1. As we looked out over Jerusalem from the prayer tower, located on the top floor of one of this city's highest building, the sun was just rising in the east and a full moon was slowly sinking over Jerusalem in the western sky.

    • YHWH builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds.

      Psalms 147:2-3

    • We praise You Lord. Since You are doing the first part of these verses, we wait in expectation for You to do the rest as well.

    • We thank You that the sun and the moon are still in their God-ordained courses, which is a sign that Israel is still a nation before You. Hallelujah! (Jeremiah 31:35-37)

    • You are a faithful, powerful and all-knowing God. There are no emergencies in heaven!

    • We also read through Psalm 24: Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? YHWH strong and mighty, YHWH mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates; even lift up, O everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? YHWH of Hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalms 24:7-10)

  2. This past week has seen both Israeli Bibi PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon under attack from inside and outside of this nation. Bibi was criticized in the Israeli left-wing media for having a perfectly legal off-shore account while being finance minister. Ya'alon was criticized for speaking the truth about US Secretary of State Kerry and his 'obsession' with the 'peace' process. Both of these men need prayer support at this time.

    • We thank You Abba, for both Netanyahu and Ya'alon and bless them in the name of Yeshua.

    • We bless You for raising them up at this time to be strong voices for - and defenders of - Israel.

    • Strengthen and encourage them in general (Joshua 1:6, 9).

    • Encourage them specifically to stand for truth and not be swayed by political correctness (Isaiah 59:14).

    • Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see...if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks the truth; and I will pardon her.

      Jeremiah 5:1

    • Enable them to develop tough skins to ward off hurtful remarks hurled at them (Jeremiah 9:8).

    • Use all unrighteous attacks against them to turn Israelis to support them even more (Romans 8:28).

    • Thank You for Netanyahu's truthful assault on the EU's condemnation of Israel over more houses being built in the 'settlements.' His confronting them with their silence in the face of Palestinian incitement vs. Israel and Palestinian hero worship of terrorist murderers was absolutely right on (Proverbs 8:7).

    • Guard both men from any spirits of intimidation or witchcraft (Numbers 23:23).

    • Thank You that neither apologized for what Ya'alon said, just the way it was said.

  3. This brought up the issue of Israel's relationship with America and the other nations. At some point in history - just prior to Messiah Yeshua's return - many nations come against Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:2-3). Are we that close to the Second Coming? Even if so, we are still obligated to cry out for mercy for the nations that are resisting what God is doing for His glory (Ezekiel 36:1-38).

    • A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet concerning erring ones: YHWH, I have heard Your report; I am afraid. YHWH, give new life to Your work in the midst of years; in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:1-2)

    • King of glory, may Your will be done in the current relationship between Israel and America.

    • Give strength and wisdom to Israel's leadership to know when to compromise and when to stand - even if it means standing alone against all the rest of the nations (Numbers 23:9b).

    • Lord, we thank You that both Canada and Australia have governments today that support Israel's right to exist in true security and reject all one-sided efforts to make Israel out as the only one at fault. Bless their current leaders and us them as leaven to leaven other nations as well.

    • Continue to surround Netanyahu and Ya'alon with wise counselors.

    • Wake up the American Church to see the very dangerous direction that Obama and Kerry are taking the US in its relationship with Israel and therefore, with You. 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)

  4. Iran: We prayed concerning what Israel should do and cried out to God to move sovereignly.

    • Lord, expose the truth of this deceptive P5+1 Geneva deal with Iran that gives Iran everything it wants - including relief from sanctions and the OK to continue to enrich uranium and develop nuclear technology.

    • Show that the P5+1 got nothing of substance in return, but was robbed blind in a Persian bazaar.

    • Allow the statements of Iran's President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif that Geneva resulted in the US bowing down to the 'great Iranian nation' to make the headline news all over America, and result in a huge popular backlash against this deal and in favor of increased sanctions.

    • Alert Israeli leaders as to what Israel needs to do now that this deception has been bought by much of the world.

    • If Israel is holding back from attacking Iran just to gain Western favor, show them that there is no favor left for Israel - no matter what it does.

    • Lord, arise and protect this nation from the threats coming out of Persia/Iran. Keep not silence, God. Do not hold Your peace. Be not still, God. For behold, Your enemies roaring. Those who hate You have lifted up their head. They take shrewd counsel against Your people...They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name Israel may be remembered no more. (Psalms 83:1-4)

    • Judge Iran's wicked leaders, for when Your judgments are in the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9b)

    • Cut off all of Iran's global terror tentacles.

    • Lord, we bring to Your remembrance that which You promised in Ezekiel 28:25-26: Thus says the Lord YHWH: When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and have been sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. They shall dwell safely in it, and shall build houses and plant vineyards. Yes, they shall dwell safely when I have executed judgments on all those who despise them all around them; and they shall know that I am YHWH their God.

    • Is it not time to execute judgments on this Iranian leadership who despise Your people?

    • Lord, we beg You - put an end to this threat of nuclear annihilation against Your land and people. Call on Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalms 50:15)

    • God, as the world removes their sanctions from Iran, put in place Your sanctions on that nation.

    • We read out loud together as a proclamation Jeremiah 49:34-39.

  5. Israel's physical safety was our next prayer burden. There has been an increase of rocket attacks from Gaza against southern Israel, while on the northern border, battles still rage in Syria and are now leaking across into Lebanon. We are concerned with Al-Qaida establishing a base of operations in Syria and from there attacking northern Israel.

    • Abba, we thank You that the current Israeli government responds harshly against every attack.

    • Encourage them to continue to do so if Israel's enemies continue to attack. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; and you shall crush many peoples. I will give their gain to YHWH, and their wealth to the Lord of the all the earth. (Micah 4:13)

    • Lord, give Israel wisdom on how much longer it can put up with just striking back at Gaza terrorists without going in and retaking it completely.

    • Abba, is it now that Israel should retake Gaza? For Gaza shall be forsaken...Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The Word of YHWH is against you: Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will destroy you, so that no inhabitant survives. And the sea coast will be pastures, meadows of shepherds, and folds for flocks. And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed on them. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening [fulfilled!], for YHWH their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity. (Zephaniah 2:4-7)

    • Thank You that the current Egyptian government has cut off much of the Sinai-Gaza border so that it is very difficult for Hamas in Gaza to smuggle in weaponry and resupply itself.

    • Lord, make the IDF on the northern border with Syria and Lebanon super alert.

    • Provide timely and accurate intelligence as to what is really happening in Syria.

    • Use the current crisis in Lebanon to awaken the Lebanese to who their enemies really are.

    • Watch over Your Word to do it: Let the priests, the ministers of YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar, and say, 'Save Your people, YHWH. Give not Your inheritance to shame, for a proverb among the nations. Why should they say among the people, Where is their God?' Then YHWH will be jealous for His land and pity His people. Yes, YHWH will answer and say to His people, Behold...I will no more make you a curse among the nations. But I will remove the northern army far from you, and will drive him into a barren and deserted land, with his face toward the eastern sea and his rear toward the western sea. And his stench shall come up, and his ill odor shall come up, because he was doing great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice. For YHWH will do great things. (Joel 2:17-21)

  6. We interceded next for the elders in the Israeli Messianic Body. These God-given gifts (Ephesians 4:8-16) are prime targets for Satan. Often without co-laborers to lean on, and not a lot of financial support, they get exhausted and can fall for satanic ploys that claim to make their ministry 'easier'.

    • Lord, all of us elders in Israel need You to be He whom You promised to be towards us: In that day YHWH of Hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the rest of His people, and for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle to the gate. (Isaiah 28:5-6)

    • Thank You that there is a growing Israeli Body and maturing elders for whom we can pray.

    • Give the elders wisdom to take responsibility for the protection of the wider Body as well as a vision for seeing this nation come into its fullness - both physically and spiritually.

    • Yeshua, protect Your Body from all seductive deceptions that seem to continually invade Your land.

    • Any openness in elders to embrace deception, close it up and show them this chink in their armor.

    • Impart Your discernment to Your leaders - for Your glory.

    • Help the elders understand that their job is to prepare the rest of the Body to do the work of the ministry. And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, for the maturing of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

  7. We ended today's time together by praying for rain and for Intercessors for Israel's International Prayer Conference that will be starting in Jerusalem a week from this Monday - January 27th.

We are very appreciative of your standing with us in pray. But we should not lose heart in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not faint. (Galatians 6:9)

Shabbat shalom,

The IFI team