1. Praise:

    The official symbol of Israel is the 7-branched Menorah. There is a large 15 foot high bronze sculpture of it opposite the Knesset, Israel's parliament building, in Jerusalem. It has on it part of a verse found in Shabbat's Chanukah prophetic portion: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says YHWH of hosts. (Zech. 4:6b)

    • Messiah Yeshua, we praise You for this verse being prominently displayed in Your nation and bless You that only by the power of Your Spirit and grace can "mountains" be moved (Zech. 4:7).

    • Lord, thank You for giving us the Father's promise, the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 2:33).

    • Abba, we rejoice at how the Holy Spirit empowers us in prayer (Rom. 8:26; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 6:18).

    • Messiah Yeshua, thank You that the Holy Spirit enables us to glorify You (John 16:13-14).

    • Over Chanukah, we confess that You, Yeshua, are the true Light of this world (John 1:9; 8:12).

    • With You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. (Psa. 36:9; cp. 119:105). Amen!

    • Thank You that at Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22), You Lord, revealed that You are the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14) and that we who trust in You do hear Your voice (John 10:27).

    1. External security – the Middle East [ME]:

      Some nations and NGO's are already establishing ties with Syria's new rulers. Yet since they come from Al-Qaeda and ISIS backgrounds, Israel has taken an aggressive, pre-emptive approach to defend itself against them and Turkey who supports them. Also, the Houthis in Yemen, basically Iran's only remaining proxy, have fired many long range ballistic missiles at Israel. Yesterday Israel responded forcefully in attacking various Houthi targets.

      • God of Israel's fathers, Isaiah 41:11-12a is very appropriate for the mindset of Israel's ME enemies, including Iran, so shame them mightily, confounding and making them as nothing before the IDF.

      • We thank You Lord God for answering our intercessions and confounding all those, like Assad and Iran, who hate and want to annihilate Zion (Psa. 35:4, 26; 70:2; 129:5; Zech. 14:13).

      • Lord, we praise You for the result of Assad's demise, as Iran's "ring of fire" surrounding Israel to destroy it has been broken into pieces (Psa. 124:6-8; Isa. 8:9-10).

      • Thank You for the billions of dollars Iran invested in Assad's regime and in Iran's weapons factories in Syria which have now all gone up in smoke (Psa. 144:4-6; Joel 2:30; Nah. 2:13)! More, Lord!

      • Lord, maintain Israel's distrust towards Syria's new Sunni Muslim radical leaders and let it continue to destroy anything that might be used against it which Assad's army abandoned (Psa. 27:11).

      • Keep Israel in the areas it has taken in Syria, as they are all part of the Promised Land (Gen. 15:18).

      • Lord God, please provide Israel with precise actionable intelligence of its enemies schemes today, including Iran, Hizbullah, the Houthis and Turkey (Job 12:22; Psa. 59:10; Prov. 15:3).

      • Lord, war against the Houthis with Israel by releasing Your Angel against them (Psa. 35:1-6).

      • Also, Abba, direct Israel's attacks against the Houthis and the targets in Yemen (Prov. 21:30-31).

      • God, expose to the world if the Iranian regime's shame over their proxies and ally's decimation has caused them to hasten the development of nuclear weapons (Job 6:19-20; Psa. 6:10; 44:7).

      • Lord, sovereignly destroy Iran's nuclear facilities (Psa. 54:5; 137:8; Isa. 34:8), or if You choose to use Israel, guide the timing and the tactics of its attack (Psa. 44:4; Prov. 21:31; Jer. 51:20-25).

      • Fulfill Jeremiah 49:38b and bring down Iran's political, military and religious leadership suddenly.

      • Continue sowing discord into the ranks of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (Jer. 17:18).

      • God, reveal the anti-Israel plots of Turkey's anti-Christ-like leader Erdogan (Prov. 5:21; Jer. 32:19).

      • King of kings, deal with Erdogan and overturn all of his wicked schemes (Psa. 9:19; 33:10-11).

      • Set Sunni Turkey and Shi'ite Iran against each other – politically and militarily (Psa. 55:9).

      • Abba Father, lead the various Kurdish groups in Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran to work in unity and give wisdom to Israel in responding to the request from the Kurds in Syria for help (Psa. 103:19).

      • Lord, bless Your Body in the ME; guard over them; help them grow numerically and spiritually; and anoint them to greatly influence their nations for You (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 5:13-16; 16:18b).

    2. External security – Hizbullah:

      Israel is beginning to move the IDF out of Southern Lebanon in accordance with it agreed 60 day ceasefire with Lebanon. But Defense Minister Israel Katz said this week that if Hizbullah does not comply with that agreement, Israel will go back in and totally destroy the remnants of that once powerful terrorist organization.

      • Lord of hosts, God of Jacob (Psa. 46:7, 11), again we ask that in line with Psalm 46:9, You be the One to cause this war with Hizbullah to cease – and not any man-made ceasefire (Mic. 4:3).

      • Almighty One, continue to guide the IDF to find and remove Hizbullah's remaining weapons stores, missile launchers, and attack tunnels in south Lebanon (2 Chr. 16:9; Isa. 54:17a; Ezek. 39:9).

      • Lord God of Israel, we rejoice as Assad's regime's fall is an answer to prayer since it has eliminated the routes through Syria that Iran used to resupply Hizbullah's weapons (Judg. 5:20-22; Isa. 59:7).

      • Abba, reveal to Israel if Iran is trying to resupply Hizbullah by either air or sea, and since that would be against the ceasefire agreement, show Israel how to deter this (Job 9:4-8; 26:12).

      • As the Lebanese see Hizbullah weakened, God of all nations, cause them to rise up and release that nation from this Shi'ite Islamic terrorist organization (Psa. 29:5-6; Prov. 28:15).

  3. Government & society:

    God tells us to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-4), so we expect Him to lead us as we intercede for Israel's political leaders. And as we persist in prayer, we do find that He refines our intercessions to be more in line with His will (Luke 18:1).

    • Abba, we bless You for many more sons and daughters of Zion who have appeared in Israel, and ask You for many, many more at this crucial time (1 Chr. 11:10; Obad. 1:21; Zech. 9:13; 12:8).

    • Almighty God, over Chanukah let Your light and truth increase in Israel's leaders (Psa. 36:9; 43:3).

    • In line with Shabbat's prophetic portion, Lord God of Jerusalem, rebuke Satan's attempts to deceive and use for his purposes any of Israel's current leaders (Zech. 3:2).

    • Abba Father, please pour out into PM Bibi Netanyahu Your wisdom and understanding in a greater measure today in order to lead Your nation in a biblical manner (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21b; Zech. 4:6-7).

    • God, thank You for making him more of a son of Zion since the Oct. 7th massacres (Psa. 68:27-28).

    • Lord, use his study of history to also make him a son-of-Issachar type of leader (1 Chr. 12:32).

    • May his last days as Israel's head be better than his earlier days (Psa. 126:5; Eccl. 7:8).

    • Righteous Judge, break the ungodly trap of Israel's humanistic courts who insist on Bibi testifying in very questionable legal cases against him – at a time of war (Psa. 124:6-8; 149:8; Rom. 8:28).

    • Lord God Almighty, use this trial to show Israelis of the great need for judicial reform (Isa. 1:25-27).

    • Messiah Yeshua, give Your "perfect peace" to all Israelis still traumatized by the evil events starting on Oct. 7th 2023 and continuing on until today (Isa. 61:1-3; Matt. 5:4).

    • Turn the hostage families away from raging against Bibi the government, and turn them to cry out to You instead and then gift them and the hostages with Your peace (Job 22:21; Psa. 50:15; 55:22).

    • Permit a hostage deal only if it is 100% in line with Your will (Psa. 96:10; Prov. 19:21).

    • Sovereign Lord, harden Hamas' hearts to reject any hostage deal that is bad for Israel (Ex. 7:13-14).

    • Thank You Abba for sustaining Israel's economy while it fights a multi-front war (Psa. 132:13-15).

  4. Foreign relations:

    God is focused today on building up "Jerusalem" – which often stands for all of Israel. This is necessary in order for Messiah to return (Psa. 102:16; Zech. 14:1-4). Also, as we are seeing Zechariah 12:2-3 coming to pass – Zechariah 12:10 cannot be far behind!

    • Our Father, may Your foreign policy be established on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:9-10).

    • Abba, block any anti-Israel moves by the US administration in its last month in office (Job 5:12).

    • We are grateful for Donald Trump being America's next president, but we pray that no Israeli would look to him as any type of savior, but would look to You alone (Psa. 146:3-5; Jer. 17:5-8).

    • Lord God, use this season to wean Israel away from trusting in the US at all (Psa. 118:8-9).

    • Abba Father, surround Trump with advisors who will clearly warn him against treating Israel as if it were just another nation (Deut. 7:6-9; Psa. 135:4; Zech. 2:8).

    • Sovereign Lord, surround Israel's diplomats in the nations with Christian Zionists who will support and encourage them, using the truth of Your Word (Psa. 40:10; 43:3a; 86:1; 98:3; John 17:17).

    • Prepare Dr. Yechiel Leiter for his position as Israel's next US Ambassador (Psa. 75:6-7; Prov. 16:1).

    • Thank You for Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister, confronting the Pope with the truth that Jesus was a Jew and not a Palestinian (Matt. 2:2; Rev. 22:16)

    • Anoint Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon in wisdom and boldness (Psa. 51:15; 81:10; 109:1-3).

    • Lord God of Israel, turn the curses against Your people today coming from nations, global NGOs, and most of the mainstream media, into blessings because of Your love for them (Deut. 23:5; 33:3).

    • King Yeshua, raise up believers to warn their nations that if they condemn Israel and press it to divide Your land, their societies will experience further and deeper divisions (Joel 3:1-2; Gal. 6:7).

  5. "Operation Swords of Iron:"

    Despite all of the ceasefire and hostage negotiations, Bibi is committed to not ending the war against Hamas until its rule over Gaza is obliterated.

    • Lord God, thank You for Netanyahu insisting that Israel maintain total security control over Gaza on the "day after" in order to prevent Hamas' resurgence there (Prov. 15:25; Mal. 1:5).

    • Abba, let this lead Israel to fully possess all of Gaza once again (Zeph. 2:5-7; Obad. 1:17b).

    • Lord God of Israel, recall what Hamas did to thousands of Israelis on Oct. 7th and release Your fire to burn out all that remains of its rule in Gaza (Amos 1:6-7).

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

    • Lord God, with Israel's pre-war expectations in mind, we praise You for supernaturally protecting the IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza and ask You to continue to do just that (Deut. 20:1-8; Psa. 140:7).

    • Abba Father, we read that Abraham and David rescued all of their hostages, so once again help the IDF to do the same today (Gen. 14:14-16; 1 Sam. 30:18-20).

    • Lord Yeshua, have mercy on any Hamas terrorists who are still alive and are ashamed by their total defeat by Israel (Psa. 109:29; Matt. 5:44), and use that shame to cause them to seek You (Psa. 83:16).

  6. Internal security:

    It is crucial that in 2025 Israel obeys God and extends its sovereignty over more of its land. This is not annexation, as a nation does not annex that which it already owns! Also by doing this Israel will have a better chance of living more securely until Messiah returns.

    • Lord God of Abraham, either by Your Word or through circumstances, show Israel's leaders of the need to extend Israel's sovereignty over more of Your land today (Deut. 8:17-18; Psa. 44:3).

    • We thank You that with Trump's victory, and his appointment of Mike Huckabee as the next US Ambassador to Israel, more Israelis are vocally expressing their support of Israel extending its tent pegs (Isa. 54:2-3). Lord, increase that mindset exponentially (Prov. 19:21)!

    • God, tear up that recent UN General Assembly resolution in which most nations approved that Judea and Samaria should be Judenrein (free of Jews) (Job 12:16-25; Psa. 125:3; Lam. 3:37).

    • We bless and praise You Lord for Netanyahu's plan to double both the population and the places to live on the Golan Heights receiving overwhelming government support (Jer. 32:41-44).

    • Considering the amount of attempts to kill Jews, we praise You God for protecting them throughout Your land over this past year – and pray for that to continue (Psa. 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

    • Lord God, have Israel intensify its battle against terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria (Deut. 30:7).

    • God of Israel, forbid that Israel should even consider that the Palestinian Authority security forces would actually help to protect Jews against these terrorists groups (Psa. 120:7; Lam. 1:2).

    • Yet increase the fight that is raging between PA security forces and Hamas in Samaria (Hag. 2:22).

    • Reinforce the deployment of IDF and security forces on the Jordanian border with angelic hosts and hasten the formation and readiness of the new IDF Jordan Valley battalion (2 Kin. 6:16-17).

  7. Aliyah:

    It's God's will for all Jews to come home to His/their land. This is biblically linked with Israel's salvation (Ezek. 39:28-29). Yet today, even in the face of the explosion of anti-Semitism since Oct. 7th 2023, a majority of His people remains in "captivity" in the nations. God knows what it will take to shake them out of their dangerous "comfort zones," and we are asking Him to do just that.

    • We bless You Lord, as aliyah is a testimony of Your faithfulness to Your promises openly before the world – so that they are without excuse to not believe in You (Isa. 43:12; Rom. 1:20; Heb. 10:23b).

    • Lord God, bring millions of Jews to Israel by Your mercy and for Your glory (Isa. 43:5-7; 54:7).

    • God, use the exponential increase of Western anti-Semitism to increase the aliyah (Jer. 16:16).

    • God Almighty, stop Jewish leaders from fighting for the right to live in "peace and safety" among gentiles and instead turn their hearts and efforts towards making aliyah (Jer. 51:9-10).

    • God, as Jews consider the dangers of openly displaying their Chanukah menorahs, show them that their freedom to express their identity is quickly being erased – except in Israel (Psa. 56:5-6).

    • Lord God of Israel, deal with Jewish pride which says, "They will not chase us out!" and show them that You are doing both the chasing, and the drawing (Prov. 16:18; Jer. 31:3-5, 8-10; Zech. 8:1-8).

    • Let them truly see that they will always be the stranger in any land outside of Israel (Psa. 137:4).

    • Also show them that while Israel is not 100% safe, it is safer than remaining in exile (Psa. 121:3-4).

    • Release the Jews in Turkey, Iran and in other dangerous nations to come home (Jer. 16:14-15).

    • Over Chanukah impart a deep homesickness into all Israelis living outside of Israel (Isa. 62:4-5).

    • King Messiah, turn Israel's diplomatic outreach to the Jews in the captivity to concentrate more on aliyah and less on helping them remain safe outside of Israel (Deut. 28:65-67; Psa. 53:6; 107:1-9).

    • Lord Yeshua, speak to the huge mountain which hinders aliyah for many Jews, which is the rabbinic definition of who is a Jew, and replace it with the biblical definition (Isa. 62:10; Mark 7:9, 13).

    • Lord God, reveal to believers how aliyah is an answer to the Body's 2,000 year old prayer for Your name to be sanctified through Your will being done on earth (Ezek. 28:25-26; Luke 11:2).

  8. Salvation:

    Paul writes that all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26)! The context indicates that "all Israel" is a remnant of His people (Rom. 9:27; 11:5; cp. Jer. 31:7). We trust that our prayers will increase that remnant – especially as God does not want any to perish (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • Use this dual festival season to reveal the true Light of the world to Your people (John 1:7; 8:12).

    • Lord God of Israel, fulfill Hosea 14:4 and heal Your people's backsliding as You love them freely by Your amazing grace (Jer. 31:2-3; Zech. 12:10; Eph. 2:8-10).

    • Messiah Yeshua, as Joseph did in Shabbat's Torah portion, remove Your "Egyptian" garb and reveal Yourself to Your Jewish brothers both in Israel and throughout the world (Gen. 42:8).

    • Challenge Your people with Zechariah 2:10-12 in the prophetic portion which speaks of two Gods - One who sends the Other – and of how this results in many gentiles becoming part of Your people.

    • Lord God, please fulfill Zechariah 12:10 and release Your spirit of grace on You people who are in Your land today, causing multitudes to recognize Your Son (Zech. 12:10; Acts 19:20).

    • Messiah Yeshua, show born-again gentiles that Romans 1:16 and 11:11 are still valid today.

    • [Ask God which specific group or groups of Jews He has chosen you to pray for at this time.]

  9. Body of Messiah:

    At this stage in prophetic history, it is imperative that believers know His Word. Yeshua's disciples should be reading and studying all of His Word to understand what He is doing at this hour (2 Tim. 3:16-17). In context, those 2 Timothy verses refer to the Old Testament.

    • Messiah Yeshua, rebuke all believers who reject the Tanach as Your Word today (Luke 24:25-27).

    • 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).

    • Messiah Yeshua, as part of the answer to the previous prayer, place over Your flock shepherds who excel at teaching and preaching Your Word (Eph.4:11-14).

    • Abba Father, show the Body that the planting of Israel back in the land is the only thing You declare You will do with all of Your heart and all of Your soul – in all of Your Word (Jer. 32:41)!

    • God Almighty, let Your Body appreciate how impossible it is to watch You fulfill Your end time prophecies if they do not know what Your Word declares about these last days (Luke 24:25:27).

    • God, expose replacement theology as a demonic, anti-Christ, and Jew-hating teaching (1 Tim. 4:1).

  10. Water:

    We rejoice that the wet winter weather has begun in Israel. Because of desalinization Israel does not have a water crisis, but the rain to refresh the land is still needed. Please pray with us for rain to be abundant over His land over the next several months (Deut. 11:11-12; Matt. 5:45b).

  11. IFI:

    This has been a most "interesting" year. We thank you for your support in prayers, by words of encouragement, and in financial gifts. May the Lord God of Israel draw each of you closer to Himself in 2025.

Shabbat shalom, and chag Chanukah sameach.

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

John 12:46