1. Praise :

   Isaiah 54:5 in Shabbat's prophetic portion applies to both Israel and to those who are grafted into Israel's olive tree in Messiah: For your Creator is your Husband, YHWH of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer the Holy of Israel; He shall be called the God of the whole earth.

   • We praise You God the Son for becoming the Son of Man so that You could become our Kinsman-Redeemer (Isa. 44:6, 22; Luke 1:68; Heb. 2:14-18; Rev. 5:9).

   • Thank You Abba, for knowing us even before You created us in our mother's womb (Jer. 1:5).

   • In these very dangerous days for Your nation Israel, we rejoice that You constantly present Yourself as the Lord [YHWH] of hosts – that is, the Lord of heaven's armies (Isa. 47:4; 48:2; Rev. 19:11-16).

   • We rejoice that You, Lord Yeshua, are God of the whole earth today (Matt. 28:18; 1 Pet. 3:21-22).

   • Good Shepherd, thank You for opening our ears so that we can hear and follow You (John 10:27).

2. Government & society :

   Israeli election campaigning is now in full swing. The anti-PM Bibi Netanyahu parties blame him for most of the nation's current problems. Much of this is by distorting facts or refusing to acknowledge the good that he and his coalition have done. We pray for Israel's voters to be protected against all manipulation – whether through lies, insinuations, half-truths, etc., and whether from man, the media, and increasingly from AI [Artificial Intelligence] (Num. 23:23).

   • Lord Yeshua, direct Your Body to pray about Israel's elections, revealing to them the link between Israel's restoration and Your return in glory (Isa. 46:13; Zech. 12:10; 14:3-4).

   • King Messiah, in Your authority override Israel's elections and create a righteous and Zionistic governing coalition that will bring You glory (Psa. 115:1-3; Prov. 16:33; Matt. 28:18).

   • Abba Father, unless You build the house man's labors are in vain (Psa. 127:1); please start building the next Israeli coalition using only politicians who are sons and daughters of Zion (Zech. 9:13).

   • God the Son, as You healed the eyes of blind Jews when You walked among them, so today heal the eyes of many Israelis to see clearly how You want them to vote (Isa. 42:16; Matt. 12:22).

   • Lord Yeshua, oversee Netanyahu and his coalition's time left in office and push them to complete everything that is vital for Israel and Your kingdom at this time (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

   • God of Gideon, as with Gideon, send Your Spirit to clothe Himself with Bibi (Judg. 6:34).

   • Lord God, enable the next government to orchestrate judicial reform in a manner that lines up with Your righteousness as revealed in Your Word (Deut. 25:15 [in the Torah portion]; Isa. 1:25-27)

   • Abba Father, guide the ultra-Orthodox [Haredi] who do join the IDF to bring out a good report and bless them and the many Haredi rabbis in Israel who openly support this growing trend (Num. 1:2-4).

   • While many of National Security Minister Ben-Gvir's plans are good, Lord visit him and put a guard over his words and deeds so that he acts with much more discernment (Psa. 17:3; 39:1; 141:3).

3. Foreign relations :

   Israel is regularly condemned by the UN, global NGOs, and most nations. This is in essence a spiritual battle so that nothing Israel does, or doesn't do, will stop these unjust and often anti-Semitic accusations. Satan, which literally means "Accuser" in the Hebrew, hates Israel and the Jews because God loves them and has anointed their King Messiah to destroy his demonic sway over this world (1 John 5:18-19; Rev. 12:9).

   • Abba Father, repeat that which You did when Balaam tried to curse Israel and turn all the curses from world leaders today into blessings because of Your love for Israel (Deut. 23:5).

   • Yeshua Lord, show Your Body how Isaiah 34:1-10 is being fulfilled today and do not let them miss the reason why You have threatened the world with such ominous judgment: For it is the day of YHWH's vengeance, the year of retribution for the controversy [+ strife] of Zion. (Isaiah 34:8)

   • Lord God, as the hatred of Israel increases, force Israel to dwell alone (Num. 23:9b), and show it that You actually forbid Your chosen nation from being a nation like any other (Ezek. 20:32-38).

   • Messiah Lord, encourage Israeli representatives worldwide to declare Your Word and bring to them Christian Zionists who will strengthen and help them to do this (Isa. 55:11; Heb. 4:12-13 [Note: there was no New Testament when Hebrews 4:12-13 was written!]).

   • We bless You for Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's wisdom, courage and boldness to defend Your nation on the world's stage and ask You to protect and save him (1 Sam. 2:30b; Jer. 31:7b).

   • Lord God, You heard the unfair criticisms against Israel this past week from Australia's Foreign Minister, Britain's Foreign Secretary and the US Ambassador to Turkey and we ask You to respond to these three who think Your nation is the real problem in the Middle East [ME] (Num. 22:31; 24:9b).

   • King of Israel, again we ask You alone to decide whether Bibi should travel to next month's annual UN General Assembly meeting in NYC – or to stay in Zion (Prov. 16:9; 19:21).

4. Gaza :

   Since Oct. 7th 2023, Israel has seen Hamas as today's Amalek. So what Moses says to Israel in the Torah portion is applicable today: Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you and killed those lagging behind, even all that were feeble…faint and weary. He feared not God. When YHWH your God gives you rest from all your enemies in the land YHWH your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget to do it. (Deut. 25:17-19; cp. Ex. 17:14-16)

   • God Almighty, may Your divine will concerning Hamas prevail (Psa. 33:10-11; Prov. 21:30).

   • Lord, we thank You that Israel knows how the new Hamas leader, Khalil al-Hayya, is as radical and deadly as Sinwar, the Hamas leader who planned the Oct. 7th massacre (Psa. 34:16).

   • Abba, let Trump and his negotiators also see what al-Hayya's rise to power means (Prov. 1:15-16).

   • Captain of heaven's hosts, guide all aspects of the IDF's war against Hamas (Josh. 5:13-6:5).

   • Lord God, we pray for Israel's warriors, lifting their arms up in the spirit realm and asking You to allow them to prevail over their modern-day Amalek enemy (Ex. 17:9-16)

   • Almighty, as Gaza is part of Judah's inheritance, fulfill Genesis 49:8b and empower the IDF's "hand to be on the neck of [its] enemies" – Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

   • God, remove Israel's fear of repossessing Gaza by the greater fear of disobeying You (Judg. 2:1-4).

   • Abba Father, watch over 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.

5. Internal security :

   Jews read Deuteronomy for Shabbat's Torah portions until mid-September. As we have already mentioned, Moses states more than 80 times in that book that God has given His land to His nation, and that Israel must obey Him and possess it (Obad. 1:17).

   • Lord Yeshua, direct Your Body to pray for Your will about Your land to be accomplished, as it is not only linked with Israel's salvation (Ezek. 36:24-32; Zech. 12:3-10), but also with the sanctification of Your holy name (Psa. 87:2; 115:1-3; Prov. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:3).

   • Lord God, as Jews read Shabbat's Torah portion, let them again be aware of how often You tell them to possess the land You have promised to them (Deut. 21:1a; 21:23, 33; 24:14; 25:15, 19).

   • Abba, we thank You for emphasizing this in the prophetic portion as You state in Isaiah 54:2-3, Enlarge the place of your tent; let them stretch forth the curtains of your dwelling places. Spare not, lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes, for you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left, and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make desolate cities to be inhabited.

   • God, it has been a joy to see Bibi's coalition take this directive to heart and to enlarge Israel's "tent" in Judea and Samaria and even make cities that were desolate because of Sharon's disengagement plan to be inhabited again (Isa. 49:19; Jer. 33:10-11). Honor them for this (1 Sam. 2:30b).

   • Lord God, let Your Word hammer those tent pegs even firmer into the ground (Jer. 23:29).

   • Abba Father, thank You for using the extremist citizens of Judea and Samaria for good (Rom. 8:28), although their deeds are not good, by making Israel consider placing all of Area C's civilians under civil control and replace the IDF with the Israeli Police, which means Israel would be extending its sovereignty over more of Judea and Samaria (Jer. 32:41-44),

   • Almighty God of Israel, fulfill Ezekiel 28:25-26 at this time and execute Your judgments on all of Israel's enemies – both inside and on the borders of its land.

   • Lord of hosts; replace every military leader who thinks humanistically about their role with sons and daughters of Zion who will perceive Your will in all conflicts (Obad. 1:21; Zech. 12;8).

   • Divine Commander, enable Israel's security forces 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).

   • Almighty King, increase the angelic protection over Israeli shepherds and farmers who are being increasingly attacked by local Palestinian gangs (Psa. 3:5-8; 23:4).

   • God, support Israel's efforts to halt the Palestinians from creating facts on Your land (Num. 21:3).

   • Merciful God, deal with Muslims inside of Israel as per Jeremiah 12:14-17 and save many, but also remove completely everyone who continues to bow to their false god Allah (Psa. 10:16).

6. External security :

   America and Iran are still at war yet it has become more of an economic war today. Meanwhile, the US still holds Israel back from destroying Hizbullah, Iran's main proxy, as it wants to see at least a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon. Yet without Hizbullah destroyed, no real peace will be available for either Lebanon or Israel, and neither will Iran be defeated.

   • Abba, if we are seeing You move pieces to set up Micah 4:11-13, such as the recent Mecca Pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, please show us how to pray so that we are asking for things which are Your will at this time (Amos 3:7).

   • Lord God, whenever and wherever Israel fights against its enemies, arise and fight with them as You have done many times before (Josh. 10:11; Judg. 5:20; Isa. 30:30).

   • Encourage Israel's army and people that You are the same God that they read about in the Tanach, so that there are still more with them than with their enemies (2 Kin. 6:15-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8).

   • Almighty One, show the IDF how to make its Iron Beam laser weapon more effective (Psa. 144:1).

   • Iran: Lord Yeshua, use Your Body in Iran as a spiritual Trojan Horse, and guide them in prayer to advance Your Kingdom through the downfall of the Shi'ite Islamic spirit (Psa. 33:22; 118:4; 123:3).

   • Abba Father, if breaking Iran up into several nations [Greek – ethnos] based on the various ethnic groups already there—groups that have been controlled by the evil Shi’ite regime—is what is best for the future of its citizens, then do it swiftly and do not let Arab or world opinion stop it (Isa. 40:15, 17, 21-24).

   • Lord Messiah, set Hamas, the Houthis and Hizbullah as albatrosses around Iran's neck, separate all four of these anti-Christ groups from each other and bring their houses down (Matt. 12:25).

   • King of kings, use Iran's attacks against other ME Arab nations to destroy the reputation of Allah in the minds of every thinking Muslim (Psa. 95:3; 96:4-5).

   • Hizbullah in Lebanon: Thank You that Hizbullah's reason for existing – to murder Jews and destroy Israel – is showing itself in such a way that Israel simply cannot allow Hizbullah to remain near its northern borders, and in fact remain in Lebanon period (Joel 2:17-21).

   • We ask for a biblical solution to the Lebanese situation – including Israel possessing its inheritance in southern Lebanon – and we pray against all politically-correct solutions (Psa. 33:10-11; Isa. 14:24).

   • God, continue dividing the Lebanese government and many of its people from Hizbullah (Psa. 55:9).

   • Lord God of Israel, as the IDF pulls back from agreed-upon pilot zones to see if Lebanon's army can disarm Hizbullah, let the reality of that be revealed quickly (Judg. 9:33).

   • Abba Father, swiftly drain Hizbullah's finances by destroying their global drug trade (Job 21:13).

   • Other: God, stir up moderate Turks to overthrow Erdogan's wicked reign (Prov. 28:15; 29:12).

   • Lord Yeshua, let the Body of Messiah in Turkey lead the way in prayer (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

   • Lord of hosts, shake Erdogan and his rule as he watched Israel bomb an airfield in Syria where he was about to position his military forces and let him truly understand that since Oct. 7th Israel is now much more aggressive against its enemies' plans (Isa. 41:14-16; Ezek. 37:10).

   • Lord Yeshua, burden US believers to pray that Trump's "love-affair" with Erdogan would be broken before he naively helps to upgrade Turkey's army (Prov. 16:5).

   • All-wise God, expose the wolves in sheep's clothing who now rule in Syria (Jer. 13:23).

   • Lord, protect Israel's relations with India, Azerbaijan, Greece, Cyprus, and Somaliland (Prov. 18:24).

7. Aliyah :

   In Isaiah 54:7-8 in the prophetic portion, God sees the almost 2,000 year captivity of Jews in the nations as only a small moment and only a little wrath! Then He states that He will gather His people back home with great mercies! This is what we are praying for today.

   • Lord God, bring home Your chosen remnant, those Jews whom You have ordained to settle on Your land – in great mercies and for Your holy name's sake (Isa. 10:20-22; 11:11; Ezek. 36:22-24).

   • Lord God, thank You for all of the Jews who have made aliyah since Oct. 7th, yet a majority remain in the captivity, so we ask You in mercy to bring back many more (Isa. 54:7-8; Jer. 31:3).

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

   • Almighty God, let the expansion of anti-Israel/anti-Semitic acts in the West wake up any Jews who never considered making aliyah to determine to come home as soon as possible (Jer. 50:4-8).

   • King Messiah, raise up more Jewish sons and daughters of Zion in the captivity who will openly and boldly speak to their fellow-Jews to make aliyah and will also lead many back home (Jer. 50:4-5).

   • Lord, raise up a new generation of Sons of Zion gatekeepers who will open up the gates of Israel to multitudes of Jews, regardless of their financial situation, skin color or religious beliefs (Psa. 122:2).

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

   • Abba Father, remove the mountain which blocks aliyah for many Jews, the rabbis' limited definition of who is a Jew, and replace it with the biblical definition (Mark 7:9, 13).

   • Messiah Yeshua, teach Your Body that Isaiah 60:3-11 and 16 speaks of gentile believers as being an integral part of the restoration of Israel in these last days.

   • Lord Yeshua, give Your Body more elders who know, and are willing to talk about, the connection between may Your name be sanctified (Luke 11:2) and Jews returning to Israel (Ezek. 36:21-24).

   • Precious Lord, pour out Your grace, favor and sufficient finances on every believing organization whose main ministry is to facilitate the aliyah process (Isa. 49:22; Rom. 15:27).

8. Salvation :

   We are in Ellul, known in Judaism as the month of repentance. It is a time when many Jews prepare themselves to enter the fall feasts of the Lord with a heart more pleasing to God. As the shofar is blown in the synagogue each morning, Jews gather to pray prayers of repentance.

   • Abba, regardless of why Jews attend services during Ellul, draw them and save them (Psa. 28:9).

   • Lord God, as You often did in the Bible, like with Paul, redeem many of Your people very suddenly and very dramatically (Acts 2:37; 9:3-6).

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

   • King Messiah, lead Your Body to consistently pray for Israel's salvation (Rom. 10:1; 11:26).

   • Lord Yeshua, save a large remnant of Holocaust survivors and their families; survivors of terrorism; ex-hostages and their loved ones; IDF soldiers and families; loved ones of soldiers killed or severely injured; Israelis with PTSD; Israeli medical personnel; widows, widowers, orphans, children who are traumatized; Jewish politicians, judges, lawyers, diplomats; university students, teachers, professors; scientists; rabbis and Jewish anti-missionaries; Jews in Judea and Samaria; Jews on their death beds; Jews shamed by 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, India, and Turkey; Jews married to gentile believers; unsaved loved ones of Messianic Jews.

9. Body of Messiah :

   The disconnect between so much of the Church's theology today and the visible miraculous prophetic fulfillment God is completing today through the resurrection and restoration of Israel to its land must truly grieve the Holy Spirit.

   • Lord, as believers hear their elders say that "Israel" is the Church today, yet they see many biblical prophecies coming to pass literally, turn them to seek Your Word about what is true (John 17:17).

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

   • King Yeshua, promote in Your Body more genuine prophets, sons of Issachar," who know the signs of the times and what Israel, and Your Body, are supposed to do (1 Chr. 12:32).

   • Abba Father, reveal to the Body that what You said to Balaam is still valid: …you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed. (Num. 22:12b)

   • Lord God of Jacob, enable gentile believers to see that their eternal destiny is tied in with Israel and not with their birth-nations (Eph. 2:11-22).

IFI: Prophetic events are happening with more frequency and with more "pain" – just like the labor pains of a woman about to give birth. Because of this, we need to know specifically from God what are our targets in prayer. Please continue to ask Him to guide us so that we will complete His assignment and continue to hit the arrows on the ground – for His holy name's sake.

Thank you, blessings and Shabbat shalom
Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team
Rev. 22:21