1. Praise:

    Shabbat's prophetic portion ends with Zechariah 4:6-7. Israel's national emblem is not the Star of David, but the Menorah [lampstand] with two olive branches on either side (Zech. 4:2-3). Part of verse 6 is written on the very large Menorah in front of Israel's Knesset [parliament]: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says YHWH of hosts. Amen!

    • Lord, we praise You that the Menorah is Israel's national emblem as You have resurrected it to be Your light to the nations in these days of gross darkness (Isa. 60:1-2).

    • We bless You that Your Word gives us light and Your Spirit insight into Your ways (Psa. 36:9).

    • We thank You Abba that Zechariah 4:7 ends with the proclamation of "grace" – which for Israelis, as well as for us, is the only way to have a personal relationship with You (Ex. 33:16-17).

    • We are encouraged to read in the Torah portion how You rebuked Moses because he questioned if You could actually fulfill Your Word (Num. 11:23; Matt. 24:35).

    • God is not a man that He should lie; nor the son of man that He should repent [change His mind]: He has said and shall He not do it? He has spoken and shall He not make it good?Num. 23:19

  2. Government & society:

    Israel is heading to new elections sometime between mid-September and the end of October. The results of these elections are vitally important for Israel's future. Now God already knows the outcome and what Israel will be facing – yet He expects us to pray and by that to co-labor with Him to see His kingdom come on earth in all of its glory (Matt. 25:31)!

    • God, send out Your light and Your truth, and let them lead Israel's electorate as they vote and us as we pray (Psa. 43:3a; cp. Psa. 23:3b).

    • Lord Yeshua, move Your Body in Israel and globally to pray for Israel's elections by showing them the link between Israel's restoration and Your return (Isa. 46:13; Jer. 23:6; Zech. 12:10; 14:3-4).

    • Abba Father, oversee the election results and receive all of the glory (Psa.115:1-3; Prov. 16:33).

    • We thank You Lord for promoting more sons of Zion throughout Israel (Isa. 52:2; Mic. 4:13; Zech. 2:10; 9:13), and ask that the elections would remove many of the sons of Greece (Psa. 75:6-7).

    • Lord God of Israel, let Your fear fall upon the ultra-Orthodox political parties as they seem to only fight for their own special interests – and not for the interests of the nation as a whole (Eccl. 12:13).

    • God Almighty, orchestrate PM Bibi Netanyahu's time left in office so that he accomplishes all that is absolutely vital for Israel at this stage of history (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

    • God of Israel, forbid Netanyahu, or any other coalition politician, from viewing all that they say or do today through a filter of what is best for them in the upcoming elections (Matt. 6:34).

    • Lord, show Bibi that his yielding to US President Trump in areas concerning Israel's security could cost him the election and let that reality overcome his fear of saying "no" to Trump (Prov. 29:25).

    • Put the same spirit on him in his relations with Trump that David had with Saul (1 Sam. 18:14-15).

    • Lord God, strengthen Israel's current coalition to move ahead with that You have ordained for them to do during the brief time they have left to serve Your nation (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • King Messiah, as Israel's restoration is for Your holy name's sake, use Israel's political and military leaders to further that goal and enable them to work in unity (Ezek. 36:20-24; 37:21-22).

    • Lord, guide Israelis away from choosing a government which would reverse the godly progress of its current government in many areas (Ex. 14:15; Ezra 10:4-5; Luke 9:62).

    • Abba Father, inflict Israel's anti-Zionist media with laryngitis (Prov. 12:13; Isa. 52:15; Luke 1:20) so that the people can hear the truth about the choices they will be making (Psa. 25:5a; 43:3).

    • Creator God, impart wisdom to the next government to legislate much-needed judicial reforms and to bring Israel's judicial system closer in line with Your will (Deut. 1:16; 16:18; Psa. 2:10-12).

    • We praise You Lord God for the example in the Torah portion of how prayer turns Your judgment into mercy (Num. 11:1-2) and we ask You to have great mercy on Israel during this season.

  3. Foreign relations:

    The most urgent foreign relations situation for Israel today is how to deal with the US President. Trump has recently said things that have us very concerned about how this man thinks, and we would hope that the Body of Messiah in America is very concerned as well.

    • God, we ask for US believers to perceive that when Trump speaks very disrespectful to or about Netanyahu – You are very displeased with him – and let them cry out for mercy (Gen. 12:3a).

    • Abba, raise red flags in the American Body over Trump's declaration that Israel would have been destroyed if it were not for him as he, in his pride, is putting himself in Your place (Jer. 31:35-37).

    • Lord, wake up Trump's Christian Advisory council to warn him how his huge ego has placed his nation and himself in the bullseye of Your judgments (Psa. 9:19-20)!

    • King of kings, anoint Israel's leaders and diplomats to know when to bend, and when not to, as they deal with Trump and all other global leaders (Psa. 9:19-20; 17:4-5; 141:3; Mat. 10:16).

    • Abba Father, as You once did with Moses and Jeremiah, so do again with all of Israel's diplomats, including Bibi, and put Your Words in their mouths (Ex. 4:11-12; Jer. 1:9).

  4. Gaza:

    Hamas refuses to disarm despite having agreed to it and despite Trump's "Board of Peace" begging them to do it. Also, the billions of dollars that nations promised to aid Gaza have not yet arrived. Thankfully, the IDF is still striking Hamas and is ready to ramp up the war and destroy this modern day Amalek-like enemy – when it is released to do so (Ex. 17:16; Deut. 25:17-19).

    • God of Judah, override all other plans and let Your ordained plans for Gaza prevail (Psa. 33:10-11).

    • Messiah Yeshua, as Obadiah 1:11-14 essentially describes the Oct. 7th massacre, we pray for You to arise and war against Hamas until it is destroyed (Ex. 17:14-16; Psa. 68:30b).

    • We praise You Lord God that Israel's Defense Minister Katz and the IDF Chief of Staff Zamir knew that Hamas would not disarm and are preparing the IDF to finish the war (Psa. 44:4-6).

    • Lord of hosts, as with Joshua, Gideon, David, and others, impart Your strategies and tactics to the IDF to shock, divide and defeat Hamas completely (Josh. 6:2-5; Judg. 7:16-18; 2 Sam. 5:23-24).

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

    • Almighty Creator, create another shaking similar to what the Philistines experienced (1 Sam. 14:15), and use that to shake up and destroy all of Hamas' remaining tunnels (Job 9:6).

    • Abba, let the war against Iran drain most of Hamas' and Islamic Jihad's finances (Prov. 11:4a).

    • Faithful King, fulfill Isaiah 44:26 and let the world see Israeli communities once again thriving in Gaza, which is part of the land promised to the tribe of Judah.

    • King Yeshua, build up, protect, and guide every Arab believer in Gaza and move on the worldwide Body to intercede for our family who live under Hamas' heels (Matt. 16:18).

  5. Internal security:

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

    • Lord Yeshua, burden Your Body to pray for Your will to be done concerning Your land as its fate is tied in not only to Israel's salvation (Ezek. 36:24-32; Zech. 12:3-10), but also to the sanctification of Your name (Psa. 87:2; 115:1-3; Prov. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:3).

    • King Messiah, rebuke all born-again believers who support the creation of a "Palestine" on Your land, as this is one very obvious plot of Satan's to hinder Your return (Matt. 16:23; 23:37-39).

    • We bless You Abba for the superb effort Israel's current coalition is doing to extend Israel's rule over more of its land and ask You to not let them become weary in well-doing (Isa. 54:2-3; Gal. 6:9).

    • Almighty, guide Israel to redeem its land step by step until it is all under its control (Deut. 7:22-23).

    • We praise You God that Jews now have greater liberty to pray and praise You on the Temple Mount and we ask You to bless Minster of National Security Ben-Gvir for this new reality (Psa. 100:4-5).

    • Arise God and curtail the global and Israeli NGOs who falsely accuse and blacken the reputation of most of the residents of Judea and Samaria (Prov. 6:12-15).

    • In line with Shabbat's Torah portion, Abba Father, hear our prayers as silver trumpets blowing an alarm and remember Your nation and save it from its enemies in Your land (Num. 10:9).

    • Lord of hosts, release Your angelic armies to war against the demonic forces behind Israel's enemies upon Your land (2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8; Dan. 10:12-13).

    • Abba Father, watch over Psalm 10:16 and rid Your land of the spirit of Islam.

    • Divine Commander, anoint Israel's security forces throughout the land to fight like the prophesied sons of Zion against all Palestinian and Arab-Israeli terrorists (Zech. 9:13-15; 10:3a-7; 12:5-6).

  6. External security:

    As I wrote last week an agreement between the US and Iran is still 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. Yet Satan tries to distract all of us from being intercessors for Israel through his manipulation of "information overload".

    • Lord God of Israel, we proclaim what Moses did in Shabbat's Torah portion: Rise up, YHWH, let Your enemies be scattered, and let them that hate You flee before You. (Num. 10:35)

    • Abba Father, rise up and complete Your threats as written in Isaiah 10:33 against Your arrogant enemies, which includes Iran, Hizbullah, the Houthis and Hamas today.

    • Lord of hosts; intensify the activities of Your angelic hosts guarding Israel at this time (Psa. 35:5-6).

    • Iran: Lord God, we ask You to override Israel and especially America, and order them to "finish the job" by destroying Iran's Shi'ite regime, and through this to set the Iranians free (Jer. 49:38b)!

    • God, intensify the division between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp and the various political leaders still alive in Iran and use that to hasten the regime's complete downfall (Matt. 12:25).

    • King Yeshua, show Israel and America where Iran's enriched uranium stashes are hidden and guide them to either take control of them or to destroy them (Jer. 23:24; 49:10).

    • God, with Israel basically sidelined by Trump while he negotiates with Iran, prepare Your nation, who is Your weapon of war, to deal with Iran alone if that is what needs to happen (Jer. 51:20-24).

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

    • Sovereign God, be glorified in the "day-after" plans for Iran and Lebanon (Psa. 30:10-11; 115:1-3).

    • Hizbullah in Lebanon: King Messiah, we asked You to fulfill Joel 2:17-21 and drive Hizbullah far off from Israel's northern border, and we thank You that the IDF is doing just that (1 John 5:14-15).

    • Thank You God for aiding Israel's progress in offensive and defensive drone warfare (Prov. 21:31).

    • As it is being perfected, please Lord, enhance Your protection over the soldiers in Lebanon and the civilians along Israel's northern border who are under the threat of Hizbullah's drones (Psa. 121:4).

    • God, reveal all of Hizbullah's weapons caches, tunnels and hiding places to the IDF (Job 28:11b).

    • Lord God, anoint Lebanese believers who know how to pray biblically for their nation (Jam. 5:16b).

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

    • Abba, break the ties between Turkey and Egypt, and use Turkey's President Erodgan's arrogant pride and hatred of Israel to bring this treacherous alliance to ruin (Psa. 33:10; Prov. 17:19).

    • God, we thank You that Israel now sees Qatar as a hostile-state, yet Trump still does not and as this is dangerous for both Israel and America, open his eyes to perceive Qatar's diabolic schemes and its total support for Islamic jihad [holy war] against the West (Est. 8:3; Prov. 21:1; Luke 12:2).

  7. Aliyah:

    The regathering and restoration of the Jews to their God-given land is the backbone of all end-time prophecies leading up to our Lord's return. Without aliyah, Israel would not have needed to be restored as a nation (Isa. 66:8-9); it would not have needed to become that exceedingly great army (Ezek. 37:10); nations would not have any reason to war against Jerusalem (Zech. 12:2-3); and thus Messiah could not return (Zech. 14:1-4). Also, most of God's end-time judgments on the nations are because of their refusal to stand with Israel's restoration (Isa. 60:12; Zech. 12:9). Yet how many in the Body actually perceive the centrality of aliyah to God's plans to wrap up this age?

    • Lord Yeshua, reveal to every Christian Zionist how central and essential the aliyah is to Your end-time plans (Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:10; 32:41; Zech. 12:3-10).

    • Messiah, stir up Your Body to intercede for the Jews in their nations to make aliyah (Ezek. 36:37), and show them that this is declared in Your Word to be for Your holy name's sake (Ezek. 36:22-24).

    • Lord God, strip Christian Zionists of a Laban-like spirit and let them not only bless the Jews when they make aliyah, but encourage and help them to return to Zion (Gen. 30:27).

    • Lord Yeshua, anoint us with very precise prayers that can break the spiritual chains that bind Your people as prisoners in "the captivity" among the gentile nations (Psa. 124:7-8).

    • God of Jacob, reveal to Western Jews that they can either preserve their lifestyles or their life and the lives of their loved ones by "fleeing" from today's "Babylon" (Jer. 30:10; 46:27).

    • Lord, rebuke Jewish pride which says, "They will not chase us out!" by showing them that You are the One chasing them out in order to draw them home (Prov. 16:18; Isa. 43:5-7; Jer. 31:3-5).

    • God, prevent Jews from dismissing the threats shouted from the rooftops by Muslims in the West that they want to kill every Jew – and not just Jewish Israelis (Psa. 120:6-7).

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

    • Abba Father, be actively involved in guiding Israel as it develops emergency plans to receive a large number of Jews who will need to flee to Israel in a short space of time (Isa. 11:11-12).

    • God of Israel, replace all bureaucrats in Israel's Interior Ministry or the Jewish Agency who are just lukewarm about aliyah with those who are as zealous as You (Zech. 8:1-8).

    • Lord God of Jacob, open wide the gates to Your nation to all whom You see as Jews, regardless of what modern Rabbinic Judaism states (Isa. 62:10; Mark 7:9).

  8. Salvation:

    Zechariah 2:10-11 in Shabbat's prophetic reading reveals Messiah's divinity and that this Promised Redeemer would draw many gentiles to be a part of His chosen people. Also, it indicates that there is a unity in the Godhead – and not a singularity – as we read of two Yahweh's in these verses. [See Zech. 2:8-9 for the context of who is actually speaking.]

    • Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion, for, behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says YHWH. And many gentiles shall be joined to YHWH in that day, and shall be My people, and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that YHWH of hosts has sent Me unto you. (Zech. 2:10-11) [Note: In the gospel of John, Yeshua states around 40x that God had sent Him!]

    • Lord God, confront Your people with these verses and instead of having them going to their rabbis for answers, draw them to seek You for clarity (Psa. 24:6; 40:16; 69:32b).

    • Abba Father, impart a "holy dissatisfaction" to many Jews and direct them to read all of the Tanach, and not just the Torah (Psa. 80:3, 7; Jer. 15:16; Luke 24:27, 44-47).

    • God of Jacob, send out many more laborers into the various Jewish harvest fields (Matt. 9:37-38).

    • Messiah Yeshua, reveal Yourself to many in Israel's LGBTQ+ community, and turn them away from being proud of their anti-biblical lifestyle to being genuinely broken and repentant of it (Isa. 57:15).

    • Lord Yeshua, save a huge remnant of Holocaust survivors and families; survivors of terrorism; hostages and loved ones; IDF soldiers and families; loved ones of soldiers killed or severely injured; Israelis with PTSD; medical personnel; widows, widowers, orphans, traumatized children; politicians, judges, lawyers, diplomats; university students, teachers, professors; astronomers, scientists; rabbis and Jewish anti-missionaries; Jews in Judea and Samaria; Jews on their death beds; Jews with shame over past abortions; Israeli archeologists and tour guides; Israelis in the nations; Jews who just made aliyah; alcoholics, drug-addicts, hippies, LGBTQ+, new agers; Jews in Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey, India, and China; Jews married to gentile believers; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

  9. Body of Messiah:

    The reason why believers, especially in the West, are confused by, or even stand against Israel's restoration, is their lack of seeing the Tanach as still being a vital part of God's Word today. Regardless of why they think this, it results in a belittling of that part of the Word that Yeshua and the early believers read, loved, and trusted (2 Tim. 3:15-17)!

    • Messiah Yeshua, confront any believer who for whatever reason rejects the Tanach as still being part of Your full counsel (Jer. 23:29; John 5:46-47; Acts 20:27).

    • Good Shepherd, show believers that in context the word "scripture" in the New Testament can only refer to the Old Testament – the Tanach (Matt. 22:29; Luke 4:21; Gal. 3:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).

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

    • Lord Messiah, train Your Body to discern truth from lies in today's media through developing a worldview that is based on the ultimate truth as revealed in Your Word (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 2:15).

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

  10. IFI:

    Another "exciting week"! Another chance to seek God for what is happening as the media is extremely unreliable. Yet we feel the tension as well as we strive to allow God to direct our prayers. Please continue to pray for us to be able to do. Thank you so much for all of your support.

Blessings and Shabbat shalom

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Zech. 4:6-7