The Jerusalem Marathon was held today, and with many streets closed and many buses rerouted, we cancelled this morning's prayer meeting. Yet as IFI runs several other prayer meetings weekly, the following prayer points come from how the Lord led us this past week. Plus, we have added some other items that will be of interest to intercessors in these last days.

  1. This Shabbat's prophetic portion is vital to be able to understand what God is doing in restoring the Jewish people to His land and to Himself. Here are some selected verses with brief commentary in brackets from the portion - Ezekiel 36:16-38:

    • The Word of YHWH came to me, saying. Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings… So I poured My fury on them, because of the blood that they had shed on the land, and for their idols by which they defiled it. I scattered them among the gentiles, and… I judged them according to their way and according to their doings.

      And when they entered the nations… they [the gentiles] profaned My holy name by saying to them [the Jews], These are YHWH's people which are gone out of His land. But I had pity for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the gentiles where they went [by giving the gentiles an excuse to profane God's name].

      Therefore… thus says the Lord YHWH: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake… I will sanctify My great name… and the gentiles shall know that I am YHWH… when I shall be sanctified in you [Israel] before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all lands, and will bring you into your own land [aliyah - the return of the Jews to Israel].

      Then [After the Jews return to Israel, God saves them.] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes [My Word], you shall keep My judgments and do them [What a wonderful description of what it means to be born-again.].

      And you shall dwell in the land I gave to your fathers. You shall be My people, and I will be your God… And you shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall despise yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. I do not do this for your sake, says the Lord YHWH… Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

      Thus says the Lord YHWH: In that day… [The surrounding nations] shall say, This land that was wasted has become like the garden of Eden. The wasted, deserted and ruined cities now are fortified and inhabited. And the nations that are left all around you shall know that I YHWH build the ruined places and plant that which was wasted. I YHWH have spoken it, and I will do it.

      Thus says the Lord YHWH: Yet for this, I will be sought by the house of Israel [via persistent intercessory prayer] to act for them … And they shall know that I am YHWH.

  2. We prayed much into Israel's current messy governmental situation. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Likud/Beytenu faction are struggling to put together a workable coalition and will most likely ask President Shimon Peres for another two weeks with which to accomplish it.

    • God, please give Israel a government through which You will be glorified (Psalm 115:1-3).

    • We pray for Bibi to have the wisdom of Solomon to know how to 'cut' a deal.

    • Surround him with wise counselors and enable him to shun counsel not of You (Psalm 1:1).

    • Break all ungodly ties between political parties and personalities that is preventing Your ordained government from coming into being.

    • Speak clearly to Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett concerning Your will for them and their parties - Yesh Atid and Beit Yehudi.

    • Raise up a government that will be able to effectively deal with all of the very real threats facing this nation: Iran's march towards nuclear weapons and the world's lack of courage to deal with it; Hizbullah's bullying of Lebanon; the Syrian chaos; the Muslim Brotherhood ruling in Egypt; the EU threatening to sanction Israel's settlements; US President Obama and his new team of Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and most likely the new CIA chief John Brennan - all of whom are not exactly Zionists.

    • Abba, we need a united government to deal with Obama and Kerry's visit to Israel in mid-March.

    • We look to You who raise up and put down men in high places to give Israel the exact government You desire for Your prophetic Word to come to pass in this day (Daniel 5:21b).

  3. We also prayed about Obama's first trip to Israel as US President. He is supposed to arrive on March 20th and stay for several days. We exhort all of you American intercessors to see this trip as a destiny making event - because the destiny of your nation is at stake! It is obvious that the US is under God's hand of judgment in many areas - whether directly through disastrous natural events and a weaken economy, or by Him removing His hand of protection to let the wicked rule in many areas in society (Romans 1:24,26,28). According to the Bible, all of this is because America has both proven to be a fickle ally of Israel and a leading force to press Israel to divide God's land. There really is only one hope for your nation - you, standing in the gap, pleading for mercy for America (Ezekiel 22:30-31) and blessing what God is doing in Israel (Genesis 12:3) - for His holy name's sake. Therefore we urge you to watch and pray (Mark 13:37).

  4. We urge you European and British intercessors to do the same. In fact, most nations are coming against Jerusalem and are facing in some degree or other, God's righteous anger. Intercede for your nation's relationship to Israel - because according to Scripture, that is the reason why God judges nations in these last days. Here are just a few of literally dozens of verses that declare this truth:

    • Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.

      Numbers 24:9b

    • For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you will perish. Yes, those nations will be utterly wasted.

      Isaiah 60:12

    • For, behold, in those days… when I will bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat [YHWH the Judge]. And I will fight with them there for My people and for My inheritance Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land.

      Joel 3:1-2

    • For thus says YHWH of Hosts: He has sent me after glory, to the nations who stripped you; for he who touches you touches the pupil of His eye.

      Zechariah 2:8

    • Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the peoples all around… And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it… And it shall be in that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

      Zechariah 12:2-3,9

  5. The P5+1 nations [the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council + Germany] met with Iran and offered to ease sanctions if Iran would hold back on its nuclear program. Iran basically said, 'We'll think about it and let you know the next time we meet,' thus buying more time to develop nukes. After all, look how the world tip-toes around North Korea now that that evil regime possesses the atomic bomb. So we prayed for God to either deal with Iran sovereignly or if He wants Israel to deal with it, for Him to give us a government of clear vision, courage and wisdom.

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

      Psalms 9:19-20

    • Do not fear, worm of Jacob and men of Israel; I will help you, says YHWH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make you a new sharp threshing instrument, having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and a tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in YHWH and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.

      Isaiah 41:14-16

    • Abba, give us a government that will not bow to the wishes of the nations but will be courageous and wise enough to do whatever it takes to defend this nation.

    • Lord, raise up Your appointed one to be the next defense minister.

    • We bless You for all of the new and improved weapons systems Israel is developing - like the Arrow 3 which came through with flying colors in the test this past week. Yet we ask for more.

    • Continue to watch over Israel's economy so that all of the finances will be available to have an army that is fully equipped to defend this nation.

    • Enable Israel to prepare and at the same time, look to You.

      The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but safety is from YHWH.

      Proverbs 21:31

    • We confess that we trust in You who has restored us - to guard us (Jeremiah 31:10; Psalm 20:7-9).

  6. The Sea of Galilee has continued to rise. It is only 1.4 meters from the top and we are asking for it to be absolutely full by the time the rainy season is over, which is at Passover, about a month away.

For more insight in how to pray for Israel regardless of the headlines, follow this link:

http://www.ifi.org.il/teachings/article/how-to-pray-for-israel-regardless-of-israels-political-situation/

Also CDs of all the messages given at this year's International Prayer Conference are now available. You can order them here: http://www.ifi.org.il/store/

Thank you for your faithful intercession for this nation.

When all is said and done, the truth we rest upon is that our God - the God of Israel and His Son Yeshua - reigns both on high and here on the earth.

I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He sitting on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written, that one that no one knew except Himself, He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. The armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, so that with it He should strike the nations. He will shepherd them with a rod of iron, and He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and of the wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19:11-16

Shabbat shalom from Zion,
The IFI team