1. Praise:

    Shabbat's Torah portion includes the Aaronic blessing: YHWH bless you, and keep [+ guard] you; YHWH make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. YHWH lift up His face [+ presence] on you and give you peace [shalom = health; prosperity; wholeness; +]. (Num. 6:24-26)

    • Thank You Abba for this wonderful blessing that was to be pronounced over Your people Israel which resulted in You blessing them through Israel's priesthood (Num. 6:27).

    • God Almighty, as believers grafted into Israel's olive tree, we praise You that this blessing belongs to us as well, both Jew and gentile, through our High Priest, Messiah Yeshua (Heb. 7:25-26).

    • Lord, we rejoice in the assurance of Your presence being with us always (Psa. 139:7; Matt. 28:20b).

    • Lord Yeshua, we thank You that in the midst of the tribulations in this world, we have Your peace – the peace of the One who has already overcome the world (John 14:27; 16:33).

    • Despite all the frustration we experience as we pray into various kingdom of God situations, Lord God we bless You that as we look back – we see how often You have answered us (Psa. 50:15).

  2. Government & society:

    Israel's Knesset [Parliament] voted last week to dissolve itself. While no date has yet been set for the elections, the following cry of the Psalmist seems very appropriate for both the Israeli voters and for us as we persist in prayer for God's nation: Send out Your light and Your truth: let them lead [us]; (Psa. 43:3a; cp. 23:3b).

    • Yeshua Lord, place Matthew 6:9b-10 as a specific prayer burden on the hearts of multitudes of Your disciples worldwide concerning Israel's next elections and its results.

    • Abba Father, oversee the outcome so that You alone receive the glory (Psa.115:1-3; Prov. 16:33).

    • Lord God of Israel, strengthen, protect and anoint with Your wisdom Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu for as long as it is Your will for him to be Israel's leader (Job 12:13; Prov. 2:6; Dan. 2:21).

    • God, surround Bibi and all of the current government ministers with godly counselors whose advice they will take to heart (Prov. 9:9; 11:14; 24:6).

    • Abba Father, bring to completion, or use the next coalition to complete, every government project in Israel that is in line with Your will for Your nation at this time (Psa. 138:8; Isa. 26:12: Phil. 1:6).

    • God Almighty, as You are restoring Israel for Your holy name's sake, anoint Israel's political and military leaders to advance that goal and to work in unity (Ezek. 36:20-24; 37:21-22).

    • King of Israel, during the election campaign, move on Israel's coalition and opposition to reveal their true stances on all issues vital for Israel's future (Zech. 8:16).

    • God of justice, Israel greatly needs judicial reform, so let this be debated in the election campaign and we ask You to promote more God-fearers in Israel's judiciary today (2 Chr. 19:6-7; Psa. 75:5-7).

    • King of kings, magnify the effects of Israel's "sons of Zion" – politically, diplomatically militarily, commercially, educationally, and throughout the rest of society (Prov. 25:11; Eccl. 12:10; Isa. 22:22).

  3. Foreign relations:

    Most nations and global NGO's are swift to condemn Israel for its current aggressive stance in defending itself. Yet what Hamas did on Oct. 7th which birthed this offensive mindset in Israel is hardly mentioned anymore. Is God hastening the fulfillment His prophetic word through Balaam and creating Israel to be that nation that is set apart from the rest of the nations?

    • God, use the growth of anti-Zionism to make Israel Your prophesied set-apart nation (Num. 23:9b).

    • Lord Yeshua, prepare Israel to be sanctioned by more nations as we draw closer to Your return.

    • Abba Father, show believers in nations that either ignore or betray Your nation, how furious this makes You, and then let them stand in the gap and plead for Your mercy (Ezek. 22:30-31; 29:6-7).

    • King of kings, use Israel's war against Hamas, Iran and Hizbullah to further Your foreign policy on earth, and move on more believers to also pray for this (Deut. 28:9-10; Psa. 9:19-20; Luke 11:2).

    • Lord God, reveal to Israel and to Your Body, how most global NGO's, including the UN and the EU, are part of a modern Tower of Babel – and are empowered by an anti-Christ spirit (1 John 2:18, 22).

    • God of Israel, teach Israel's Foreign Minister Sa'ar, its UN Ambassador Danon, and all of its foreign diplomats how to use Your Word to confound all of Israel's adversaries (Jer. 1:9-10; John 17:17).

    • God of Jacob, forbid the next Israeli government from trying to appease the nations in order to gain the world's favor (Isa. 26:13; Matt. 4:10).

    • God, make Israel fully independent from America and totally dependent on You (Psa. 118:8-9).

    • Arise, YHWH; let not mankind prevail: let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, YHWH that the nations may know themselves to be only men. Selah. (Psa. 9:19-20) Amen!

  4. Gaza:

    God continues to hinder US President Trump's dangerously naïve Gaza "ceasefire" plan (Prov. 16:1, 9). While Trump is focused on Iran today, Hamas' leaders constantly state that they will not disarm or give up rule over the 40% of Gaza under their control. We thank God that at least Israel believes them and the IDF is preparing to deal Hamas a death blow at the appropriate time.

    • Lord Yeshua, arrange circumstances in the near future concerning Gaza so that You will be glorified as it will openly be seen how You have commanded deliverances for Jacob (Psa. 44:4-5).

    • God, strengthen Israel so that its buffer zone in Gaza remains as part of Israel proper (Isa. 54:2-3).

    • We thank You that Bibi has just ordered the IDF to increase Israel's control over Gaza to 70%!

    • Lord God, when the war against Hamas restarts, aid the IDF to accomplish a great victory (2 Sam. 23:10, 12), and let Hamas be trapped in the snares they are currently setting for Israel (Psa. 7:15-16).

    • Creator God, shake the ground and bury all of Hamas' underground tunnels (Num. 16:31; Psa. 99:1).

    • Abba Father, reinforce Your overall protection over Israel's soldiers stationed in Gaza (Psa. 3:5-8).

    • Lord God, remove all legal and/or humanistic restraints that hinder the IDF from fighting against this, and any other, murderous terrorist organization in a biblical manner (Zech. 10:5).

    • Almighty, forbid Israel from conceding on its demand that Hamas be disarmed totally and cast out from having any part in the future governing of Gaza (Num. 23:23).

    • With recent reports revealing that about 80% of Gazans want to leave, Lord God Almighty help Israel to facilitate this as quickly and efficiently as possible (Job 38:13; Psa. 10:16; Jer. 12:14-17).

    • Lord, let more Israelis accept Gaza as part of their God-given inheritance (Zeph. 3:4a; Zech. 9:5).

  5. Internal security:

    God has not fully answered our requests for Israel to extend its rule over all the land west of the Jordan River, yet the steps Israelis and the current coalition have taken are very promising. The timing to completely fulfill this is God's, but He wants us to pray persistently into this (Ezek. 36:37; Luke 18:1) as it is clearly His declared will (Jer. 32:41-44).

    • Abba, as You are planting Your people in Your land with all of Your heart and soul (Jer. 32:41), and doing it for Your name's sake (Ezek. 36:21-24), show the Body of Messiah how central this is to Your end-time plans and have them seriously intercede for this to be fulfilled (Luke 11:2; 1 John 5:14-15).

    • King Yeshua, by Your Spirit, create in both Your Body and in Your nation a jealousy towards Your land that matches, at least in some degree, how You feel (Ezek. 36:5-15; Zech. 8:1-2).

    • King of Jacob, raise up in Israel's next government biblical Zionists who are zealous for Your sake to see all of the land of promise come under Israel's rule (Psa. 75:6-7; Jer. 32:41-44).

    • Messiah Yeshua, erase from the Body the unbiblical name, "West Bank," and replace it with those names You used when You walked on it – "Judea and Samaria" (Matt. 2:1; 24:16; John 4:4).

    • God of Abraham, illuminate Leviticus 25:23 and show Jews wherever they reside that You own the land and You have not given them permission to give it away for any reason whatsoever (Joel 3:1-2).

    • God of Isaac, let Your promises inspire Israel to spread its tent pegs over the land which You swore to give them, regardless of how other nations or global NGOs react (Judg. 2:1-4; Psa. 105:5-12).

    • Lord God, thank You that Israel is establishing buffer zones on all of its borders; please arrange it so that they will eventually be permanently under Israel's sovereignty (Isa. 54:2-3).

    • God of Moses, as You said in Exodus, go out with Israel's army against its enemies in the land and release Your fear to go before the IDF (23:27); drive out Israel's enemies (23:30); and expand its land to be in one accord with Your vision of what the Promised Land entails (23:31-33).

    • Lord God, set the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad against each other (Zech. 14:13).

    • Messiah, save many Palestinians and let them provoke Jews to jealousy (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 11:11).

  6. External security:

    As this is being written, an agreement between the US and Iran is still very much up in the air. Regardless of whether there is a renewal of war or an agreement that ends the conflict for now, our focus is on God's nation and its people. We perceive Satan trying to distract us – and you – from being intercessors for Israel through his manipulation of information overload.

    • Sovereign Lord, as Your thoughts and Your ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:6, 8-9), be very clear and precise as You guide us in intercession (Psa. 10:17; Amos 3:7).

    • Abba Father, You make covenants – not deals; so fulfill Your covenants with Israel, including Your unconditional covenant concerning all of the land (Gen. 15:17-18; Psa. 105:5-11; 111:5, 9).

    • King of Israel, You are still the God who is a Man of war; therefore arise and lead Israel as it wars against all of its modern-day adversaries, including in the West (Ex. 15:3a; Psa. 68:1, 30; 115:1-3).

    • Iran: Lord God of hosts, direct Israel and America to "finish the job," to destroy the Iranian regime, and by doing so to set the Iranian citizens free (Jer. 49:38b)!

    • Continue to sow division in Iran's leadership until their house collapses (Lam. 4:16a; Matt. 12:25)

    • Lord God, move supernaturally and quicken the readiness of Iran's next leaders, and provide them with great favor with their own people, with Israel and with America (Psa. 75:5-7; Dan. 2:21).

    • Regardless of whatever comes out of the on-going negotiations between America and Iran, Almighty King, speak clearly to Netanyahu and Israel as to what they need to do (1 Chr. 12:32).

    • Lord Messiah, conceal and protect Israel's spies and collaborators physically in Iran (Psa. 138:7).

    • Abba Father, use Iran's delaying tactics in the negotiations for Israel's good (Jer. 31:17, 27).

    • Lord God, block Trump's pride and arrogance from dragging him to sign a deal that is dangerous for Israel, America and most of the rest of the non-Shi'ite world (Prov. 8:13; 16:18; Isa. 23:9).

    • Abba Father, stiffen Trump to absolutely reject any deal with Iran unless it includes Iran's surrender of its enriched uranium and the total dismantling of its nuclear program (Prov. 21:1).

    • God, grant Israel wisdom concerning Iran's current ties with China and Russia (Psa. 94:16).

    • We praise You Lord Yeshua for setting up Your "throne" in Elam/Iran (Jer. 49:38a) as millions of Iranians have been saved over recent years; during the war, add many more Lord (Psa. 2:12)!

    • Hizbullah in Lebanon: Abba Father, fulfill Psalm 40:14-15 and 71:13, 24 in relation to Hizbullah.

    • Lord, show Israel that the best way to punish its Middle East enemies is to hold on to any of the land they capture – like all of South Lebanon which is a part of their inheritance anyway (Deut. 11:24).

    • All-wise God, impart great wisdom to Israel to become the leading nation in the use of drones – both offensive and defensive – and use this to let Hizbullah reap what they are sowing (Deut. 28:7, 13).

    • Meanwhile, Lord God, arise and defend the IDF from Hizbullah's drones (Psa. 68:33-35).

    • Lord God, wield Israel as Your weapon of war (Jer. 51:20-23) to completely smash Hizbullah and thus to free both northern Israel and all of Lebanon from them (Prov. 28:15: Psa. 9:5-6; Isa. 14:5).

    • Lord Yeshua, reveal to Your Body in Lebanon that not only is Hizbullah a curse to their nation, but so is their current government who continues to make unrighteous demands on Israel (Gen. 27:29b).

    • Other: King of kings, block any Middle Eastern nations from joining the Abraham Accords with Israel if they will be a danger to Israel, and overrule the future of these accords (Psa. 124:1-8).

    • Abba Father, open Trump's eyes to see why Israel views Turkey, Syria and Qatar as hostile nations and not "allies" of either Israel, America, or the West (Psa. 55:19-21).

    • Lord of hosts, supply Israel with accurate, and, if need be, actionable intelligence about the recently created defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan (Job 12:22; Prov. 16:5).

    • Lord God, be glorified through Israel's relations with the Syrian Druze and Kurds (Isa. 48:11).

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

  7. Aliyah:

    The explosion of Jew-hatred and anti-Zionism in nations where Jews, until recently, have lived safely is one of the ways God is using to show them that the "captivity" is over. This is also one of history's oft-repeated lessons as in each nation where Jews lived, at some time they were no longer welcomed or protected, and we are seeing this come to pass in most of the West today.

    • Lord God, use the expansion of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism to reveal to the Jews in the nations the signs of the times, and then turn their minds and hearts toward Zion (Jer. 51:9-10).

    • Abba, gift the spirit of the sons of Issachar to many Jews stuck in the captivity and show them not only the times but also what they ought to do – which is to swiftly move to Israel (1 Chr. 12:32a).

    • God of Israel, reveal to more Jewish religious leaders in the captivity that the return to Zion is for Your glory (Isa. 43:5-7) and that You are doing it today with all of Your heart and soul (Jer. 32:41).

    • Lord God, we bless You for gathering Your people home in great mercies (Isa. 54:7-8), yet we read daily of the hunters attacking Your people (Jer. 16:16), especially in the West, and so we pray for You to use these Jew-haters to increase the impact of Your mercy (Rom. 8:28).

    • King Messiah, decrease the ungodly fear of moving to Israel from Your people, and increase a godly fear of remaining in the nations and depending on gentiles to protect them (Jer. 50:4-8; 51:6).

    • Lord God, tear down all the gilded cages trapping Your people in "the captivity" (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • God of Abraham, speak to elderly Jews in the nations to release their children and grandchildren to return home – with their blessings and with their financial support (Ezra 1:3-4).

    • Abba, You said You would marry Your people to the land (Isa. 62:4-5), so please do that with every Jew who, as part of Your chosen remnant, returns and settles there (Isa. 10:20-22; 11:11).

    • Messiah Lord, draw home a tsunami of immigrants all at once and use it to wash away all man-made barriers in Israel that makes aliyah much more traumatic than it should be (Psa. 66:6; 98:8).

    • Abba, thank You for the recent Jerusalem Post article exposing the bureaucratic barriers in Israeli that make the aliyah process harder than it needs to be and we ask for You to use the article to remove every stone of stumbling from the path of Your people who desire to come home (Isa. 62:10).

    • Lord, open Israel's gates for a big remnant of Jews from "third-world" nations to enter (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Messiah Yeshua, Shepherd of Jacob, speak to Israelis who live in the nations, especially those who have met You there, that now is the time to return (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

    • Lord Yeshua, gift Your Body with more elders who perceive and speak about the link between may Your name be sanctified (Luke 11:2) and the return of Your people to Israel (Ezek. 36:21-24).

    • King Messiah, teach Your Body their biblical responsibility to help Jews to return home: in prayers, through finances, good works and by encouraging words (Isa. 49:22; 60:1-12; 61:5; Rom. 15:26-27).

  8. Salvation:

    God tells 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 word in Hebrew for "Christians." So a burden like Romans 10:1 should be a part of every believer's daily prayer list.

    • Almighty God of grace, hear our prayers and may the rest of 2026 be the year to fulfill Jeremiah 31:7 as You save Your people, the remnant of Israel (Jer. 31:7; cp. Psa. 14:7; Rom. 11:26).

    • Abba Father, teach believers how to share the good news of Messiah Yeshua by using verses from the Tanach [such as: Psa. 2:12; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7; Jer. 31:31-34; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 12:10]

    • Messiah Yeshua, provoke Jews to jealousy who made aliyah with help of gentile believers by the love and concern of these Christians, and use that to draw them to You (Jer. 31:3-5; Rom. 11:11).

    • God, as You promised in Ezekiel 36:26-27, give Jews who are back in the land a new heart and new spirit, as well as Your Spirit, and then let the fruit of repentance be evident (Ezek. 36:31-32).

    • God of David, turn Your people away from the humanistic rabbinic teachings and instead let them feast on Your Word and through that create in them a biblical mindset (Psa. 80:3, 7, 19: Jer. 15:16).

    • Abba Father, heal Israel's backsliding and love them freely through Messiah Yeshua (Hos. 14:4).

    • [Please ask the Lord about specific groups of Jews whom He would have you pray for this week.]

  9. Body of Messiah:

    To pray effectively for God's kingdom to come, we must see Him fulfilling His prophetic Word as He sets the stage for Messiah's return. The two major prophecies He is watching over to fulfill (Jer. 1:12) at this time is the release of the good news of Messiah globally and the regathering of the Jews to their land in order for them to be saved by a revelation of their true King and Messiah (Zech. 12:1-10, 14:1-4; Matt. 23:39).

    • Lord God, restore the truth and authority of Your Word to the Body (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

    • Show any believer that if they are resisting what You are doing with all of Your heart and soul today (Jer. 32:41), then obviously they are grieving Your Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).

    • Lord Yeshua, replace all teaching elders who teach replacement theory (1 John 2:9; 2 John 1:10-11).

    • [Again, I have included more prayers for the Body in most of the sections above.]

  10. IFI:

    What an exciting and exhausting time to be alive. We are very thankful for your continued support for us in prayer, words of encouragement and through your financial gifts.

Blessings and Shabbat shalom

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Jude 1:24-25