[Please note: This alert was finished on December 24th. We do not hold prayer meetings on Christmas so if anything "exciting" happened since then it is not mentioned below.]

1. Praise:

   The Torah portion continues the story of Joseph who foreshadows Messiah Yeshua in many ways. Giving food to the Egyptians during the 7 year famine, they said to Joseph, You have saved us; let us find grace in the sight of our lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants. (Gen. 47:25) This is also our response as Yeshua saves us and then by His grace we become His servants.

   • Lord Yeshua, we thank You for calling us friends (John 15:14-15), yet Paul often calls himself Your bond-slave [Gk: doulos], which is in line with what You said in John, and clarifies what it means to be the King's friend (Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 7:22-23; 2 Cor. 4:5; Gal. 1:10; Phil. 1:1; Tit. 1:1)

   • We bless You Messiah our King, for being enabled by Your grace to be Your servants (Heb. 12:28).

   • Thank You Almighty God that even as early as Genesis, we read about our need for Your grace, as through our own strength, we can never please You (Zech. 4:6b-7; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; Eph. 1:6-7).

   • Abba Father, what a joy to read of Joseph's recognition of Your total sovereignty over his, at times, dreadful situation, and how he gives You the glory for orchestrating all of it (Gen. 45:5-8).

2. Government & society:

   As we press on in prayer for Israel's political leaders, we perceive God turning some of them into His prophesied sons and daughters of Zion (Zech. 9:13a). While the sons and daughters of Greece who lead much of the West are not happy with this, it encourages us to continue to intercede for them, as we do it for His holy name's sake (Psa. 115:1-3).

   • Lord God, teach us how to pray for Israel's government at this time (Psa. 32:8; Luke 11:1b).

   • Abba, despite the October 7th Hamas massacre, You have kept the current coalition under PM Bibi Netanyahu's leadership in place and for that we give you praise (Jer. 27:5; Dan. 2:21).

   • Almighty God, create a godly unity in the coalition concerning all issues that are truly essential for Your nation at this stage in history (Gen. 1:1-2; Psa. 133:1; Isa. 48:17).

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

   • King Messiah, fulfill Psalm 46:10, Proverbs 9:10, 19:21 and 21:1 in all areas of his life.

   • Lord God, may You alone determine when Israel's next elections take place (Psa. 103:19; Eccl. 3:1).

   • Yeshua Lord, uphold the sons and daughters of Zion in Israel, and use their wisdom and insight to make them extremely influential throughout society (1 Chr. 11:10; Obad. 1:21; Zech. 9:13; 12:8).

   • God, our Judge (Isa. 33:22), deal with Israel's unelected Supreme Court judges who assume that they have the legal right to overturn anything Israel's elected government legalizes (Prov. 27:5; Eccl. 7:5).

   • Lord God of hosts, we thank You that the IDF has been turning more to Israeli military industries to supply its needs and less to its "broken-reed allies" among the nations (Isa. 30:1; 36:6; 41:10-16).

3. Foreign relations:

   Monday, December 29th, Netanyahu is supposed to meet with US President Trump in Florida. If this takes place, it could be of great prophetic significance as the US is already reeling from many of Trump's lukewarm, or negative, decisions concerning Israel. For example, he promised Arab nations that he would not let Israel extend its sovereignty over more of its God-given land. That alone puts Trump on a collision course with the King of kings (Jer. 32:41; Joel 3:1-2).

   • God of mercy, stir up the Body in America this weekend to cry out to You for mercy and to hedge in their president from any further attempts to lord over Your nation, Israel (Psa. 50:15; 1 Tim. 2:1-3).

   • Abba, we again ask that if this meeting is not of You, cancel it (Job 11:10; Psa. 9:19-20; Dan. 4:35).

   • Lord God, yet if it is of You, then be with Bibi's mind and mouth, remove all fear of man, and give him a word of caution out of Zion from You to Trump (Ezek. 3:17; Mic. 4:2b),

   • God of Jacob, use Israel's situation of being criticized and condemned by a majority of nations to fulfill Numbers 23:9b and teach us how to not pray against Your will in this area (1 John 5:14-15).

   • God Almighty, as nations "recognize" an imaginary Palestinian State, put Your words in the mouths of Israel's representatives to speak a timely biblical rebuke (Psa. 29:3-11; 81:10; Jer.1:9).

   • Right after the Oslo Accords were signed, You gave a word to German believers that Isaiah 8:9-10 was to be declared – and we did that and do that again today against the creation of "Palestine"!

   • King of kings, extend Your scepter of authority (Matt. 28:18) over the UN and its outreaches who tend to curse Israel daily, and give them divine laryngitis (Jer. 10:25; 30:20; Zech. 2:13; Luke 1:20).

   • Lord of lords, protect and anoint Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon and his team as they defend the Jewish Nation in today's man-built and man-centered Tower of Babylon (Psa. 81:10; 119:13).

   • God, protect the growing relations between Israel, Cyprus and Greece, and enable them to expand in security, economic and other issues for the benefit of each nation (Num. 24:9b).

   • Yeshua Lord, aid the members of Your Body to see the seriousness of Isaiah 60:12 for today.

4. Gaza:

   The IDF is the only army willing to disarm and dismantle Hamas. It was doing just that when Trump stopped it with a naïve and dangerous "ceasefire" plan. So far, not even America's Arab "allies" are willing to send in "peacekeepers" to disarm Hamas. Yet Trump aims to launch phase two of his plan in early 2026. It seems that God is hearing our prayers and actively blocking this. We pray for Him to continue to do this and to prepare the IDF to finish the job of destroying Hamas in Gaza.

   • Lord God, we do thank You for using Trump's plan to bring home the last of Israel's living hostages and all but one of the dead hostages (Psa. 69:33; Lam. 3:32-34; Zech. 9:11).

   • Abba Father, much of the world has purposely forgotten, or ignored, what Hamas did on Oct. 7th, yet You remember, therefore arise and totally eradicate Hamas' rule over Gaza (Isa. 13:3-4; Amos 1:6-7).

   • Lion of Judah may You alone be the One to cause this war to cease (Ex. 15:3; Psa. 46:9; Rev. 5:5).

   • Abba Father, continue hardening Hamas' leaders' hearts to refuse to disarm so that when Trump's plan fails, it will be openly seen to be Hamas' fault and not Israel's (Psa. 55:21; 59:7).

   • God, hold back any nation from agreeing to disarm Hamas as Gaza is part of Israel's inheritance from You and it alone has the divine authority to cleanse Gaza from its enemies (Psa. 18:38-42).

   • Lord of hosts, prevent any foreign Muslim soldiers from being stationed in Your land in Gaza (Psa. 10:16). [Note: there are Israeli-Arab Muslim soldiers who volunteer to join the IDF.]

   • Lord God, if this war will not end unless Israel is willing to repossess all of Gaza, then reveal this to the Israelis and their leaders and let them agree to do that (Judg. 2:1-4; Psa. 80:3; Prov. 16:9).

   • Abba Father, reinforce Your protection over Israel's soldiers as they maintain a defensive posture and remain in control of a bit less than 60% of Gaza (Psa. 3:5-8).

   • When the war restarts, Lord God "accomplish a great victory" through the IDF (2 Sam. 23:10, 12).

   • God, remove all legal chains which hinder the IDF from fighting in a biblical manner (Zech. 10:5).

   • Creator God, send another great trembling like the Philistines experienced (1 Sam. 14:15), and shake and destroy all of the tunnels under Gaza (Job 9:6).

5. Internal security:

   Although our prayers for Israel to extend its sovereignty focuses on Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, the issue of internal security covers all of the land. Security is essential as all Israel is saved on God's land and for Jews to be saved – they need to be alive!

   • We praise You God for revealing in Isaiah 60:21 that Your reason for giving Your land to Your people is for your glory; therefore hasten its fulfillment (Isa. 55:11; 60:22).

   • Lord Yeshua, as You are planting Israel back in its land with all of Your heart and soul (Jer. 32:41) move upon Your Body to pray for Israel to co-operate with You and extend its sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan River (Ezek. 36:37; John 15:16; 1 John 5:14-15).

   • God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, restore to the Jews their biblical land deeds (Psa. 125:3): Hebron (Gen. 23:17-18), Shechem [Nabulus today] (Gen. 33:19) and the Temple Mount (2 Sam. 24:24).

   • Lord Yeshua, thank You that as per Shabbat's prophetic portion Israel's future will be unity in their land under You as their King and David as Your "prime minister" [?] (Ezek. 37:16-17, 25).

   • Continue, Lord, to embolden Finance Minister Smotrich to move forward with legalizing the Jewish communities in Samaria and for working to see their expansion (Isa. 54:2-3; Obad. 1:17-20).

   • Lord God, destroy the lying spirit in Islam which influences world leaders to reject Your will and to erroneously think that the "two-state solution" will bring peace (Psa. 28:3; 120:6-7; Jer. 6:14; 8:11).

   • King Messiah, hear our prayers as silver trumpets (Num. 10:9) and reinforce "Operation Iron Wall," Israel's war against Your/their enemies inside Your/their land (Ezek. 37:10).

   • God, anoint Israel's forces in Judea and Samaria to fight like the sons of Zion against the Palestinian terrorists – the enemy to both the IDF and the Jews who live there (Zech. 9:13-15; 10:3a-7).

   • Lord Messiah, as the Palestinian Authority is part of Israel's problem, divide them internally and set them and Hamas against each other whenever, and wherever, they interact (Job 38:13; Psa. 129:5).

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

   • Yeshua Lord, save many Palestinians and uproot the spirit of Islam out of Your land (Psa. 125:3a).

6. External security – Middle East [ME] plus:

   Trump stopped Israel from totally defeating Iran, Hamas and Hizbullah through his pushing of ceasefires. Today, all three are rearming in order to destroy Israel. Will other Muslim nations or terrorist groups join in? And what will Israel's Western "allies" do? Support the Jewish Nation or hope that finally the Jewish problem will be solved?

   • God of the earth, increase the confusion of all the nations that hate Zion (Psa. 35:4, 26; 129:5).

   • Abba Father, as Esau/Edom is one of Islam's spiritual roots, we pray that You watch over Obadiah 1:3-4 and use Islam's pride to drag them down into destruction (Prov. 16:18; 29:23a).

   • Lord Yeshua, be Israel's strength as it has basically been on high alert since 1948, and increase the efforts of Your angelic hosts working behind the scenes (Psa. 35:5-6; Mic. 4:11-13).

   • King Messiah, focus Israel on Your priorities as it faces multiple threats around it (1 Chr. 19:10-13).

   • Lion of Judah; fulfill Jeremiah 49:38a and continue to build Your throne, i.e., Your Body, in Iran.

   • Abba Father, use Iran's air and water crisis, its economic crisis and the increase of Iranian citizens being persecuted and executed to hasten the day when Iran's wicked regime is destroyed (Jer. 49:38b).

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

   • God, be glorified in Israel's relationship with the Druze and Kurds in Syria (Psa. 115:1-3).

   • God of Israel, stop Your nation from agreeing to a treaty with either Syria, Lebanon or Saudi Arabia based on what the US administration wants if it is not totally in line with Your will (Psa. 29:11).

   • Lord God Almighty, frustrate Turkey's attempts to create a "ring of fire" around Israel as it already has stationed troops in Syria and is trying to also place them in Gaza (Psa. 17:8-9).

   • Lord, we thank You that more Israelis and their leaders see Qatar and Turkey as enemy states who support both Hamas and Iran (Psa. 55:21; 62:4), and ask for more Western leaders to see this as well.

   • God Almighty, amplify Israel's attacks against Hizbullah's efforts to rebuild in Lebanon (Isa. 14:2b).

7. Aliyah:

   The resistance of most Jews who remain in "captivity" to return to Israel has led to God releasing His hunters to chase them back (Jer. 16:16). This is obvious in the West at this time. Ezekiel 39:28 seems to indicate that Jews will either live in Israel, or will not live at all, so interceding for aliyah – the return of the Jews to their God-given homeland – is of utmost importance today.

   • Lord God, thank You for being alive to witness You fulfill Ezekiel 37:21 in the prophetic portion.

   • Abba, we rejoice in the aliyah – as it is a sign of Your faithfulness to fulfill Your promises although most nations are against Jews returning and repossessing Your land (Isa. 43:12; Heb. 10:23b).

   • Merciful God, use the rise of the almost worldwide hatred of both Jews and the Jewish Nation to show Your people that it is past time for them to return to their ancestral homeland (Jer. 51:5-10).

   • God of Jacob, help the Jews in the captivity see that most gentiles link them to Israel regardless of whether they agree with Israel's policies or not (Matt. 26:71-73).

   • Abba, remove all stones of stumbling hindering Jews who want to return but are prevented by either circumstances, finances, or their current-nations refusing to let them leave (Ex. 8:1; Psa. 68:6a).

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

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

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

   • God, enable a huge remnant of Jews living in the "third-world" nations to return (Isa. 43:5-7).

   • King of Israel, clear out all roadblocks from inside Israel that hinders Jews from making aliyah.

   • Abba Father, mightily bless Israel's emergency plans to absorb tens of thousands of new immigrants in a short period of time (Ezek. 36:8-12).

   • Lord God, challenge Jewish preconceived notions of what life in Israel is really like so that they can be as flexible as needed to make a successful aliyah (Psa. 4:6-8).

   • Messiah Yeshua, show gentile believers that Isaiah 60:3-11 and 16 speak prophetically to them of being an integral part of the restoration of Israel in these last days (Isa. 49:22).

   • Also Lord, encourage believers to speak about aliyah to their Jewish acquaintances (Eph. 4:15a).

8. Salvation:

   Psalm 106:47 links Israel's salvation with aliyah, which ultimately results in God receiving the praise. 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 Yeshua, in the Torah portion Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and we ask you to do that today by removing the veil which was placed over Your people (Gen. 45:1; Rom. 11:25).

   • King Messiah, reveal to today's Jacob Your glory among gentiles believers, and like we read in the Torah portion, use that to provoke Jews to jealousy (Gen. 45:13; Rom. 11:11).

   • Abba Father, use the material support from gentile believers to impact unsaved Jews just like it did with Father Jacob in Shabbat's Torah reading (Gen. 45:26-28).

   • Abba Father, by Your grace and in Your mercy please save all living Holocaust survivors and their families; survivors of terrorism; returned hostages and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and families; loved ones of soldiers killed or severely injured; soldiers with PTSD and medical personnel; Jewish widows, widowers, orphans; politicians, judges, lawyers, diplomats; university students, teachers, professors; scientists, astronomers; rabbis and Jewish anti-missionaries; Jews 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 alcoholics, hippies, LGBTQ+, new agers; Jews in Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey, India, China; Jews married to gentile believers; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews (Psa. 28:9).

9. Body of Messiah:

   Yeshua challenged the Jewish rulers over their failure to discern the signs of the times (Matt. 16:2-3). We suspect He is also challenging His Body today as many seem to be ignorant, or worse, lukewarm, about the prophecies being literally fulfilled in and around Israel today.

   • Lord, confront believers who disrespect the Old Testament [Tanach], seeing it as less important than the New Testament [NT], by asking them how often Tanach writers quote from the New [zero!] and then how often NT writers quote from or allude to the Tanach [some scholars say that is about one-third of the NT!] (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

   • King Messiah, restore the authority of all of Your Word to Your Body (John 17:17; Eph. 5:25-27).

   • Also Lord, restore a boldness in Your Body to stand for Your truth (John 17:17; Acts 4:31; 20:27).

   • Abba Father, send Your fear on those in the Body who curse Israel and the Jews in their hearts and break the snare of generational anti-Semitism that many have been inherited (Psa. 124:7-8).

   • Messiah Yeshua, thank You for the remnant in the Body that does stands with and pray for Israel, and who see Israel's role in Your plans and desire for You to be glorified through them (Isa. 43:7, 21).

   • Lord God, let those in the Body who do understand this be like spiritual leaven and influence many others in their fellowships and in their wider believing communities (Luke 13:20-21).

   • As Your Body intercedes for Israel, and for other burdens, provide them with ammunition in the form of specific verses from Your Word which relate to those prayers (Isa. 55:11).

   • King Messiah; encourage, increase and use the Israeli Body for Your name's sake (John 15:16).

10. Water:

    Israel has received some much needed rain, and for that we give Him praise. Yet persistence in pray is needed on this subject as we are asking for an above average rainfall to supply all of the water Israel needs in 2026 – especially as we expect the aliyah to increase abundantly.

11. IFI:

    Next week the IFI office will be moving. God has graciously provided a new office space and the finances needed to make this move. Now we need His grace to provide the strength and health for us to make this transition. We again thank you for your prayers and support for us.

Shabbat shalom from Israel

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Rev. 22:21