1. It is raining all over Israel. In Jerusalem, the rain is pouring down and this weather system is supposed to last at least through the weekend. Hallelujah!

    • We bless You for all of the water that Israel is receiving today.

    • We are encouraged that You are a God who hears and answers prayer.

    • And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

      1 John 5:14-15

    • You, O God, sent plentiful rain, whereby You did establish Your inheritance, when it was weary.

      Psalms 68:9

    • Abba, we are encouraged as we think of Purim being celebrated this weekend, Just as in the book of Esther You were working behind the scenes to save the Jews and glorify Yourself, so are You doing today. Thank You.

  2. Iran continues to threaten Israel as this week their President Ahmadinejad said there will be a new Middle East "without Zionists" and that the "criminal" state of Israel is doomed.

    Again, we prayed in two directions. First, for God to sovereignly deal with this threat.

    • Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

      Psalms 68:1

    • Iran is where ancient Persia lies, where the story of Purim took place. Since Haman was a descendent of Amalek, this special section is read this Shabbat:

      Remember what Amalek did unto you...when you came forth out of Egypt; how he met you by the way, and struck... all that were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary. And he feared not God. Therefore... when LORD [YHWH] your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land which LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it.

      Deuteronomy 25:17-19

    • Lord, deal with Iran in a way that brings You the most glory.

    • You said we are to bless our enemies. We do bless them and ask that You save multitudes of Iranians. Turn them from being Israel-haters into Christian Zionists.

    • May whatever You do to deal with Iran also begin to crumble the foundations of Islam.

    • Cut off from Iran all their support from other nations - especially Russia and China.

    • May the West impose strong sanctions on Iran - and may it be done today.

    • Abba, Ahmadinejad has raised his hand against You. See what he is doing. Hear what He is saying and come to the rescue of Your chosen nation.

    • Blessed be LORD, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of LORD, who made heaven and earth.

      Psalms 124:6-8

    • Deal with Iran's weapons of mass destruction programs.

    • Please block the sale of advanced Russian anti-aircraft weapons to Iran.

    • Shake the earth under Iran's nuclear plants.

      The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

      Psalms 68:8

    • LORD reigns; let the people tremble. He sits between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. LORD is great in Zion; and He is high above all the people.

      Psalms 99:1-2

  3. God may not see fit to move sovereignly. Instead, He may want to use Israel as His weapon of war, and His war horse (Jeremiah 51:20; Zechariah 10:3). So we next prayed for Israel to be both ready and able to fulfill all that He directs.

    • Give Israel wisdom on how to deal with Iran in a way that brings You the most amount of glory (Psalm 115:1-3).

    • Help Israel's plans be both kept secret and take the enemy by total surprise in the timing and manner in which any attack is carried out.

    • Thank You for the new huge Unmanned Ariel Vehicle Israel unveiled this week.

    • We lift Israel's leaders up to You - especially Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. Give them and all others who are in the decision making circle, wisdom from on high, also courage and strength to do what needs to be done to stop this existential threat to Your restored nation.

    • Aid them by wise counsel.

      For by wise counsel you shall make war...

      Proverbs 24:6

    • Protect all of Israel's spies and all Iranian Rahabs that are in Iran today.

    • Release the Iranian Jewish community [approx. 25,000] from exile and bring them home.

    • If Israel attacks, protect them from any and all reprisals.

    • If Israel needs to attack, may it be swift and fierce so that the fear of the Jews falls on all the surrounding nations.

      The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

      Esther 9:2

    • O God, You are awesome out of Your holy places. The God of Israel is He that gives strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God.

      Psalms 68:35

  4. This past week, Israel announced a plan to renovate and preserve her heritage sites in many parts of her land. When it was announced that the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb outside of Bethlehem were included - riots ensued among the Palestinians and much sharp criticism came against Israel for this decision from almost all the world. This is a very serious situation, and is part of global attempts to delegitimize Israel's right to exist in any part of her own land. After all, both these places have been linked with Israel for better than 3,000 years, as testified to by Genesis (23:1-20; 35:16-20). Yet not one Western nation stood up for Israel - and in fact, US President Obama's administration led the condemnation!

    • Abba, thank You for allowing the Israeli government to understand the importance of the history of the Jewish people and their connection with this land.

    • Thank You for PM Netanyahu who instigated this plan. Now protect him against this onslaught and support him to stay the course he has chosen.

    • Continue to use him as a voice of truth in the midst of a world that appears to be coming more and more under the influence of the evil one (1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9).

    • Strengthen this government to maintain a unified front against these attacks.

    • Wake up America believers to understand what a very dangerous stance Obama and his administration have taken against You and Your word.

    • There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of LORD, that shall stand.

      Proverbs 19:21

  5. Since Purim is a feast celebrated by the wearing of costumes by many people - it can be a security nightmare for Israel's security forces.

    • We thank You for Israel's security forces and the miraculous job that they do in stopping the almost daily attempts to commit acts of terrorism against this people and nation.

    • Fill them with wisdom and an anointing to know who are terrorist and who are not - especially over this Purim weekend.

    • Help Israel be alert to all attacks wherever they may come from.

    • Protect our children who will be celebrating during this holiday.

    • Set Israel free from all occult spirits that are at work during this time and prevent this nation from turning Purim into the Jewish version of Halloween.

  6. The destruction of the Jews in ancient Persia occurred at a time when it was possible for the Jewish people to make aliyah - to leave exile and return to the land of Israel. That part of the Jewish community who found themselves in danger were those who chose to remain in exile! We see the same dynamic happening today. So we prayed for aliyah.

    • Use this feast to wake up Jews in exile to see the anti-Semitic handwriting on the wall.

    • Open their eyes to the modern day spirit of Haman who is still trying to destroy us all.

    • Bring Your people home - as You promised and for Your glory:

      Fear not: for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back - bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth. Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory. I have formed him. Yes, I have made him.

      Isaiah 43:5-7

    • Give Your people dreams and visions warning them of the current rising up of the hunters (Jeremiah 16:16).

    • Deal with all the "good" excuses for not returning to Israel, particularly among the Messianic Body.

There is a nationwide prayer meeting here in Jerusalem today. We thanked God for this and prayed that He would use it to give our Messianic brothers and sisters a deeper burden to stand in the gap for this nation. We also asked that the prayers prayed today would come from heaven and not just from the wisdom of man - even the redeemed man.

Thank you for holding up our hand in prayer and standing in the gap for this nation - for His holy name's sake.

Shabbat shalom and hag Purim sameach,
The IFI Team

"Now I say that Yeshua the Messiah was a servant of the Jews for the truth of God,
to confirm the promises made unto their fathers,
so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy [to Israel],
as it is written, For this cause I will confess You among the Gentiles,
and sing unto Your name.
Again He said, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people [Israel].
And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
and exalt him, all you people [Israel].

Romans 15:8-11