1. With all that Israel is facing this coming week, starting with the Paris "Peace" Summit, we were encouraged to find these verses in this Shabbat's Torah and prophetic portions.

    • And Joseph said to his brothers, I die, and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land into the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

      Genesis 50:24

    • And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

      1 Kings 2:11

    • We bless You that You have sworn to give this land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and You have not changed Your mind (Malachi 3:6).

    • Thank You Lord, that Your Word is true and the truth, regardless of what the nations say (John 17:17).

    • We stand in awe of Your faithfulness to watch over Your Word (Jeremiah 1:12).

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

      Psalms 103:19

    • Thank You that the Word of God cuts through the chaotic fog of the world's plots (Psalm 36:9).

    • We are so grateful for the grace You have given us to trust Your Word more than the voices of man. We also have a more sure Word of prophecy… (2 Peter 1:19a)

    • We know that this is the season of which it is said, You shall arise, and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. (Psalms 102:13)

  2. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is undergoing another "investigation-of-the-week-against-Bibi" trial. And while this one might have some validity, still with all that Israel is facing, its leader does not need to be distracted by what are ultimately non-major-crime issues. So we prayed for him.

    • We do thank You for Netanyahu, whom You have called and anointed for this time (Daniel 5:21b).

    • Continue to strengthen and equip him to be the kind of leader Israel needs at this time (Psalm 80:17).

    • Give him the endurance to undergo all these investigations and still be clear on what Israel should do.

    • As You dealt with Ezra and Nehemiah and many of Israel's prophets, all of whom had enemies, and still did that which You called them to do, so deal with Netanyahu (Jeremiah 1:17-19).

    • Draw him and all his family closer to his Messiah Yeshua during these trials (Matthew 11:27).

    • Make his home a haven of peace (Isaiah 57:19).

    • Grant him much favor before the people of Israel (Proverbs 3:1-4).

    • Resolve all these investigations quickly and allow the truth to prevail (Psalm 40:11).

  3. This nation's unity is under attack. The manslaughter conviction of an IDF soldier, and the Supreme Court decision to allow women to read from the Torah at the Western Wall, are just two of the many issues that cause strong emotional opinions to surface in this land. Yet, when a terrorist drives a truck over soldiers – killing four and injuring many – then the unity of this nation is clearly seen.

    • Lord, we know that according to Ezekiel 37:15-28 the ultimate unity will only be found in Messiah. Yet we are praying for a lowering of tension between the various groups that compose this diverse nation.

    • Enable the Body of Messiah to be a clear example of unity in diversity (Ephesians 4:3).

    • Continue to raise up the people in the street to speak out against these divisions in Israel.

    • Help Israelis to guard their words (Proverbs 6:2; 8:13).

    • Shield this nation from all outside influences that add to its divisions.

    • Shield the Body of Messiah from those outside influences as well.

    • While terrorism draws Israelis together, please do this without death and bloodshed (Psalm 133:1).

  4. There has been an increase in terror attacks in Israel – especially in Judea and Samaria. We asked God to give Israel's security forces wisdom to know how to defeat this evil.

    • Lord, impart Your Wisdom to both government and military leaders to know how to quash this violence and defend the innocent on both sides of this war against Islamic terror (1 Chronicles 12:32).

    • We thank You for the moral and ethical stance of the IDF, yet enable them to act in righteousness to defend this nation against the scourge of Islamic hatred (Isaiah 41:15-16).

    • Provide Israeli security forces with accurate intelligence of what is happening in Judea and Samaria.

    • Protect all Israel's undercover agents and collaborators. Bless them as You blessed Rahab (Joshua 6:25).

    • Send masses of snow and hail to stop these attacks: Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow? Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have kept for the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? (Job 38:22-23)

    • Let them all be ashamed and confounded who hate Zion.

      Psalms 129:5

  5. We prayed for IFI's International Prayer Conference, Jerusalem, which is starting this coming Monday evening. While there will be no Friday Prayer Alert for the next two weeks, Lord willing there will be a video update during the first week of the conference. You should receive an e-mail whenever a video is available.

    • Give traveling mercies to those who are arriving from the nations (Isaiah 2:3).

    • Lord, please protect the health of all who will be attending.

    • With all that is happening during these two weeks, show us how to pray into current events.

    • We trust You to give us the wisdom to know how to pray into the burdens that You lay on our hearts (Daniel 2:20-21).

    • Help the leadership team to keep their eyes on You (Psalm 121:1-2; Hebrews 12:2).

    • Abba, if it is Your will, please reveal to us where we are at on Your prophetic timetable.

    • Yeshua, we claim Your declaration that Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:27; cp. Mark 9:7).

    • Please deafen us to any voices that are not from You (Ezekiel 44:23; Hebrews 5:14)

    • Protect us from all distractions, Jezebel spirits, or disturbances of any sort.

    • Lord, how [our] foes have increased! Many are they who rise up against [us]. Many say of [our] soul, 'There is no deliverance for [them] in God'. Selah. But You, YHWH, are a shield for [us; our] glory, and the One who lifts up [our] head. [We] cried to YHWH with [our] voice, and He heard [us] out of His holy hill. Selah.

      Psalms 3:1-4

  6. This Sunday another international "peace" summit takes place in Paris. At least seventy national representatives will attend to decide how to help Israel divide God's land. Israel has refused to go and Netanyahu has rightly warned that this will make direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians that much harder. Also, the Middle East Quartet [UN, USA, EU, Russia] are supposed to meet then, and finally, in the middle of next week, the UN Security Council will be meeting. And all this just days before US President-elect Trump is sworn into office a week from today, on Friday, January 20th.

    • Abba, You warned nations that messing with Your land and people brings disaster (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 60:12; Joel 3:1-2; Zechariah 12:9, etc.). So we ask for You to wake up the Church in these nations to see Your impending judgments and to stand in the gap, pleading for mercy (Ezekiel 22:30).

    • Over these meetings, we proclaim: YHWH brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He breaks the plots of the people. The counsel of YHWH stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. (Psalms 33:10-11)

    • As these nations arrogantly think they can determine what happens in this – Your land – use their pride to bring them down (Proverbs 16:18).

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

      Psalms 9:19-20

    • As we read in this Shabbat's Torah portion, we affirm that You have sworn to give Israel this land for an everlasting inheritance (Psalm 105:11; 135:12, 21).

    • Lord, please aid Israel to respond by using Your Word against all ungodly decrees of the nations. Is not My Word like a fire? says YHWH; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29)

    • Regardless of what is decided, and how far they may try to push Israel, we know that You are the One who will rescue – even if it is at 12:01! Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of YHWH, who made the heavens and earth. (Psalms 124:7-8)

  7. We prayed about the relationship between the incoming Trump administration and Israel's leaders. The danger for Israel – and for American believers as well – is to see Trump as the answer to many of Israel's and America's problems, unwittingly making him an idol and an obstacle to trusting in the One True God.

    • Speak this word clearly to all of Israel's leaders and to all Israelis: Trust in YHWH with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

    • Do not allow Bibi and other Israeli leaders to place their trust in Trump or his administration.

    • Protect Bibi and other Israelis from being manipulated or being manipulative themselves.

    • Prevent this land from being divided by Trump's desire to do the "Big Deal" and see a two-state solution for "peace" (Leviticus 25:25).

    • Lord, hedge in the media in Israel and in America.

    • And please hedge in Obama and Kerry over this final week from doing any further damage to Israel.

    • Forbid that the Jews in the Trump administration from thinking that they have all the answers for this nation - but humble them to come and learn from Israelis what it means to live on this side of the Atlantic.

    • And many nations shall come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of YHWH, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for the Law shall go forth out of Zion, and the Word of YHWH from Jerusalem.

      Micah 4:2

  8. Security is always an issue and Israel has no lack of enemies who want to see it annihilated. Satan has been trying to destroy Israel for more than 3,000 years (Psalm 83:1-5), and while we are sure that it will not happen, yet that does not make the security situation any less dangerous.

    • Abba, considering that this nation was resurrected from the Holocaust, the IDF is a living miracle and a further proof that this restoration of Israel is of You (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

    • Thank You for making the IDF that exceedingly great army You prophesied about (Ezekiel 37:10).

    • While we do not trust in chariots or horses – we sure do thank You for them (Psalm 20:7-9)!

    • Lord of hosts, please watch over the souls of the men and women in the IDF from becoming hardened.

    • Protect and defend the hundreds of Israeli Muslims and Christians who serve in the IDF.

    • Watch over the IDF's finances and may righteous decisions be made on how to use it (Proverbs 14:34).

    • Increase Israel's defensive and offensive capabilities in the area of cyber-warfare.

    • We thank You for helping Israel's scientists to develop new, game-changing weaponry, yet we ask that you would forbid that Israel ever trusts in robots or robotic warfare to defend it.

    • Give to all our soldiers an alertness and a renewed sense of calling.

    • Continue to surprise us with defense Minister Liberman and continue to develop his relationship with the IDF's Chief of Staff Eisenkot (Psalm 133:1).

    • Hear the Word of YHWH, gentiles, and declare it in the coastlands afar off, saying, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him and guard him, as a shepherd guards his flock'.

      Jeremiah 31:10

As we finished our time – we prayed for both physical and spiritual rain. This land is thirsty and so is this people. May God be pleased to quench the physical and spiritual thirst at this season.

We will be back with you on February 3rd – and only He knows what kind of shape the world and this nation will be in at that time. Still, we can say with assurance, that regardless of what happens, Our God reigns!

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion,

The IFI team