1. Praise:

   In Shabbat's prophetic portion, Solomon finished building the temple of God. As he was dedicating it, what he stated is what Yeshua, David's Greater Son, is in the process of achieving today: YHWH has performed His word that He spoke, and I am risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as YHWH promised, and I have built a house for the name of YHWH, God of Israel. (1 Kin. 8:20)

   • Lord God, like Solomon, we also rejoice in Your faithfulness to fulfil Your Word (1 Kin. 8:15).

   • Yeshua Lord, thank You for being our King and our Judge, as well as our Savior (Isa. 33:22).

   • We declare that You, the Lord God Almighty, reigns (Rev. 19:6; cp. Psa. 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1).

   • We are so blessed to be able to trust in the God whose essential nature never changes (Mal. 3:6).

   • Thank You for making us a spiritual house of living stones in Messiah Yeshua (1 Pet. 2:5-6).

   • We praise You choosing us from before the earth's creation (Eph. 1:4; cp. John 15:16 a).

2. Government & society:

   PM Bibi Netanyahu and the coalition face tremendous pressure from both inside and outside of Israel. Besides the demand that they do "whatever it takes" to free the hostages, they are also told that there must be a path towards a "two-state solution" so that Palestinians can act like normal people and not murder more Jews. This last demand is ridiculous and infuriating.

   • Abba Father, manifest Your jealous care and concern over Your nation now (Zech. 1:14; 8:2).

   • God, let Your Sons of Zion become noticeable and more influential in Israel today – including in the Israeli Body of Messiah – and turn or remove all Sons of Greece (Zech. 9:13).

   • Lord, we thank You for all of the Daughters of Zion in Israel today – and ask for more (Isa. 37:22).

   • As Israel's current government must be Your will for Israel today, or they would not be there (Psa. 99:1), please use them for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3; Dan. 2:21).

   • Support and reassure Bibi and his coalition as they stand firm and reject any plans of the nations that are not in line with Your will for Israel (Prov. 21:1; Isa. 8:9-10).

   • Convict them to start possessing all of Your land and then let it be done suddenly (Psa. 105:5-11).

   • Anoint Netanyahu to lead Israel until Your time for using him is over (Psa. 80:17; Eccl. 3:1-2).

   • Raise up sons of Zion and sons of Issachar as his trusted advisors (1 Chr. 12:32; Prov. 21:1).

   • If Gideon Sa'ar, who just split from Benny Gantz's party, will be in the war cabinet, use him to keep the cabinet leaning more towards a Zionistic mindset than one of appeasement (1 Kin. 18:21).

   • Heal the personal rift between Sa'ar and Netanyahu – for Israel's sake (Mark 9:50).

   • Lord God, purge out all those whom You see as rebels in Israeli society (Job 34:24; Ezek. 30:38a).

   • Abba, release Your comfort on all Israelis dealing with murdered or sexually abused loved ones, or loved ones still being held hostage and whose fate is unknown (Psa. 23:4; Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 6:21).

   • Release Israel from being held hostage by Hamas because of the hostages they hold (Psa. 116:16).

   • Shield Israel from the emotional blackmail that Hamas uses because of the hostages (Isa. 54:17).

   • Lord God, miraculously strengthen Israel's economy at this time (Gen. 26:12; Psa. 132:13-15).

3. Foreign relations:

   Most unfulfilled end-time prophecies center on Israel's relations with the outside world. We already have nations insisting that Israel divide God's land to create "Palestine". It does not matter that Palestinian support for Hamas has increased since their Oct. 7th massacre of Jews. Today Israel faces political pressure to submit to this unbiblical idea, but as Israel resists, prophecies which point to militarily actions against the Jewish State could occur tomorrow (Zech. 12:2-3).

   • Like Your cloud in the Torah portion which daily guided Israel in the wilderness, be our daily guide as we pray into today's events surrounding Your nation (Ex. 40:36-37; Amos 3:7)

   • Yeshua Lord, open the eyes of believers to perceive their spiritual calling to stand in the gap (Ezek. 22:30) over their nation's relationship with Israel today (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 60:12; Zech. 2:8; 12:9).

   • Let prophetic voices in the US warn that nation of how dangerous President Biden's attempt to create a "Palestine" is – as it thrusts the US deeper into Your valley of judgment (Lev. 25:23: Joel 3:1-2).

   • Harden Israel's condemnation of this evil plan which would reward Palestinians with their own state for raping and murdering Jews, and taking hostages (Job 18:5-6; Prov. 24:20; Isa. 5:20-23).

   • Fulfill Psalm 33:10-11 and bring down every anti-biblical plot the world is plotting against Israel.

   • Deliver Israel from the snares of the nations (Num. 23:23; 1 Kin. 4:29-30; Psa. 144:11).

   • Use the nation's trauma from Oct. 7th to turn Israelis against any "two-state solution" (Rom. 8:28).

   • Let Israelis really see that they have very few real "friends" among the nations, and then use this revelation to cause many to turn to and trust in You alone (Num. 23:9b; Psa. 80:3, 7, 19; Prov. 3:5).

   • Speak Your truth through Israeli diplomats – irrespective of the reception (Psa. 141:5; Gal. 4:16).

   • Lord, arise and deal with the UN which has been taken over by the spirit of anti-Christ as it resists all that is of You and of Your Word today (Gen. 11:5-9; Psa. 12:1-8; 36:1-4; 1 John 2:18).

4. Israel's "War of Independence" continues to be fought. Israel has won each phase of the war, yet it always loses the peace as the nations refuse to let Israel reap the spoils of its victories. Still, its many victories are further witnesses of the veracity of God and His Word (Jer. 1:12; John 17:17).

   • God, help Israel gain an overwhelming victory in "Operations Swords of Iron" – today's phase of its War of Independence – and use that to restore its deterrence before its enemies (Ezek. 25:15-17).

   • Lord of hosts, as Hamas called their initial attack "the Al-Aksa flood," we ask You to clothe the IDF with Your Spirit to fulfill Isaiah 59:19b: When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of YHWH shall lift up a banner against him. Amen!

   • Fortify Your angelic hosts guarding Israel, especially over Ramadan (2 Kin. 6:15-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8).

   • Anoint many more sons of Zion to have real authority in the IDF (1 Chr. 27:32-34; Psa. 75:6-70).

   • Lead the IDF to fight as sons of Zion and not in any humanistic, unbiblical way (Zech. 9:13-15).

   • God, reinforce Israel's goal to eliminate Hamas and its rule in Gaza (Deut. 33:29; Luke 1:70-74).

   • Prohibit the war from ending until Israel accomplishes a total victory (Psa. 44:4-6; 46:9-11).

   • Protect all IDF soldiers, sailors, pilots, etc., physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually – and show them the reality of Your presence with them in war (Num. 23:21; Deut. 20:1; Josh. 1:5).

   • Protect every IDF soldier from friendly fire and any other type of accidents (Psa. 20:1-2; 91:3-8).

   • Guide the IDF to uncover and destroy all remaining tunnels in Gaza (Job 12:22; Jer. 23:24).

   • Lord of hosts, be in total charge of Israel's upcoming invasion of Rafah, Hamas' final stronghold on the Gaza-Egyptian border, including its timing (Prov. 21:30-31; Eccl. 3:8b).

   • Lord Almighty, empower the IDF to conquer Rafah and to stay there after the war (Isa. 41:10-16).

   • Do not let any terrorist escape by blending in with Gaza's fleeing civilians but clearly reveal them in a way that makes it easy for the IDF to pick them out of the crowd (Jer. 49:10; Amos 9:2-3).

   • Guide Israel to eliminate all of Hamas' leaders – both inside and outside of Gaza (Psa. 136:24)

   • As Israel now sees the existential need to locally produce all that the IDF needs to defend it, show Israelis how to do this in as efficient and speedy way as possible (2 Chr. 26:14-15; Jer. 50:25).

   • Break the snares the world is placing on Israel – that it must supply humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza and that it must be extra careful to protect them – yet this only prolongs the war and increases the danger to IDF soldiers (Psa. 9:16; 119:110; 124:7-8).

   • Lord God, if any Israeli hostages are still living, supernaturally set them free (Isa. 49:24-26).

   • If not, please show the IDF where they, or their corpses, can be found (Num. 21:1-3).

   • Edit Netanyahu's "day-after" the war plans to line up with Your will which includes that Israel's needs to repossess Gaza – as its God-given inheritance (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18).

   • Turn Ramadan into a time of terror for Islamic terrorists (Gen. 35:5; Josh. 2:9; Psa. 73:17-19; Isa. 19:17), and use that to shame them into seeking Your name (Psa. 83:16-18).

5. Internal security:

   It seems that every day there is another terrorist attack. God's protection is truly amazing as the vast majority of these are stopped or pre-empted by Israelis security forces. This is a definite answer to pray and it encourages us to continue interceding (Luke 18:1).

   • Thank You Lord that we can see You watching over Psalm 121:4 each and every day.

   • Let this season of increased internal terrorism continue to prove to Israelis how dangerous it is to go against Your will and divide Your land (Joel 3:1-2; Mark. 10:9).

   • Use Hamas' Oct. 7th massacre to drive that final nail in the coffin of the "two-state solution" in the minds of Israelis who now see that Jew-haters would rule over that state (Ex. 17:14-16; Psa. 83:1-4).

   • Expand all Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and in Jerusalem (Neh. 2:20; Isa. 54:2-3).

   • Do not let Israel be fooled by the "new" Palestinian Authority government that still has Abbas as its president and continues to see Hamas as valid representatives of the Palestinians (Psa. 55:21; 62:4).

   • Turn Israel's intelligence services personnel to ask You to show them what is vital and what is not as they search through all of the collected intelligence data (Job 22:27; Psa. 86:7; Jer. 3:3; ).

   • Ensure that communications between Israel's various security forces is very precise (1 Cor. 14:8-9).

   • Cut off all Iranian support for terrorist groups inside of Israel (Psa. 125:3-5; Jer. 12:14-17).

   • Show Israel how to better protect its roads and checkpoints against terror attacks (Deut. 28:6).

   • Prevent Israeli-Arabs from rising up against Jewish-Israelis in Ramadan (Psa. 35:14-15).

   • Arise, Lord, and guard over Jerusalem's Temple Mount over Ramadan (Isa. 31:5; 42:13).

   • Have the final word concerning who Israel permits to go up on the Mount to pray (Psa. 24:3-4).

   • Release Your tactics to Israel when dealing with Arab rioters on Your holy hill (Isa. 30:21; 32:3).

   • Abba, over Ramadan transfer multitudes of Palestinians into Your Son's kingdom (Matt. 5:44; Col. 1:12-13), and turn them into lovers of Zion and of the Jewish people (Rom. 11:11).

6. External security:

   Iran's goal is to see the world submit to Allah under Shi'ite Islamic law. Israel is its current target, but then it will increase its war against America and the rest of the West. Iran's Middle East proxies are its weapons of choice against Israel today, but Iran and Israel will most likely war against each other in the near future.

   • If the nations which are encircling Israel to destroy it is in reality Your trap, then as You said make Israel that new sharp threshing instrument with teeth to destroy them (Isa. 41:10-16 ;Mic. 4:11-13).

   • Let the arrogance of Israel's enemies lead them to their downfall (Prov. 16:18).

   • Abba, as we, priests in Messiah Yeshua, plead for Israel, we remind You of Your promise in Joel 2:17-20, and ask You to destroy Hizbullah, the northern army threatening Israel today.

   • Prepare the IDF and Israeli society for a war between Israel and Lebanon (Deut. 33:29; Psa. 89:18).

   • Create unity between Israel's war cabinet and the IDF leadership concerning both strategy and tactics against Hizbullah (Gen. 45:24; Isa. 11:13-14).

   • Enhance the results of IDF attacks against Hizbullah and against Iran in Syria (Jer. 25:31; 46:10).

   • Lord, we ask that Israel would extend its sovereignty over Southern Lebanon up to the Latani River since all of this area is the inheritance of the tribes of Asher and Naftali (Deut. 11:24; Zech. 10:10).

   • Almighty God, arise and turn Iran upside down – physically, economically, politically, militarily and spiritually (Isa. 24:1; Jer. 50:15, 28)

   • If Israel is to strike Iran directly, then let it do so with miraculous efficiency (Ezek. 37:10).

   • Cause great division between Iran and her proxies and between the proxies themselves (Psa. 129:5).

   • We bless You for the Body of Messiah in Elam [ancient Iran] (Jer. 49:38a).

   • Again, we ask You to fulfill Jeremiah 49:38b and destroy Iran's malicious leaders (Num. 23:19).

   • Strip off every bit of demonic protection assigned to the Iranian regime (Num. 14:9b).

   • Encourage and protect all Iranians who are taking a stand against their government (Psa. 27:5).

   • Save multitudes of Iranians over Ramadan, turning many into Christian Zionists (Est. 8:17).

   • Strengthen Iranian believers to persist in prayer for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and for Israel (Psa. 122:6) – the nation into which they have now been grafted (Rom. 11:17-24).

7. Aliyah:

   The restoration of Jews to the land of Israel is a sure sign that we are in the end-times. This needs to become a major burden for the Body of Messiah as God is regathering His people (Jer. 31:10) for His holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:23-24), which is an open answer to Luke 11:2.

   • Lord Yeshua, show Your Body the link between aliyah and Your return (Zech. 14:1-4; Matt. 23:39).

   • Let more gentile believers see that aliyah is not essentially a "Jewish" issue, but it is essentially and prophetically a "Kingdom of God" issue (Ezek. 36:32-36; Matt. 6:33).

   • Reveal to the Body of Messiah its God-prophesied duty to help the Jews return to Israel – through prayer, finances, physical works, or by telling Jewish friends that Your Word declares them to be in "captivity" – living among the gentiles – and not at home (Psa. 126:1-6; Isa. 49:22; Rom. 15:26-27).

   • Reestablish aliyah as one of the central goals of the modern Jewish State (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 32:41).

   • God of the miraculous, help Israel be prepared to take in and settle the multitudes of Jews You are chasing out of exile and drawing home by Your love today (Jer. 16:16; 31:3).

   • Utterly destroy the deceptively comfortable cages trapping Your people in the West (Psa. 107:2-3).

   • Use the huge anti-Semitic demonstrations to wake up Your people still in the nations (1 Chr. 16:35).

   • Challenge Jewish parents with the choice of either seeing their children in colleges cowering before anti-Semitic hatred, or seeing them in the IDF defending Your nation (Deut. 28:7; Psa. 44:4-6).

   • Use the growing interest in aliyah to result in an actual growth of aliyah (Isa. 11:11-12; 14:1-2).

   • Bring immigrants with practical skills in construction, plumbing, agriculture, etc. (Neh. 4:16-18).

   • Open wide the gates for Jews in any nation that forbids them to leave (Zeph. 3:19-20).

   • Remove all rabbinic restrictions of "who is a Jew?" and enable everyone whom You see as Jewish to have a clear path to obtain their Israeli citizenship (Isa. 62:10).

   • Cause Jews who do return to grow strong roots in the land (Gen. 26:3; Isa. 65:9; Amos 9:14-15).

8. Salvation:

   It seems that all Israel is saved just prior to the Lord Yeshua's return (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26). Romans chapter 11 reveals that this "all" is actually a remnant of Israel. Yet we know that our prayers can contribute to the size of that remnant (Jer. 31:7).

   • Lord Yeshua, like Joseph with his brothers (Gen. 45:1-4), reveal who You are to many Jews and tell them to share with their families how You still live and rule in many gentiles hearts (Gen. 45:24-28).

   • Messiah Redeemer. save a large remnant of Jews– both in Israel and in the captivity (Jer. 31:7b).

   • Lord Yeshua, is it not time for secret Jewish believers to confess You openly (Matt. 16:24)?

   • Especially during Ramadan use ex-Muslim believers to provoke Jews to jealousy (Rom. 11:11, 14).

   • During Ramadan save multitudes of Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere (Rom. 15:8-12).

   • Lord Yeshua, walk in the midst of the global anti-Israel demonstrations and pluck out a remnant from the house of Islam for Your name's sake (Ezek. 16:6; Luke 19:5).

   • Do the same on Your holy hill of Zion, as well as in Gaza (Psa. 9:13-14; Acts 8:26-37).

9. The Body of Messiah:

   We are expected to have some idea of the signs of the times (Matt. 16:3b). To do that, we must know all of God's counsel – His purpose (Acts 20:27). It should be obvious that this includes the Tanach [the Old Testament], yet unfortunately for far too many in the Body this part of the Bible which Yeshua loved and taught from, remains a mystery.

   • God, pour out on the Body a love for, and an implicit trust in, the Tanach (Job 23:12; Jer. 15:16).

   • By Your Holy Spirit, grant to us revelation concerning which prophecies You are in the process of fulfilling at this time in history (Isa. 55:11; Jer. 1:12; Dan. 12:4a).

   • Raise up more sons of Zion in Your Body – and remove all sons of Greece (Psa. 75:4-7; Zech. 9:13).

   • Strip the Body of all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic spirits (Num. 24:9b; Rom. 11:17-18).

   • Also cast out the anti-biblical teachings of replacement and fulfillment theology (2 Pet. 2:1).

10. Water:

    The Sea of Galilee is almost full. Please continue to pray for it to be totally filled this year as a sign of His mercy and as a witness to His people (Isa. 41:17-20; Matt. 5:45b).

11. IFI:

    We treasure your prayers, words of encouragement and your financial support. Thank you for holding our arms up as we prayer for God's name to be sanctified in relation to the restoration and salvation of Israel.

Shabbat shalom and abundant blessings from Zion

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Psa. 134:3