1. Praise:

   In Shabbat's Torah portion, while on his deathbed, Jacob proclaimed that God is the Mighty One of Jacob, the Shepherd Stone of Israel…the Almighty… (Gen. 49:24-25) This is our God as well through our Redeemer, Messiah Yeshua.

   • Lord Yeshua, Shepherd of Israel, we are so grateful for Your declaration that Your sheep hear Your voice, and we ask that You would open our ears to hear You even clearer in 2026 (John 10:27).

   • We praise You King Messiah, for being that Stone that was rejected by the Jewish leadership of Your day, yet which resulted in You becoming both the headstone and the cornerstone of Your Body (Psa. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6-7).

   • God of Israel, we thank You for Joseph's faith that challenges our faith as he was able to discern – after the fact – that what his brothers meant for evil against him, You meant for good (Gen. 50:20).

   • We bless You God for being the Unshakable Shaker (Job 9:4-6; Psa. 18:6-7; Isa. 2:19; Acts 16:26).

2. Government & society:

   Paul tells us (1 Tim. 2:1-4) to pray for our political leaders. As we do that and also ask God to direct our prayers, we often can see Him at work in Israel's leaders. There are many plans in a man's heart, yet YHWH's counsel shall be fulfilled. (Prov. 19:21)

   • Abba, as Israeli elections will be held this year [October at the latest], guide Your people (Psa. 36:9) so that the new coalition will have a huge majority of sons and daughters of Zion (Dan. 2:21).

   • Meanwhile, Lord God, continue to direct Israel's current coalition to accomplish all that You have ordained for them in the time they have left to serve Your nation (Prov. 21:1).

   • King of Israel, if PM Bibi Netanyahu is not to lead the next government, please show us who it is that You have chosen and help us to know how to intercede for that person (Prov. 3:2b; Amos 3:7).

   • Lord, direct Bibi's time in office to focus on what is most vital for Israel today (Prov. 16:9).

   • God, surround him with godly counselors whose advice he listens to (Prov. 9:9; 11:14; 24:6).

   • All-wise God, clarify what really happened in this "Qatargate" scandal that is muddying the waters about the inner workings of the Prime Minister's Office (Job 12:22; 28:11b).

   • God of Jacob, guard Israel's political and military leaders against deception (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29).

   • Abba Father, enable those from the ultra-Orthodox [Haredi] community who join the IDF to bring forth a good report and bless them and all the Haredi rabbis who do support this (Num. 1:2-4).

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

   • Merciful God, for Your holy name's sake continue sustaining Israel's economy (Ezek. 36:8-15).

3. Foreign relations:

   This past week, Bibi was in America holding important meetings with US President Trump, other government officials, and evangelical leaders. Reports of his time with Trump are very positive. Yet knowing how the President has often changed his mind and not backed up his various threats, especially against Hamas, means that we dare not stop interceding about the current relationship between America and God's chosen nation, Israel.

   • Abba Father, further Your kingdom policies on earth during 2026 (Luke 11:2).

   • Lord God, reveal Yourself to many world's leaders like You did to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:34-35).

   • Lord of lords, we praise You for most of the results of the meetings between Netanyahu and Trump, and now ask that You would guard Bibi from becoming exceedingly proud (1 Sam. 2:3; Psa. 138:6).

   • Lord God, do not permit any compromise on what You are directing Israel to do inside its biblical borders, regardless of the pushback from a very pro-Israel American administration (Judg. 2:1-4).

   • King Yeshua, use Trump's on-again, off-again support for Israel's security to turn Your nation from looking to America – or any other nation – for support, and to look fully to You instead (Isa. 31:1-5).

   • Let alarm bells ring loudly within Israel's military and political realms, and within the US Body, as they hear Trump heap praise on Turkey's anti-Christ like President Erdogan (Prov. 19:6; 22:24).

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

   • Lord God, we bless You for Israel, Cyprus and Greece agreeing to work more closely together in security, economic and other issues (Num. 24:9b).

   • We ask You Lord God, that their not-so-hidden goal of standing united against the aggressive tactics of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean arena would be totally successful (Psa. 36:11; 92:11).

   • King Messiah, we praise You for Israel's recognition of Somaliland – a Muslim nation that seeks a good relationship with Israel, and geopolitically it sits in the entrance to the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden at the Bab Al-Mandad Straits, directly opposite the Houthis in Yemen (Deut. 4:39)!

   • Lord God, encourage believers to be more straightforward about warning their birth-nations of Your judgments striking them at this time because of their betrayal of Israel (Ezek. 29:6-7; Joel 3:1-2).

4. Gaza:

   Hamas, Israel's modern Amalek enemy, must be destroyed (Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:2-3) and all of its supporters like Iran, Turkey and Qatar, be brought to shame. This will occur when Hamas is wiped out by the Jewish State and then the shame that results from that will cause more Muslims to seek Israel's God (Psa. 83:16-18).

   • God of Jacob, as Gaza is part of Judah's inheritance, fulfill Genesis 49:8b from the Torah portion so that the IDF's hand shall be on the neck of [its] enemies in Gaza – Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

   • Lord God, let the upcoming elections of a new Hamas political head between two terrorists – Mashal and al-Hayya – end up dividing Hamas in Gaza from Hamas in Qatar and Turkey (Psa. 129:5).

   • Also, Abba, use the results to further convince Israel that there is no hope of any "peace" but only a choice of another 10/7 massacre in the near future or a total victory over today's Amalek (Psa. 44:4).

   • Lord God, also complete what You threatened to do to Gaza in Amos 1:6-7 (Psa. 125:3-5).

   • Creator King, use the wet weather to expose all of Hamas' remaining tunnels (Job 38:22-23).

   • God, let the IDF use this brief ceasefire for refreshment, reinforcement and rearmament (Psa. 138:3).

   • Lord Yeshua, we ask for Your "day-after" plans to come to pass; not anyone else's (Num. 23:19).

5. Internal security:

   While God did not answer our prayers for Israel to extend its sovereignty over all of its land west of the Jordan River in 2025, yet the steps Israelis and its government took toward this are very encouraging. Will 2026 be the year? Only God knows but He expects us to persist in prayer (Luke 18:1) for this, that is His will (Jer. 32:41-44), to be done.

   • We thank You Lord that the Torah portion affirms once again that You swore to give all of the land to Israel's forefathers as an everlasting possession (Gen. 48:3-4; 50:24).

   • Messiah Yeshua, burden Your Body to persistent in prayer for this today (Num. 23:19; Luke 18:1).

   • Captain of the hosts of the Lord, as Israel's "sovereignty chariot" gathers speed and intensity, take control of the reins and direct it to a swift and surprising victory (Psa. 68:17).

   • We thank You God for the many communities in Judea and Samaria that Finance Minister Smotrich and others have just legalized to be part of Israel (Isa. 44:26; Jer. 31:4-5; 33:12-13).

   • Abba, we bless You for the support of the US administration concerning Iran and Hamas, but if the reports of their strong resistance to Israel's building of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria is true, let there be a separation of ways on this very central issue for You (Jer. 32:41).

   • Lord God, anoint America's Israeli Ambassador Mike Huckabee, with boldness and wisdom, and use him to warn Trump against blocking Israel from extending sovereignty (Joel 3:1-2).

   • God of Israel, do not let Israel be swayed by America to perceive the Palestinian Authority [PA] as anything other than a modified version of Hamas – and thus part of the problem (Jer. 13:23).

   • Lord of lords, direct Israel to tear down all of the 19 "refugee" camp that the PA maintains under their control in order to gain sympathy from Israel-haters worldwide (Deut. 20:10-18).

   • Shepherd of Israel, guard over the scattered Jews whom You have regathered (Isa. 33:2; Jer. 31:10).

   • Almighty King, break off all humanistic chains from the IDF, releasing it fight against terrorism in Your land in a biblical fashion, including by asking You to lead them into battle (Psa. 18:36-40).

   • We thank You that while terror attacks have increased, most fail, and no successful kidnappings of Jews, in or outside of Your land, have occurred since Oct. 7th 2023 (Psa. 50:15; 121:4; Jer. 31:10).

   • As more terrorists are captured or killed, let more Muslims see how Israel's God is greater than the Allah of the Quran, and let them be ashamed and seek Your face (Deut. 10:17; Psa. 83:16-18).

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

   Israel seriously hurt Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas since Oct. 7th but was restrained by Trump from defeating them. His naïve "ceasefires" resulted in what we expected – a rebuilding of their capacities to be able to annihilate the Jewish Nation. The west just does not see that a ME/Islamic mindset plans for many generations to come. They will only relent and fully surrender after they surrender to Messiah Yeshua (2 Cor. 5:17)!

   • We praise You Lord for Israel's Iron Beam laser weapon becoming active and ask You to aid Israel to be able to manufacture it in great quantities and to direct its placement in Israel (Prov. 4:8; 13:9).

   • God, teach Israel to modify the Iron Beam to be effective even in cloudy weather (Job 38:19-20).

   • Lion of Judah, direct Israel's drone and cyber-warfare operators for Your glory (1 Chr. 5:18).

   • God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let the Islamic principality's eternal hatred against Your people to drag it into eternal destruction (Prov. 16:18; Ezek. 35:5-6).

   • We thank You Lord for the nation-wide protests in Iran against the regime and ask You to use them to bring down Iran's current king and its princes (Jer. 49:38b).

   • Prepare even now the next leaders of Iran and may they look with favor towards Israel (Psa. 75:5-7).

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

   • Lord God, help Israel to know how much Iran's ballistic missile program has growth and whether in fact they are trying to develop chemical and biological warheads for those missiles (Isa. 54:17).

   • Sovereign God, sustain Israel's distrust of Syria's current radical Islamic leaders despite Trump's attempts to get Israel and Syria to sign a "peace" treaty (Psa. 140:1-2).

   • Lord Yeshua, give Israel godly insight about Turkey's plans in Syria and Gaza (Job 12:22).

   • Lord God, as per Ezekiel 28:24-26, deal with both Qatar and Turkey for Your name's sake.

   • Abba Father, we thank You for the aggressive stance Israel has taken against Hizbullah in Lebanon and ask You to let each attack be super effective (Isa. 23:9; Eph. 3:20-21).

   • Lord, with the IDF stationed in southern Lebanon, Syria, and in Gaza, use this as the start of Your nation possessing these areas of the Promised Land (Deut. 11:24; Josh. 1:3; Obad. 1:17).

7. Aliyah:

   God is allowing the eruption of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in nations where Jews thought it was safe to live to wake them up to the reality that the time of "the captivity" is over. This history lesson must be learned as in any nation where Jews lived, they were eventually no longer welcomed or protected. We see this especially in Western nations today.

   • Precious Lord God, we are blessed to witness You fulfilling what You prophesied – the regathering of Your scattered people back to their Promised Land (Jer. 31:8-10; Zech. 8:1-8).

   • God Almighty, use the reports on the rise of anti-Semitism in 2025 that will be published in early 2026 to hasten the departure of Your people from today's Babylonian West (Jer. 51:6-10, 50).

   • Abba Father, change the increased interest in aliyah among Western Jews into an urgency to make aliyah as soon as possible, especially those living in New York City (Gen. 19:15-17; Prov. 6:4-5).

   • God of Jacob, urge Jews in the captivity in the West that they must decide to either maintain their lifestyles or to save their life and the lives of their loved ones by coming home (Jer. 30:10; 46:27).

   • Lord Messiah, remove the deceptive hope of Your people in "the captivity" of life returning to a pre-Oct. 7th "normal" and let them see how You are releasing the hunters today (Deut. 30:3-5; Jer. 16:16).

   • God of Israel, destroy all barriers trapping Your people in exile, whether true or false comfort and security; too much or too little finances; fear from false media reports about Israel's situation; a real fear of major life changes; an exaggerated fear of children serving in the IDF; family members who refuse to make aliyah; thinking they are too old or too infirm; etc. (Prov. 3:5-6).

   • Almighty God, stop Jewish leaders from fighting for the "right" of Jews to live in "peace and safety" among the gentiles, and instead to fight to bring their communities home (Deut. 30:3-5; Psa. 107:2-3).

   • Lord Yeshua, as per Micah 2:12-13, be that prophesied "Breaker" and create breakthroughs for all Jews who are stuck in the captivity but want to return (Isa. 42:13-16).

   • Faithful Lord, quicken the fulfillment of Ezekiel 28:25-26 so that there is increase in aliyah along with the destruction of Israel's enemies, along with many Israelis being saved in Messiah Yeshua.

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

   • Messiah Yeshua, Jacob's Shepherd, bring back Israelis who now live in the nations, especially those whom You have saved while outside of the land (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

   • Lord Yeshua, teach Your Body about their biblical responsibility to help Jews make aliyah through prayer, finances, good works and encouraging words (Isa. 49:22; 60:1-12; 61:5; Rom. 15:26-27).

   • Also Lord, speak to wealthy Christians and Jews to give generously and help to finance both the aliyah and the integration of new immigrants into Israeli society (Ezra 1:4; Isa. 60:9).

8. Salvation:

   God tells the watchmen (Jer. 31:6) to pray (31:7a), YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel (Jer. 31:7b). "Watchmen" is a translation of notzrim – today's Hebrew word for "Christians." Therefore, Romans 10:1 needs to become a prayer burden for Messiah's Body.

   • Messiah Yeshua, use the Torah portion to provoke Your people to seek the One who shepherded Jacob all of his life and was the Angel who redeemed him from all evil (Gen. 48:15-16a; Psa. 28:8-9).

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

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

   • Lord God Almighty, save many more Jews living in Jerusalem and burden them to start crying out today: Blessed is He who comes in the name of YHWH (Psa. 118:26; Matt. 23:39)!

   • Messiah Yeshua, show born-again gentiles that Romans 1:16 and 11:11 are still valid and true.

   • Abba Father, teach believers how to share the good news of Messiah Yeshua through using verses in the Tanach (Psa. 2:12; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7; Jer. 31:31-34; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 12:10; etc.)

   • Messiah Lord, strip from Your Body any fear of sharing You with Jewish people and replace it with Your perfect love (1 John 4:18).

   • [Ask the Lord about specific groups of Jews He would want you to pray for this week.]

9. Body of Messiah:

   God's kingdom is not a democracy; Messiah Yeshua is not our president or prime minister. He is our King, so His warnings must not be ignored. When He states repeatedly that He curses those who curse the Jews (Gen. 12:3a), or Israel (Num. 24:9b), believers must take this very seriously today (Isa. 40:8; 60:12)!

   • Lord Messiah, confront all in the Body who despise the Jews with this word from the Torah portion: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall be the gathering of the people. (Gen. 49:10)

   • King Yeshua, show Your Body their spiritual link to Your promises to Abraham and the Jews and how a lack of gratitude towards Your people grieves Your Spirit (Rom. 11:11, 18-22; 15:27).

   • 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.

   • King of Israel, challenge any believer who would be ashamed or who would resist bowing down to a Jewish Messiah today before they face this reality in eternity (Rev. 5:5, 8-13; 22:16).

   • Almighty, strip Your Body from the curse of generational anti-Semitism (Num. 14:18b; Jer. 17:14).

   • Abba Father, raise up more voices from Your Body to openly condemn the rising anti-Semitism and the spread of lies about Your nation in their nations (Rom. 11:16-24; 15:27; Eph. 2:11-13).

   • Lord Messiah, gift Your Body with more who know how to contend for the faith (Jude 1:3).

   • Also, God, promote up more sons and daughters of Zion in Your Body (Zech. 9:13; Acts 20:27).

10. Water:

    Israel has just had a very wet-week for which we bless and thank God. Yet let's press on in prayer for much more rainfall as the Sea of Galilee is very low and if a flood of immigrants does return home soon, Israel will need all the water resources it can gather.

11. IFI:

    Our office has moved and now comes the unpacking and connecting to the internet and the general readjustment of being in a new place. Thank you for your prayers for us during this time. I ask that you continue to pray for Judy as she takes the main lead in all of this. Also, ask the Lord for a fresh anointing upon this ministry and all of us who are pressing on in intercession for His nation and His glory (Psa. 115:1-3). Thank you in advance.

Blessings and Shabbat shalom from Israel

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Gen. 1:1