1. We started by reading Habakkuk 3:17-19:

    • Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and fruit is not on the vines; the labor of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; the flock is cut off from the fold, and no herd is in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. YHWH the Lord is my strength. He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk on my high places.

    • Thank You for Your stubborn love that carries us through.

    • We rejoice in You - our precious Lord Messiah, the God of our salvation.

    • We bless You for Your feasts that we are about to enter.

    • We are confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it in the day of Jesus the Messiah, (Philippians 1:6)

  2. The Middle East is such an exciting neighborhood to live in. This past week there have been Muslims rioting in Libya, Yemen, and Egypt against US embassies and consulates - with at least four American deaths as a result. The supposed reason is an anti-Islamic movie trailer that is on the internet. But this has been there for several months now and the very fact that the riots started on September 11th indicates that the violence against Americans was preplanned. Here is how we prayed:

    • Abba God, somehow use this vicious situation for Your glory (Psalm 115:1-3).

    • We have prayed many times using this verse: Let them all be ashamed and turned back, those who hate Zion. (Psalms 129:5) Now we thank You for doing it.

    • Protect Israel from the chaos surrounding it (Psalm 121:2).

    • Give Israeli security forces courage, strength and wisdom to deal with any riots in Israel today.

    • Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose help is in YHWH his God, who made the heavens and earth, the sea and all that is in it; who keeps truth forever;

      Psalms 146:5-6

    • Protect as well as all of the innocent people who will get caught in the riots.

    • Guard over all of our brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua in the Middle East. Hide them under the shadow of Your wing (Psalm 91:1-8).

    • Lord, the current US administration's policies are proving to be both empty and dangerous - to America and to the rest of the civilized world. Let American voters see and vote accordingly in the coming elections.

    • Cause the US Congress and other US leaders to be strong in understanding what these riots and murders really mean and let them not deal with these nations as if nothing has changed.

    • Thank You for exposing the true face of the Islamic spirit for all the world to see. Please open up the eyes of believers to this unveiling of wickedness.

  3. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu was our next prayer burden. This past week he made what we consider was a very strong and even prophetic statement in response to the US refusing to give Iran any redlines or time frame to stop their march towards developing nuclear weapons. Basically he said that it is immoral for those who refuse to give Iran redlines and deadlines, to then give Israel a red light against it defending itself against a very real Iranian threat to destroy it.

    • Lord, thank You for Bibi Netanyahu. First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

    • Bless him and meet with him during the upcoming feasts of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succot.

    • Open his eyes to see Yeshua, his Savior, the King Messiah and atoning sacrifice (Acts 4:12).

    • Give Netanyahu wisdom to know what to say and what not to say in all situations that he finds himself in.

    • In particular, anoint him to speak absolute truth at the UN in late September (Psalm 80:17).

    • Do not allow Netanyahu to be intimidated or to have the fear of man fall upon him. Do not be afraid of their faces; for I am with you to deliver you, says YHWH. (Jeremiah 1:8)

    • Grant his advisors wisdom from above. Purposes are established by counsel; and with good advice make war. (Proverbs 20:18; see also 24:6)

    • Stop the mouths of those Israelis, both in politics and in the media, who are undercutting all of the good things that Bibi is doing for this nation at this time.

    • Some US Democratic leaders are attacking Netanyahu for interfering in the US elections. We do not see it that way. He is only doing what he needs to in order to protect Israel. Therefore, Lord, use these attacks to open the eyes of many Americans - especially Jews and Christians - concerning the current, very troubling, relationship between some Democratic Party leaders and Israel.

  4. We briefly prayed into the current 'Occupy Ramallah' demonstrations that have been held in Palestinian Authority areas over the past week. They also have been hijacked by more radical elements who have turned them into anti-PA and anti-Oslo demonstrations. While we would in one sense, love to see the permanent disbanding of the PA and the full stop to the Oslo agreements, we do not see this as the right time for Israel to have to deal with one more chaotic situation - and this one in its very midst. Yet, if this is of God…

    • The LORD has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all.

      Psalms 103:19

    • Lord, please blow out any fires that are not of You for Israel to deal with at this time.

    • Provide accurate intelligence information to all Israeli security forces to be able to protect all the Jews in these areas as well as innocent Palestinians.

    • Impart to Israel's security forces the courage and strength to deal with any and all situations in a way that honors You. …for YHWH of Hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, and has made them as His beautiful horse in battle. (Zechariah 10:3)

  5. The continuing threat from Iran was our next topic of intercession.

    • Because of your rage against Me, and your arrogance that has come up into My ears…I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came.

      Isaiah 37:29

    • Panic Iran's leaders into making grievous errors in judgment.

    • Make them very impatient so that they rush their nuclear program and commit devastating mistakes.

    • Push them to overstep their bounds. Even without the world willing to place redlines and deadlines before Iran, allow the leaders enough rope to hang themselves - as You did with Haman (Esther 7:10).

    • Impart into their midst complete confusion, division and a heavy spirit of paranoia.

    • Use the arrogance and pride that permeates their souls - and comes out whenever they rage against and curse Israel and the Jewish people - to bring them down (Proverbs 16:18).

    • Abba, You have raised up even these wicked Iranian leaders for Your purposes (see Revelation 17:16-17). Let Your purposes be accomplished quickly.

    • All nations before Him are as nothing; and to Him they are thought to be less than nothing, and vanity… It is He who sits on the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; who brings the rulers to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity.

      Isaiah 40:17, 22-23

      What a mighty God we serve! Hallelujah!

  6. Continuing our God-given assignment, we next prayed for Israel's leaders to know what to do with Iran.

    • Give to Israel's leaders the courage and wisdom to do whatever needs to be done to protect this nation.

    • Attacking Iran is not what they want to do - but if it is what they need to do, strengthen them to do it.

    • Shield its leaders from the ungodly pressures of the international community - who are not willing to deal with Iran nor are they willing to let Israel do it.

    • Bring the Israel's leaders who need to make the decision into one accord. Then all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, to YHWH in Mizpeh. (Judges 20:1)

    • Prevent the fear of man - especially the fear of the current US administration - hinder Israel's leaders from accomplishing Your will in Your way and timing.

    • Impart a holy boldness and remove all confusion. Be of good courage, and let us act like men for our people and for the cities of our God. And may YHWH do that which seems good to Him. (2 Samuel 10:12)

    • If You want to use Israel to deal a death blow to this Iranian threat, then help Israel's military planners to think out of the box and come up with a surprising and effective plan of attack.

    • Yet, when all is said and done, we recognize the truth of this verse: The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but safety is from the LORD. (Proverbs 21:31)

    • Arise, YHWH; let not man prevail. Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, YHWH, let the nations know they are but men. Selah.

      Psalms 9:19-20

  7. This coming Sunday at sunset, September 16th, starts the Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah. It begins a period of ten days of deep introspection in which Jews search their hearts to see what needs to be made right between God and them - or between man and man. Believers who partake of this time have the advantage of allowing God's Spirit to search us out. Of course, the disadvantage is that we cannot fake it or hide from Him! These feasts are God's feasts (Leviticus 23:2-4). They are only known as Jewish feasts because the Jews have been the only ones to keep them. But the Hebrew term for feast - moed - means a divine time set aside for God to meet with His people, and that includes you. We concentrated our prayers for this nation to have the veil removed and to finally come face-to-face with their King Messiah, Yeshua, God the Son.

    • Abba, for every Jew who sincerely sets his heart to be reconciled with You, please reveal to them Your reconciliation - in Messiah (Romans 5:11; 2 Corinthians 5:19).

    • Lord, make this year be the year when You pour out Your spirit of grace and supplication and enable many in Israel to look unto the One whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

    • From this week's Torah portion: And YHWH your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. And He will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers. And YHWH your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. (Deuteronomy 30:5-6)

    • Circumcise the hearts (i.e., one of the best Old Testament terms for being born again) of many Israelis and double the size of the Messianic Body over this feast season.

    • We ask all of this for Your holy name's sake (Ezekiel 36:24-27).

  8. Since there are so many verses that declare that 'all Israel' gets saved in the physical land of Israel, we finished our time by praying for aliyah, the immigration of Jews from exile to home. We are so thankful that the number of Jews who have come home since last Rosh Hashanah has increased! God is watching over His word to do it - in Israel, in His Body, in the world and in our life. We can be confident that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Messiah Yeshua. (Philippians 1:6b)

Shabbat shalom and Shanah tovah [Paraphrase: May this next year be a great one for you].

The IFI Team