We began by reading some verses from this Shabbat's prophetic portion – Jeremiah 16:19-17:14.
Thus says YHWH, Cursed is the man [lit: warrior, hero] who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from YHWH… Blessed is the man [same as above] who trusts in YHWH, and whose hope is in YHWH…The heart is deceitful above all, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I YHWH search the heart...YHWH, the Hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed. Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth (cp. John 8:6-8), because they have forsaken YHWH, the Fountain of living waters. Heal me, YHWH, and I shall be healed, save me, and I shall be saved; for You are my praise.
Jeremiah 17:5-14Yes, Lord, You and You alone are our praise!
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1).
You are the Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1).
We confess that in Your light we see light (Psalm 36:9), and without Your light there is only darkness.
Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
Psalms 119:105Worthy is the Lamb who was slain – who now lives forevermore to reign (Revelation 5:12-13).
Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
Revelation 19:6-7
In Paris today, the French are hosting a preliminary "peace" process gathering to reignite a dead "peace" process. This meeting will grab headlines, but will accomplish nothing as both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have not been invited! Meanwhile, floods are ravaging Europe and inundating Paris. We think God is shouting out loud against this effort to divide His land, although we imagine that most people – both inside and out of the Church – will not have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.
For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I will bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, 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 3:1-2Lord, may nothing of substance come out of this meeting.
YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the thoughts of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.
(Psalms 33:10-11)Let these nations know they are just men – fighting against the counsel of Israel's God (Psalm 9:19-20).
God, overturn the tables at this meeting, as their plans are against Your revealed will (Jeremiah 32:41).
Behold, their mighty ones shall cry outside; the messengers of peace shall weep bitterly.
Isaiah 33:7Hedge in US Secretary of State Kerry and the Obama administration from placing more pressure on Israel to do that which is against God's will.
Lord Yeshua, for Zion's sake do not hold Your peace (Isaiah 62:1).
God Almighty, deal with the modern global deception that a solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict will result in "world-peace" (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Associate yourselves all you people, and be broken in pieces. Give ear, all you far countries, gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces…Take counsel together, and it shall come to nothing. Speak the word, and it shall not stand – for God is with us.
Isaiah 8:9-10
We then prayed for Israel's response to what comes out of this anti-God meeting.
We thank You that most of Israel's government ministers are united against trying to impose peace from the outside. Do not allow their conviction be weakened regardless of what the world demands.
Strengthen PM Netanyahu as he speaks out strongly against Paris' manipulation (Psalm 80:17).
Encourage him to use Your words when rebuking all demonic scheming against Israel (Isaiah 55:11).
Grant the right things to say to all of Israel's representatives in the nations (Proverbs 16:1).
May Your truth to come forth from Israel's ambassadors – whether the world hears or not.
Give Netanyahu wisdom to appoint a foreign minister who can deal with this battle (Isaiah 28:6).
Lord, hedge in the more radical elements within Israel's government from doing more harm than good.
This Sunday is Jerusalem Day. The biblical part of Jerusalem was recaptured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed by Israel in 1980. And that is a great source of rejoicing.
Thank You Lord, for restoring the city of the Great King (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35), to your people.
We pray against any future division of this city by the will and consent of Israel.
Abba, send an angelic host to protect Jerusalem and its inhabitants at this time (Zechariah 2:5).
As birds flying, so will the YHWH of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it.
Isaiah 31:5Amen!
Aid the security forces to be extra alert and not be distracted by the very hot weather that is forecasted.
Thank You for answering the 1,800 plus year old prayer of our forefathers of
Next Year in Jerusalem
, and for calling many of us to live in this city today (Psalm 122:2).May the centrality of Jerusalem in Your Word arise in the hearts of all Israelis (Psalm 122:6; 137:5-6).
Move upon the hearts of the Arab residents of Jerusalem to see that You alone are God (Isaiah 37:16).
To all who want to stop Israel from building in this city, we proclaim:
The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
(Nehemiah 2:20)Messiah Yeshua, King of Israel, from Jerusalem, we say to You,
Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHWH
(Matthew 23:39).
Avigdor Liberman is Israel's new defense minister. Despite all the extreme headlines about him, when he was Israel's Foreign Minister – he ended up being very pragmatic. Yet obviously, we need to keep this new situation in prayer.
Abba, You are the One who raises up men to positions of authority (Daniel 4:25; 5:21). Therefore we thank You for raising up Liberman at this time in Israel's history.
Please lead us to know how to pray for him specifically (Romans 8:26).
Although he does not know You, use this man for Your glory (Isaiah 44:28-45:6).
Lord, surround Liberman with godly counsel and give him ears to hear it (Proverbs 20:18; 24:6).
May his relations with the IDF leadership be beneficial and encouraging to both sides.
Clear up anything blocking Liberman and Netanyahu from having an excellent working relationship.
Do not allow him to be distracted by the negative press from the more pressing issues he must deal with.
Give him clear insight and an ability to know what Israel needs to do (1 Chronicles 12:32).
Enable Liberman, who comes from the former Soviet Union, to have insight into Putin and what Russia is really after in the Middle East.
May Israel know how to relate to Russia and Putin in a way that is of You.
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts this Monday. It is a full day fast – of food and water – with a feast at night. It has turned into a month of increased terror attacks in Israel and globally. Islamic State is already calling for attacks – especially in the West.
Lord Yeshua, we bless You for the huge numbers of Muslims who have turned to You recently.
Over Ramadan, pluck multitudes more out of eternal damnation (John 3:17).
Lord, we specifically ask for the salvation of Iranians, Egyptians, Syrians, Jordanians, Palestinians and even some members of Islamic State, Hizbullah, Al Qaeda and Hamas.
Abba, hedge in the anti-Israel/anti-Semitic passion that is aroused at this time, in particular among the Palestinians (Jeremiah 31:10).
As Muslims contemplate the horrific slaughter of Muslims by fellow Muslims throughout the Middle East, may You
Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, YHWH.
(Psalm 83:16)And if they will not turn, then
Let them be ashamed and troubled forever; yes, let them be put to shame, and perish, so that men may know that Your name is YHWH, and that You alone are the Most High over all the earth.
(Psalms 83:17-18)In other words, Lord God, we ask for You to receive much glory over Ramadan.
Use ex-Muslim believers to speak truth to their neighbors as You open doors for them.
Protect the true Body of Messiah living among Muslim communities and nations.
Aid Israel's overtaxed security forces to be up to the task of protecting this nation during this time of heightened hatred from the spirit of Islam (Isaiah 41:10-16).
Today, the final day of "gay pride" week in Tel Aviv, there will be a "gay pride" parade. Tel Aviv is even adorned with the flags of the gay movement – as if it were welcoming in an ambassador of another nation. Yet remember that while this whole movement is an abomination before God, He still loves those trapped in it. Also, the West has embraced this post-Christian. Israel is still a pre-Messianic culture and nation, and while nothing excuses sin, the sin of the West is heavier because as Yeshua Himself said,
If I had not done among them the works which no other did, they would not have had sin. But now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father.
(John 15:24, cp. verse 22).Lord, as the enemy is coming in like a flood, we ask that You would, by Your Spirit,
lift up a banner against him.
(Isaiah 59:19)Abba, prevent any violent acts against this parade.
May a huge outpouring of the fear of God descend on the parade today and impact the lives of many of these lost ones.
Lord Yeshua, You who ate with sinners, visit Israel's gay community and bring revival.
By Your Spirit, convict them of the ultimate sin:
And when [the Spirit] comes, He will convict the world of sin…because they do not believe on Me [Yeshua];
(John 16:8-9)Give the Messianic Body wisdom on how to deal with this alien spirit infiltrating Israel.
And give us grace to love those trapped in it – remembering that but for God's grace, we would also be trapped in either this or various other sins.
We also prayed for Israel's security situation in general – on all of its borders – as well as interceding for the officers of the IDF who have the daily responsibility both to this nation and their soldiers. We asked for them to have wisdom, compassion, strength, and for God's Spirit that rested on David's mighty men to rest on them – both men and women. We also lifted up the Messianic soldiers to be salt, light and that little bit of leaven that would leaven the whole army. Thank you for your consistent prayers for this nation and for us. Be blessed out of Zion (Psalm 134:3).
Shabbat shalom
The IFI team