1. Praise:

   Even with the dangerous situation that Israel finds itself in right now, and with all of the breaking news of an Israeli retaliatory strike on Iran weighing heavy upon us, still it is vital for us to begin any time of intercession by looking at Yeshua, the Author and Completer of our faith (Heb. 12:2). And there are so many things to praise Him for, like this verse from Shabbat's prophetic reading: For I am YHWH, I change not [that is, His essential nature does not change]; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Mal. 3:6)

   • We take great comfort that You remain the same – especially when we realize that You are the One who chose both Israel and us to be Your people (Deut. 7:6-9; John 15:16; Eph. 1:3-5).

   • Thank You for being our Unmovable Rock in this time of global shaking (Psa. 46:1).

   • What a joy it is to be able to trust You – especially when we do not really understand what You are doing or what You are allowing to be done (Prov. 3:5).

   • We bless You for faithfully fulfilling what You promised millennia ago (Num. 23:19; Isa. 55:11).

   • We glorify You for protecting Israel last weekend against Iran's aerial onslaught (Isa. 31:5).

   • We praise You for being Israel's Iron Dome – its ultimate shield (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29).

2. External security:

   Early last Sunday, Iran fired over 300 armed projectiles at Israel. It was the first time Iran attacked Israel directly and not via its proxies. Miraculously, the IDF reported that none of Iran's drones or cruise missiles penetrated Israeli airspace, just a few other types of missiles (Psa. 121:4). Israeli, American, British, French, Jordanian and Saudi Arabian air-defense systems or air forces, stopped better than 95% of the attack. Today, it is being reported that Israel retaliated against Iran, yet as I write this it is too early to know what the targets were or how much damage was caused and whether Iran will now feel the need to regain its honor and quickly strike Israel again.

   • We thank You for turning Iran's massive attack into a massive geo-political failure (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Praise You for Your angelic hosts which most assuredly helped to bring down Iran's missiles and drones even before they entered Israelis airspace (2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 20:15; 32:7-8).

   • Continue to overrule Israel's leaders (Prov. 21:1) and provide them with all the wise counsel they need to make decisions that further Your kingdom's goals (Prov. 20:18; 24:6).

   • Let them obey Your voice more than US President Biden's or any other leaders (Deut. 4:36; 28:1-2).

   • God of Israel, protect Israel from its "allies" as well as its enemies (Job 32:3; Psa. 9:19-20).

   • Anoint the IDF's Iran Command to have Holy Spirit insight specifically for this time (Job 12:12-13).

   • Lord God, let the many curses, and attacks by its proxies, and now by itself, against Your land and people return onto the heads of Iran's leaders and other Jew-haters (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 34:8; Gal. 6:7).

   • If it is time for Micah 4:11-13 to be fulfilled against Iran and its proxies, guide Israel accordingly.

   • Quickly expose to Israel's intelligence services all of Iran and Hizbullah's plans in the wake of Israel's retaliatory strike (Job 12:22; 28:11b).

   • Teach Israel the lessons of history that no nation will stop Iran just for the Jews' sake, and then show it how to totally eliminate the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon (Jer. 51:20-26).

   • Lord, we prefer You to swallow up Iran's nuclear facilities, and ask You to do just that (Psa. 99:1).

   • Lord, we bless You for the growth of Your Body in Elam [ancient Iran] (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

   • Lead them to intercede for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), as well as for Israel (Psa. 122:6).

   • Since You are fulfilling Jeremiah 49:38a today, please Lord, fulfill 49:38b suddenly and soon.

   • During any war between Israel and Hizbullah, enable all IDF attacks to be so demoralizing that the nation of Lebanon itself quakes in fear before Israel and You, Israel's God (Psa. 29:5; Isa. 2:11-13).

3. Foreign relations:

   The US under the Biden Administration has become dangerous to Israel's survival. It makes unreasonable demands which cause Israelis to question whether the US is its ally or not. American believers, please note that not once in the Bible does God call Himself the God of America, but thousands of times He links His name and His glory to Israel. Yet the US is not alone in this as most other western nations also treat His nation disparagingly (Gen. 12:3a).

   • Lord Yeshua, guide believers worldwide to pray about their nation's diplomatic relations with Israel, whether good, bad, or even lukewarm (Deut. 32:41-43; Jer. 50:28; 1 Tim. 2:1-2a).

   • Also teach believers, especially in the West, how to pray about the spirit of Islam which is invading their nations and intimidating those nations to turn against Israel (Num. 24:9b; Eph. 6:12).

   • Download to Israel a biblically-correct, and not a politically-correct, mindset (Psa. 119:98-100).

   • Readjust Israel's thinking to line up with Your will about its relations with the nations (Ezek. 20:32).

   • Undermine any plans of Western nations which aim at undermining Israel (Job 5:12: Isa. 8:9-10).

   • Thank You for the US vetoing a UN Security Council recommendation to its General Assembly to recognize a Palestinian State (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Deal with Israel's other "friends" on the SC who either voted for it or just abstained (Psa. 9:19-20).

   • Strengthen Israel's total rejection of allowing a "Palestine" in its land (Lev. 25:23; 1 Kin. 21:3).

   • Continue speaking through Gilad Erdan, Israel's brilliant and anointed UN Ambassador (Mic. 4:2b).

   • Remove all fear and hesitancy from Israeli diplomats or spokespeople, professional or laypersons, from using Your Word as they speak (Num. 23:19; Mic. 7:20; Hab. 2:3).

   • We give You praise for seeing Numbers 23:9 being swiftly fulfilled today, and ask that You would block Israel from hindering this from happening – as to unsaved Jews, this can be quite frightening.

4. Government & society:

   The internal and external pressure on Israel's leaders, in particular PM Bibi Netanyahu, increases daily. Only God can deliver His nation from this and as we celebrate Passover this coming Monday evening, it is a great time to pray for Him to do just that.

   • Lord, Israel seems trapped by the Red Sea again, with the world's hosts charging down to destroy it, so we remind You of what Moses said and ask for You to watch over Exodus 14:13 today.

   • While we do not trust in Israel's government, we do trust in You who has raised up Israel's current government for just this time and ask You to use it for Your glory's sake (Isa. 52:7; Jer. 27:5).

   • God, use all Israeli sons and daughters of Zion as leaven to impact all of Your nation (Matt. 13:33).

   • Lord, replace every child of Greece with a child of Zion throughout Israel's media, (Zech. 9:13).

   • Do not allow the sons of Greece in the war cabinet to sway it to make ungodly decisions (Psa. 40:4).

   • Bring to Bibi sons of Zion and sons of Issachar to whom he will listen (1 Chr. 12:32; Job 28:20-23).

   • Shield him from the spiritual forces warring against him which use the frustration and anger of some of the hostage families, and through the over-the-top anti-Bibi, anti-government rallies (Psa. 35:1-3).

   • As Hamas has been unreasonable in it demands for a hostage deal, let Israel's leaders become rigid and refuse any more negotiations – but exert all efforts to destroy Hamas instead (Psa. 144:7-11).

   • While Israelis sit with their families at the Passover Seder meal, send waves of divine comfort to those whose tables will have empty places because of murdered or sexually abused loved ones, or loved ones still held hostage and/or whose fate is still unknown (Isa. 61:1-3; Ezek. 16:8-13).

5. Israel's "War of Independence" is still being waged both in Gaza and worldwide. Israel is the only nation today that must defend its right to exist and to defend itself. In this section, we focus on Israel's battle against Hamas in Gaza.

   • Abba, let the day You forewarned about in Shabbat's prophetic portion in Malachi 4:1 come upon every terrorist in Gaza.

   • Also, fulfill the next verses in the IDF soldiers fighting against those terrorists (Mal. 4:2-3)

   • Keep Israel committed to make Gaza Hamas-free (Psa. 10:16; 37:8-10; 59:5; Zeph. 3:15).

   • Supernaturally prepare all IDF soldiers for the continuation of that battle (Psa. 23:5; 27:14; 37:7).

   • Raise up Sons of Zion to be instructors in the IDF and let them teach biblically-correct fighting techniques and not humanistic, politically-correct ones (Psa. 27:11; 144:1).

   • Protect Israel's soldiers physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually (Psa. 140:7-8; 144:10).

   • God Almighty, we plead with You to oversee both the timing and tactics of the IDF's invasion of Rafah, Hamas' last stronghold on the Gaza-Egyptian border (Prov. 21:30-31; Amos 1:6-7).

   • Set Israel free from the ungodly chains the world has put upon Israel, insisting that Israel has a duty to feed and protect enemy civilians, even at the risk of its soldiers' and civilians' lives (Psa. 124:1-8).

   • God, if any hostages are still alive, set them free during Passover (Jer. 31:15-17), or guide the IDF to where they are being held (Num. 21:1-3).

   • Reveal the lies that accompany every Hamas press release (Isa. 59:14-19).

6. Internal security:

   Israel has seen an increase in terror attacks since Oct. 7th. Thank God, most are stopped or pre-empted by Israel's security forces or its armed civilians. Yet terrorist love to bring death and destruction to the Jews during the holidays and as the Passover week starts this Monday…

   • Uncover all Islamic terrorist plots to bring death and destruction upon the people of Israel during the Passover and Unleavened Bread feast (Obad. 1:6).

   • Cause a divinely-created alertness to descend upon all Israeli security personnel, as well as all armed and unarmed Israeli civilians during Passover (Neh. 4:16-18).

   • Use the increase of attacks to show Israelis the deadly cost of dividing Your land (Joel 3:1-2).

   • Confirm by Shabbat's Torah reading that You have given the land to Israel to possess (Lev. 14:34b).

   • Lord God, lead every Jewish community in Your land to expand at this season (Isa. 54:2-3).

   • Continue hardening all Palestinian Authority [PA] leaders to oppose a Jewish nation anywhere in their future "Palestine", or to even allow any Jew to live in it (Ex. 4:21: 11:10; Josh. 11:19-20).

   • Expose the PA's "new" government as still a terrorist entity as it sees Hamas and Islamic Jihad as a valid part of "Palestine's" society and authority (Psa. 3:7; 6:10; 7:6).

   • Increase the hatred between the PA and Hamas (Psa. 35:4-8; 55:9) and let it consume these enemies of Israel as You have done in the past, and will do again (Josh. 7:22; Zech. 14:13).

7. Aliyah:

   Jews being regathered to their land (Jer. 31:10) and to Jerusalem (Psa. 147:2) is the most telling sign that we are in the end-times. And this explains why the enemy is trying so hard to block Israel's restoration in order to delay the Lord Yeshua's coming.

   • Abba Father, sanctify Your name by Your will being done on earth (Ezek. 36: 23-24; Matt. 6:9-10).

   • Reveal to Your Body that the aliyah is essentially for Your glory and praise (Isa. 43:5-7, 21).

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

   • Show the Body its God-ordained responsibility to help Jews make aliyah – through prayer, finances, physical deeds, and by sharing with Jewish friends and acquaintances of how You see them as living in "captivity" and not living free at home (Psa. 126:1-6; Isa. 49:22; Rom. 15:26-27).

   • Enable Israel to be prepared to accept and settle millions of new immigrants (Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Let the current increased interest in aliyah, which is a fruit of the current increase of anti-Semitism (Jer. 16:16), produce a very discernable increase of actual aliyah (Jer. 50:4-8; 51:9-10).

   • God, especially as we consider the Exodus from Egypt, will You please at this time raise up many more shepherds like Moses to lead Your people out of today's "Egypt" (Psa. 77:20; Isa. 63:11-13).

   • Use Passover to draw Your people back to the land You have promised them (Ex. 12:25-27).

   • Marry the Jews to the land who travel to Israel in order to spend Passover in it (Isa. 62:4-5).

   • Confront Jews in exile who say "Next Year in Jerusalem" at the end of the Seder [Monday evening, April 22nd], but who do not mean it – including Messianic Jews (Psa. 137:5-6; Matt. 5:37).

   • Let Jewish children "prophetically-nag" their parents about moving to Israel (Psa. 8:2).

   • Over Passover, send an incurable homesickness on the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are living among the gentile nations, especially those who are now believers (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

   • Remove all stones of stumbling that prevent aliyah, whether in the hearts of Your people, in the Israeli government bureaucracy, or in the circumstances of those who wish to return (Isa. 57:14).

8. Salvation:

   "All Israel" – a remnant of the Jewish people – will be saved. Our prayers impact that remnant's size as God commands the "watchmen" (Jer. 31:6a) [notzrim; in Modern Hebrew = "Christian"] to pray, YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel. (Jer. 31:7b).

   • Lord, remove the partial blindness You placed over Your people and save a huge remnant of Jews at this time: in Judea and Samaria; Holocaust survivors; Oct. 7th massacre survivors; hostages still alive; all ex-hostages, and their loved ones; IDF soldiers in Gaza and elsewhere, and their families; loved ones of soldiers who died or were seriously injured; widows and orphans; rabbis in all Jewish sects; anti-missionaries; Israelis from the Gaza area and the north still out of their homes; Jewish politicians, diplomats, teachers and professors; university and yeshiva students; medical personnel; Jews and Israelis in exile; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews (Isa. 59:20-21; Rom. 11:25-26).

   • During the Passover Seder let the Passover lamb retake its place as the central figure of the original Passover in Egypt in Jewish minds and hearts (Ex. 12:3-6, 11, 21, 27; Luke 22:7).

   • Turn the talk at the Seders to Your Word and away from rabbinic teachings (Psa. 36:9; 119:99-100).

   • When Jews read Psalm 118:22 during the Seder, somehow remind them that Yeshua referred this verse to Himself (Matt. 21:42).

   • Messiah Yeshua, give secret Jewish believers courage and boldness to openly confess You at their families Passover gatherings (Matt. 16:24-25; Acts 14:22).

   • Let many Jews – both religious and secular – come away from the Seder with a holy dissatisfaction about their relationship with You (Psa. 4:2; 14:2; 105:3).

9. Messiah's Body needs a revelation of what is God's priority for His kingdom purposes today. By seeing through His eyes (Deut. 32:10; Zech. 2:8), we know that a nation's blessings or curses are tied in with how that nation treats Israel today (Num. 24:9b). [Click here for an in-depth Bible study on this issue]

   • Lord, reveal to Your Body that the only thing in all of Your Word that You commit to do with all of Your heart and soul is planting Israel back in their land and its prosperity (Jer. 32:41-42).

   • Lord, show members of the Body that if they are praying for this to be done – then they are praying for Your name to be sanctified on earth as it is in heaven (Psa. 67:1-7; Luke 11:2)!

   • Teach us all to read and understand Your Word, especially prophecies, in context (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

   • Make the sons and daughters of Zion in Your Body, those who love You and Your Word, become major influencers to many other believers (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17).

   • Cast out all God-cursed anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic spirits (Lev. 11:44-45; 20:7; 1 Pet. 1:16).

10. Water:

    The Sea of Galilee [Kinneret] is now .56 meters [1.8 ft.] from being totally full. Please ask God to fill it to overflowing as most Israelis see a full lake as a sign of blessing from their God. And as Yeshua tells us, this is a result of His merciful nature as a Father (Isa. 41:17-20; Matt. 5:45b).

11. IFI:

    As major news affecting Israel often changes daily, it is often difficult to know on what to focus our prayers. Please pray that we can clearly discern our Shepherd's voice. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Mal. 3:16-17
[from Shabbat's prophetic portion]