1. Shabbat's prophetic portion includes Malachi 3:6 that we often quote.

    • For I am YHWH, I change not. Because of this you sons of Jacob are not destroyed.

    • We are so thankful that You do not change. You are always our almighty faithful God. He is the Rock; His work is perfect. For all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness… (Deuteronomy 32:4a).

    • Hallelujah! You know the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). We rest in You.

    • Thank You for helping us to see things from Your perspective (Ephesians 2:6), especially as we pray.

    • What a blessing to have been given Messiah Yeshua's peace - which is so different from the world's peace (John 16:33).

    • Lord Yeshua, we declare to You from Jerusalem, Baruch haba b'shem Adonai - Blessed are You who comes in the name of YHWH (Matthew 23:39; Psalm 118:26a).

  2. We were troubled to hear that last month the US government declassified a Defense Department top-secret document detailing Israel's nuclear weapons program. This was done as President Obama's distain for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu escalated. Israel wanted to keep this hidden to avoid starting a Middle East nuclear arms race - yet with the Iranian deal as is known today, that race has already begun. Still, this is a major breach of agreements between Israel and America. Obama is a very real danger to Israel, to America and to most of the rest of the world. So we prayed…

    • Lord, hedge in Obama during his last 22 months in office from doing even more damage to the close relationship between America and Israel.

    • As You did in Israel's recent elections, overturn all his plans that are against Your will and purposes.

    • 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

    • Lord, Obama has touched the apple of Your eye (Zechariah 2:8). Warn him that he is playing with fire.

    • Give Israel wisdom on how to respond - and even if they need to respond.

    • Lord, we have asked for You to cut the 'unbiblical' cord between Israel and its dependence on the US instead of looking to You. Use this to help hasten the answer to that request.

    • May Israelis do what You told them to do: Call on Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalms 50:15); He shall call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. (Psalms 91:15)

  3. Although Netanyahu and his Likud party won the elections convincingly, he still needs to form a coalition to have a government of 61 or more Knesset Members. So far, coalition negotiations are not going smoothly as many of the other parties are making over-the-top demands. Our battle in prayer for a government in Israel through which God can be glorified is far from over.

    • Lord, give Bibi and his Likud negotiators the wisdom of Solomon to know how to divide this 'baby'.

    • Surround Netanyahu with advisors with the anointing of the sons of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • Bring a huge dose of humility into the hearts of the other party leaders (Proverbs 15:33).

    • While we confess that the government is ultimately upon the shoulders of Messiah Yeshua (Isaiah 9:6-7), still You promised to give Israel good leaders in these days (Isaiah 1:26).

    • Place a desire in all these politicians' hearts to be willing to do what is best for the nation and not for their own political career.

    • Make them those prophesied 'shepherds after Your own heart' that You promised to raise up for Israel when You regathered it from exile (Jeremiah 3:15; 23:3-4).

    • Abba, in light of Your great mercy - keep Ari Deri and his Shas party out of the Interior Ministry.

    • Lord, silence the media manipulation - especially from the media that was 'Anyone-but-Bibi'.

    • We are asking for the people whom You have chosen and prepared to be given the responsibilities to head the ministries of Defense, Finance, Interior, Foreign and all other ministerial portfolios.

    • We specifically ask that Moshe Ya'alon continue in as Israel Minister of Defense.

    • Raise up a government that will make Your priorities their priorities.

    • Give Israel a Romans 13 type government: For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God… For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do good, and you shall have praise from it. For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. (Romans 13:1, 3-4)

    • Lord, strengthen and encourage Netanyahu to stay the course - even in the face of all the opposition.

    • Make us as intercessors, Bibi's Aaron and Hur: But Moses' hands became heavy, and they took a stone put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands…and his hands were steady [faithful] until the going of the sun. (Exodus 17:12)

  4. The P5+1 [Permanent five UN Security Council nations + Germany] negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, are supposed to come to some sort of basic deal by the end of this month. From what is reported so far, this deal will be very dangerous, leaving Iran as a nuclear threshold state. Iran's influence is spreading rapidly in the ME, with Yemen being its latest victory. Yet Yemen could turn out to be an answer to prayer as the situation there has drawn Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab nations into a military pact and they have just attacked the Iran-backed Houthi forces there. Iran's demands from the P5+1 are also hardening.

    • Lord, we have asked that Iran would overplay their hand, and it seems that that is what You are causing them to do. If this is in fact true - then more, Lord!

    • Lord Yeshua, overturn the negotiating tables and scatter these wise-in-their-own eyes diplomats.

    • Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

      Proverbs 26:12

    • We are amazed and blessed by France's strong stance in these negotiation and we thank You for it.

    • Expose what Obama & Kerry are really offering the Iranians before it is a 'done deal' (Psalm 137:11-12).

    • Remind many in the US Congress of how Netanyahu spoke against a bad deal and what a good deal would entail. They have been warned and are now without excuse if they keep silent.

    • Thank You for all the US Congressmen who are speaking up. Protect and defend them.

    • As You did in the book of Esther, continue to work behind the scenes to cause Your enemies and the enemies of Your people to fall into the trap they have laid for the innocent (Psalm 35:8).

    • Speak to Iran: I have laid a trap for you, and you are also captured, O [Persia], and you did not know. You were found and also caught, because you have fought against YHWH. (Jeremiah 50:24)

  5. We next prayed for Israel's overall security.

    • Lord, we bless and thank You for the IDF - a direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy: He said to me, Prophesy to the Spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the Spirit, Thus says the Lord YHWH: Come from the four winds, O Spirit, and breathe on these dead ones so that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the Spirit came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:9-10; see also Isaiah 41:10-16; Micah 4:11-13)

    • We are very encouraged by the new IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and bless You for him.

    • Continue to use him to get the IDF ready for whatever the future threats might be.

    • Lord, You brought us back to bless us and not to see us destroyed. Thank You for Your promises.

    • Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will truly plant them in this land with all My heart and all My whole soul. For thus says YHWH: As I have brought all this great evil on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

      Jeremiah 32:41-42

    • Abba, continue to defend this nation - supernaturally as well as naturally (Zechariah 9:13-15; 10:3-6).

    • Give supernatural wisdom to Israel's military intelligence.

    • Raise up the Elishas who can hear in advance what the enemy has planned (1 Kings 6:8-12).

    • Please impart courage and wisdom to all of Israel's security forces.

    • Lord, we need Your help in this internal battle against the Palestinians.

    • Warn them clearly of the danger they are in if they persist in trying to both destroy Israel and serve their false god Allah (Jeremiah 12:14-17; see also Isaiah14:29-32)

    • Expose all terror tunnels and enable the IDF to destroy them.

    • Expose all radical Islamic groups in Israel and confound them (Psalm 35:4; 129:5).

    • Lord, watch over Moses' last words: The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He shall cast the enemy out from before you, and say, Destroy! Israel shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob in a land of grain and wine; and his heavens shall drop down dew. Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, O people saved by YHWH, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your excellency! And your enemies shall be found liars to you, and you shall tread on their high places. (Deuteronomy 33:27-29)

  6. Next Friday at sunset we will celebrate Passover with the Seder meal. Of course, this feast is intimately linked with our salvation through Messiah Yeshua as He is the Lamb of God who protects us from God's righteous judgments and bears our sins. This is a very appropriate time to pray for Israelis - and Jews in exile - to have an encounter with their King Yeshua.

    • Lord, the nations are pressing on Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:2-3). You said it was at that time that all Israel would be saved (12:10). So we are asking for a significant 'first-fruits' harvest this year.

    • Abba, impress on many in Israel to seek You with all of their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13).

    • Yeshua, You are risen! We ask You to would reveal Yourself to many of Your brothers and sisters at the breaking of the unleavened bread at the Seder meal (Luke 24:30-31).

    • Move upon the children to ask their parents some very pointed questions about our Seder traditions.

    • May the blood of the Lamb that protected the Jews in Egypt become a major topic for discussion.

    • …you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from your vain manner of life…but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb without blemish…

      1 Peter 1:18b-19a

    • Watch over all the seeds that believers have planted in Jewish hearts this past year (1 Corinthians 3:6).

    • Place on the worldwide Body of Messiah a burden of prayer for Your people at this specific time. For thus says YHWH, Sing with gladness for Jacob, shout among the chief of the nations. Cry out, give praise and say, O YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel. (Jeremiah 31:7)

    • Protect all Israel during this feast season of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First-fruits.

    • Lord, especially touch those Jews who have immigrated to Israel and this is their first Seder where they can say, 'This year in Jerusalem'!

  7. That last prayer led us to transition into praying for aliyah - the immigration of the Jews from captivity and exile back home to Israel. This is one of the two times during the year when Jews will say 'Next year in Jerusalem'. It would be great if more and more actually set their sights on making that a reality in the near future.

    • Lord, we bless You for the significant increase in aliyah this past year.

    • Make this year even better - as You stir up the Jews in France, Ukraine and other places with rising anti-Semitism to recognize that Israel is where they need to be.

    • Whether You draw them by a love for Zion (Isaiah 62:4-5; Jeremiah 31:2) or whether You chase them home (Jeremiah 16:16), since this is for Your glory, do whatever it takes to make this happen.

    • I bring near My righteousness. It shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not wait; and I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.

      Isaiah 46:13; see also 43:5-7; Ezekiel 36:23-24

    • Raise up an Interior Minister who truly desires to open wide the gates of this nation to all Jews - regardless of what they believe.

    • Encourage all the organizations - both Jewish and Christian - that are helping the Jews come home.

    • Provide them with finances and workers to make this year the best yet!

    • Father, speak to Messianic Jews in exile that they too have an obligation to at least be open to hear You tell them to Go out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house into a land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

Blessings and Shabbat shalom from Zion,

The IFI team