1. Praise:

   Here is just a sample of the wonderful declarations about our God that are in this coming Shabbat's Torah and prophetic readings.

   • YHWH is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. (Ex. 15:2a) We bless You glorious God the Son for becoming our salvation – our Yeshua!

   • YHWH is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in Him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my Savior. (2 Sam. 22:2-3a) Lord, we praise You that You are all these to us and so much more!

   • I will call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Sam. 22:4) Amen!

   • We rejoice that You, Lord Yeshua, were resurrected and are very much alive today (Luke 24:6, 34).

   • We give You thanks because of Your glorious deeds (Ps. 139:14, 145:6).

2. Government & society:

   God wants us to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-4). As we obey Him, we trust that He will guide us; and as we consistently lift up Israel's political leaders we can see Him doing that – and often are surprised at how He does it (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Almighty God of Jerusalem, rebuke Satan's attempts to deceive Israel's leaders and us (Zech. 3:2).

   • You have promised that the scepter of wickedness will not rest on the land in order to preserve the righteous. Shield Israel from those who seek to move it in paths that are not from You (Ps. 125:3).

   • God of Israel's fathers, show its political leaders their need of Your guidance and wisdom and lead them to read all of Your Word and to seek You in prayer (Deut. 17:18-20; Psa. 1:2; Jer. 15:16).

   • Lord God, use the government's push for judicial reform to fulfill Isaiah 1:24-27.

   • King Messiah, rebuke Israel's Supreme Court judges, most of whom think that although unelected, they can overturn that which the democratically elected government decrees (Prov. 27:5; Eccl. 7:5).

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

   • Surround Bibi with wise and godly advisors and supportive friends (Prov. 17:17; 18:24; 27:6).

   • God of Israel, protect Netanyahu spiritually, shielding him with a divine "Iron Dome" (Psa. 3:3).

   • Lord God, may Your voice be clearer to him than the voice of anyone else (Josh. 24:24).

   • Almighty God, work in the IDF's Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, to become fully a biblical son of Zion, and raise up others like that to areas of authority and responsibly in Israel's military (2 Sam. 10:7).

   • Again, we bless You for the admirable job Defense Minister Israel Katz is doing and pray for You to guard over his relationships with Bibi and Zamir (Prov. 8:7; Eccl. 4:12).

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

   • Lord God, please remove the deception which rests on some hostage families preventing them from seeing that their real enemy is Hamas (Jer. 9:5; Eph. 5:6).

   • Lord God, arise! Set Israeli society free from Hamas' emotional mind games that it plays by holding dozens of Israeli hostages – or their bodies (Psa. 124:6-7; Isa. 49:24-26; Jer. 32:27).

   • Creator God, speak to Your land to supply Israel's needs abundantly (Psa. 135:15; Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Lord of hosts, thank You for Zamir turning the IDF to look to Israel's local military industries to supply its needs and not to its "broken-reed allies" among the nations (Isa. 30:1; 36:6; 41:10-16).

3. "Operation Strength & Sword:"

   Israel continues to attack and kill Hamas terrorists in Gaza. It is also taking over more territory, yet this seems to be more of a tactic than a long-term strategy which would bring Israel more in-line with God's declared will for Gaza (Zeph. 3:4a; Zech. 9:5).

   • Lord, as recorded in the Torah portion, once again reveal to Hamas, Israel's current foe, that You fight for Israel against them (Ex. 14:25b)

   • As per the prophetic portion, we declare that You will save the afflicted people; but Your eyes are upon the proud, which describes Hamas today, that You may bring them down. (2 Sam. 22:28)

   • Abba Father, continue to teach Israel how to most effectively war against Hamas (2 Sam. 22:35a).

   • Lord God, as You did with Gideon, so impart wisdom to the IDF on how to use new strategies and tactics that will take Hamas by surprise (Judg. 7:16-18).

   • Lord, may many more people in politics and the media remind the world what Hamas did on Oct. 7th 2023 and thus why Israel is at war with them (Prov. 8:7a; 12:17a).

   • Lord God, forbid this war to cease until it is absolutely Your timing for that to happen (Psa. 46:9).

   • God Almighty, fulfill Psalm 10:16 over Hamas and every other terrorist group in Gaza (Job 38:13).

   • God of hosts, continue protecting the IDF against Hamas attacks and traps, any kidnapping attempts, and against friendly fire or all other types of accidents (Psa. 4:8; Zech. 9:16; 10:5-8).

   • God, just like You helped Abraham and David to rescue all of their hostages, we ask You to help the IDF to do exactly that today (Gen. 14:14-16; 1 Sam. 30:18-20).

   • King of Israel, pour out Your wisdom on Your nation to know how to encourage more Palestinians to leave Gaza (Isa. 60:12; Jer. 12:17).

4. Foreign relations:

   Israel's first Prime Minister, Ben-Gurion, is quoted as saying, "It doesn't matter what the Gentiles say; it matters what the Jews do!" That is as true today in Israel's foreign relations as it was back in the 1950s. Israel needs to stay on the course set out for it by God and not be swayed by big, powerful nations and their leaders – whether they are enemies or allies.

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

   • Almighty One, You have raised up today's world leaders to their positions (Prov. 8:15; Dan. 2:21a), so use them to further Your goals (Psa. 33:11), and lead us as we intercede for them (Eccl. 8:5).

   • Lord God, arrange Israel's external circumstances so that Numbers 23:9b is ultimately fulfilled.

   • Sovereign Lord, precisely guide every meeting between Israeli and global leaders in order to fulfill the above request (Psa. 103:19; Prov. 19:21).

   • Give courage to Israel's leaders to be like the midwives who feared You more than Pharaoh, and let them resist all that the world demands that is against Your will (Ex. 1:17; Num. 23:23; Psa. 146:3-5).

   • Abba Father, help Israel's representatives – professionals and laypeople – to speak forth Your Word, as what You say will not return void (Num. 23:19; Isa. 40:8; 55:11: Matt. 24:35).

   • Lord God, while we thank You that US President Trump and his team are way better for Israel than Biden was, yet do not allow Israelis to view him as their "savior" (Psa. 146:3; Jer. 17:5).

   • Shepherd of Israel, equip Bibi with all that he needs to deal with America (Psalm 23:1; Isa, 30:21).

   • Father God, thank You for the sons and daughters of Zion and of Issachar whom You are raising up throughout Israel's diplomatic corps (1 Chr. 12:32; Job 22:21-22; Isa. 48:17). More, Lord!

   • Lord Yeshua, forbid that Trump's tariff wars would impact Israel negatively, but once again multiply the "loaves and fishes" to the amazement of many (Ezek. 36:8-12; Matt. 14:19).

   • Lord God, anoint Israel's US Ambassador Dr. Yechiel Leiter for Your purposes (Jer. 1:8-9).

   • King Yeshua, fulfill Numbers 24:9b concerning the UN and its outreaches (Isa. 8:9-10; 54:17).

   • God, continue to use and protect Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon (Psa. 81:10; 119:13).

   • Lord God, as believers read Ezekiel 29:6-9, let them see how irate You get with untrustworthy allies of Israel, and then move them to intercede for their nations (Ezek. 22:30-31).

5. Internal security:

   God states only once in His Word that He will do something with all of His heart and all of His soul – and that is to plant Israel back in its land (Jer. 32:41). The context is when He regathers Israel in order to save them (32:37-40)! This possessing of Israel's possessions (Obad. 1:17-20) is absolutely vital to His end-time plans and so is something that the Church should be cooperating with Him to see it done through prayer and works.

   • Lord, wake up those in Your Body who do indeed love You to also love Your priorities concerning Israel in these last days (Psa. 87:2; Prov. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:3).

   • Speak to Your nation through Shabbat's Torah portion that even before they entered the land, Moses prophesied how You would bring them in and plant them – for Your name's sake (Ex. 15:17-18).

   • Lord God, impart to more Israelis a vision and a burden to possess all of Your land (Prov. 29:18).

   • 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).

   • Abba Father, thank You for all that Finance Minister Smotrich is doing to extend Israeli civilian rule over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria (Jer. 31:4-5; 33:12-14).

   • Messiah Yeshua, use US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to share with Israel's leaders the many verses in Your Word telling Israel to possess the land (Judg. 2:1-5; Psa. 126:1-3).

   • God of heaven, set the IDF free from all humanistic restraints, and embolden it to fight against the terrorists embedded in Judea and Samaria in a biblical manner, including asking You to lead it into battle (Psa. 18:36-40; 44:4).

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

   • Do not allow Israel to be more merciful to its enemies than is Your will (Psa. 18:25-27; 97:10a).

   • Abba Father, guide the IDF to uncover and stop weapons smuggling into Israel (Job 12:22).

   • Fulfill today over the IDF 2 Samuel 22:40-41 in the prophetic reading.

   • Lord God, extend Your wings of protection over the IDF in these areas (Psa. 17:8; 91:4; 141:9-10).

   • Lord, thank You that You never slumber or sleep concerning guarding over Israel (Psa. 121:4); now please make that true also for its security guards at checkpoints and every other post (Gen. 31:1-2).

   • Arrange for armed civilians to be in the right place at the right time to stop all terrorists (Josh. 4:12).

6. External security – Middle East [ME]:

   Trump has threatened to attack Iran if it does not give up its nuclear weapons program. Yet his ME envoy, Steve Witkoff, says compromise is possible, and this was before he even spoke with the Iranian representative last Shabbat in Oman. We bet that the Iranians, who are master negotiators, are laughing at Witkoff's total lack of understanding of the ME mindset. Yet this is no laughing matter for Israel.

   • Lord God, arise against all of Israel's enemies, because You are still the same God whom Moses and Israel declared in Shabbat's Torah portion: YHWH is a man of war; YHWH is His name. (Ex. 15:3)

   • King of kings, Isaiah 41:11-12 describes the mindset of Israel's ME enemies very clearly, including Iran, so put them to shame, confound them and make them like the dust before the IDF (Psa. 83:16).

   • Almighty One, may Your plans for Iran be fulfilled – and not any nation's plans (Psa. 33:10-10).

   • Again Lord, we pray for Your wisdom to come upon Israel as to what it should do with the threat of an Iranian nuke regardless of what the US-Iran negotiations produce (Prov. 8:14-16; 19:20; 21:30-31).

   • Abba Father, the prophesied destruction of Iran's leaders (Jer. 49:38b) would be a great mercy first of all for the Iranians, then Israel and many other ME nations, so please hasten that day.

   • Righteous Judge, judge any nation that maintains financial transactions with Iran – even though they are aware that Iran remains the #1 supporter of terror in the world (Jer. 12:13; Hag. 1:6).

   • Lord, let the curses Iran's leaders have proclaimed against Israel boomerang upon them (Gal. 6:7).

   • God of hosts, show Israel how vital it is to deal with Iran's nuclear weapons program, regardless of what Iran plans to do with it, and then guide Israel's timing and methods (Ezek. 37:10; Nah. 1:7-8).

   • God of Israel, we continue to hit our prayer "arrows" on the ground, asking You to guide the IDF to totally remove Hizbullah from ever again being a threat to Your nation (2 Kin. 13:17-19).

   • Expose Qatar's treachery to the Americans and let Israel see that nation as an enemy (Psa. 55:21).

   • God of Justice, deal with the heads of Hamas who reside in luxury in Qatar (Jer. 30:23).

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

   • Lord God Almighty, use Turkey's anti-Semitic, anti-Israel President, Erdogan for Your holy name's sake just like You did with Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar (Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17).

7. Aliyah:

   At the end of last Shabbat, Jews throughout the world celebrated the Passover Seder ending the meal with the declaration, "Next year in Jerusalem!" Yet most of them did not mean it. This statement of hope and faith used to mean something – especially when Jerusalem was in ruins – but today it has morphed into a tradition, which is a shame as God is in the process of planting His people back in their land with all of His heart and soul (Jer. 32:41).

   • Lord, despite what Jews in captivity think, You promised in Shabbat's prophetic portion to restore them from all over the world and even prophesied that gentile believers would help (Isa. 11:11-12).

   • Abba Father, we thank You that we are witnesses to You doing just that today (Jer. 31:8-10).

   • Draw Your people home in grace and mercy (Isa. 54:7; Jer. 31:3), yet if they refuse use the growth of global anti-Semitism to wake them up and then turn their hearts to Zion (Jer. 16:16; 51:9-10).

   • Show Jews that while Israel is not 100% safe, it is safer than staying in the nations (Psa. 121:3-4).

   • Lord God, release Jews who are mentally and emotionally trapped in false comfort zones among the gentile nations (Psa. 107:14-16; 137:4-6), including sending them dreams or nightmares, to convince them that today is the day for them to return to Israel (Joel 2:28b; Amos 3:8; Zech. 10:8-10).

   • Abba, set free all Jews in any nations, like Iran, that blocks them from leaving (Ex. 8:1).

   • God of Israel, remove all bureaucrats in Israel's Interior Ministry and the Jewish Agency who are wishy-washy about aliyah, and replace them with those who are zealous for Zion (Zech. 8:1-8).

   • We praise You that Israel's Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer, is working to reduce the bureaucratic struggles of Jews who want to make aliyah – professional or not (Isa. 62:10).

   • King Messiah, remake Israel's diplomatic outreach to Jews in exile to focus more on aliyah and less on enabling them remain safe and secure where they reside (Deut. 28:65-67; Psa. 53:6; 107:1-9).

   • Lord Yeshua, teach Your Body of their biblical responsibility to help Jews to make aliyah – through prayer, finances and by good works (Isa. 49:22; 60:1-12; 61:5; Rom. 15:26-27).

8. Salvation:

   We believe many Jews were saved over Passover as we have great confidence that whenever we ask God of anything in line with His will – He hears and answers (1 John 5:14-15).

   • Lord, in faith, we bless You for saving many of Your brothers and sisters according to the flesh over Passover and ask that You would now establish them in the Body (Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 5:30).

   • Lord God, anoint more gentile believers to cry out to You for Jewish salvations (Rom. 10:1-2).

   • Abba Father, use 2 Samuel 22:47 and Isaiah 12:2 in Shabbat's prophetic portion to cause Your people to consider Your Son's name – Yeshua – and the Hebrew for salvation – yeshu'ah.

   • 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:

   It is imperative to be familiar with all of God's Word today in order to be equipped to understand and agree with what He is doing today.

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

   • King Messiah, brainwash Your Body in all of Your Word (Eph. 5:26).

   • 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).

   • Lord God, gift Your Body with elders who teach and preach from all of the Word, (Acts 20:27), and who openly declare Your eternal love for, and covenant with, Israel (Deut. 7:6-8; Jer. 31:35-37).

   • Messiah Yeshua, cast out replacement theory from the Body (Eph. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:1), and take with it all attitudes of Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred (Gen. 18:18; 22:18; John 4:22; Rom. 9:1-5).

10. Water:

    Please continue to ask God for rain on His land – even if out-of-season (Matt. 5:45b), as Israel has had a very dry rainy season.

11. IFI - Personal note from Chuck and Karen: The stres of the move and watching over IFI full-time has been very taxing and so I have taken a short break until the end of the month. IFI will continue to have prayer meetings and alerts as usual. Please continue to pray for IFI and both Karen and I during this time. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom, chag Pesach sameach and blessings from Zion!

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

From Shabbat's Torah reading: Who is like You YHWH among the gods; who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Ex. 15:11)