1. Praise:

   Isaiah 50:10 in Shabbat's prophetic portion is a great encouragement to us who live in these very tense, and often confusing, days: Who among you fears YHWH, obeys the voice of His Servant, and yet walks in darkness with no light? Let him trust in the name of YHWH, and rely upon his God. (Isa. 50:10)

   • Abba, thank You for encouraging us to trust You even when we walk with You without sin, and yet we just do not understand what You are doing in our lives (Deut. 29:29; Prov. 3:5; see Psa. 77:19).

   • Lord Yeshua, often in Isaiah You are God's prophesied Servant (42:1, 19; 49:5-7; 52:13; 53:11) and we bless You for encouraging us that Your sheep do in fact hear Your voice (John 10:27).

   • Thank You God for never being confused, but when we are, for giving us Your peace (1 Cor. 14:33).

   • We bless You for again reminding us in the Torah portion of how You respond positively to the intercession of your servants, Moses in this case, for Your nation Israel (Deut. 9:26-29).

   • We praise You for the solid foundation of all intercession – Your overall sovereignty (Psa. 115:3)!

2. Government & society:

   The pressure on Israel's government, especially PM Bibi Netanyahu, is non-stop. Antisemitism against Jews and Israel has exploded since the Oct. 7th Hamas massacre, and while many nations said they supported Israel's right to self-defense, as soon as Israel fought back, they backtracked. There is also internal pressure on the government to end the war and bring the hostages home, yet Hamas has never agreed to release all the hostages, or to end the war, but it has threatened to repeat Oct. 7th as often as needed until Israel and the Jews are destroyed.

   • Abba Father, reveal to all government ministers Your priorities for Israel as this time (Psa. 32:8).

   • Lord God, continue to promote more the sons and daughters of Zion in Israeli society, and let their words of wisdom make them extremely influential (1 Chr. 11:10; Obad. 1:21; Zech. 9:13; 12:8).

   • God, block all division from being sowed between the sons of Zion in the government (Isa. 59:19b).

   • Messiah, we ask You for wisdom as we pray for the government as what is reported is at best distortions of truth, and often is out and out lies against Israel's current leadership (Isa. 59:14).

   • Good Shepherd, shield the hearts and minds of Your people from the humanistic, anti-Christ lies that are spread through the mainstream media, the internet and on social media (Psa. 71:7; Isa. 54:13).

   • Lord God, give us wisdom and faith to continue to pray for Netanyahu (Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17).

   • Fulfill Proverbs 21:1 in his life in areas where he may be compromising or making wrong decisions.

   • Lord God, use the pressure on Israel's leaders to turn them to cry out to You (Psa. 50:15; 86:7).

   • King of Israel, may You alone decide when Israel's next elections take place (Dan. 2:21).

   • Abba, anoint Defense Minister Israel Katz with boldness and clarity (Prov. 28:1b; Eccl. 8:1).

   • Almighty Ruler, show IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir that he was appointed, not elected, and thus he should submit to the elected officials in overall security policies – or else resign (2 Sam. 10:7).

   • God of truth, remove the lies that have taken root in some Israeli hostage families and others, which blinds them from perceiving that the real enemy is Hamas – and not Bibi (Jer. 9:5; Eph. 5:6).

   • Lord, as Israelis read Deuteronomy 8:18 in the Torah portion, let them be grateful that this is exactly what You have been doing with Israel's economy ever since Oct. 7th, 2023.

3. Gaza:

   The initial report of what was decided in Israel's security cabinet last week on the next phase of the war against Hamas was not 100% accurate. Even today, the various media reports are confusing and we are not sure to what the cabinet and the IDF have agreed. So once again we are "forced" to seek God, asking Him to lead us in prayer, and to trust in His overriding sovereignty.

   • Lord of hosts, as it would aid us to pray much more effectively if we know the truth about this new security cabinet-IDF plan, please reveal it to us (Deut. 29:29; Amos 3:7).

   • Abba Father, based on Psalm 33:10-11 we pray for Your plans to prevail regardless of what any nations, or even Your nation Israel, decide.

   • Lord of hosts, take control of all aspects of when, where and how the IDF is to fight (Josh. 5:13-6:5).

   • Lord God, forbid this war from ending until You say so (Psa. 46:9; Eccl. 3:8b).

   • Almighty, block the Supreme Court from trying to interfere with Israel's war plans (Prov. 26:17).

   • Abba, by Your divine enabling, let Bibi's demand that Israel maintain total security control in Gaza on the "day after" so that Hamas cannot be resurrected be upheld (Prov. 2:21-22; 12:7; Mal. 1:5).

   • God, renew the spirit and motivation of the IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza (2 Chr. 15:7; Psa. 103:5).

   • Lord God of hosts, increase Your protection over all IDF soldiers against attacks, traps, kidnapping attempts, and friendly fire or other dangerous accidents, especially at this time of entering into and take control over new areas (Psa. 4:8; Zech. 9:16; 10:5-8).

   • Also Lord, magnify greatly the paranoia between individual Hamas terrorists, and use that to destroy any unity they may still have (Psa. 55:9).

   • Lord Yeshua, as the hostage situation is a huge mountain blocking Israel's victory over Hamas, we speak in faith to that mountain and say, Be removed and be cast into the sea! (Matt. 21:21-22).

   • Mighty One of Jacob, fulfill Isaiah 49:24-26 in Shabbat's prophetic portion and set the hostages that Hamas is holding and abusing free – either supernaturally or by the IDF (Acts 5:18-19).

   • God of truth, if hostages are murdered as Israel tries to rescue them, show all Israelis, and the rest of the world, that Hamas is to blame and not the government or the IDF (Num. 35:16-21, 31).

   • Lord God, we thank You for the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have left Gaza (Psa. 10:16), and ask for You to open wide Gaza's gates for the remainder of Gazans to leave as well (Jer. 12:17).

   • God of Jacob, do not let Israel allow any other nation or entity to rule over Gaza after the war, as You gave it to the tribe of Judah as a part of its inheritance (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Zeph. 2:5-7).

4. Foreign relations:

   Israel is being threatened by Western leaders who are demanding that it end the war with Hamas and feed Gaza's civilians. If not, then these arrogant people threaten to "recognize" a Palestinian State. But these anti-God threats set their nations in great danger as they are against God's covenant promises. So far, Israel has rebuked each one and we pray for that to continue.

   • Abba Father, we again ask for Your foreign policy to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2).

   • Yet Lord God, if this "Palestinian State" campaign is of You to fulfill Zechariah 12:2-3, please settle our hearts and show us how to pray (Amos 3:7).

   • Lord Yeshua, for some of these nations this might thrust them fully into Your Valley of Jehoshaphat [YHWH has judged] (Joel 3:1-2), so please wake up Your Body to cry out for mercy (Ezek. 22:30).

   • God, use this international pressure to force Israel to be that nation that dwells apart (Num. 23:9b).

   • Abba, let Israel see how many Western leaders are now more dangerous to the Jewish State than its open enemies today, as Israel still deals with most of them as "friends" (1 Chr. 12:16-17; Psa. 27:12).

   • God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, protect Israel from Jewish communities who reside outside of Your land and who often pressure Israel to do things that are against Your will (Neh. 4:1-14).

   • Lord Yeshua, anoint Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, its US Ambassador Dr. Yechiel Leiter, and its UN ambassador Danny Danon, to constantly proclaim the truth from Zion (Isa. 2:3; Acts 1:8).

   • King of kings, impart to Bibi and his envoy Ron Dermer all they need to deal biblically, boldly and righteously, with US President Trump and his administration (Psa. 23:1; Isa, 30:21).

   • God of Israel, as You did with Balaam, turn the curses against Your people from nations, global NGOs, and the mainstream media, into blessings – because You love them (Deut. 23:5; 33:3).

5. Internal security:

   Deuteronomy speaks more than 80 times to Israel to possess the land God promised them. All Torah portions from now through the fall feasts are taken from this book. So we continue to ask God to watch over His living Word (Jer. 1:12; Heb. 4:12) and to settle the truth of the gift of His land to Israel deep into the minds and hearts of Jews – wherever they reside.

   • Thank You Lord for repeating five times in Shabbat's Torah portion that You had sworn to give the land of Israel to the patriarchs and their descendants (Deut. 7:13; cp. 8:1b; 10:11b; 11:9a, 21b).

   • God of Israel, show Israelis from the prophetic portion that the current land under their sovereignty is way too small for the multitude of Jews You are soon to bring home (Isa. 49:19-20).

   • Lord God, bring Israel to a place where they want to extend sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan River simply because it is Your will (Lev. 25:23).

   • Abba Father, we praise You for Finance Minister Smotrich approving the building of thousands of homes in the E1 corridor just east of Jerusalem (Jer. 31:4-5; 33:12-14; Hag. 1:14).

   • We ask for You to give him and all the government ministers a forehead of flint to resist all of the ridiculous rejections of this plan – which is in line with international law as well as biblical law – from the usual anti-Israel actors – the EU, the UN, the Arab nations, etc. (Neh. 2:20; Isa. 8:9-10)

   • As more Israelis desire to see Israel's sovereignty extended, let more believers be burdened to pray for this to happen as well (1 Cor. 15:46).

   • We also thank You that Defense Minister Katz has publicly stated that more Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria are essential for Israel's security (Jer. 31:3-5; Zech. 12:6-7).

   • Shepherd of Israel, protect those scattered Jews whom You are regathering (Isa. 33:2; Jer. 31:10).

   • Lord, we again ask You to release the IDF to fight against Israel's enemies in a biblical manner, such as You described in the Torah portion in Deuteronomy 7:16.

   • God of Israel, encourage all soldiers and security officers with Moses' exhortation: You shall not be afraid at them: for YHWH your God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. (Deut. 7:21)

   • Abba, help Israel to collect all the intelligence it needs to block all terrorist attempts (Job 12:22).

   • Arise God; confound Your enemies; set all Palestinian groups against each other (Psa. 129:5).

   • Lord God, especially now, as Israel is in the hot summer months, protect Your people and Your land from all arson-terrorist attacks (Isa. 43:2).

   • Father God, we bless You for always being awake to guard over Israel (Psa. 121:4), and ask You to keep Israel's security guards at checkpoints and other posts alert and awake as well (Gen. 31:1-2).

6. External security – Middle East [ME]:

   Israel is encircled by Islamic enemy-states and groups: Turkey, Iran, the Houthis in Yemen, Hizbullah in Lebanon, terrorists in Syria and in Jordan, and the possibility of Egypt turning against it. Yet since God said that as He regathers His people, He Himself will protect them (Jer. 31:10), this is how He expects us to pray.

   • Abba, Your promises and reputation are at stake if Israel were to be destroyed (Ex. 32:11-13), so arise and scatter Your enemies who hate you and who hate Your people (Psa. 68:1; 83:1-18).

   • God of hosts, focus Israel on Your priorities for it today, and do not allow the numerous threats it faces to confuse Your nation as to what needs to be dealt with next (Psa. 61:2b; 142:3-5).

   • Lord God, guide Israel to perceive what it must do, and what it must not do, in order to defend itself by itself and not to have to look to America or any other nation for help (Isa. 31:1).

   • May Islam's eternal hatred against Israel bring this principality down to destruction (Ezek. 35:5-6).

   • Expose Qatar's treachery to the Americans and let Israel perceive Qatar as an enemy (Psa. 55:21).

   • God, help both Israel and the US to also see Turkey under its evil leader Erdogan, as an enemy.

   • God of the nations, forbid that Israel enters into an agreement with either Syria or Lebanon based on what the Trump administration wants and not on what is in line with Your will (Psa. 29:11).

   • Lord God, Your promised destruction of Iran's leaders (Jer. 49:38b) would be a huge mercy for the Iranian people, for Israel and for most other ME nations, so please do it quickly.

   • Abba, let the curses that Iran's leaders proclaim against Israel come back to haunt them (Gal. 6:7).

   • God, strengthen Israel's ties between it and the Druze and the Kurds in the ME (Prov. 17:17).

   • Lord Yeshua, protect Your Body in the ME, especially in Iran at this time (Jer. 49:38a; John 16:33).

7. Aliyah:

   The refusal of most Jews in the captivity to return has caused to God send His hunters (Jer. 16:16) in increasing waves worldwide – especially in the West. Ezekiel 39:28 seems to say that Jews will either live in Israel, or not live at all, so our prayers for aliyah – the return of the Jews to their God-given homeland – are more essential now than ever before.

   • Abba Father, we bless You for letting us see the fulfillment of what You prophesied many millennia ago – the regathering of Your scattered people back to their land (Jer. 31:8-10; Zech. 8:1-8).

   • We thank You for the almost 90,000 who have immigrated to Israel since Oct. 7th, 2023 (Isa. 55:11).

   • Yet we are concerned that a majority of the Jews remain in exile and ask You to bring them home in as much mercy as possible including making Your fishers more effective (Isa. 54:7-8; Jer. 31:3).

   • Lord God Almighty, use the explosion of anti-Israel/anti-Semitic acts, especially in the West, to turn Jews who never considered aliyah to serious contemplate immigrating to Israel (Jer. 50:4-8).

   • God of Abraham, draw Jews home today while they can still bring their silver and gold (Isa. 60:9).

   • Abba, confront Jewish pride which says, "They will not chase us out!" and let them see that You are the One who is both chasing and drawing them home (Prov. 16:18; Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:3-5).

   • Lord God, break the snare that the comforts of "the captivity" have over Your people (Psa. 124:7-8).

   • God of Israel, promote many sons and daughters of Zion in the captivity who will encourage Jewish communities to make aliyah and will then lead them home (Jer. 51:6-10).

   • Lord God, bring Jews home with practical, as well as medical and scientific, skills (Neh. 4:16-18).

   • King Messiah, focus Israel's diplomatic outreach to Jews in the nation towards aliyah and away from helping them to remain "safe and secure" in the captivity (Deut. 28:65-67; Psa. 107:1-9).

   • Lord God, abundantly bless and bring to completion all Israeli plans to absorb millions of new immigrants (Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Lord Yeshua, cast the mountain which blocks aliyah for many Jews – the rabbi's definition of who is a Jew – into the sea and replace it with the biblical definition (Isa. 62:10; Mark 7:9, 13).

   • Abba Father, as You say in Shabbat's prophetic portion, show gentile believers that You are calling them to help carry Your Jewish sons and daughters back home today (Isa. 49:22).

8. Salvation:

   Psalm 106:47 links Israel's salvation with aliyah, resulting in God being praised. Save us, YHWH our God, and gather us from the nations to give thanks to Your holy name, and to triumph in Your praise.

   • Lord God, cause Your people to seriously seek You about Moses telling them in the Torah portion that You want them to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts (Deut. 10:16).

   • By Your Spirit, let them make the connection between this seemingly impossible command and that which Messiah said to Nicodemus, Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born again. (John 3:7)

   • Use Deuteronomy 8:3 to provoke You people to read all of the Tanach – and not just the Torah.

   • God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, turn Your people away from humanistic rabbinic thinking to feed on Your Word instead and through that create in them a biblical mindset (Psa. 80:3, 7, 19: Jer. 15:16).

   • Abba Father, by Your Spirit and Your grace (Zech. 4:6-7) save all living Holocaust survivors and their families; survivors of terrorism; all living hostages and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and their families; loved ones of soldiers killed or severely wounded; widows, widowers, orphans; rabbis in Israel and in the captivity; Israeli politicians, judges, lawyers, diplomats; Jewish university students; professors, teachers, medical personnel; Jewish anti-missionaries; Jews and the "hill-top youth" living in Judea & Samaria; Jews on their death beds; Israeli media professionals, archeologists; tour guides, Israelis in the nations; Jews who have recently made aliyah; Jewish hippies, LGBTQ+ and new agers; Jews in Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia, India, and China; Spanish and Portuguese speaking Jews; and unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews. We thank You Lord for hearing and answering us (1 John 5:14-15).

9. Body of Messiah:

   For believers to be in one accord with what God is doing today, it is vital for them to be knowledgeable with all of God's Word. And since most end-time prophecies focus on Israel's restoration and salvation, as well as its enemies, knowing His Word aids us in praying in line with His will for His nation, despite the chaos in the world today.

   • Messiah, use all of the current tension and hardships that many believers are experiencing now to, as Moses states in the Torah portion, turn Your Body to Your Word for all their needs (Deut. 8:3).

   • Lord Yeshua, speak from the Torah portion to the Body that if they truly believe, they should expect to be disciplined by God as any good father would discipline his child (Deut. 8:5; cp. Heb. 12:5-8).

   • Lord Messiah, raise up voices in the Body to condemn the rising anti-Semitism and spreading of lies about Your nation – to which they are in-grafted – that are being spread extensively in their societies today (Rom. 11:16-24; 15:27; Eph. 2:11-13).

   • Lord Yeshua, teach the Body how planting Israel back in its land is of central importance to You (Jer. 32:41); and then turn them to intercede for this – Your will – to be done on earth (Luke 11:2).

10. IFI:

    Thank you for your supportive prayers, notes of encouragement and financial gifts. We ask you to please continue in all of that as the battle here in Zion intensifies.

Shabbat shalom, and blessings from Israel

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Deut. 10:14-17 [from the Torah portion]