1. Praise:

   Shabbat's prophetic portion has many encouraging verses for us and for Israel. God says in Isaiah 54:10 that His covenant-love and mercy towards His people endures for all eternity: For the mountains shall depart, and the hills removed; but My covenant-love shall not depart from you, nor shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says YHWH who has mercy on you.

   • Abba Father, we bless You that through Your Son's death and resurrection we have now entered into a covenant of peace with You (Psa. 89:334; Eph. 2:4-5; Col. 1:20; Heb. 13:20-21).

   • Lord Yeshua, Almighty Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6-7), thank You for giving us Your peace as we are faced with a lack of real peace in this world (John 16:33; Acts 10:36).

   • Thank You great God, for promising that for those who trust You, You shall teach/discipline their children and grant them great peace (Isa. 54:13).

   • We again rejoice that despite all of the chaos in today's world, in the prophetic portion You, our Creator and Redeemer, are declared as sovereign over all of the earth (Isa. 54:5).

2. Government & society:

   We are grateful for how most Israelis are united in not proceeding to the next phase of US President Trump's plan for Gaza until Hamas returns all the dead bodies of Israel's hostages. We also must not forget to pray for Israel's leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

   • Abba Father, as nothing takes You by surprise, guide us by Your Spirit as we pray (Isa. 42:9).

   • King Solomon said there is a time for all things under heaven, so we ask You, Lord God, to be the only One who decides when Israel's next elections should take place (Eccl. 3:1, 17b).

   • God Almighty, as You are restoring Israel for Your holy name's sake, anoint Israel's political and military leaders to advance that goal (Ezek. 36:20-24) – including by extending sovereignty over all of the land which You have promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 12:7a; 15:18; Deut. 34:4).

   • Lord, unite Israel's coalition, guard them against being deceived (Job 12:16-17), and make them all sons and daughters of Zion (Isa. 37:22; Mic. 4:13; Zech. 9:13).

   • King Yeshua, fulfill Proverbs 9:10, 19:21 and 21:1 in all areas of PM Bibi Netanyahu's life.

   • Lord Messiah, protect Bibi from all mental, emotional, physical and spiritual attacks that come at him from world leaders, other people and demonic forces (Deut. 33:29; Psa. 3:3).

   • Almighty King, give Netanyahu a backbone to resist well-meaning but ungodly advice from allies (Ezek. 37:4-10), and the jawbone of an ass to deal with Israel's enemies (Judg. 15:15-16).

   • Gift Netanyahu with a Daniel-like counselor in whom he perceives Your Spirit (Dan. 4:9; 5:11-14).

   • Again, we praise and bless You for bringing home all of the remaining living hostages (Psa. 146:7b).

   • As per Genesis 9:6 in the Torah portion, let Israel start applying the death penalty that it already has against all terrorist-murderers so that one enticement for terrorists taking hostages will be removed.

   • Merciful God, forbid that any hostage corpse would remain in Hamas' hands (Isa. 49:24-26).

3. Foreign relations:

   Globalism wants to erase all nationalism and create a One World Order. That this is not God's will is clear as we read of the Tower of Babel in Shabbat's Torah portion, which was humanity's first attempt to do this (Gen. 11:9). God's concern remains that if humanity is united without knowing Him, the result would be far worse that what we can even imagine.

   • Lord God, protect Israel from thinking that globalism leads to peace (John 14:27).

   • Abba, thank You for using the widespread hatred of You and Your nation to protect Israel from joining, or even allowed to become a part of, any "New-World-Order" (Psa. 83:1-4).

   • King Yeshua, concerning the world's plans for Your land and nation, including the plans of US President Trump, we confess Psalm 9:19-20, Psalm 33:10-11, Isaiah 8:9-10 and Lamentations 3:37.

   • Abba Father, if the recognition by many nations of a non-existent "Palestinian State" is the start of the fulfillment of Zechariah 12:2-3, then please explicitly guide us as we intercede (Amos 3:7).

   • King Yeshua, if nations follow through and try to divide Your land, that will drag them into your judgment (Joel 3:1-2), therefore awake Your Body in those nations to plead for mercy (Ezek. 22:30).

   • God, let the nation's pressure push Israel into being that nation which dwells alone (Num. 23:9b), and show Israelis how You forbid them from being like any other nation (Ezek. 20:32-38).

   • Anoint Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon to proclaim Your truth (Isa. 2:3; Acts 1:8).

   • Lord God of the nations, fulfill Obadiah 1:15 against the UN and its outreaches (Hag. 2:22).

   • Righteous Judge, protect Israel against the humanistic lawfare being used against it (Psa. 5:6, 10).

   • King of kings, may Your foreign policy to be done on earth, and use Israel to hasten it's fulfillment (Deut. 28:9-10, 13; Psa. 9:19-20; 33:10-11; Luke 11:2).

4. Gaza:

   It is infuriating to hear Trump and others in his administration telling Israel what it can or cannot do with Gaza, as well as with Judea and Samaria. I personally felt betrayed by what they said this past week, and so should every American believer who voted for Trump based, at least partly, on his commitment to be Israel's best friend. It is hard to discern how God would have us pray, although the very fact that He still reigns (Psa. 103:19) and was not taken by surprise by this turn of events gives us confidence to continue to intercede for His will to be done on earth (Luke 11:2).

   • Lord, it is very appropriate that Isaiah 54:14-15 is found in Shabbat's prophetic portion as we watch Trump's demands being pushed onto Israel and ask You to fulfill this word today (Jer. 1:12).

   • God, as Trump is on dangerous ground by demanding that Israel's not pursue the things that it needs to do for its peoples' security, like extend sovereignty and disarm and destroy Hamas, we ask You to have mercy on him and America and turn him away from his current mindset (Prov. 21:1).

   • We bless You that Your commitment to Israel's security and prosperity is everlasting (Jer. 31:35-37).

   • Abba, now that all living hostages have been returned, arise and derail the rest of Trump's plan and answer our prayers to give Israel a very clear military victory over Hamas (Psa. 44:4-6).

   • Lord of hosts, let Hamas' refusal to disarm totally disrupt and destroy this plan and reveal to Trump and his administration the real nature of Israel's demonic enemy in Gaza (Psa. 5:4; 10:15; 26:5).

   • God Almighty, strengthen Israel's leadership to be very firm with the US that unless Hamas is totally disarmed and disbanded, Israel will not abide by this agreement in the future (Job 17:9; Prov. 28:1b).

   • Lord God, prepare the IDF for what faces them in the near future in Gaza (Psa. 18:34; 144:1).

   • King of Israel, increase Your protection over all IDF soldiers still in Gaza, against attacks, traps, kidnapping attempts, and friendly fire or other dangerous accidents (Psa. 4:8; Zech. 9:16; 10:5-8).

   • Abba, the audacity of the US negotiators, Witkoff and Kushner, to state that they felt "betrayed" by Israel's strike against Hamas' terrorist leaders in Doha, is beyond belief, therefore remove them from having anything further to do with Israel (Prov. 14:3) – other than to make aliyah (Jer. 31:8)!

   • God, restrain each terrorist that was released from Israeli prisons, forbidding them from returning to terrorism and because You are merciful, save some of them (Psa. 76:10; 83:16-18; Matt. 5:44-45).

   • Lord God of Israel, if this war will not end until Israel is willing to repossess all of Gaza, then please work in Israelis and their leaders to commit to doing exactly that (Judg. 2:1-4; Psa. 80:3; Prov. 16:9).

5. Internal security:

   A great danger of Trump's Gaza plan is the hope it gives to Western and Arab nations that it will lead to a "Palestinian State" on God's land. Yet ever since the Oct. 7th Hamas massacre, this is no longer an option for most Israelis. This week, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, passed a bill calling for Israel to extend sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, and while this was proposed by the opposition parties specifically to put Bibi and his coalition in a bind with America – which it did – still we say "amen" to the idea of extending sovereignty over His land.

   • Lord God, when Your people read Isaiah 54:2-3 in the prophetic portion, let faith rise up and bring many more Israelis, and even Jews in the nations, to agree with Your command to extend sovereignty.

   • We thank You that the Knesset approved extending of sovereignty as that brings Israel into line with that which You are doing with all of Your heart and soul (Jer. 32:41-44).

   • Since we know that there is Your will and then Your timing, we ask You to oversee the timing of when this extension of sovereignty should actually happen (Psa. 31:15).

   • Messiah of Israel, at this time, let more Israelis, including politicians, continue to build facts on the ground in Judea, Samaria and in the Jordan Valley, and to do this out of the spotlights (Psa. 31:20).

   • King Yeshua, rebuke every believer who supports the creation of a Palestinian State on the land You gave to Your people – for Your glory's sake (Psa. 115:1-3; Rev. 2:14a).

   • God of Israel, as You are jealous over Your land (Ezek. 36:5-7), arise and destroy all plans to create a "Palestine" on it – especially plans from so-called "friendly" nations (Psa. 103:19; Zech. 14:1-3).

   • Lord God, give America's Israeli Ambassador, Mike Huckabee, godly boldness and wisdom if he needs to warn Trump against warning Israel to not extend sovereignty over Your land (Joel 3:1-2).

   • Thank You Abba for increasing the Jewish population in Judea and Samaria, and we pray for You to do the same in the Negev, in the Galilee, in the north and on the Golan (Isa. 49:19-20; 51:3).

   • We bless You for the many "strangers" who are "building up Israel's walls" and "feeding its flocks," such as Arabs, Filipinos, Chinese, Indians, and also many gentile believers (Isa. 60:10; 61:5)

   • Lord of lords, let the extension of Israeli sovereignty greatly shame Muslims who see Your land as "wakf territory" – Allah's land forever – and use that shame to turn many to seek You (Psa. 83:16).

   • King Messiah, hear our prayers as those silver trumpets of Numbers 10:9 and reinforce "Operation Iron Wall," Israel's war against Your/their enemies inside Your/their land.

   • Abba Father, we agree with what David confessed about You, and pray that You would today be Israel's Savior who saves [them] from violence (2 Sam. 22:2-3).

   • Lion of Judah, release the IDF to fulfill Numbers 24:8-9 in Judea and Samaria (Psa. 125:3).

   • Almighty King, unshackle the IDF from all humanistic chains, and let it fight the terrorists in Judea and Samara in a biblical way, including asking You to lead them into battle (Psa. 18:36-40; 44:4).

6. External security – Middle East [ME] and beyond:

   There is a grave danger in having Qatar, Turkey and Egypt closely working with the US to oversee Gaza's future. Qatar and Turkey, both Muslim Brotherhood supporting nations, are enemies of Israel and America. Yet Trump, Witkoff and Kushner all have financial dealings with Qatar which likely influences them greatly. So we already hear blame being cast on Bibi for not abiding to Trump's ceasefire plan, while they make excuses for Hamas not being able to keep to their end of the agreement (Num. 24:9b).

   • Lord, show the America Body how dangerous Qatar is and exactly what they use against these men that sways them to make negative and untrue declarations about Israel (Psa. 34:13; Jam. 3:8).

   • Lord of lords, prevent any additions to the Abraham Accords between Israel and other ME nations if it will be dangerous for Israel, and oversee the overall future of these accords (Psa. 124:1-8).

   • Lord God of hosts, block Turkey's attempt to establish its own "ring of fire" around Israel by placing its troops in both Syria and now also in Gaza (Psa. 17:8-9).

   • Almighty God, deal with Turkey's anti-Christ-like President Erdogan according to Your righteous wrath as he constantly curses and defies Your nation (Num. 24:9b; 1 Kin. 2:8-9; Rom. 1:18; 2:8).

   • Lord, provide Israel with accurate intelligence concerning Iran's plans against it, and especially if it is, according to intelligence reports, continuing its development of nuclear weapons (Job 12:22).

   • Lion of Judah, fulfill Jeremiah 49:38 by building Your throne, Your Body, in Iran and by destroying Iran's demonically-driven regime (Isa. 55:11).

   • God, use Israel's attacks against the Houthis in Yemen to destroy that Iranian proxy (Psa. 60:12).

   • We ask the same for Israeli attacks against Hizbullah throughout Lebanon (Psa. 44:4-6).

   • Lord God, anoint Israel's intelligence services to know exactly what Syria's current leaders' real heart intentions are in relation to the Jewish State (2 Kin. 6:8-12; Psa. 27:11-12a).

   • God of Israel, with Egypt's betrayal of Israel revealed, deal with Egypt as per Isaiah 19:1-5.

   • Messiah Yeshua, protect Your Body in the ME; cause them to grow numerically and spiritually; and teach them to bless and pray for Israel and the Jews (Num. 24:9b; Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 16:18b).

7. Aliyah:

   Isaiah 54:7-8 in the prophetic portion indicates that the 2,000 year old captivity of the Jews out in the nations is seen by God as a small moment and just a little wrath! Yet with great mercies He says that He will gather His people. And this is what we are seeing today.

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

   • Yet Lord God, we are concerned that a majority of Jews remain in the captivity and ask You to draw them home with as much mercy as possible (Isa. 54:7-8; Jer. 31:3).

   • God of Israel, again we pray for You to impart a deep homesickness on all Jews who came to Israel during the recent feasts and who are now back in the captivity (Psa. 137:4-7; Isa. 60:4-5).

   • Almighty God, use the eruption of anti-Israel/anti-Semitic acts in the West to cause Jews who never thought about making aliyah to serious contemplate moving to Israel at this time (Jer. 50:4-8).

   • Abba Father, let the Jews in the nations see that all of the anti-Israel/pro-Palestinian demonstrations were basically Jew-hatred coming to the surface as now that Hamas is openly executing Palestinians there are no demonstrations to protest the murder of these folks (Isa. 5:20).

   • God of Abraham, for Jews scared of living in Israel, show them that living outside of Israel today is also very scary and the chances of gentile security forces laying down their lives to protect them is a lot less than Israel's security forces who are already doing that daily (Psa. 38:12).

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

   • God of Jacob, remove all bureaucrats in Israel's Interior Ministry and the Jewish Agency who are lukewarm about aliyah, and replace them with those who are zealous for Zion (Zech. 8:1-8).

   • Lord, open gentile believers' eyes to see how Isaiah 60:3-11 and 16 speak prophetically about them being an integral part of the restoration of Israel in these last days (Isa. 49:22).

8. Salvation:

   There are two very interesting verses in the prophetic portion that can be use as fuel for praying for the salvation of God's chosen people – the Jews.

   • Lord, as Your people read Isaiah 55:1, show them their deep thirst for the living God (Psa. 42:2).

   • Then let them ask You to make with them that prophesied eternal covenant in David's Greater Son – Messiah Yeshua (Isa. 55:2-3).

   • Also, Abba, as they read Isaiah 55:4-5, let them ask You questions about who is this One who will be their Leader and Commander and will cause even gentiles to honor and respect the Jews.

   • Lord Yeshua, burden Your worldwide Body to pray for all Israel to be saved (Rom. 10:1; 11:26).

   • In Your mercy and by Your grace save all freed hostages and their loved ones (Psa. 107:1-2, 13-16).

   • Abba Father, by Your grace and in Your mercy please save all living Holocaust survivors and their families; survivors of terrorism; hostages who have returned and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and families; loved ones of soldiers killed or severely injured; soldiers struggling with PTSD; anti-Bibi demonstrators; Jewish widows, widowers, orphans, rabbis, politicians, judges, lawyers, diplomats, university students, teachers, professors, scientists, astronomers and medical personnel; Jewish anti-missionaries; Jews living in Judea and Samaria; Jews on their death beds; Jews living with guilt over past abortions; Israeli archeologists and tour guides; Israelis in the nations; Jews who recently made aliyah; Jewish hippies, LGBTQ+ and new agers; Jews in Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey, India, China; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

9. Body of Messiah:

   God's kingdom is not a democracy, and Messiah Yeshua is not a president or prime minister. So God's warnings in His Word dare not be ignored. When He says that He will curse those who curse Israel, believers should take this very seriously today (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 40:8)!

   • Lord Yeshua, as You did when You walked in Israel, so today rebuke believers who do not accept that the Tanach is still Your Word (Jer. 23:29; John 5:46-47; Luke 24:25-27).

   • Lord God, gift Your Body with elders who teach and preach all of the Word (Acts 20:27), and who are bold in declaring Your eternal love for, and covenant with, Israel (Deut. 7:6-8; Jer. 31:35-37).

   • God, confront adherents of replacement theology with New Testament verses such as: Matthew 1:1; Romans 15:8-12; Galatians 3:8; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Revelation 5:5-6; 22:16; plus many others.

   • Abba, send Your fear on our family in Messiah who curse Israel and the Jews in their minds and also break the snare of generational anti-Semitism that many have inherited (Psa. 124:7-8).

   • King of Israel, confront all believers who would be ashamed or would resist worshipping a Jewish Messiah today before they come face to face with You in eternity (Rev. 5:5, 8-13).

   • Lord Messiah, raise up more voices in the Body who openly condemn the rising anti-Semitism and the spreading of lies about Your nation in their societies (Rom. 11:16-24; 15:27; Eph. 2:11-13).

10. Water:

    Please agree with us as we ask God for the early rains to drench Israel's dry land (Psa. 68:9; Isa. 41:17-20; Matt. 5:45b).

11. IFI:

    This has been a very difficult week. Please ask the Lord to sustain us in this battle as we are weary and often overwhelmed. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom from Israel

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Rom. 15:8-12