1. Praise:

    In Shabbat's prophetic portion, we read of the connection between God doing His will on earth and Him wanting intercessors to ask Him to do it. In Ezekiel 36, a most vital chapter to understand why God is restoring Israel today, he states what He will sovereignly do about 20 times, yet at the end of this chapter He adds this: Thus says Lord YHWH; I will be asked by the house of Israel, to do this [that which He has said in this chapter] for them… (Ezek. 36:37a)

    • Lord God, we praise You to read that You wait on prayer before You fulfill Your will as that is not something we would have dared to consider if You had not revealed it to us (Jer. 33:3; Amos 3:7).

    • Thank You that this process is exactly why Messiah Yeshua taught us to pray for Your kingdom to come on earth like it is already settled in eternity (Matt. 6:10; Luke 11:2).

    • Abba, thank You that in Messiah Yeshua gentiles are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree (Rom. 11:24a) and thus, as part of the house of Israel, they can also ask for this to be done (1 John 5:14-15)!

    • We bless You for reading once again in this prophetic portion that when You have spoken a thing we can be confident that it will come to pass (Ezek. 35:36; cp. Num. 23:19).

  2. Government & society:

    Praying for Israel's political and military leaders are having an effect as many are making decisions like true sons and daughters of Zion. Their actions are more in line with God's will as well, which is a huge encouragement for us to continue to intercede for them.

    • Lord Yeshua, since all authority in heaven and on earth is now in Your hands (Matt. 28:18), we trust in You, and not in Israel's leaders, so please lead us as we pray for them (Prov. 16:9).

    • Abba Father, we bless You for the increase of sons and daughters of Zion who are speaking out in Israel's society, and ask for even more at this time (1 Chr. 11:10; Obad. 1:21; Zech. 9:13; 12:8).

    • Almighty King Messiah, use Israel's current governing coalition for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • Abba, let a righteous budget be passed by the government before the end of March (Isa. 54:14a).

    • Lord God, since Bibi Netanyahu is still Israel's prime minister, anoint him with Your wisdom and courage to guide Your nation in Your paths (Psa. 23:3b; Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21b; Zech. 4:6-7).

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

    • Bring to him wise and discerning counselors and let him consider what they say (Prov. 11:14; 24:6).

    • Lord, we thank You that last night the coalition unanimously agreed to dismiss the head of Israel's internal security service, the Shin Bet, and despite the anti-Bibi, anti-government demonstrations and opposition's screaming, let this be put into effect as soon as possible (Prov. 8:15).

    • King Messiah, overturn the financial backing that these demonstrators receive which enables them to go out and demonstrate against Bibi and the government – anytime and anywhere (John 2:14-15).

    • God of all, expose the truth of the allegations against Netanyahu in his seemingly never-ending court trials, and use these trials to cause Bibi to cry out to You (Psa. 33:4; 51:6; 140:6-7; Isa. 40:29).

    • Lord God of hosts, make the new IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, a biblical son of Zion, and raise up others like that to areas of authority and responsibly throughout Israel's military (2 Sam. 10:7).

    • We praise You Lord, for the superb job that Defense Minister Israel Katz is doing and ask that You continue to use him to boldly speak truth about Israel's security situation (Prov. 8:7; Zech. 8:16).

    • Lord God, it is often tougher on soldiers' families than the soldiers fighting, so please send comfort, hope and encouragement to the spouses and children who stay at home (Psa. 119:81, 116; 130:7).

    • God, turn the families whose loved ones are still hostages, to call out to You for mercy (Psa. 50:15).

    • Lord, as terrorists murderers were released in trade for hostages, let more Israelis demand the use of the death penalty to undercut all unrighteous acts like this in the future (Num. 35:16-18, 21, 30-31).

    • Abba, thank You for reading that Israel's Iron Beam laser defense system will start to be used before the end of this year against drones and UAVs and other enemy projectiles (Ex. 14:20; Psa. 112:4).

    • God Almighty, watch over Ezekiel 36:29-30 in the prophetic reading and supply Israel's material needs abundantly because You are a merciful Father (Ex. 34:6; Deut. 4:31).

  3. "Operation Strength & Sword:"

    [We have no idea where or how the IDF gets these names and would prefer for them to just focus on defeating Israel's enemies.] God has answered our prayers to harden the hearts of Hamas, so now that the negotiations over the hostages have fallen apart, it is obviously Hamas' fault. Based on Hamas' refusal to compromise in anyway whatsoever, early Tuesday morning Israel ended the ceasefire and started attacking them throughout the Gaza Strip.

    • God, may this stage of the war between Israel and Hamas not cease until You say so (Psa. 46:9).

    • Abba Father, like You did with Gideon, give the IDF wisdom on how to war against Hamas, and may it be a new strategy that will take Hamas by surprise (Judg. 7:16-18).

    • God, protect the hostages during the fighting and miraculously release them (Psa. 91:3-4; 124:7-8).

    • Thank You Lord for the many in the US Trump Administration who now openly state that Hamas, not Israel or Bibi, was and is the problem in negotiating over the hostages' release (Deut. 33:29).

    • Abba, give Finance Minister Smotrich wisdom as he organizes Israel's efforts to aid a voluntary exit of Gazans from Gaza (Isa. 60:12; Jer. 12:17).

    • God of Israel, as it appears that most of the world has already forgotten the Oct. 7th massacre, we ask for You to remember what Hamas did and obliterate its rule in Gaza (Psa. 34:6; Amos 1:6-7).

    • Lord God, maintain Your divine shield over all IDF soldiers who are in Gaza (Psa. 3:3-7).

    • Almighty One, strip the weariness of this war off of both the IDF and Israeli society and embolden them with a vision of a total victory over Hamas (Psa. 44:5-8; 60:11-12; 68:35).

    • Lord God of Israel, enable many more Israelis to see their obligation biblically to repossess Gaza, a part of the inheritance of Judah (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Prov. 16:9).

  4. Foreign relations:

    The cursing and betrayal of Israel and the hatred of Israel's God, by most nations has given way for that prophesied gross darkness over most of the earth (Isa. 60:2). So this is also the time for Israel to display God's glory openly before the world (Isa. 60:1).

    • Our Father, may Your foreign policy be established on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2).

    • Almighty God, You have promoted today's world leaders to their positions (Prov. 8:15; Dan. 2:21a), so let them advance Your plans (Psa. 33:11), and guide us as we pray for them (Eccl. 8:5).

    • Lord God, thank You that so far US President Trump and his administration are much better towards Israel than Biden was, yet forbid that Israelis see America's leader as a "savior" (Psa. 146:3; Jer. 17:5).

    • Abba, help all Western envoys to the ME see that the way most Arabs and Iranians think and view life is not the way that those who were raised in a "Judeo-Christian" society do.

    • May all Israeli diplomats speak Your truth regardless of how people respond (Prov. 9:8; Gal. 4:16).

    • 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).

    • Lord God, use Israel's US Ambassador Dr. Yechiel Leiter as Your trumpet (Jer. 1:8-9).

    • Bless Israeli minister Amichai Chikli's efforts to develop good relations with the pro-Israel right-wing EU parties who in the past were anti-Semitic but have now changed (1 Sam. 30:26).

    • God of Israel, continue anointing Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon as he resists the lies and distortions about Your nation which are spoken in that modern tower of Babel (Psa. 81:10; 119:13).

    • Lord God, oversee the strengthening of relations between Israel and Azerbaijan, Ethiopia and India (Psa. 33:10-11), and let this birth huge revivals in all of these nations (Num. 24:9b).

    • Messiah Yeshua, anoint every believer who prays for their nation's relationship with Israel and use those prayers to pave a way for You to have mercy to their nations (Ezek. 22:30-31: cp. Isa. 60:12).

  5. Internal security:

    We are burdened to pray for Israel to extend its sovereignty over more of its land in 2025 (Isa. 54:2-3; Jer. 32:41-44). By doing this, there would be an increase of security for all of its citizens as God's will is definitely the best path forward for nations, as well as for us.

    • Lord, show Israel that extending its sovereignty over Your land is a biblical command that does not depend on what any other nation or NGO thinks or says (Deut. 7:1-5; Judg. 2:1-4; Psa. 105:5-11).

    • Messiah Yeshua, wake up Your Body to pray for exactly this to be done (Jer. 32:41-44).

    • Show believers that praying about this is not for political but prophetic reasons, so that You will be glorified when seen by many as fulfilling Your prophetic promises (Ezek. 36:34-36; 37:14).

    • God Almighty, in 2025 restore to the Jews these biblical land deeds (Psa. 125:3): Hebron (Gen. 23:17-18), Shechem [Nabulus today] (Gen. 33:19) and the Temple Mount (2 Sam. 24:24).

    • Continue leading Finance Minister Smotrich to extend Israeli civilian rule over Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, and hide much of what he does from the headlines (Jer. 32:41-44; 33:12-14).

    • Lord of hosts, send forth Your angelic armies to war against the spiritual powers of Israel's enemies as Israel battles against them on earth (2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8; 1 Chr. 15:46).

    • God of heaven, set the IDF free from all humanistic restraints, and embolden it to fight in a biblical manner, which includes praying for You to lead it into battle (Psa. 18:36-40; 44:4).

    • Empower Israel to increase its offensive attacks against terrorists in Judea and Samaria (Eccl. 8:11).

    • Abba Father, guide the IDF as it uncovers and stops arms smuggling attempts into Israel (Job 12:22).

    • King Messiah, encourage all Israeli civilians and its security forces, to be on high alert in Ramadan, Islam's holy month, which is being observed now (Psa. 91:4; 121:4).

  6. External security – Middle East [ME]:

    As America is attacking the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, in order to keep the international shipping lanes safe, the Houthis are shooting missiles at Israel to divert attention from this, or just to try and drag Israel into this fight

    • Lord God, fulfill Micah 4:11-13 today against all of Your ME enemies (Psa. 83:1-4).

    • Almighty God, we ask that Islam's eternal hatred against Israel would backfire (Ezek. 35:5-6).

    • As in biblical time, let Israel's enemies fight against each other, as we are beginning to see happen between the new Syrian Sunni army and the Shi'ite Hizbullah (1 Sam. 14:15-16, 20; Hag. 2:22).

    • God of hosts, focus Israel on Your priorities for it today, so that the many threats it faces are not so overwhelming that it is double-minded on what it needs to do now (Psa. 61:2b; 142:3-5).

    • We praise You that all Israeli jets have returned safely from their assignments, and pray that this miraculous protection would continue (Psa. 115:1-3; 121:4; Isa. 31:5).

    • Lord of the depths, protect and conceal all of Israel's submarines and guide them to be in the right place at exactly the right time (Psa. 65:5-7; 135:4-6).

    • Unite Israel's army, navy, air force and other divisions as one fist against Your enemies (Psa. 44:5).

    • Destroy all of the ties between Egypt, Turkey and Qatar that are a threat to Israel (Psa. 129:5).

    • Make Turkey's Erdogan such a stink to both the US and NATO that America pulls its military base, which stores nuclear weapons, totally out of that nation (Psa. 9:19).

    • Abba Father, be merciful to the Iranians and "destroy" Iran's current king and princes (Jer. 49:38b).

    • Let the many curses Iran's leaders have declared against Israel boomerang upon them (Gal. 6:7).

    • God Almighty, sovereignly destroy Iran's nuclear facilities (Psa. 54:5; 137:8; Isa. 34:8), or if You want the IDF to do it, guide its timing and tactics to be super effective (Prov. 21:31; Jer. 51:20-25).

    • Lord, as the IDF just pulled out of all south Lebanon, except for five outposts, strengthen them to enforce the rules of the ceasefire with Hizbullah in a very aggressive manner (Rom. 13:3-4).

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

    • Messiah Yeshua, redeem multitudes of Muslims during Ramadan (Luke 19:10).

    • Lord Yeshua, caution Your Body in Lebanon, Syria and the rest of the ME that if they curse Israel, they will end up being cursed in return (Num. 24:9b; Psa. 6:1; Mark 3:5a; Rev. 2:14a).

  7. Aliyah:

    In Shabbat's prophetic portion, we read of God gathering His people for His holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:22-24). And as mentioned in the praise section above, while this He declares this as His will, yet He waits for His Body to ask Him to do it (Ezek. 36:37; Amos 3:7).

    • We praise You Lord for the aliyah which is a sign to the world of Your faithfulness and power to fulfill Your promises, even though most nations are opposed to this (Isa. 43:12; Heb. 10:23b).

    • Lord, as Jews read the prophetic portion, let Ezekiel 36:21-22 speak to them that both their being sent out into captivity and their regathering are ultimately for Your holy name's sake (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • Abba Father, draw Your people home through Your amazing grace and mercy (Isa. 54:7; Jer. 31:3).

    • Yet Lord, if they refuse Your merciful drawing, let the explosion of global anti-Semitism wake them up and then turn their hearts to Zion (Jer. 16:16; 51:9-10).

    • Abba, teach Your people the lesson of history that when Jews lived in gentile nations, a time came when those nations could not, or worse, would not protect them (Deut. 28:37, 64-67; Psa. 137:3-4).

    • God of Israel, replace every bureaucrat in Israel's Interior Ministry and its Jewish Agency who is lukewarm about aliyah and fill their spots with those who are zealous for Zion (Zech. 8:1-8).

    • God Almighty, marry Your people to the land, and let them understand that it is a marriage – for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health – and not just a love affair (Isa. 62:4-5).

    • Bring back home the Israelis living in the nations, especially Messianic believers (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

    • Lord, let believers see that Isaiah 43:5-6 tells them to co-labor with You to bring Jews back home.

  8. Salvation:

    There are reports of an increased interest in religion in Israel since Oct. 7th. While this likely indicates a closer observance of Rabbinic Judaism, and not necessarily a closer relationship with the Living God. Still, we see this as part of God's drawing of His people to Himself, and at some point sooner rather than later, to His Son Yeshua, their Messiah (Zech. 12:10).

    • Abba, we thank You that in Shabbat's prophetic portion is the most complete description of what it means to be born-again, or born from above, and as unsaved Jews read it, let them see the connection between what You say in Ezekiel and what Yeshua says in John 3:16-17.

    • Lord God, cause many Israeli-Jews to seek You about this Ezekiel section and to ask You to do to them exactly what You say You will do when they are back in the land (Deut. 30:5-6; Jer. 32:37-40).

    • Reveal to them Messiah Yeshua and pour upon them that spirit of repentance (Ezek. 36:31-32).

    • Abba Father, show believers how to share the good news of Messiah Yeshua using verses from the Tanach (Psa. 2:12; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7; Jer. 31:31-34; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 12:10; etc.)

    • Abba Father, reveal Messiah Yeshua and save Holocaust survivors and their families; survivors of terrorism; hostages still alive and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and families; loved ones of soldiers killed or wounded; widows, widowers, orphans; rabbis in Israel and exile; Israeli politicians, lawyers, diplomats; Jewish university students in Israel and in exile; professors, teachers, medical personnel; Israeli media personalities, tour guides and archeologists; Israelis living in exile; Jewish hippies, LGBTQ+ and new agers; Jews in Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia, India, and China; Spanish and Portuguese speaking Jews; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

  9. Body of Messiah:

    When Messiah Yeshua returns, He will sit on King David's throne judging the world from Jerusalem as Israel's King Messiah. Thus Satan is furious at Israel's resurrection. Yet how do many believers not perceive this, or see what the spiritual battle over Israel is about?

    • Lord God, by Your Spirit teach believers the biblical connections between aliyah, Israel's salvation and Your Son's return in glory (Psa. 53:6; 147:2; Jer. 31:1-10; Zech. 14:1-4; Matt. 23:39).

    • Lion of Judah, let the biblical link You have woven between Israel and Your glory become very clear to Your born-again children at this time (Isa. 46:13; Jer. 13:11; Luke 2:32; Rom. 9:4).

    • Lord, let believers see that they are called Your special possession and a kingdom of priests because they are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree (Ex. 19:4-6a; Rom. 11:16-24; 1 Pet. 2:9).

    • Abba Father, show the Body that it is very difficult to watch You fulfill end time prophecies today if they are unfamiliar with what Your Word says about these days (Luke 24:25:27).

    • Lord, raise up more sons and daughters of Zion as elders in Your Body (Zech. 9:13; Acts 20:27).

    • May believers seek You for how they can "provoke to jealousy" the Jewish people (Rom. 11:11).

  10. Water:

    As I write this, Israel is having rain, and even snow, falling on most of the land. This wet weather is supposed to last until tomorrow morning. Yet as God is very generous, let's ask Him for even more showers of blessings over the next few weeks and months (Psa. 68:10; Ezek. 34:26).

  11. IFI:

    Please pray that God would encourage and strengthen us to continue pressing on in this prayer battle. It seems that as soon as we see an answer to a prayer, then immediately another two or three issues arise that need to be covered in even more prayer. Thank God for Zechariah 4:6!

Thank you, Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

1 Thess. 5:23-24