1. Praise:

    Shabbat's Torah portion relates that at times God tests us with false prophets and false dreamers to see whether we love Him more than our spiritual experiences (Deut. 13:3). Since He already knows, this test is for our sakes – and often we fail. Our failure, if taken humbly, enables us to seek Him once again for His grace and mercy which we all need whether we pass or fail His test.

    • God, we give You a sacrifice of praise for using Your tests to show us where we are in our walk with You, which You already know, and then for giving us grace to continue (Prov. 3:34; Rom. 3:24).

    • Abba Father, with the above in mind, we still pray for You to not lead us into testing (Matt. 6:13).

    • Almighty Creator, we commit ourselves to You knowing that You knew us before we were created and You still loved us and chose us despite our sinful natures and actions – just like You did with Your chosen nation Israel (Deut. 7:6-9; Jer. 1:5; John 15:16; Eph. 1:3-6).

    • Lord God, when we read Jude 1:24, honestly all we can do is cry out to You, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24)

    • Messiah Yeshua, we praise You for dying to save us and that today You are interceding to make sure our salvation will be as complete as that above verse in Jude declares (Heb. 7:25).

  2. Government & society:

    Israel's political leaders constantly confront challenging decisions – especially PM Bibi Netanyahu. Yet as we pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-4), we at times can see God guiding, or overriding, their decision making in line with Proverbs 19:21 and 21:1.

    • King Messiah, by Your God-given authority rule over Israel (Psa. 103:19; Matt. 28:18).

    • As Israel has no written constitution, Lord God may Your Word be its guide and have the final say in every area of life to which Your Word gives instructions (Psa. 119:9, 116, 154; Isa. 8:20).

    • Son of David, increase the influence of Israel's sons and daughters of Zion in every arena of Israel's life – politically, militarily, commercially, educationally, etc. (Prov. 25:11; Eccl. 12:10; Isa. 22:22).

    • Abba Father, impart wisdom to us as we pray for the government since what is reported in the media is often distortions of truth, or just plain lies against Israel's current leadership (Isa. 59:14).

    • Lord God, thank You for hearing our prayers for Bibi so that as despite all he has undergone since Oct. 7th, he still retains Your authority to lead Your nation (Psa. 18:2; 27:1-6; Dan. 2:21).

    • Abba, as You did with Gideon, please clothe Netanyahu with Your Spirit (Judg. 6:34).

    • Lord God, protect the good relations between Bibi and Defense Minister Israel Katz (Psa. 133:1).

    • King Yeshua, shield Israel's coalition against inside and outside pressures that try to manipulate it into making decisions which are out of line with Your will (Num. 23:23; Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Yet let all pressure that is of You to turn the coalition unto Your will, be successful (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • God, stop Israel's political "Absaloms" from igniting rebellion and lawlessness (Psa. 119:158).

    • Lord God, let Your people see that Your commands are actually the best way to deal with terrorists-murderers and let Israel apply the death penalty to murderers and kidnappers (Ex. 21:12, 14, 16).

    • Thank You Abba, for hearing that Israel's economy is doing better than expected even while the nation has been fighting a multi-front war (Psa. 132:13-15; Ezek. 36:8-11).

    • As the school year is about to start, Abba we ask You to fulfill Isaiah 54:13 in the prophetic portion.

  3. "Operation Gideon's Chariots II" is the name of the current IDF plan to defeat Hamas and rescue the hostages. The IDF will "occupy" Gaza City and the surrounding areas which have been avoided for fear of placing the hostages in even greater danger as Hamas has threatened to murder them if the IDF tries to rescue them. Yet after seeing the skeletal-like shape the living hostages are in, many Israelis were shocked and reject being blackmailed by Hamas any longer. Also, Netanyahu let it be known that he has approved a dual approach – to continue negotiations to release the hostages and end the war based on if Hamas agrees with all of Israel's demands, and at the same time, he has ordered the IDF to conquer and occupy all of Gaza, and to do it quickly.

    • Thank You Lord that the diplomatic-security cabinet changed Israel's main goal to "total defeat and victory over Hamas," and to rescue the hostages by doing that (2 Sam. 23:10, 12). Hold them to it!

    • God, intervene and use this new goal to miraculously rescue all of the remaining hostages in such a way that all Israel recognizes Your hand and gives You the glory (Psa. 57:3-4; 115:1-3).

    • As Hamas just changed their negotiation tactics and are now willing to release some hostages, hold Bibi and the coalition to their demands that all hostages be released together, Hamas is destroyed, Gaza is demilitarized and the Palestinian Authority is not involved with whatever happens on the "day-after" in Gaza (Job 5:12; Isa. 46:10).

    • Divine Captain, guide all aspects of when, where and how the IDF is to fight (Josh. 5:13-6:5).

    • Release the IDF from all legal chains that hinder it from fighting in a biblical manner (Zech. 10:5).

    • Lord God, watch over Deuteronomy 32:35 against Hamas and hasten their total demise.

    • Lord God of hosts; increase Your angelic protection over IDF soldiers against explosive devices, any kidnapping attempts, and all accidents or friendly fire incidents (Psa. 32:7; 121:4).

    • Thank You for doing just that this past week as terrorists tried to murder and/or kidnap some of the IDF soldiers in Gaza resulting in some injuries as well as 15 dead terrorists (Psa. 121:4)!

    • Abba Father, supernaturally swallow up Hamas' underground tunnel network (Num. 16:31).

    • King of kings, forbid this war from ending until You say it is finished (Psa. 46:9; Eccl. 3:8b).

    • Lord God, wash away the weariness of this war from the IDF (Isa. 5:27), and from Israel's society.

    • Lord God, shut the mouths of media channels that spread demonic lies of what the IDF is doing to win this war and expose the truth to all who really want to know (Ex. 23:1; Psa. 35:11; Prov. 14:5).

    • God of Moses, let all Israelis perceive that since You give Gaza to the tribe of Judah's as a part of its inheritance, this has to be Israel's ultimate "day-after" plan (Josh. 15:1, 47; Judg. 1:18; Prov. 16:9).

  4. Foreign relations:

    Many Western leaders have said they will "recognize" a Palestinian State, whatever that might mean. We expect this to come to fruition at September's annual UN's General Assembly meeting regardless of what Israel does. Yet where are today's prophets who are warning these leaders that their threats are actually aimed at God and His covenant promises and thus make Him extremely furious (Isa. 34:1-8)? From most of the Western Body, all we hear are the sounds of silence! Yet Israel has been bold in openly rebuking these threats, and we pray for that to continue.

    • Lord God, You are in the process of manifesting Your kingdom on earth (Psa. 33:10-12; Isa. 55:8-9), so help us keep this in the forefront of our thinking as we pray for Israel and the nations.

    • King Yeshua, if these nations follow through and attempt to divide Your land, that would drag them more quickly into judgment (Joel 3:1-2), so awake Your Body to cry out for mercy (Ezek. 22:30).

    • Yet Abba, if this push for a "Palestinian State" is actually You fulfilling Zechariah 12:2-3, speak Your peace into our hearts and guide us very clearly as we pray (Amos 3:7).

    • God, please let Israel perceive that many Western leaders today are more dangerous than its sworn enemies as they still call themselves "friends," and then give Israel discernment to know how to relate to them – both today and tomorrow (1 Chr. 12:16-17; Psa. 12:1-2; Prov. 27:12).

    • Lord, we remind You of Isaiah 54:17 in the prophetic reading and pray for its complete fulfillment.

    • Right after the Oslo Accords were signed, You sent a word from believers in Germany that Isaiah 8:9-10 was what we were to declare – and we do that again against the creation of "Palestine" today!

    • Thank You King of Kings that so far America has not supported these threats against Your nation, and in fact their Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has publicly mocked them (Prov. 1:26)!

    • God, anoint Israel's leaders to hear Your voice louder than the voices of the nations (Psa. 29:3-9).

    • Lord, turn Israelis away from trusting in any man and turn them to You (Psa. 118:8-9; Isa. 30:1).

    • Abba, as You did with Moses and Jeremiah, so do will all of Israel's representatives, both profession and laypersons, and put Your Words in their mouths (Ex. 4:11-12; Jer. 1:9).

    • Lord Yeshua, bring Christian Zionists into Israeli representatives' circles and use them to encourage the Israelis by showing them what Your Word declares about Israel (Psa. 40:10; 43:3a; 86:1; 98:3).

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

    • Lord God Almighty, if this is Your season for Israel to leave that increasingly anti-God UN, then release it from any fear of going outside the camp of this world (Matt. 7:6; 10:14; John 14:27).

  5. Internal security:

    Moses, in Deuteronomy, mentions more than 80 times that Israel needs to possess all of the land west of the Jordan River that God has promised them. All Torah portions from now through the fall feasts are taken from this book. Therefore we persist in prayer asking God to fulfill His Word (Jer. 1:12) and to plant the truth of His gift of His land to His people Israel firmly in the minds and hearts of Jews – wherever they may currently be residing.

    • Lord, use Deuteronomy 11:31 and 12:20a in the Torah portion to affirm to every Jew – and also to every born-again believer – that You are very serious about Your gift of Your land to Your people.

    • As believers become convinced of this, let them intercede for this to be done (1 John 5:14-15).

    • God Almighty, bring Isaiah 54:2-3 to the attention of most Israelis and then let them do it (Jer. 1:12).

    • Abba, let the world's focus on Gaza expedite the extension of Israeli sovereignty (Isa. 48:3).

    • Father, we bless You that Finance Minister Smotrich and the Civil Administration have approved the construction of 3,400 homes in the E1 corridor between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim (Neh. 2:20; Jer. 31:4-5; 33:12-14; Hag. 1:14).

    • Lord God, we ask that the fury over this approval from the EU and the UN, plus others, would spur Israel on to bring this too-long delayed project to a swift completion (2 Chr. 29:36; Psa. 147:2, 15).

    • Almighty Creator, let the rebuilding of Israel's northern communities and the building of 11 new communities in the Negev, as well as the construction of 22 new, or renewed, settlements in Samaria, move ahead with all possible speed and be fully populated as soon as possible (Psa. 119:60).

    • God, we praise You for Bibi's plans to double the population and communities on the Golan [biblical Bashan], and ask for that to be accomplished quickly as well (Num. 32:33; Jer. 32:41-44).

    • King Messiah, use our prayers as silver trumpets to support "Operation Iron Wall," Israel's battle against Your/their enemies in Your/their land (Num. 10:9).

    • Lord, confound and destroy all ties between Palestinian terrorists and Iran (Psa. 129:5; Isa. 29:15).

    • God of hosts, overrule the IDF's timing, strategy and tactics, in order to more effectively eliminate all terrorist groups in Your land – especially in Judea and Samaria (Ezek. 37:10).

    • Lord God, release Israel's political leaders from their habit of retaliating only when people are killed, and remind them that it is the thought that counts and so to respond in kind (Psa. 12:8; Eccl. 8:11).

    • We bless You that although terror attacks have increased, most fail, and there has been no successful kidnappings of Israelis either inside or outside the land since Oct. 7th (Psa. 50:15; 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

  6. External security – Middle East [ME]:

    There was a report that a weapons shipment from Iran to the Houthis, which was intercepted by Yemeni forces, contained chemical weapons. If true, then this should be a total game-changer not for only Israel – but the rest of the civilized world.

    • Lord of hosts, we know that You are the Superpower in the ME, and want to thank You for wielding Israel as Your weapon of war against Your – and their – enemies (Jer. 51:20-24; Ezek. 25:14).

    • Abba Father, we pray for You to continue to fulfill Micah 4:11-13 today.

    • Lord God of Israel, let the attempt to use chemical weapons against Israel by Iran via the Houthis bring down Your wrath on both of them – whether supernaturally or through the IDF (Psa. 21:8-9).

    • God of creation, increasingly confound all those who hate Zion (Psa. 35:4, 26; 129:5).

    • All-seeing God, provide Israel with accurate actionable intelligence of its enemies plans, as well as the wisdom to interpret that data and to know when and how to response (Psa. 59:10; Prov. 15:3).

    • We praise You Lord God for using Israel's navy to defend Your nation – especially against the Houthis in Yemen (1 Kin. 9:26).

    • Lion of Judah, fulfill Jeremiah 49:38 by building Your throne – Your Body – in Iran and also by removing – soon and suddenly – Iran's satanically-driven regime (Isa. 55:11).

    • Messiah Yeshua, guide the Iranian Body as they pray for their nation and for Israel (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • King of kings, release spirits of paranoia upon all Iranian leaders so that they "see" Mossad agents everywhere and become terrified to even trust each other (Job 4:12-21; Jer. 17:18).

    • Reveal Qatar's treachery to Trump and let Israel understand that Qatar is their enemy (Psa. 55:21).

    • Abba Father, maintain Israel's distrust of Syria's current radical Islamic leaders (Psa. 140:1-2).

    • King of kings, guide Israel in its recent diplomatic meetings with Syria's current government under the oversight of US President Trump and his administration (Psa. 5:8; 31:3).

    • Lord Yeshua, give Israel divine insight into all of Turkey's plans in Syria (Job 12:22)

    • Use Israel's ties with the Druze and the Kurds in the ME for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3; Prov. 17:17).

    • Merciful Savior, cause shame to clothe many Muslims as they see how Allah is less "great" than You, Israel's God, and let that turn them to seek You (Psa. 83:16-18).

  7. Aliyah:

    As God allows the expansion of anti-Semitism/anti-Zionism outside of Israel where Jews have previously thought they were safe, the interest in aliyah increases. We are called to co-labor with Him as we intercede for this interest to be turned into action today.

    • Abba, we bless You that aliyah is a sign of Your faithfulness and power to fulfill Your promises, although most nations are against the Jews being planted back in Your land (Isa. 43:12; Heb. 10:23b).

    • Messiah Yeshua, we pray for You to remove whatever is holding back the return of millions of more Jews in the captivity from coming home (Isa. 22:22; 42:7; 60:11).

    • Lord God, remove the deceptive hope of Your people in captivity of life returning to a pre-Oct. 7th "normal" and open their eyes to see You releasing the hunters (Deut. 30:3-5; Jer. 16:16).

    • King Messiah, draw back whole families and communities together (Ex. 12:37-38; Jer. 31:3-5).

    • God of Israel, release Jews in Iran, India, Ethiopia, and South America to return home (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Lord, if Trump does arrange a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, let multitudes of Jews from both nations make aliyah and become fellow citizens in Israel (Prov. 18:24).

    • God Almighty, marry Your people to the land, and let them see that it is a marriage – for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health – and not just a love affair (Isa. 62:4-5).

    • Lord God, erase Israel's bureaucratic man-made blockages to the aliyah process (Isa. 62:10).

    • Abba Father, teach the Body that aliyah is a literal answer to the 2,000 year old prayer that Your name be sanctified by Your will being done on earth (Ezek. 28:25-26; Luke 11:2).

  8. Salvation:

    Seeing Zechariah 12:2-3 coming to pass today should give us an increased urgency to pray for 12:10, when "all Israel" is saved, to follow very quickly.

    • King Messiah, reveal who You are to Your people – for Your holy name's sake (Gen. 45:1-4).

    • Lord Yeshua, Jacob finally perceived that Joseph was alive when he saw the material wealth that a gentile king had sent to him; let the financial help of gentiles towards Israel today convince many Jews that You are alive and their Messiah, otherwise this would not be happening (Gen. 45:27-28).

    • In a similar way, use Isaiah 55:4-5 in the prophetic reading to cause Your people to see the link between the promised Messiah and gentiles becoming worshippers of the God of Israel.

    • Messiah Yeshua, release a burden to pray for Israel's salvation upon gentile believers (Rom. 10:1).

    • Save Your people; bless Your inheritance; shepherd them, and carry them forever.Psa. 28:9

    • [Seek God if there is a specific group of Jews whom He wants you to intercede for this week.]

  9. Body of Messiah:

    One ugly reason why many believers are against Israel's restoration on its land is because of their deep disrespect of the Tanach and thus a rejection of what it says. Yet to Messiah Yeshua and the early believers the Tanach was the only Word of God they had, read, loved and in which they trusted (2 Tim. 3;15-17)!

    • King Yeshua, rebuke believers who reject the Tanach as still Your Word today (Luke 24:25-27).

    • Lord Messiah, restore the authority of all of Your Word to Your Body (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).

    • Lord God, impart to Your Body elders who teach and preach from all of the Word, (Acts 20:27), and who openly teach about Your eternal love for, and covenant with, Israel (Deut. 7:6-8; Jer. 31:35-37).

    • Abba, as Israel is the pupil of Your eye, let believers see the full repercussions of this, which is that You view the world through the lens of Israel (Zech. 2:8b)!

    • Lord Yeshua, burden Your Body to intercede for Israel to possess all of its land (Obad. 1:17); for all the Jews in the captivity to return (Isa. 43:5-7); and for all Israel to be saved (Rom. 10:1).

  10. IFI:

    We thank you for praying for our finances as we have seen an increase in giving. Please continue to pray in that area, and pray for us as the weariness which Israel experiences impacts us daily and even seeps into our intercession. Yet He is good, and we depend on His covenant-love/ faithfulness which endure eternally (Psa. 118:1).

Shabbat shalom, and blessings from Israel

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

3 John 1:4