1. This week has been very tense - both nationally and personally. The leadership of IFI was not sure whether Israel would/should invade Gaza with a ground assault or whether a cease-fire with Hamas would work. Many of the IFI team could themselves be involved, or have sons who would be involved in any ground attack. Thus we wrestled with this issue all week in prayer. We wanted to see Israel win an overwhelming victory against the demonically-inspired terrorist groups in Gaza who shoot at Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians. That was our thinking, yet our hearts wanted to see our children back home with their families. Israel ended up with a cease-fire and so far it is holding. Was this God's will or a mistake on the government's part? Only time will tell. As we gathered for prayer this morning, we were subdued and realized that whatever the answer to this question is - our God is still on the throne. He still reigns! So we begin with much heartfelt praise and thanksgiving.

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

      Psalms 103:19

    • We praise You for watching over Your word to do it (Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 1:12).

    • We bless You for the rain that is falling over this nation this weekend.

    • Thank You for the Iron Dome that worked so effectively against the missiles of Hamas.

    • We thank You most of all for Your Divine Dome that is constantly over this nation. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4).

    • We trust that You have answered all prayers that were in line with Your will (1 John 5:14-15) - and we rest on that.

    • Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to guide us and our prayers - for Your glory.

  2. The IDF's Operation Pillar of Cloud [the literal translation, taken from Exodus 13:21-22.], has ended in a cease-fire. Although Hamas is calling this a great victory, there is no doubt they were decimated by the Israeli Air Force and Navy. Many of their top military leaders were killed, much of their rocket stockpiles were either used to very little effect or destroyed and the true nature of these terrorists was revealed. Yet whether we can call this a 'victory' will have to wait until we see the real fruits of this truce. We prayed into several aspects of this situation as it stands today.

    • Lord, we desire nothing more and nothing less than Your will being done in Israel.

    • We trust You to do this eventually and pray for You to accomplish this today.

    • YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

      Psalms 33:10-11

    • If this cease-fire is of You - guard over it and use it for Your glory.

    • If not, then hook Hamas and bring them into the fullness of Your judgment.

    • We thank You for the calm that has prevailed in the south of Israel for the past several days.

    • Use this very unsettling situation that Israel has just passed through to draw the Israelis in that area unto Yourself - the only sure foundation that we can stand upon in the face of any and all shakings.

    • YHWH is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer. The God who is 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. You save me from violence [Heb. hamas].

      2 Samuel 22:2-3

    • Give Messianic Jews who live in these areas a word in due season to speak to their neighbors.

    • Thank You for answering our prayers and giving Israel new weapons systems that are decisive factors in modern warfare. We specifically thank You for the incredible success of the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

    • Continue to enable Israel to develop cutting edge weapons - both offensive and defensive.

  3. We asked God to reveal the true face of Hamas - that is, the true face of fundamentalist Koranic Islam.

    • Thank You for those news sources that are courageous enough to report what really is happening in Gaza.

    • YHWH tries the righteous; but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

      Psalms 11:5

    • May the revelation of the inhumanity and viciousness of Islam horrify many Moslems, causing them to cry out to You - the one true and living God.

    • Strip off the politically correct filter that many have on their hearts when looking at true Islam.

    • Set people free from the blinders of multiculturalism.

    • Open the Church's eyes to clearly see the anti-Christ spirit that permeates Islam. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist spirit you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:2-3)

  4. We next prayed for how this operation and its apparent conclusion will impact the January 22nd Israeli national elections. Since we still do not see anyone who can better lead this nation at this time, we asked that PM Netanyahu would be able to express why he did what he did in both starting and finshing this operation.

    • Lord, anoint Bibi Netanyahu to share with this nation the absolute truth about his actions - obviously without compromising national security.

    • Pour out a fresh anointing on the prime minister and encourage and strengthen him.

    • Enable Defense Minister Barak and Foreign Minister Lieberman to also be very clear and in one accord with the prime minister.

    • Lord, hedge in the Israeli left-wing media from distorting Bibi's words.

    • Give Israelis discernment to recognize the distortion if and when it occurs.

    • For the sake of seeing Netanyahu reelected, we ask that the cease-fire would hold.

    • In the elections, please give to Netanyahu's Likud-Yisrael Beteinu joint list a huge mandate to continue to govern this nation at this crucial time.

    • YHWH shall raise up a king over Israel for Himself…

      1 Kings 14:14a

    • …the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He will.

      Daniel 5:21

  5. We turned our focus unto the IDF reservists being released to return home over the next several days. Many are disappointed and discouraged because they were prepared to deal with Israel's enemies and feel like they were held back.

    • Lord, calm their emotions and frustrations.

    • May they not take out their frustrations on family or friends or government.

    • It has been an emotional roller coaster ride. Abba, they need You. Press close to each and every one.

    • Apply this verse to each one: I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you. (Jeremiah 31:3b)

    • Help them to see this call-up as not having been in vain, even if the results were less than what they were hoping for. To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens…a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1,8)

    • Enable Israeli society to welcome them home and embrace them completely.

    • Prepare their minds and hearts for the next time they need to report to duty.

    • Deal especially with IDF officers so that they do not take out any frustrations they may have against those under their command, or their superiors in the IDF, or the government.

  6. We then prayed for the residents who live in the range of the Gaza rockets and have been under attack for almost a decade.

    • Lord, they need an outpouring of Your peace - in particular on the children.

    • Heal them from the fears of the terror by night and the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5).

    • Give them sleep (Psalm 127:2b).

    • Enable the believers living there to have discernment of what to say and what not to say.

    • Give the Messianic Jews a supernatural dose of Your peace to provoke Your people to jealousy (Romans 11:13-14).

    • Clear away all red tape and aid the ones whose homes and/or businesses have been damaged or destroyed to get all the help they need as soon as possible.

    • Comfort all who have lost loved ones or have been injured during this time. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)

    • Heal all the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical scars quickly and completely - and make it very evident that You are doing it.

  7. It is raining in much of Israel as we write this. Israelis see rain as a blessing from on high, and rightly so in this nation. Is this God's way of putting His stamp of approval on the cease-fire or just His way of saying that it is His time to have mercy on this nation - even if we do not get every jot and tittle correct?

    • Either way Lord, thank You for the rain.

    • Send down the rain in the areas that most need it and can use it most effectively.

    • Fill up the Sea of Galilee during this rainy season.

    • Refill all of Israel's aquifers as well.

    • Thank You for encouraging us with this, as it says in Your word, You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, by which You upheld Your inheritance when it was weary. (Psalms 68:9)

    • Wash away all discouragement.

    • Please protect all the soldiers who are still out in open areas.

  8. We ended our morning together by praying for the Israeli Messianic Body.

    • Yeshua, pour out Your Spirit of grace and supplication on Your Body over this weekend.

    • Thank You that many congregations prayed this past week.

    • May they understand how imperative it is to continue to pray even when the immediate crisis is over.

    • But the end of all things has drawn near. Therefore be of sound mind, and watch unto prayer

      1 Peter 4:7

    • May more believers understand that we need to pray into more areas than just salvation - although that area needs to be prayed about as well.

    • Help us all to always and only pray in line with Your will (1 John 5:14-15).

    • Give us discernment of both Your signs and the times that we are in.

    • May much thanksgiving and praise be heard throughout this nation this Shabbat.

    • Lord, be glorified in Your Body. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. (John 17:9-10)

Blessings, peace and Shabbat shalom from Zion,

The IFI team