in many of them (Matt. 11:25).

   • Use the October 7th massacre to expose the wolves hiding as sheep in Your Body (Acts 20:29).

   • Erase all denial or shame from members in Your Body who hesitate to admit that You are still a Man of War (Ex. 15:1-3; Isa. 42:13; Rev. 19:11-16), and that You are still jealous for Your glory and for Your people at this hour (Deut. 4:24; Jer. 32:41; Ezek. 36:5; Joel 2:18; Zech. 8:1-2).

   • Lord Yeshua, show believers that Satan's goal in destroying Israel is to prove that Your Word is not true, and to demonstrate that You do not have the power to fulfill it (Num. 23:19; Jer. 31:35-37).

   • King Messiah, purge Your Body of all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic thinking (Eph. 5:27).

9. Water:

   Israel has had some rain, but unless God is holding the rainy weather back to aid Israel in its war efforts, it needs more showers of blessings in the right places at this time.

   • Thank You for controlling the weather and using it for Your purposes (Psa. 11:6; 105:32).

   • Provide for all of the water that Israel needs today and in the near future (Psa. 68:9; Matt. 5:35).

10. IFI:

    It is clear that as Operation Swords of Iron continues, the pressure from the world for Israel to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas will increase. Since this is not what would be the best for Israel, the pressure on us as we battle alongside Israel in the spiritual realm will increase as well. Both are happening today – against Israel and against IFI. Please lift us up in prayer to press on and to not be discouraged or weary in well-doing. Thank you in advance.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Rom. 16:27