1. Praise:

    God's faithfulness is an anchor in times of distress. This aspect of God's essential nature is mentioned often in the Psalms, including here: I know, YHWH, that Your judgments are right [+ just], and that You in faithfulness have afflicted me. (Psa. 119:75) Therefore even if we feel that God is being "unfair" with us – He is just being faithful to His own Word and nature.

    • Thank You Lord, that You do cause good to come out of all things – even the hard things that we go through as we walk with You (Rom. 8:28).

    • While it is not pleasant to experience (Heb. 12:11), we praise You for Your discipline of us as it is another proof that You love us like a Father (Heb. 12:1-10).

    • Thank You that Your faithful mercy and covenant-love are renewed every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).

    • We bless You that like Job, creation aids us to give You the glory – especially when none of our questions of why we underwent that which grieved us are answered (Job 42:2-3; Psa. 104:24).

    • Lord, we praise You for although we might feel very inadequate to be of use in Your kingdom (Est. 4:14b), You have taught us that our inadequacy is that which enables You to use us (2 Cor. 12:9-10)!

    • We thank You for Your Word – which is the ultimate truth and protects us from deception (Num. 23:19; Matt. 22:29; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

  2. Government & society:

    Obviously there is a great sense of tension in Israel's government and its society. But with Israel being in the midst of a war against a murderous and demonic enemy, one would expect that. Yet there are politicians, media and other folks who always emphasize how the glass is half-empty, whereas those of us with faith can see that in spite of the very hard circumstances, that the glass is at least half full because of God and His promises (Psa. 43:3).

    • Father God, promote more Sons of Zion and use them to take the place of every Son of Greece in Israel's government and society today and tomorrow (Psa. 75:6-7; Zech. 9:13).

    • As long as PM Bibi Netanyahu is Israel's leader, Lord let Your Spirit cloth Itself with Him as He did with Gideon (Judg. 6:34), and then lead Bibi to use Your Word in public more often (Isa. 55:11).

    • Strengthen Israel's leaders to resist all of the pressure from its so-called "allies" which would end up being harmful to Israel's security – both now and in the future (Ezek. 3:7-9).

    • Show Israel how to respond to the continuous onslaught of anti-Israel UN resolutions (Psa. 118:10-12; Luke 10:11-12) and also show us how to pray (Zech. 12:2-3; Luke 11:2).

    • Thank You for using Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan to speak truth in that place (Ex. 4:11-12).

    • God, pour out upon Your people Your comfort, especially on Israelis whose loved ones have died, or who will die, or are still hostages, or worst of all, their fate is still unknown (Psa. 9:9; 46:7; 62:7-8).

    • Speak Psalm 42:5-11 and 43:5 deep into the hearts all Israelis who are hurting today.

    • Miraculously sustain Israel economy (Gen. 26:12-14; Psa. 67:5-7; Isa. 41:18-20; Zech. 8:12).

    • Show Israel which foreign workers they can invite to take the place of the Palestinians and to help it build up its "walls" and feed its "flocks" beneficially for Israel, as well as for them (Isa. 60:10; 61:5).

    • Grant godly wisdom to Israel's military industries in the development of new weapons (Prov. 8:12).

    • Also encourage them to increase the production of needed armaments so that Israel will not need to depend on any other nation for its supplies (Psa. 20:7; 146:3-10).

    • Use the Hamas attack and the current war to convince Israelis that dividing Your land leads to war, death and destruction, and cause them to reject this unbiblical idea (Psa. 80:3, 7, 19; Joel 3:1-2).

    • May every IDF soldier who lays their life down for the future of Israel be another nail in the coffin of that anti-God "two-state-solution" idol (Job 5:12; Luke 1:51).

    • Encourage Israel to openly expose how the Palestinian Authority and a huge majority of Palestinians support Hamas' atrocities, and so cannot be seen as "peace" partners (Isa. 8:9-10; Jer. 8:11, 15).

    • Thank You for the support and quiet from a majority of Israeli Arabs today (Rom. 13:1-4).

  3. "Operation Swords of Iron," Israel's war against Hamas, has seen the IDF fighting its way through to the south of Gaza. There are confirmed reports that the US' Biden Administration has given Israel a limited timeframe to finish the war. Since the US re-supplies Israel with munitions and weapons, this is seen by many Israelis as blackmail, and has them very upset with Israel's so-called "best friend". Yet, praise God, all indications from Israel's war cabinet are that the IDF has the total support of Israel's political leaders to hunt Hamas until it is obliterated.

    • Lord God, we treasure Your guidance as we pray for Israel today (Zech. 4:6b; Rom. 8:26).

    • As Hamas' attack and the war did not surprise You (Isa. 41:26-27), please use it and the outcome to aid in the furtherance of Your prophetic end-time plans (Num. 23:19; Lam. 3:37; Ezek. 36:36).

    • Break the snare of Israel's American "ally" who insists that the IDF be more concerned with Gaza's civilians' safety than the lives of the IDF soldiers and Israel's civilians (Psa. 124:1-8).

    • In line with the prophetic portion, Lord rebuke Satan's attempts to destroy Your nation (Zech. 3:2).

    • Focus Israel's war cabinet on their declared goal of ending Hamas (Psa. 15:4b; Matt. 5:37).

    • Expose every trap Hamas has set for the IDF, and let them trap Hamas instead (Psa. 35:4-8).

    • Let the flooding of Hamas' tunnels by the IDF remove these deadly traps (Isa. 28:15-18).

    • Impart to Hamas' terrorists and its leaders a spirit of paranoia and panic (Psa. 46:6; Amos 1:14).

    • Aid Israel to quickly and suddenly end this war, defeating Hamas completely (1 Sam. 17:45-51).

    • Guard over Israel's soldiers, supplying all of their equipment and other needs (Psa. 140:7; 144:10).

    • Also please protect them from friendly fire and all other accidents (Psa. 17:8-9; 91:4).

    • Lord of hosts, increase Your angelic armies warring alongside the IDF (2 Kin. 6:15-17).

    • Anoint the IDF to fight like David's mighty men in Gaza's urban areas (2 Sam. 23:8-9).

    • Lord, rescue the remaining hostages by Your supernatural power (Psa. 79:11-12; Zech. 9:11-12).

    • Alternatively, aid the IDF to find all hostages or their bodies (Num. 21:1-3; Isa. 49:24-26).

    • Empower the IDF and Israel's Mossad to capture or eliminate every Hamas leader who is still alive, regardless of where they are hiding or residing (Josh. 10:24-25; Psa. 68:21; Hab. 3:13).

    • Anoint Israel's intelligence services to uncover all enemy plots by accurately interpreting the data they collect from Gaza, as well as from Judea and Samaria (Gen. 40:8; Prov. 1:5-6; Dan. 2:22).

    • Enable those Israelis who interrogate captured Hamas terrorists to discern what is true (Eccl. 8:5).

    • Guide those who decide what to do with this intelligence into making godly decisions (Prov. 16:1).

    • Thank You that so far Israel is resisting the global pressure to install the Palestinian Authority [PA] as the next leaders in Gaza, as the PA is an existential danger to Israel as well (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Since the PA just announced that they want to rule Gaza with Hamas as a partner, let any remaining sane nations agree with Israel that this is just not an option (Isa. 5:20-23; 8:9-10).

    • We ask You God to show Israel's leaders (Prov. 21:1) that Israel must repossess Gaza which is a part of Judah's biblical inheritance (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Zeph. 2:6-7).

  4. Internal security:

    Israel's security forces are warring with Hamas and other terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria. They are having such great success that some terrorists simply surrender.

    • Anoint Your Sons of Zion to be major influencers throughout the IDF (Psa. 56:11; 118:6).

    • Lord God, do not allow Israel to slacken its aggressive tactics against Palestinian terrorists in Judea and Samaria (Obad. 1:18; Zech. 9:13-15; Mal. 4:1).

    • Pour out Your terror on Israel's enemies throughout Your land (Gen. 35:5; Ex. 15:15-16; 23:27).

    • Is it not time, Lord, to fulfill Your prophetic warning against the Palestinians as written in Jeremiah 12:14-17, and while You save many, please destroy the rest of that "nation"?

    • Let the IDF learn from its lack of soldiers on the Gaza security fence on October 7th how to better arrange the deployment of troops and equipment in Your land (2 Sam. 10:9-12).

    • Shield Israel's spies and collaborators inside and outside of the land (Gen. 27:29; Num. 24:9b).

    • Prepare Israelis, especially in Judea and Samaria, to be alert and train them to defend themselves, their families and their communities (Psa. 18:34; 143:10-12; Jer. 31:10).

    • Use this battle against Hamas and in Judea and Samaria to show Israel's leaders how imperative it is to extend Israel's sovereignty over all of Your land (Psa. 10:16; 35:19-23; Zech. 2:10-12).

  5. External security:

    Iran is at war against Israel through its various Middle East proxies today. Israel is fighting against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hizbullah in Lebanon, and it targets Iranian activities in Syria. Reportedly Israel warned the global community that if it does not deal with the Yemenite Houthis' piracy – it will. Also, Israel has now openly declared that it can no longer let Hizbullah sit on its northern border, and if it does not move back north of the Litani River, as UN Security Council resolution 1701 demanded, Israel will use force to make it so.

    • Oversee the IDF's response against the various attacks from Hizbullah in Lebanon which are hitting and damaging Israel's northern communities (Isa. 41:15-16; Joel 2:17-21).

    • Lord of hosts; remove any restraints from America which are preventing a strong Israeli response against these attacks from both Hizbullah and Hamas in Lebanon (Mal. 1:1-5).

    • Drag Hizbullah into Your trap and use the IDF to destroy that evil organization (Mic. 4:11-13).

    • Supernaturally break all ties between Iran and every one of its terrorist proxies (Zech. 14:13).

    • Pour out massive confusion and paranoia upon Iran and all of its proxies (Psa. 70:2; 129:5).

    • Lord God, destroy Iran's nuclear facilities and all other of its military industries that are aimed at destroying Your nation (Isa. 24:19-21; Nah. 1:5).

    • We bless and praise You Lord Yeshua for building Your throne in Elam [ancient Iran] through the steady growth of the Iranian Body of believers (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

    • Please God, quickly accomplish the rest of Jeremiah 49:38 and destroy Iran's Shi'ite leadership.

    • Enable Iranian believers to be vessels of revelation for their nation at this season (Luke 2:32a).

    • Encourage them to pray for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and for Israel (Gen. 12:3a; Psa. 122:6).

  6. Aliyah:

    God regathers His people for His name's sake (Ezek. 36:22-24; Luke 11:2). Believers need to support this regathering of the Jews to the land God swore to give to their forefathers as it is a central and essential fulfillment of God's end-time plans (Psa. 14:7; 53:6).

    • We bless You that we can pray for aliyah with great confidence as this is both Your will and it is for Your holy name's sake (Isa. 43:5-7; Ezek. 36:22-24; Zech. 8:1-8; 1 John 5:14-15).

    • Lord God, with antisemitism and anti-Zionism raising their demonic heads everywhere, especially in the West, help Israel to both war against Hamas, and to prepare to receive the millions of Jews who will be coming home very soon (Psa. 106:47-48; Isa. 54:2-3; Ezek. 36:35-36).

    • Please God, change Israel's Law of Return to line up with Your Word and to not be limited by the rabbinic definition of who is a Jew (Mark 7:13).

    • Prepare all of those illegal built houses by the EU in Area C for the Palestinians to be ready to house Your people instead (Deut. 6:10-11; Josh. 24:13; Neh. 9:25).

    • Shatter the lie many Jews are telling themselves that their once-comfortable life among the gentiles will be restored, and help them to learn the lesson of 1900 years of Jewish history (Isa. 52:1-6).

    • Also confront Jews who think they can do more good for Israel by remaining in exile and supporting and defending Israel from there when it is Your will for them to return (Psa. 137:4-6; Isa. 43:5-7, 21).

    • Drive many Jews to come now while they can still bring their finances with them (Isa. 60:9).

    • Raise up more believers to help carry the Jews back home – in prayer, physically, financially and through speaking about it to their Jewish friends and acquaintances (Isa. 49:22; 60:3-11).

  7. Salvation:

    When all Israel is saved, God receives all the glory (Psa. 79:10; 85:9; Isa. 46:13)! For this to take place, all Israel – which refers to a remnant (Jer. 31:7b) – needs to be alive, and so Israel's salvation is one of the reasons why we consistently pray for Israel's security.

    • Abba, send forth dreams and visions upon Your people about Your Son especially at this season when His birth is being celebrated (Joel 2:28-29; Matt. 1:20-21; Luke 1:26-33, 67-75; 2:8-14; 23-32).

    • Give "all Israel" a hunger and thirst for Your Word and Your righteousness (Jer. 15:16; Matt. 5:6).

    • Lord, redeem a huge remnant from the following groups by removing the partial blindness that You Yourself have placed on them (Rom. 11:25-29): survivors of the October 7th massacre; all of Hamas' remaining hostages; hostages who are free but who went through hell in captivity; hostage's families and friends, especially those still do not know if their loved ones are alive; IDF soldiers, officers, and their families; wounded soldiers and their families; emergency medical people and those who collect and identify dead bodies or body parts; Israeli politicians who are making life and death decisions daily; Israeli diplomats in the nations; Jews internally displaced; Jews in the exile who are suddenly very unsure of their safety; Holocaust survivors in or outside of Israel; Jewish children and students; Israeli teachers and professors; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

    • King Messiah, anoint believing soldiers to be light and salt in the IDF (Matt. 5:13-16; Rom. 11:14).

    • Grant wisdom to all believers on how to share Yeshua with Your chosen people (Acts 18:28).

    • Use an Israeli victory to shake up millions of Muslims worldwide as they see that the God of Israel has defeated their god – and so Allah cannot be god (Psa. 83:16-18).

  8. Body of Messiah:

    One of the tactics the enemy uses against the saints today is to wear us out (Dan. 7:25). With the access we have of so much information via the internet, this is proving to be an easy strategy to implement on his part.

    • Lord, You are our Shepherd; please restore our souls for Your name's sake (Psa. 23:1-3).

    • Teach us how to be aware of the current events and yet to obey the Philippians 4:8 exhortation.

    • Messiah Yeshua, raise up many more Sons of Zion and do away with all of the Sons of Greece in Your Body, especially those in positions of leadership (Zech. 9:13; Acts 20:28-32).

    • Anoint us to know how You define evil and good in today's world (Isa. 5:20-23).

    • Instruct us in how to use of Your Word to interpret events in today's world (Psa. 36:9; 119:130).

    • Burden us to stand in the gap for our nation's ties with Israel (Ezek. 22:30-31; Joel 3:1-2).

    • King Messiah, cast out all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic spirits from Your Body (Eph. 1:4; 5:27).

    • Also, by grace and in mercy cleanse the Arabic speaking Body of those same spirits (Col. 1:21-23).

  9. Water:

    So far the rain falling on Israel has been fairly steady and is a blessing from Him.

    • Especially during this very tense time in Israel, let the rain refresh Your people (Psa. 68:9).

    • God, control the weather for Your glory and Your nation's good (Job 5:10-11; 37:6; Psa. 104:13).

    • Father, send upon Israel all the precipitation it needs today (Zech. 10:1; Matt. 5:45b).

  10. IFI:

    Please continue to hold up our arms in prayer as we are growing weary. Yet we also know that it is not by our might or power, but by His Spirit and grace that we are sustained. Your prayers and support aid us to stand and have the faith to trust God to do just that. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Zech. 4:6-7 – from Shabbat's prophetic portion