1. Praise:

   Shabbat's prophetic portion has two very encouraging verses. Jeremiah 32:17 is how the prophet starts his prayer, which is said while he is confused because of what God just told him to do – to buy land in Benyamin, yet he'd been proclaiming to Judah that they are going into exile and to not resist the King of Babylon – and then Jeremiah 32:27 is how God starts His response.

   • Thank You Lord, that what Jeremiah confessed to You is still as true today as it was then: Ah Lord YHWH, behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for You: (Jer. 32:17)

   • We bless You for how You responded to Your prophet, declaring, Behold, I am YHWH, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? (Jer. 32:27)

   • We praise You for the answer to Your question is that nothing is impossible for You (Mark 10:27).

   • We bless You that this answer is grounded on the eternal reality of Genesis 1:1.

   • You are a God so much greater than we could possibly imagine, as Jeremiah, in the original Hebrew, describes You as, the God, the Great, the Mighty, YHWH of hosts is His name (Jer. 32:18b)

   • Thank You for keeping us in "perfect peace" [lit: shalom, shalom] as we focus on You (Isa. 26:3).

   • Lord Yeshua, we are so grateful of how You warned us that in this world we will have tribulation, but since You have overcome the world, we can experience peace in You (John 16:33).

   • Although people have free-will – hallelujah, our God reigns (Psa. 96:10; Isa. 52:7b; Rev. 17:17)!

2. Government & society:

   Believers who know the Tanach, the Old Testament, are aware of how God is fulfilling many end-time prophecies today. Therefore it is important for us to obey the Spirit of God as we pray, or we could end up praying against His will for Israel and the nations at this time.

   • Almighty God, lead us to pray in line with Your will as we pray for Israel (Gen. 18:17; Amos 3:7).

   • Since no one seeks You without You first drawing them, we ask You to work in the hearts of Israel's leaders to seek You for specific guidance for Your nation (Zech. 4:6; 1 John 4:19).

   • Abba, for Your holy name's sake, we pray for the sons and daughters of Zion in Israel to multiply, and to be able to guide Your nation to be more in line with Your will (Ezek. 36:21-23; Zech. 9:13).

   • Also, strip away the influence of the humanistic children of Greece from off Israel (Psa. 94:3-11).

   • Lord, thank You for reminding us to not put our trust in Israel's current government, but in You who has raised up and predestined its current government for this time (Psa. 103:19; Dan. 2:21).

   • You have told us to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-3), so we ask You to protect and direct PM Bibi Netanyahu and all other government ministers today (Prov. 21:1).

   • Strengthen Bibi to maintain his very courageous and biblical stance against anyone, inside or outside of Israel, who insists that it surrender to Islamic terrorism and intimidation (Neh. 6:8-9; Psa. 20:1-2).

   • Lord, deal with Defense Minister Gallant and Benny Gantz who openly repudiated Bibi's biblical stance of having Israel be responsible for Gaza's overall security after Hamas is defeated – just like Israel needs to do in Judea and Samaria today (Psa. 55:12-14; Prov. 1:15).

   • Shut the mouths of all media outlets that lie about Israel – both in Israel and globally (Isa. 29:14).

   • God, download to Israelis a biblically-correct mindset and delete all politically-correct thinking and ways of doing things (Psa. 18:30; 119:148, 151; Isa. 40:7-8; Matt. 22:29).

   • Abba, release waves of divine comfort on all Israelis who desperately need it now (Isa. 61:1-3).

   • Let the unity, courage and faith in the righteousness of their cause that permeates the IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza, also permeate the rest of Israeli society (Deut. 31:6-7; Josh. 10:25).

3. Foreign relations:

   If Zechariah 12:2-3 is being fulfilled today, then we expect to see many nations and major NGO's, like the International Criminal Court [ICC] and the International Court of Justice [ICJ], condemning Israel as it defends itself. As mentioned last week, the term "global storm" came to us while praying about Israel's foreign relations. This could be another name for the great tribulation, or it might be more focused on Israel. Of course, one of the lessons of history is that what starts with the Jews, never ends with the Jews!

   • Since Oct. 7th as we see Numbers 23:9b being swiftly fulfilled, we ask You to use the "global storm" to further separate Israel from the nations, and closer to You (Deut. 33:27-28; Nah. 1:3).

   • Please God, arise and fight against all who persecute Israel – politically, physically, via lawfare, or by constantly condemning its leaders, its army, or the Jews in general (Psa. 7:6; 35:1-3; 68:1).

   • Protect Netanyahu and other Israeli political and military leaders from the lawfare against them by the ICC, of which, thank God, Israel is not a member (Psa. 2:1-12).

   • As we stand in the gap for them, we spread before You the false charges that have been made by the ICC against them and ask for Your protection and deliverance (Isa. 37:14-20; Isa. 54:17).

   • Use this ICC and any further ICJ actions to hasten Israel's separation from the nations (Rom. 8:28).

   • As US President Biden's administration's betrayal of Israel while it is at war did not surprise You, guide Israel's leaders to respond in a way that glorifies You (Psa. 115:1-3; Prov. 19:21; Isa. 8:9-10).

   • Break the yoke the US apparently has over Israel and let it be yoked with You alone (Isa. 10:27).

   • Use Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan to keep on exposing the UN's obsession with, and anti-Semitism against, Israel, regardless of what Israel does (Job 12:16-21; Isa. 40:23).

   • Impart a fearlessness and boldness on every Israeli diplomat or spokesman, whether professional or laypersons, to use Your Word unashamedly as they speak (Isa. 55:11; Lam. 3:37; Acts 19:20).

   • As Ireland, Norway and Spain have said they will "recognize" a "Palestine", which means dividing Your land and scattering Your people, watch over Joel 3:1-2 and make it clear that their descent into Your Valley of Judgment is from You so that other nations will see and fear You (Psa. 9:19-20).

   • Anoint Your Body in those nations to see that "this is that" which Joel spoke about and to declare it as Your judgment on all who curse Your nation and resist Your will (Jer. 10:25; 32:41).

4. "Operation Swords of Iron" against Hamas in Gaza is today's stage of Israel's 1948 War of Independence. While Israel's enemies change their strategies and tactics – yet Israel remains.

   • We give You the glory for protecting Israel despite the relentless efforts to destroy it (Jer. 31:35-37)!

   • We thank You God for creating the IDF out of dry bones of the Holocaust (Ezek. 37:1-9), and then turning it into that exceedingly great army of Ezekiel 37:10.

   • Lord, we ask You to swiftly replace every son of Greece in the IDF's leadership with sons of Zion who will lead Israel's current and future battles in a more biblical way (1 Chr. 11:10; Zech. 9:13-16).

   • Prevent Israel from being more merciful than You want it to be (2 Chr. 19:2; Psa. 139:21-22).

   • Thank You for Your supernatural protection over Israel's soldiers as the estimates were that 1000s would die if Israel invaded Gaza, and yet after 7 months, there are less than 300 deaths (Psa. 121:4).

   • Continue to shield Israel's warriors, defending them at all times (Psa. 3:1-6; 34:7; 91:3-13).

   • Increase their protection against friendly fire and other deadly accidents (Psa. 62:2; 89:18).

   • Protect and guide the IDF as they fight in Rafah along the Egyptian-Gaza border (Psa. 44:4-8).

   • As Egypt's betrayal of Israel is exposed, arise and deal harshly with Egypt (Isa. 19:1-5).

   • Let the IDF find more hostages – even if, as was the case this past week, it is only the dead bodies, as that goes a long way to bring closure to the hostages' families and friends (Num. 21:1-3).

   • Let Israel increase the intensity of its attacks and wrap up this war quickly (Eccl. 8:11; Rom. 9:28)

   • After the war, let Israel maintain control over Gaza, Judah's inheritance, permanently (Judg. 1:18).

   • Humble Israel's intelligence services to recognize their need to ask You about what is vital and what is not when deciphering all of the intelligence data collected (Deut. 4:7; Psa. 50:15; Jer. 33:3).

5. Internal security:

   Jews have been under attack by Muslims even before 1948. Israel's war to live in its God-given land has raged at least since the early 1920s, and it will not end until our Lord returns (Zech. 14:9-11). Come quickly, Lord Yeshua (Rev. 22:17, 20).

   • Lord, once more, use the verses in both the Torah and the prophetic portions show Your people that You have given them all of the land (Lev. 25:2, 23; Jer. 32:21-22).

   • Let Hamas' Oct. 7th massacre convince many more Israelis that the "two-state solution" is no longer a possibility as they watch how Palestinian support for Hamas has grown (Psa. 91:8; Prov. 24:20).

   • Reveal all terrorist plans and terror tunnels to Israel's intelligence services (Job 28:11b; 34:21-22).

   • We bless You for no successful kidnappings in Israel since Oct. 7th and ask that You would maintain that as well as to hinder all drive-by shootings and car-rammings (Psa. 7:9; 10:15; 11:5).

   • Let Israel obey Your command and put to death all terrorists convicted of murder (Num. 35:16-18).

   • Cause the animosity which is already between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas (Psa. 55:9) to explode to such an extent that they end up fighting against one another (Joel 3:19; Obad. 1:10).

   • We bless You for Your angelic hosts protecting Israel during this time and pray that many Israelis would have their eyes open to "see" them (2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8; Psa. 59:5; 148:2).

   • We thank You for Israel annulling that sinful disengagement law pushed by former PM Sharon in relation to the communities uprooted in Samaria (Jer. 31:3-5).

   • Lord, turn many Palestinians from being Your enemies into our family (Matt. 5:44; Col. 1:21).

6. External security:

   Iran's radical Shi'ite form of Islam is more focused on destroying Israel than it is about the welfare, or the life, of its own citizens. Yet most Iranians do not hate Israel or the Jews, but would prefer to see a peace treaty between their nations. So praying for the destruction of Iran's current regime is actually asking for what would be best for both Israelis and Iranians!

   • While Israel denied having any hand in Iran's President Raisi's and its foreign minister's death, use it to engulf Iranians plotting against Israel with waves of fear and paranoia (Job 6:4; Psa. 88:16-17).

   • God, if this is part of the fulfillment of Jeremiah 49:38b, bring the rest to completion quickly.

   • Let the UN Security Council's moment of silence in honor of Raisi, known in Iran as "the Butcher of Tehran", and the UN's lowering of its flags to half-mast for him be the final nail in the coffin of that anti-God, anti-Semitic, anti-Christ organization (1 Sam. 2:30; Isa. 23:9; Rev. 18:2).

   • Let Iran's religious, political and military leaders who constantly curse Israel, reap what they sow, and may it be seen as Your hand against them (Num. 24:9b; Ezek. 35:6; Rev. 2:23).

   • Increase the internal strife Iran is dealing with throughout its society (Psa. 9:1-11; 27:2).

   • Lord, encourage and protect Your growing Body in Elam [ancient Iran] (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

   • Guide them precisely in praying for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and for Israel (Psa. 122:6).

   • Lord God, destroy the relationships Iran has with all of its evil proxies (Psa. 109:29; Jer. 17:18).

   • King of Israel, sovereignly destroy every one of Iran's nuclear facilities (Jer. 46:10; Nah. 1:2)

   • If not, then please guide Israel as to when and how to accomplish this (Ezek. 25:14; Jer. 51:20-25).

   • If, as it seems inevitable, Israel wars against Hizbullah in Lebanon, watch over Isaiah 41:10-16.

   • Also prepare the IDF and Israel's society to endure that war (Deut. 20:1-4; Isa. 35:3-4).

   • Use Raisi's death to increase the fear and decrease the confidence of Hizbullah's leaders (Job 18:14).

7. Aliyah:

   Yeshua returns to a Jerusalem under siege (Zech. 14:1-4). So Jerusalem must be under Jewish rule for that to happen (Matt. 23:37-39). Thus Jews coming home in massive numbers to an independent Jewish State (Jer. 30:8-10), is a sign of the end of this age, as the set time for His return is when He builds up Jerusalem (Psa. 102:16) and gathers Jewish outcasts into it (Psa. 147:2)!

   • Raise up many more sons and daughters of Zion – Jewish and Christian – who will tell Jews in the nations that their captivity is over and it is time to come home (Deut. 30:3-5; Psa. 107:2-3).

   • Guide Israel in its relationships with Jewish communities in the nations to not think it has a duty to protect them physically or spiritually, but to focus on encouraging them to come home (Isa. 11:11-12)

   • Direct Israel to prepare space for the new immigrants, with provision for housing, employment and language study (Isa. 49:19-20; 54:2-3; Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Aliyah is for Your glory, so please bring multitudes home today (Psa. 106:47; Isa. 43:5-7).

   • Lord Yeshua, instruct Your Body the biblical links between aliyah, Israel's salvation and Your return in glory (Psa. 53:6; 102:16; 106:47-48; Zech. 14:1-4; Matt. 23:39; Rom. 11:25-27).

   • Use the demonic anti-Semitic demonstrations against both Israel and the Jews in the West as those prophetic hunters who chase Your people home (Jer. 16:16; Ezek. 20:33-38).

   • Forbid Jewish pride from saying, "They will not chase us out of here," when actually it is You who are doing the chasing as well as the drawing (Prov. 16:18; Jer. 31:3-5, 8-10).

   • Draw Jews with practical, as well as medical and scientific, skills (Neh. 4:16-18).

   • Remove all hindrances from making aliyah in Your people's minds or in Israel's bureaucracy, or in any nations where Jews are forbidden to leave, especially in Iran at this time (Isa. 27:12-13; 62:10).

   • Rework Israel's rabbinical standards of "who is a Jew?" to line it up with Your definition and let all whom You view as Jewish obtain their Israeli citizenship easily (Psa. 119:116; Isa. 8:20).

   • Prepare the "righteous gentiles" – believers and others – who will hide the Jews when needed and help them to make aliyah in whatever way they can (Prov. 28:12; Isa. 49:22; 60:3-9).

8. Salvation:

   Brothers, my heart's desire and request to God for Israel is that they might be saved. (Rom. 10:1) As this was written by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the topic of Israel's salvation should be a part of our personal and congregational prayers. While God has said that all Israel will be saved, still He waits for us to ask Him (Ezek. 36:37; Luke 18:1; John 15:16).

   • Messiah Yeshua, encourage more believers to intercede for all Israel to be saved (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Abba, please take away that partial blindness You have placed on Your people (Rom. 11:25-26).

   • Lord Yeshua, as Joseph did with his brothers (Gen. 45:1-4), reveal Yourself to many more Jews and let them share with their families how You are alive and rule in many gentiles hearts (Gen. 45:24-28).

   • Abba, reveal to these people groups that Yeshua is the King Messiah of Israel: Holocaust survivors; terror attack survivors; every hostage, ex-hostage, and their loved ones; IDF soldiers wherever they are deployed and their families; loved ones of soldiers who died or are severely injured; widows and orphans, especially those who have become so since Oct. 7th; rabbis and anti-missionaries; yeshiva students; Jewish politicians, diplomats, teachers and professors; university students, in particular Jews frightened to go to class and face the anti-Israel demonstrations; medical personnel; Jews and Israelis in the captivity; Jews provoked to jealousy by gentiles; unsaved Jews married to believers, whether a Jew or a gentile; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews (Psa. 25:22; 28:9; 80:3, 7, 19; Isa. 40:11).

   • Thank You for connecting Your land to Israel's salvation in Shabbat's Torah portion (Lev. 25:38).

9. Messiah's Body must be more knowledgeable with all of God's Word. With major prophetic events occurring more frequently and with increasing ferocity, the Body dare not be ignorant of the central place of Israel in what God is doing today. We know that God's Word includes all of the Tanach and the New Testament, but seemingly many born-again believers do not, or else they would be praying for and standing with Israel today.

   • Lord, let Your Body understand that when "scripture" is found in the New Testament, historically it can only refer to the Tanach (John 5:39; 10:35; 17:12; 19:24, 28, 36-37).

   • Messiah Yeshua, impart to us Holy Spirit revelation so that we are able to perceive what prophecies You are in the process of fulfilling today (Dan. 12:4a; Rev. 22:10).

   • Abba, reveal to believers that in all of Your Word the only thing You say that You will do with all of Your heart and all of Your soul is to plant Israel back in their land (Jer. 32:41).

   • Anoint all of the sons and daughters of Zion in Your Body with more authority – especially when they preach and teach from Your Word (Acts 14:3; Gal. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:2-5).

   • Lord God, show us what You are accomplishing by allowing the explosion of open anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism in most of the West today (Deut. 29:29; 2 Sam. 7:27; Psa. 119:18).

10. Water:

    The Sea of Galilee [the Kinneret] ended up less than 0.5 meters [2 ft.], from being totally full. We are most grateful to God for this abundance and thank you so much for your faithful prayers in this area.

11. IFI:

    Please continue praying for us to have discernment to know how to pray. Israel's overall situation in the natural is very difficult, and will become even more so as we get closer to His return. It is vital that we hear His leading and not just be led by our own ideas and emotions. Thank you for praying for, and standing, with Israel and with us.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Joel 3:16