1. Praise: Yom Kippur, the holiest day on God's calendar, is observed from this Sunday evening through Monday sunset. Jews will fast and confess their sins and plead with God for His mercy and forgiveness. Praise to the Lord God Almighty that as believers in Messiah Yeshua we have a High Priest who has already sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat in heaven and obtained eternal salvation for us. That thought alone is enough reason to praise and bless Him – now and forevermore!

    • Yeshua Lord, we exalt You as our atonement (Rom. 5:10-11), and as our High Priest who mediators and intercedes for us today (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25).

    • We bless You for being our sacrificial goat through shedding Your life-blood on the cross, as well as being our scapegoat who carried away our sins forever (Isa. 53:10-12; Mic. 7:19).

    • Father God, what a joyous privilege it is to have access to You at all times through the shed blood of our Redeemer and Savior, the Messiah Yeshua (Heb. 4:16; 10:19).

    • We take comfort at this chaotic time in history to know that You are still on the throne (Psa. 103:19).

    • Praise You that when our hearts are overwhelmed, we can cry out to You – our Rock (Psa. 61:2).

    • Thank You for giving us peace in the midst of whatever storm we are walking in (Isa. 26:3, 12).

  2. Salvation: Jews are in the Days of Awe which run from the end of Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. During this time, many try to make amends with both man and God, so as to be written in God's Book of Life for the next year. Since we are already written in the Lamb's Book of Life, this is a perfect time for believers to pray – and even to fast on Yom Kippur – asking God that all Israel will obtain the mercy and forgiveness they are fasting and praying to receive (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 21:27).

    • From Shabbat's prophetic portion: O Israel, return [i.e., repent] to YHWH your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity. Take words, and turn to YHWH, saying, 'Carry away all iniquity, and receive us for good…'. (Hos. 14:1-2a)

    • Thank You Lord that Your response to the above is so full of Your amazing grace: I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for My anger is turned away from him. (Hos. 14:4).

    • God, may Your grace and mercy to be very evident among Your people at this time (Mic. 7:18-20).

    • You have drawn Your people back home (Jer. 31:3). Now draw them to Your Son (John 6:44).

    • As Jews need a sign (1 Cor. 1:22), create many signs and wonders in Israel at this time in the name of Messiah Yeshua, especially for those seriously ill with Covid-19 (Mark 16:17; Acts 4:30).

    • Lord Yeshua, during the strict lockdown against Covid-19 that has just been legislated, walk through all locked doors and show Yourself as Israel's living Messiah and Lord (Luke 24:36)

    • Abba, we pray specifically for salvation for these groups of Your people: the medical personnel; neighbors of Messianic believers; the ultra-Orthodox and their rabbis; politicians and all associated with the Knesset [Israel's Parliament]; all secular and traditional Jews who do not follow the rabbis but still believe in You; the economically desperate; those who've lost loved since last Yom Kippur; teachers and academics; Jewish theologians; Holocaust survivors and their descendants. O YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel. (Jer. 31:7) [Please add whatever groups are on your heart.]

    • As many Jews will recite the high holyday prayers, convict those who pray only with their lips but not from their hearts (Isa. 2913; Matt. 15:8).

    • Use the unusual Covid-19 restrictions that apply to synagogue services to shake Your people out of their traditional ruts (Isa. 52:2).

    • As part of Israel's salvation, draw Your people away from the teachings of the rabbis and back to the Word of their God – the Tanach [Old Testament] (Psa. 146:3-5; Isa. 55:11; Jer. 1:12; 2 Tim. 3:15).

    • Pour out Your spirit of grace and supplication on a significant remnant in Israel at this season, and let them perceive the One whom their sins have pierced (Zech. 12:10).

    • Lord, during this time, please draw all hidden Israeli believers out of their closets (Ezek. 24:27)!

  3. Aliyah: The feasts of the Lord are always an excellent time to pray for Jews who remain in exile to become extremely homesick for the land of Israel.

    • At the end of the Yom Kippur service, Jews will say "Next year in Jerusalem." In the midst of the shakings happening today, we ask that more than a few of them really begin mean it (Psa. 137:5-6).

    • For Your holy name's sake bring Your people home (Ezek. 36:21-24).

    • Father, glorify Your name by returning Your people from exile to Israel (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Use the corona-virus crisis to break up Jewish comfort zones in exile (Deut. 32:10-12; Isa. 52:1-6).

    • Use the resurgence of anti-Semitism to chase Your people home as well (Jer. 16:16).

    • Today, there are many Jews in exile who want to return but the way is blocked. Let them continue to desire this and use these feelings of being trapped to wake up other Jews to see that the time is late and they need to come home now or end up possibly perishing in exile (Psa. 124:7-8; Ezek. 39:28).

    • Wake up the Church to see their responsibility to help the Jews escape exile (Isa. 49:22; Jer. 31:8-9).

    • Thank You Lord for fulfilling Psalm 147:2, Zechariah 8:1-8, and so many other prophecies, today.

  4. Covid-19 & society: Israel is in lockdown and so far it does not seem to be doing any good. The guidelines given by the authorities have been changed and are confusing leading most Israelis to be rightly upset as to what the government wants them to do. The lockdown has just been intensified and will run from this evening for two weeks through Succoth. Yet we have prayed and need to trust that at least God knows what He is doing – even if it looks like no one else does.

    • Hear our prayers and have mercy on this nation (Amos 7:1-6).

    • Lord, we remind You of Romans 8:28 and ask that You watch over this word in Israel today!

    • You restored Israel to do better for it than before. Intervene and do that now (Jer. 29:11; 32:41-44).

    • As You have all the answers, we ask You to give the correct solution to Israeli leaders (Prov. 21:1).

    • Aid Israel to develop tests that reveal the true condition of this virus in each person (Psa. 25:5).

    • Let there be an agreement between the medical leaders and the politicians as to what really needs to happen to bring down the infection and death rate at this time (Phil. 2:2).

    • We ask for impartial judgements to be made so that both large demonstrations and large prayer gatherings are kosher – or both are forbidden (Deut. 16:18; Zeph. 3:5).

    • When the guidelines are clear and fair, please move on Israelis to obey them again (1 Pet. 2:13-14).

    • Anoint Israeli leaders to set a better example of following the guidelines themselves (Prov. 8:15).

    • Lord, we look to You to bring down the numbers of people who are sick and also dying (Jer. 8:22).

    • Miraculously use this time of lockdown to heal marriages and families (Jer. 32:17, 27).

    • Lord Yeshua, reveal Yourself to those who are in an induced coma state on ventilators (Matt. 19:26).

    • Guard the police and IDF solders who are watching over the lockdown guidelines (Rom. 13:1-4).

    • Provide all the finances that all sectors of Israeli society need to get by at this time (Zech. 8:14-15).

    • During the feasts, drive away from Your people all exhaustion, depression and anger and replace it with Your joy (Neh. 8:9-12)

  5. Security – Internal: Palestinian President Abbas' Fatah faction is again trying to unite with Gaza's Hamas terrorist leaders. This connection is very dangerous, as is the uncertainty of what the facts on the ground in Judea and Samaria will be when 85 year old Abbas departs the scene.

    • Send confusion and distrust into all meetings between Fatah and Hamas (Psa. 129:5).

    • Keep all of Israel's security forces in these areas alert, healthy and undistracted –either by their smart phones or the opposite sex, or just naturally missing their loved ones during the feasts.

    • Guard all the soldiers and settlers against successful kidnappings, car rammings and any other type of terrorist attacks (Jer. 31:10).

    • Impart to IDF commanders wisdom to know where to set their soldiers and equipment (Prov. 21:31).

    • If another intifada starts, move the IDF to quickly deal with the leaders and to stop it (Eccl. 8:11).

    • Make a way for Palestinians who are fed up with their wicked leaders to emigrate to other nations and open wide the doors in these pro-Palestinian nations – especially in the EU – to receive them.

    • Lord, protect all Israeli settlements and settlers in Judea and Samaria during the feasts (Psa. 121:4).

    • Lord Yeshua, rein in the radical settlers. Turn some of them to be zealous for You (Acts 21:20).

    • As the Palestinians are very lackadaisical about protection against Covid-19, protect all Israelis from these potential virus carriers (Job 5:19-20; Psa. 91:3).

    • Since extending Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley is Your will, we ask You to make it happen – suddenly (Jer. 31:3-5; Ezek. 36:8; Amos 9:13-15)!

    • At some point Your land will be cleansed of all who worship false gods (Jer. 12:14-17). Lord, may it come soon. YHWH is King forever and ever: the pagans are perished out of His land. (Psa. 10:16)

  6. Security – external: Turkey is now a very dangerous threat to Israel. Its President Erdogan has visions of restoring the Ottoman Empire with him as Caliph. He is a dangerous and deluded man. And speaking of deluded, the UN General Assembly's annual get-together is meeting virtually at this time. This has become a picture of how far from God's will most nations in the world have fallen today.

    • Thank You that the nations are like a drop in the bucket in Your sight (Isa. 40:15, 17).

    • Because You reign, we ask for Your counsel to prevail in this UN meeting (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Since You are using the UN for Your end-time purposes (Rev. 17:17), guide us when we pray about this very anti-Christ, anti-God, anti-Zionistic organization to not interfere with what You are doing.

    • Anoint, speak through, and use Israel's UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan (Psa. 81:10).

    • As Turkey, Iran, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza have joined hands against Israel – we pray for You to arise and scatter these who are clearly Your enemies (Psa. 68:1; 83:1-5).

    • Lord God, let Erdogan's egotistical pride draw him into making a few major geo-political mistakes (Psa. 109:29; Prov. 16:18; Jer. 17:18).

    • Sever Trump's close ties with Erdogan (Psa. 12:3; 76:12; 129:4). [American believers: Pray into this very dangerous – to Israel and the US – and bizarre relationship Trump has with this wicked leader.]

    • God, release Your angelic hosts to guard the US military base in Turkey and forbid that its dozens of nuclear weapons would be taken over by Erdogan and his radical Islamic companions (Ezek. 32:27).

    • Show Russian President Putin Erdogan's egotism and make Putin very wary of him (Psa. 59:12).

    • Give NATO a courageous leader who will expel Turkey from that organization (Psa. 35:14; 41:9).

    • Help the Turkish opposition and Church to stand against Erdogan and his AKP party (Jam. 4:7).

    • Lord, may the warm relations between the people of the UAE and Bahrain with the Israeli people start to provoke the common Egyptians and Jordanians to want the same thing (Isa. 19:18-19).

    • Please prevent Israel from joining hands with any other nation just because America makes a deal and yet that nation turns out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing (Psa. 55:21; 120:7).

    • Shabbat's prophetic portion has this verse about prayer's effectiveness: Let the priests, YHWH's ministers, weep [in God's house, praying] …'Spare Your people, YHWH, and give not Your heritage to reproach, that nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the gentiles, Where is their God?' Then YHWH will be jealous for His land, and pity His people. (Joel 2:17-18)

    • One of God answers to this prayer is perfect for Israel today: I will remove far off from you the northern army [Hizbullah!], and will drive him into a barren and desolate land …because he has done great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for YHWH will do great things. (Joel 2:20-21)

  7. US elections: The difference between President Trump and former Vice-President Biden in relation to Israel is huge. Biden was in lockstep with ex-President Obama, always pressuring Israel for concessions towards the Palestinians and favoring the dangerous Iran nuclear deal. Yet Trump has been a huge blessing towards Israel. And although he wants to see a Palestinian State created in Judea and Samaria, under his peace plan it would be in reality less than a full sovereign entity.

    • Lord, remember for blessing all that Trump has done for Your nation: declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital; moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem; declaring that the Judea and Samaria settlements are not illegal vis-a-vie international law; recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights; pulling out of the absurd and useless Iranian nuclear deal, and mediating a peace treaty between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain (Gen. 12:3a; Num. 24:9b).

    • Abba, most likely the elections will be very chaotic and afterward there will be violence regardless of who wins. Please have mercy on America - Israel's number one ally (Hab. 3:2).

    • Show more American believers that their nation's destiny, according to the Bible, depends on how their leaders – both political and religious – deal with Israel (Gen. 12:3a; Num. 24:9a; Joel 3:1-2).

    • Whatever the results of the elections, shake up the American Jewish community to see that it is time to return to Zion (Isa. 48:20; Jer. 50:28; 51:9-10).

  8. Water: It has just been reported that this is the first time in more than two decades in which all of Israel's aquifers and other water sources are in great shape. Praise to our God!

    • From this Shabbat's prophetic portion: Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in YHWH your God, for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23)

    • Lord, we continue to look to You to open the heavens at this season and send Your precious water from on high on this land (Matt. 5:45).

    • Please send the gentle early rains to soften the ground for the later heavy outpourings (Psa. 65:10).

    • One reason for Israel's excellent water situation at this time of the year is because of a severe lack of tourists this past year. Abba, give Israel wisdom to know how to open the gates for renewed tourism and yet to still have all the water it needs.

    • May Israelis recognize Your hand in supplying water so abundantly: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water…That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of YHWH has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it. (Isa. 41:18, 20)

Shabbat shalom, and blessings from Zion

The IFI team