1. Praise:

   Shabbat's Torah portion has this very encouraging verse since we always try to pray using God's Word: God is not a man, that He should lie; nor the son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and shall he not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Num. 23:19)

   • Thank You Lord for telling us that Your Word is true and the truth (John 17:17).

   • We praise You that Your Word is trustworthy as it is based on who You are (Psa. 138:2b; in Hebrew this verse reads, You have magnified Your word upon Your name, that is, Your essential nature)

   • Thank You for also being faithful which means Your Word is also faithful (Tit. 1:9; Rev. 21:5).

   • We glorify You Yeshua, God the Son, that Your words also endure forever (Matt. 24:35).

   • We bless You that You encourage us to trust in You even when we lack understanding (Prov. 3:5).

   • We rejoice that through Your Word our spirits have nourishment and can grow (Jer. 15:16).

   • Lord Yeshua, Word of God, thank You for revealing the Father's true nature (John 1:18; Heb. 1:3a).

   • We praise You that regardless of our emotional and mental state, You still hear us (Psa. 61:2; 142:3).

   • We bless You for Your Spirit reminding us of biblical verses as we need them (John 14:26).

2. Government & society:

   We are persisting in prayer according to God's most recent guidance.

   • Messiah Yeshua, bend our intercessions to be more in line with Your will (Psa. 32:8; Rom. 8:26).

   • Thank You for encouraging us not to trust in Israel's government, but in You, although we know that Israel's current government is ordained by You for this time (Est. 4:14b; Psa. 103:19; Jer. 27:5).

   • God Almighty, use Israel's current coalition for Your glory and unite them around the things that are Your will for Israel today (Psa. 115:1-3; 133:1).

   • We bless You for the answers to our prayers about Israel's sons and daughters of Zion that we are seeing and ask You to raise up more to lead Your nation today and tomorrow (Isa. 55:4; Zech. 9:13).

   • God, show Israel's leaders' their great need to seek You for wisdom (1 Kin. 4:29; Ezra 7:25).

   • Give them Your priorities in this very demanding and confusing time (Deut. 10:12; 2 Sam. 23:2-4).

   • As per Numbers 23:23 in the Torah portion, protect them from all manipulation and coercion coming from either inside or outside of Israel which would lead Your nation astray.

   • Protect and anoint PM Bibi Netanyahu until it is Your time to remove him (Psa. 80:17; Prov. 21:1).

   • Shut up the fierce incitement against Bibi to prevent it giving birth to any assassination attempts (Dan. 6:22), but if it does, protect him like You protected Donald Trump (Job 5:20; Psa. 91:5).

   • Thank You that the Knesset – Israel's Parliament – voted once again to reject a Palestinian State on any land west of the Jordan River (Lev. 25:23).

   • We bless You for Netanyahu's non-negotiable red-lines for any hostage/ceasefire deal, and ask that You hold him into this (Isa. 50:7; Matt. 5:37).

   • Lord, set the hostages free (Zech. 9:11-12), and release Israel from Hamas' emotional blackmail and extortion which it holds over Your nation by holding Israeli civilians prisoners (Isa. 49:24-26).

   • Lord Yeshua, comfort all Israelis who need it (Isa. 61:1-3), and heal the ex-hostages who are back home of their intense mental and emotional trauma (Psa. 30:2-3; 147:3).

   • Watch over Isaiah 1:25-27 to fulfill it especially in Israel's judicial system .

   • Abba Father, continue supporting Israel's economy during this season (Psa. 132:13-15; Jer. 32:17).

3. Foreign relations:

   Numbers 23:9b is part of Shabbat's Torah portion. While this is not a foreign policy that a pre-saved Israel would see as from God, yet today He is watching over this word which He put in Balaam's mouth (23:5) to proclaim to King Balak of Moab back then (Jer. 1:12).

   • Continue to fulfill Numbers 23:9b as swiftly as possible (Ex. 33:16).

   • God, as so many nations, including its "allies", have pulled back from standing with Israel, please use this to draw Your nation to look to and trust in You alone (Psa. 80:19; Isa. 30:18-21).

   • Promote many sons and daughters of Zion and of Issachar to influential places in Israel's diplomatic corps worldwide (1Chr. 12:32; Prov. 11:14; 15:22).

   • Regardless of how bad US President Biden and his administration have been in their overall attitude towards Israel, do not let Israel see Trump as a "savior" if he wins in November (Psa. 118:8-9).

   • If Netanyahu speaking to the joint session of the US Congress on July 24th is not Your will, but in fact a trap, prevent it from happening (Prov. 16:1, 9; Lam. 3:37).

   • If it is, protect him and his entourage and let him declare Your truth from Zion (Isa. 2:3b).

   • Messiah Yeshua, apply Numbers 24:9b in the Torah reading to the UN and its outreaches as they constantly curse Israel via various lies, exaggerations, and false accusations (Isa. 54:17; Jer. 30:20).

   • Anoint Israeli diplomats and spokespersons, both professional and laypeople, to know how to boldly use Your Word when they speak (Num., 23:19; Psa. 119:89; Isa. 55:11; Jer. 1:12; Lam. 3:37).

   • Lord Yeshua, show more believers their biblical duty to pray for their nation's relations with Israel, in order that You can have mercy on those nations (Ezek. 22:30-31: cp. Isa. 60:12; Zech. 12:9).

   • Also show them from Shabbat's Torah portion how serious You are when You say that You will curse those who curse Your nation (Num. 22:12; 23:8, 20b; 24:9b).

4. "Operation Swords of Iron:"

   Israel wants to move to the next stage in this conflict in Gaza with Hamas, yet we still hear of major battles and airstrikes by the IDF with 100s of terrorists being killed or captured. One very disturbing issue is Israel's negotiating for a hostage deal with Hamas through America, Egypt and Qatar – none of whom are reliable "allies" today.

   • God, please stop Israel's attempts to negotiate with terrorist murderers (Psa. 28:3; Prov. 12:20a).

   • Precious Lord, show the IDF where all the remaining hostages are, living or dead (Isa. 49:24-26).

   • Lord of hosts, we exalt You for the victories Israel has won so far (Psa. 60:12; Zech.. 10:3, 5).

   • Forbid Israel from stopping this war until it gains that which You see as a total victory (Ex. 17:16).

   • Continue removing the shackles which the global community has placed on Israel and free it to war against Hamas in a biblically unrestrained manner (Lev. 26:7-8; Deut. 28:7; Psa. 18:28-29, 37-40).

   • We thank You for protecting Israel's soldiers as the IDF estimated 1,000s would die in any ground invasion of Gaza and this has now been proven totally wrong (Psa. 32:7; Zeph. 3:15).

   • Lord God of Israel, help the IDF to know how to change its tactics against Hamas which is now fighting against the IDF like an urban guerilla army (Psa. 33:16-17; 44:4; Prov. 21:30-31).

   • Please God, replace all sons of Greece in the IDF's leadership with sons of Zion (Ezek. 34:10).

   • Uncover the remaining terror tunnels in Gaza, and help the IDF to destroy them (Psa. 139:12).

   • Guide Israel to fulfill its biblical obligation to eliminate all Hamas leaders, regardless of where they are, as they are all guilty of the murder of 1,000s of Israelis (Ex. 21:14; Num. 35:16-21; 1 Tim. 1:9).

   • Whether Israel killed Hamas leader Deif or not, use the fact that they had accurate intelligence as to where he was and when, to release unquenchable paranoia upon all of Hamas' leaders (Deut. 28:22).

   • God of Israel, strengthen Netanyahu's stance that after the war Israel must retain full security control over Gaza for the foreseeable future (Judg. 1:18a; Amos 1:6-7).

5. Internal security:

   God is leading us to pray more intensely for Israel to extend its sovereignty over all of its land west of the Jordan River at this time. There is no doubt that this is His will as He promised to give Israel the land more than 200 times in the Tanach, the Old Testament, the only Bible that Yeshua and the first believers had, read, trusted in and loved.

   • As all biblical truth is affirmed by two or three witnesses, this gift of the land is etched in heaven, so we pray for You to fulfill this suddenly – and soon (Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 15:18; Matt. 18:16).

   • Use the increased intensity of terror attacks since Oct. 7th to convince more and more Israelis that dividing Your/their land is a very real existential danger (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

   • Protect and guide Finance Minister Smotrich who is actively involved in extending Israeli civilian rule over many more Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria (Jer. 32:41-44; 33:12-14).

   • God, make the populations, homes and businesses of Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, on the Golan Heights, in the Galilee, and the Negev, increase supernaturally (Isa. 49:19-20; 54:2-3).

   • Let the communities in Samaria uprooted by ex-PM Sharon in his anti-biblical disengagement law, be repopulated and grow since Israel has now annulled Sharon's legislation (Jer. 31:3-5).

   • Use all of the illegal houses and villages which the EU is financing for the Palestinians in Area C to end up being places for Your people to inhabit as they return and settle Your land (Deut. 6:10-11).

   • Continue to cause most terror attacks in Israel to totally fail (Psa. 7:15-16; 55:23).

   • Remove any demonic protection that is over any Palestinian terrorists (Num. 14:9; Josh 2:24).

   • Lord God, expose and uproot every Iranian attempt to ignite terrorism in Israel (Psa. 59:12-13).

   • Improve Israel's ability in guarding its roads and checkpoints against attacks (Deut. 28:6-7).

   • Bless and use the new IDF Central Command commanding officer, Avi Bluth – a true son of Zion!

   • Empower all of Israel's cyber-warfare groups – both offensively and defensively (Jer. 5:22; 51:42).

   • Abba, save many Palestinians from destruction through Messiah Yeshua (Jer. 12:14-17; Matt. 5:44).

6. External security:

   If Israel waits until the war in Gaza is over before attacking Hizbullah in Lebanon – it will end up in a trap. Hizbullah has said that once the Gaza war is ended, they will stop attacking Israel. So if Israel tries to destroy Hizbullah then, or drive them back beyond the Litani River, which according to UN resolution 1701 is where they are supposed to be, the world will view Israel as the aggressor. It will ignore Hizbullah's 1000s of missiles, rockets and mortars fired at Israel since Oct. 8th, and the more than 60,000 Israelis who are homeless because of those projectiles, and Israel will be severely condemned, and very possibly sanctioned.

   • God, defend Your reputation and Your promises by guarding over Israel and scattering its enemies, especially Iran and its many Middle East proxies like Hizbullah (Ex. 32:11-13; Psa. 68:1, 30; 83:1-4).

   • Lion of Judah, turn Israel into that invincible raging lion which is promised in both Shabbat's Torah and prophetic portions (Num. 24:8-9; Mic. 5:8-9)!

   • Lord God, control Israel's strategy, tactics and timing if it does declare war on Lebanon (Hizbullah is in the Lebanese government) (Josh. 2:11; Isa. 51:22-23; Eccl. 3:8b; Rev. 19:11-16).

   • If Israel should pre-empt Hizbullah before the Gaza war is over – give it the strength, wisdom and courage to do just that (Josh. 1:3-7; Psa. 18:34; 141:1, 8-10).

   • Send forth massive confusion, fear and panic upon every Hizbullah leader (Jer. 17:18; 20:11).

   • May this period of waiting for Israel to war against Lebanon be a time of fruitful preparation of the IDF, the citizens and Israel's infrastructure for that war (Josh. 1:11; 4:13; 1 Chr. 12:24; Psa. 23:5).

   • God Almighty, use this war to fulfill Micah 4:11-13 against Iran and all of its proxies.

   • Severely disrupt Iran's ties with Russia, China and North Korea (Psa. 40:14-15; Jer. 17:18).

   • Whatever it means, we ask You Lord to break the bow of Elam [ancient Iran] today (Jer. 49:35).

   • Also, remove permanently Iran's modern king and princes (Jer. 49:38b)

   • Increase the internal strife within Iranian society and set its people free (Psa. 9:1-11; 27:2).

   • Lord God, sovereignly and suddenly destroy Iran's nuclear facilities (Psa. 99:1; Jer. 51:25-26).

   • If instead You choose to use Israel as Your battle axe, take control of both the timing and the tactics and let Iran's nuclear weapons program be totally eradicated (Prov. 21:31; Jer. 46:10; 51:20-25).

   • We bless Your Body in Iran, and ask You to watch over them, to help them to grow numerically and spiritually and to be a powerful influence on the rest of Iranian society (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

7. Aliyah:

   Today, we see the scattered Jews being regathered (Jer. 31:10) to an independent Jewish State (Jer. 30:8-10). Of course, all this must occur before the Lord returns (Psa. 102:16), and that is a major reason for the Devil's fury against Israel's restoration today (Rev. 12:12-13).

   • Thank You that Israel has received 22,000 new immigrants since Oct. 7th 2023!

   • Continue sanctifying Your name by this regathering of Your people (Ezek. 36: 23-24; Luke 11:2a).

   • Lord, show believers their biblical responsibility to help the Jews return to Israel – in prayer, through finances and good works, and by sharing with their Jewish friends that the exile is over and that they need to make aliyah as soon as possible (Isa. 49:22; 60:1-12; 61:5; Rom. 15:26-27).

   • Abba, during the summer break, draw many Jewish families back home (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:3).

   • Let Jews learn this vital lesson of history – that gentile nations cannot, or will not, protect them and their families (Deut. 28:37, 64-67).

   • As today's anti-Israel demonstrations throughout the West are at least a partial fulfillment of Your prophetic hunters, Lord let them very effective in chasing Your people home (Jer. 16:16).

   • Do not let British and French Jews bury their heads in the sand as they consider the implications of the recent elections and the rise of Islam in their nations (Hos. 11:10-11; Zech. 8:7; Rom. 8:28).

   • Lord God, apply a divine solvent on Your people and unstick them from whatever has them so stuck in the captivity (Psa. 107:14-16; 116:16; 146:7-8; Zech. 10:8-10).

   • King Messiah, challenge Israel's outlook concerning Jews in exile and turn them from aiding Jews to remain there to encouraging them to come home (Psa. 107:2-3; Isa. 11:11-16; Jer. 32:37).

   • Set free every Jew in any nation that blocks them from leaving (Isa. 25:9-12; Zeph. 3:19-20).

   • Place Your burden in many Israelis' hearts to prepare housing, jobs, schools and Hebrew learning classes in order to be able to successfully absorb many new immigrants (Isa. 54:2-3; Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Abba, reduce the expensive cost of living in Israel even at this time of war (Jer. 32:17, 27).

   • Marry every Jew who has returned into a lifelong commitment to Your land (Isa. 62:4-5).

8. Salvation:

   YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel (Jer. 31:7b). God was speaking to the watchmen [notzrim = Christian in today's Hebrew] when He commanded this (Jer. 31:6a). His will is for all Israel to be saved, yet He waits for us to ask Him to do it (Ezek. 36:37; John 15:16).

   • Abba, heal the partial blindness that You placed on most Jews since Yeshua's day (Rom. 11:25-26), and unveil Messiah Yeshua, who like Joseph, can be revealed to His family today (Gen. 45:1-4).

   • Almighty King Messiah, please stop hiding from Your people (Isa. 45:15)!

   • Grant to every Jew an insatiable desire to read and study Your Word (Jer. 15:16; 2 Tim. 3:15).

   • Move upon many Jews who read the Torah portion to seek You about who their King with God is supposed to be and if He is also that prophesied Star out of Jacob (Num. 23:21; 24:17b)

   • In Your grace Abba, save through Messiah Yeshua a huge remnant of Holocaust survivors and their families; terror attacks survivors; living hostages and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and their families; loved ones of soldiers who died or are seriously injured; Jews contemplating suicide, including those struggling with PTSD; widows, widowers and orphans, especially those since Oct. 7th; Jews on death's door; rabbis in all Jewish sects, both in Israel and in exile; Jewish lawyers, politicians, diplomats, university students, professors, teachers, medical personnel; Israelis in exile; LGBTQ+ Jews; hippies and "New Agers"; Iranian and Ethiopian Jews; Jews who have been genuinely provoked to jealousy by gentile believers; unsaved Jews married to a Jewish or a gentile believer; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

9. Body of Messiah:

   For thus says YHWH of hosts, after the glory has He sent Me unto the nations which plundered you – for he that strikes you strikes the pupil of His eye. (Zech. 2:8) One implication of the truth that Israel is the pupil of God's eye is that God sees the world through Israel! So why do so many believers not believe this?

   • Lord Yeshua, warn those believers who have an arrogant attitude towards unsaved Jews of the danger that they face with You (Rom. 11:17-18, 22).

   • Reveal to Your Body just how central Israel is to that which You are doing today to close out this age (Isa. 41:11; 43:5-7; 60:12; Jer. 12:14-17; Zech. 8:1-8; 12:2-10).

   • Lord, do that by showing them the links in Your Word between aliyah, Israel's salvation and Your return to Jerusalem (Psa. 53:6; 147:2; Jer. 31:1-10; Zech. 14:1-4; Matt. 23:39).

   • God, raise up many more sons and daughters of Zion to shepherd the Body (Matt. 8:9; 2 Cor. 2:17).

   • Remind all of us that we are primarily ambassadors of Your Kingdom (Prov. 13:17; 2 Cor. 5:20).

   • Lord, purge the Body of all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic spirits (Num. 24:9b; John 4:22).

   • Since anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism are attacks against Israel's cultivated olive tree into which believers are grafted, warn them that if that tree is cut down – their faith dries up (Rom. 11:17-18).

   • May the practice of real corporate prayer permeate the worldwide Body (Matt. 18:20; Heb. 4:16).

10. IFI:

    Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Micah 6:8 [from Shabbat's prophetic portion]