1. Praise:

   As counterintuitive as it seems to us, in God's Kingdom, the way up is to go down. We see this in God the Son who humbled Himself to not only become a man, but to endure the cross, and who is now seated in the highest possible position– at the right hand of God our Father (Psa. 110:1).

   • Thank You Abba Father for sending Your Son, Messiah Yeshua, to set us free from our sin nature and to transform us into sons and daughters of the Most High (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:9).

   • We bless and praise You Lord for submitting to Your Father and then dying for us (Phil. 2:5-11).

   • Hallelujah! Lord, You are the fulfillment of the Yom Kippur sacrifice and the High Priest, and have presented Your own blood in the holy of holies before the Ancient of Days (Heb. 9:23-28; 10:19-21).

   • We praise You Lord, that as our High Priest, You intercede for us so that the salvation God has started in us will be completed (Phil. 1:6; Heb. 7:25).

   • We confess that You, Yeshua, are Lord of all (Isa. 52:7b; Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:36b), and that even today's wild weather is under Your control (Job 37:19; 38:22; Psa. 29:10; 148:8; Jer. 30:23).

   • We are encouraged to read in Isaiah 57:15, in Shabbat's prophetic portion, that You dwell with those who have a contrite [+ crushed; broken] spirit – to impart to them everlasting life (Psa. 138:6-8).

2. 1. External security – Hizbullah:

      "Operation Northern Arrows," Israel's war against Iran's #1 proxy, Hizbullah in Lebanon, is advancing. The IDF started a limited ground invasion last week, aiming to clear out from Israel's northern border region all Hizbullah terrorists and their infrastructure so that the 60,000+ Israeli citizens who used to live in the north can return and live securely.

      • Lord, we praise You for hearing our prayers and releasing the IDF to forcefully strike at Hizbullah who has been shooting rockets and mortars at Israel ever since Oct. 8th (Ex. 15:3, 14-16; Psa. 68:1-2).

      • We bless You that, as in Gaza, PM Bibi Netanyahu did not heed the "advice" of US President Biden, but ordered Beirut attacked and killed Hizbullah's long-time leader, Nasrallah (Psa. 1:1; Prov. 3:34).

      • Lord God, direct the IDF's strategy and tactics in Southern Lebanon for its current limited operation (2 Sam. 5:17-23), and anoint them to fight in line with the prophecy found in Numbers 24:8-9.

      • Help them to cut off all Hizbullah commanders and leaders – including the new ones who are raised up to take the place of those Israel has already cut off (Ex. 23:23; 1 Sam. 17:51; Psa. 34:16; 54:5).

      • Lord of hosts, fulfill Numbers 24:8 and let Israel's "arrows" pierce through its enemies (Psa. 45:5).

      • Guide them to find and destroy all of Hizbullah's weapons caches and missile launchers (Psa. 31:3).

      • God, anoint Israel to win a total victory over Hizbullah (Psa. 46:8-9; 147:14).

      • In line with that, do not permit Israel to be forced into a ceasefire with Hizbullah (Psa. 44:4-6).

      • Aid them to also uncover and destroy Hizbullah's widespread tunnel system (Dan. 2:22; Luke 8:17).

      • Continue to aid Israel's intelligence units to interpret its collected data correctly (Luke 12:2).

      • Let Israel respond to all criticism over its invasion by reminding the world that UN Security Council resolution 1701 demanded Hizbullah be disarmed and moved north of the Latani River (Joel 2:20-21).

      • Merciful God, let shame fall on many in Hizbullah, as they now know that Allah cannot protect them from the Jews and their God, and draw many of them to seek Your face (Psa. 83:16-18).

      • Cause the Lebanese people to rise up and remove Hizbullah from power (Prov. 28:15; 29:2).

   2. External security – Iran:

      Last week, Iran fired 201 ballistic missiles at Israel forcing millions of Israelis into their bomb shelters. Israel has promised a harsh response and we are praying that God will oversee its response – for His holy name's sake (Psa. 115:1-3).

      • We bless You Lord, that even under a massive barrage of ballistic missiles launched by Iran against Your nation, not one Israeli was killed (Psa. 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

      • At this time speak clearly to, and anoint, the IDF's Iran Command (Deut. 5:22; Job 12:12-13).

      • May Israel's response be totally in line with Your plans, as well as Your timing (2 Sam. 5:17-25)

      • As the Iranian regime sees how Israel has dealt with Hamas, Hizbullah and even the Houthis, let the terror of You and of the IDF fall upon them in a mighty, paralyzing way (Ex. 15:3; 2 Chr. 20:29).

      • Lord, if You are fulfilling Micah 4:11-13, make Israel that prophetic threshing tool and use the results to bring You much glory and honor – both in Israel and throughout the world (Ezek. 39:13).

      • Despite what many nations are saying to Israel – if this is Your time for Israel to attack and destroy Iran's nuclear program, then we ask You to have the final say (Psa. 33:9-11; Lam. 3:37).

      • If Israel should destroy Iranian oilfields, its exporting facilities and tanker ships, release the IDF to do that – yet have mercy on the common Iranian who will suffer economically (Rom. 9:16).

      • Lord God, as per Your word, break Elam's [ancient Iran's] bow (Jer. 49:35), and destroy its evil political, military and religious leaders (Jer. 49:38b; cp. Psa. 9:5-6).

      • May Bibi's message to the Persian/Iranian people be prophetic and let the destruction of their evil overlords happen very soon (Job 6:10; Psa. 64:7; Eccl. 9:12; Isa. 48:3).

      • Messiah, bless Your Body in Iran; protect them; help them to grow numerically and spiritually; and use them as salt and light to the rest of Iranian society (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 5:13-16; 16:18b).

3. Foreign relations:

   The UN General Assembly's annual meeting has finished, with the results proving what we have seen for a while now: the UN is an anti-Christ, anti-Israel organization.

   • God, arise and deal with this wicked organization (Prov. 12:2; Mic. 2:1).

   • Lord Yeshua, let Numbers 24:9b come to pass over the UN and its outreaches which actively seek for ways to curse Israel whenever possible (Gen. 27:29; Num. 23:7-8; Isa. 54:17).

   • God, if it is time for Israel to wipe the dirt off its feet and leave this demonized global NGO, please remove all fear from its leaders to go outside this camp of the world (Matt. 7:6; 10:14; John 14:27).

   • Abba, bless Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon with wisdom and boldness and enable him to hear what You say concerning whether Israel should remain or leave (Job 33:14-17; Isa. 35:4-5).

   • Lord God of Israel, multiply the sons and daughters of Zion and of Issachar in all areas of Israel's diplomatic corps throughout the world (1 Chr. 12:32; Job 22:21-22; Isa. 48:17).

   • Teach Israel's representatives, both professionals and laypeople, to speak forth Your Word, which never returns empty, each and every time they communicate (Isa. 40:8; 55:11: Gal. 4:16).

   • Abba, guard Your nation from its "allies" – as well as its enemies (Prov. 25:19; Ezek. 29:6-7).

   • Provide protection over the high holydays for all Israelis and Jews outside of Israel (Psa. 121:3-4).

   • We know that Your foreign policy is above what we think (Psa. 33:10-11; Isa. 55; 8-9; Luke 11:2), so we ask that as You do it, You will show us so that we can give You all the glory (Psa. 115:1-3).

   • King Yeshua, awaken believers to warn their nations that as they condemn Israel and push it to divide Your land, their societies will experience further division (Joel 3:1-2; Gal. 6:7).

   • Lord Messiah, guide all believers who do intercede for their nation's relations with Israel, and have as much mercy as possible on those nations (Ezek. 22:30-31: cp. Isa. 60:12; Zech. 12:9).

4. Government & society:

   While you would not know it by the reports in most of Israel's media, in actuality, PM Bibi Netanyahu's support and popularity has increased among Israelis. This is very encouraging and is one answer to our constant petitions for Bibi before the throne of Israel's true King – Messiah Yeshua!

   • Abba Father, guide us as we persist in prayer for Your nation (Psa. 10:17; Isa. 30:30a; Rom. 8:26).

   • Lord, as Israel celebrates Your fall feasts, show all of its political leaders their need to ask You for wisdom and guidance, and to read Your Word regularly (Deut. 17:18-20; Psa. 1:2; Jer. 15:16).

   • Abba, we thank You for many more sons and daughters of Zion being raised up in Israel, and pray for even more at this critical time in history (1 Chr. 11:10; Obad. 1:21; Zech. 9:13; 12:8).

   • We give You the glory for causing Bibi to act more like a son of Zion daily (Psa. 68:27-28).

   • Lord God, give him in abundance Your wisdom and Your will for Israel today (Dan. 2:21b).

   • Like David did, let him encourage himself in You against the many, both inside and outside of Israel, who are constantly criticizing him in order to remove him from office (1 Sam. 30:6).

   • Bring godly advisors to him and give him godly discernment concerning their advice (Prov. 24:6).

   • Strengthen Israel's citizens to be able to endure this long war against Hamas and Hizbullah, and to reject the world's criticism against their nation every time it defends its people in the land (Isa. 54:17).

   • Lord Yeshua, release waves of Your comfort to all Israelis who are grieving deeply over loved ones who have been killed, severely wounded, or are still hostages (Isa. 63:7-9; Matt. 5:4).

   • Speak to Your land to provide abundantly all of Israel's needs today (Psa. 135:15; Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • God of hosts, thank You that the IDF is looking more to Israel's local military industries for its needs and looking less to its 'broken reed" allies (Isa. 30:1; 36:6; 41:10-1t6).

5. "Operation Swords of Iron:"

   The battle in Gaza against Hamas continues. Although lots of attention is being focused on the battle against Hizbullah, this fight, as well as the hostages that are still there, needs to be remembered in prayer.

   • With most of the world's attention on Lebanon, Abba, remove the handcuffs which the West and international NGO's have placed on Israel, and release Your nation to fight its enemies in Gaza like they are doing against Hizbullah – that is in a biblical manner (Deut. 28:7; Ezek. 37:10; Zech. 12:4-8).

   • God, renew the strength, courage and motivation of the troops who are fighting there (Isa. 40:28-31).

   • Anoint them to war as Your prophesied sons of Zion (Zech. 9:13-15; 10:3a-7).

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

   • We thank You for Your protection over the IDF soldiers in Gaza since the start of this war and ask You to continue to miraculously protect them from both Hamas and all accidents (Psa. 141:9-10).

   • Lord God Almighty, as needed, download new tactics and strategies to the IDF to use against Hamas who have been reduced to battle as groups of urban guerilla fighters (1 Chr. 14:15-17).

   • Lord, apply what You stated in Shabbat's prophetic portion to every Hamas terrorist in Gaza today: The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked. (Isa. 57:20-21)

   • Abba Father, supernaturally lead the hostages to freedom during the feasts (Acts 12:5-11).

   • Alternatively, shine Your light on where the hostages are being hidden and let the IDF miraculously find them – in particular all that might still be alive (Isa. 49:9; Jer. 50:28; Zech. 9:11-12).

6. Internal security:

   Satan loves to attack and murder Jews during God's feasts. The 1973 Yom Kippur war, the 2002 Park Hotel Passover massacre, and the Oct. 7th 2023 Hamas pogrom which was on Simchat Torah are all modern day examples. Recently, there has been an uptick of deadly terror attacks in Israeli cities not in Judea and Samaria.

   • God, protect Your people in all of the land during the holydays (Psa. 105:38-39; 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

   • Abba Father, allow these increases in the deadliness of terror attacks since Oct. 7th prove to Israelis that dividing Your/their land is an existential danger (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

   • We thank You that most terror attacks fail and for that we give You the glory (Psa. 50:15).

   • Use armed civilians in the right place and at the right time to stop the terrorists (Josh. 4:12).

   • God Almighty, as the world focuses on the north now, let the IDF increase its activities in Judea and Samaria and destroy the ability and will to fight of terrorists located there (Ex. 15:14-16; Deut. 30:7).

   • Remove all demonic protection from Palestinian terrorists and terror groups (Num. 14:9; Josh 2:24).

   • Lord, rage against the UN General Assembly resolution that was recently passed where most nations agreed that Judea and Samaria to be Judenrein (free of Jews) (Job 12:16-25; Psa. 125:3; Lam. 3:37)

   • God of Israel, You are jealous over Your land (Ezek. 36:5-7), and so we ask You to author Israel's strong response against the Palestinian Authority's authoring of that above resolution (Isa. 40:14-17).

   • Let Israel extend its sovereignty over much more of its land (Judg. 2:1-5; Psa. 105:5-11; Isa. 54:2-3).

   • Lord, save many Palestinians and let them provoke Jews to jealousy (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 11:11).

7. Aliyah:

   Since Oct. 7th 2023 around 31,000 people have immigrated to Israel from about 100 different nations. While this is truly amazing, as Israel has been in the midst of a seven-front war, yet millions of Jews remain in captivity. As aliyah is ultimately for His glory, we continue to pray for millions more to move home (Isa. 43:5-7; Ezek. 36:22-24; et al).

   • Lord God of Israel, we praise You for drawing each one of these new immigrants back to Your land and ask You to bring home many more during this next year (Jer. 31:3; Eph. 3:20).

   • Almighty King, over Yom Kippur, a time of repentance, let many Jews living in today's Babylon repent of remaining there (Jer. 51:9-10), and commit to doing that which they declare at the end of Yom Kippur – "Next year in Jerusalem" (Psa. 137:4-6).

   • Send a deep homesickness on all Israelis living outside of Israel during the holydays (Isa. 62:4-5).

   • Use the growth of anti-Semitism and Islam in the West to chase Your people home (Jer. 16:16).

   • Cause Jewish parents to face the reality of either seeing their children intimidated by anti-Semitic spirits, or seeing them in the IDF fighting for their ancestral homeland (Isa. 41:10-16; Ezek. 37:10).

   • Lord, show Jews living in democracies that often the radical commitment to "free speech" can be used as a "death speech" against them, their families and the Jewish nation (Prov. 18:21; Isa. 59:3-4).

   • Tear down any Orthodox Jewish theology that is against Your people making aliyah (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

   • Messiah of Israel, remake Israel's diplomatic outreach to Jews in exile to emphasize aliyah and to de-emphasize remaining safely in the captivity (Deut. 28:65-67; Psa. 53:6; 107:1-9).

   • Abba Father, strip off from Israel's bureaucracy all blockages to making aliyah (Isa. 62:10).

   • Lord God, abundantly bless every Israeli plan to absorb millions of new immigrants (Ezek. 36:8-12).

8. Salvation:

   From this evening until sunset tomorrow when Shabbat ends, the holiest day of God's feasts – Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonements (Lev. 16:1-34) – will be observed by many Jews in Israel and in exile. This is done by afflicting one's soul (16:29, 31; 23:29) with fasting (Ezra 8:21) and with many corporate prayers of repentance.

   • Lord Yeshua, speak to Your Body that as so many Jews are pleading with God to save them, this is a wonderful time for believers to considering fasting in agreement with them, but especially to asking God to save His people by revealing You, His Son, to them during this day (Rom. 10:1).

   • Father, please remove the partial blindness which You have placed over most Jews during the past two millennia (Rom. 11:25-26), and reveal to them Yeshua – their Messiah and King (Isa. 33:22).

   • Anoint all biblical verses recited in the Yom Kippur prayers with power and impact (Isa. 55:11).

   • Use all references for the need of "blood" for the atonement of sins to raise serious questions in the minds of Your people to wonder why blood is no longer emphasized (Lev. 16:14-19, 27; 17:11-14).

   • As Jews pray and repent before You, grace them with a deep "holy dissatisfaction" as they compare their personal relationships with You compared to many of the Jews in the Tanach (Psa. 42:2-3).

   • Pour out Your spirit of grace and supplication upon You people who are back in the land, and as they look unto You whom they pierced, let a holy time of repentance come upon them (Zech. 12:10).

   • [Please ask God about any specific group or groups of Jews that He wants you to pray for today.]

9. Body of Messiah:

   Why are so many believers blind to the significance of Israel's restoration? Is it because they avoid, or even, reject God's prophetic word? With what Peter wrote about prophecy and its importance to our faith (2 Pet. 1:19-21), this avoidance/rejection is totally anti-biblical.

   • Lord, heal Your Body of its biblical anorexia and prophetic illiteracy by injecting it with a hunger to "eat" all of Your Word (Jer. 15:16; Amos 8:11; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:13-14; Rev. 6:9).

   • Lord Yeshua, let Your Body really understand that the Tanach was the only Bible You had, read and trusted in during Your time on the earth (Luke 24:44; John 5:46; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).

   • Messiah, as You had to do on the way to Emmaus, in love, strongly rebuke any believers who still refuse to trust in everything that was written by Moses and the prophets (Luke 24:25-27).

   • Yeshua Lord, replace replacement theology in Your Body today (Eph. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:1).

   • Lord God, warn Your children to reject all proud or racist attitudes towards unsaved Jews and to bless them instead in whatever way Your Spirit directs (Prov. 8:13; Isa. 37:23; Rom. 11:17-18, 22).

   • Reveal to the Body that You are still a Man of War today (Ex. 15:3; Isa. 42:13; Rev. 19:11-16).

   • Teach Your Body the joy and efficiency of true corporate prayer (Psa. 133:1; Matt. 6:9; 1 Cor. 6:19).

   • God, guide Western believers in how to pray about the Islamic spirit which is invading their nations and intimidating their leaders to not stand fully and unashamedly with Israel (Eph. 6:12).

10. IFI:

    Thank you for your prayers, financial support and words of encouragement that are sent to this ministry. They are needed and appreciated very much.

Shanna tova, Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Rev. 22:21