Every Wednesday evening we gather for intercession for the restoration of Israel.
The following is shared with you to help you in your own praying and interceding.
These are prayer directions rather than prayer points.
We want to leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group to pray as you are led.
If you would like to receive these Prayer Directions regularly, or
If at any time you want to be removed from the list, please write us at:
ofer@israelprayercenter.org
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The following is shared with you to help you in your own praying and interceding.
These are prayer directions rather than prayer points.
We want to leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group to pray as you are led.
If you would like to receive these Prayer Directions regularly, or
If at any time you want to be removed from the list, please write us at:
ofer@israelprayercenter.org
****
Momentous events in Israel this week
This week has seen some momentous events in Israel. The battles at the Gaza borders, the moving of the US embassy in Jerusalem, the expelling of diplomats between Turkey and Israel, and this week is not even over.
Some light as to what really happened in Gaza - The nations lost no time in condemning Israel for its "barbaric" killing of innocent Gazans who were "peacefully" marching by Israel's borders. But had they waited a day or two, they would have learned that the Hamas itself admitted that 50 of the 61 who died on May 14, were its operatives (who were sent to attack Israel under the cover of women and children). (Read this here.)
Furthermore, a captured Hamas terrorist exposed Hamas tactics and motives behind recent events. He said, "They control the Gaza Strip, and everything that happens there goes through them." He further explained Hamas' reasoning behind events: "Hamas organizes these riots so that the people won't revolt. Hamas tell themselves, instead of having people revolt and turn against us, we'll send them to the fence and let them 'revolt' there freely," (to read the article and watch the video click here).
As Mark Twain said: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."1 But of course, what the nations do and say are not about truth at all anymore, but about manipulating words to achieve a self-serving agenda. No one really cares about the Palestinians in Gaza; otherwise, they would do their utmost best to free the Gazans from Hamas rule.
We were led to pray for Israel and the nations from Isaiah 2
Is. 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
Is. 2:2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
Is. 2:3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Is. 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more.
In these verses, we see that in the last days, God would cause Israel to rise above other nations (mountains here are nations, hills are smaller nations O.A.) and be established at the very top. Israel's rising, rising from the dead as it were, has caused and continues to create, huge political quakes; and tremendous opposition. It is clear that this move is against God as much as it is against Israel.
Verse three shows the nations coming to Jerusalem to hear the word of God to learn His ways. We don't see that today do we? What causes the change of heart? Verse four reveals it: God sends His Word (law) from Zion, this word is a rebuke and a judgment that causes the nations to change their ways, turning their weapons to useful instruments. That is the only true "peace process" that will work! What a Word must it be, to change nations!.
We continued with Isaiah 2:5-11 and prayed for Israel's salvation.
Some of these verses describe modern Israel: Rich, strong, but also full of idols and self-admiration. Our leaders are expressing some of these attitudes. And while Israel can be proud of its achievements, wrong pride can lead to idolatry, and so:
We prayed for the US president, Trump
President Trump is a bit like Jehu who rode furiously. He has done things such as move the US embassy to Jerusalem, withstood North Korea, pulled out of the agreement with Iran; these were all unthinkable only a few months ago. We were reminded of Jehu because Jehu was a man outside of the system. He came from "nowhere," and so did things that were unthinkable. Trump, also, has come from outside of the "system" and is doing things that everyone says he cannot do. We recognize that this can be an extraordinary period and that at some point it will pass.
Finally, we prayed for Israel's security
We prayed from Ezekiel 38. We are not thinking or saying that we are at that time, but we recognize that some of the same principles are at work already and we acknowledged that the Lord is sovereign over the nations and enemies.
Blessings from Jerusalem,
______________________________________
1. https://goo.gl/QthDmG
This week has seen some momentous events in Israel. The battles at the Gaza borders, the moving of the US embassy in Jerusalem, the expelling of diplomats between Turkey and Israel, and this week is not even over.
Some light as to what really happened in Gaza - The nations lost no time in condemning Israel for its "barbaric" killing of innocent Gazans who were "peacefully" marching by Israel's borders. But had they waited a day or two, they would have learned that the Hamas itself admitted that 50 of the 61 who died on May 14, were its operatives (who were sent to attack Israel under the cover of women and children). (Read this here.)
Furthermore, a captured Hamas terrorist exposed Hamas tactics and motives behind recent events. He said, "They control the Gaza Strip, and everything that happens there goes through them." He further explained Hamas' reasoning behind events: "Hamas organizes these riots so that the people won't revolt. Hamas tell themselves, instead of having people revolt and turn against us, we'll send them to the fence and let them 'revolt' there freely," (to read the article and watch the video click here).
As Mark Twain said: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."1 But of course, what the nations do and say are not about truth at all anymore, but about manipulating words to achieve a self-serving agenda. No one really cares about the Palestinians in Gaza; otherwise, they would do their utmost best to free the Gazans from Hamas rule.
We were led to pray for Israel and the nations from Isaiah 2
Is. 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
Is. 2:2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
Is. 2:3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Is. 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more.
In these verses, we see that in the last days, God would cause Israel to rise above other nations (mountains here are nations, hills are smaller nations O.A.) and be established at the very top. Israel's rising, rising from the dead as it were, has caused and continues to create, huge political quakes; and tremendous opposition. It is clear that this move is against God as much as it is against Israel.
Verse three shows the nations coming to Jerusalem to hear the word of God to learn His ways. We don't see that today do we? What causes the change of heart? Verse four reveals it: God sends His Word (law) from Zion, this word is a rebuke and a judgment that causes the nations to change their ways, turning their weapons to useful instruments. That is the only true "peace process" that will work! What a Word must it be, to change nations!.
- We prayed for the Lord to continue to watch over His Word to perform it
- We prayed he would continue to bless this land and continue to raise it
- We prayed for a change in leadership in many nations. (Think of how the Lord caused leaders to change in some countries to support His plan for Israel - in Canada, in Australia, in the US., even if it was temporary
- We prayed for the leaders of nations to humble themselves and take God's advice from Psalm 2
- We prayed for the Church in nations to rise and be a light in these matters
- We prayed for the Church in nations to take its place in mighty intercessions
- We prayed for the mighty preaching of the Word of God from the pulpits of the Church in the different nations
- We prayed for leaders in different nations to have someone close to them advise them godly advice (President Truman had Edward Jacobson who urged him to recognize the establishment of Israel and to support it. Trump has Jared Kushner, etc.
- We thanked God for the moving of the US and the Guatemalan embassies to Jerusalem and prayed that many more nations would follow suit (it will do good to those nations)
We continued with Isaiah 2:5-11 and prayed for Israel's salvation.
Some of these verses describe modern Israel: Rich, strong, but also full of idols and self-admiration. Our leaders are expressing some of these attitudes. And while Israel can be proud of its achievements, wrong pride can lead to idolatry, and so:
- We gave God the glory for what Israel has become
- We thanked Him for making Israel prosperous and strong
- We recognized Israel's achievements as a result of God's blessings and help
- We prayed that the Lord would rain upon us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, the spirit of prayer and beseeching and humility
- We prayed He would reveal Himself to our nation and that this revelation would bring us to our knees in adoration and admiration and wonder -- thus ascribing all the greatness and great goodness to our God and Him alone
- We recognized our need for salvation as a nation
We prayed for the US president, Trump
President Trump is a bit like Jehu who rode furiously. He has done things such as move the US embassy to Jerusalem, withstood North Korea, pulled out of the agreement with Iran; these were all unthinkable only a few months ago. We were reminded of Jehu because Jehu was a man outside of the system. He came from "nowhere," and so did things that were unthinkable. Trump, also, has come from outside of the "system" and is doing things that everyone says he cannot do. We recognize that this can be an extraordinary period and that at some point it will pass.
- We prayed for the Lord to achieve all that He wants to through Trump; as it concerns Israel.
- We prayed for the maximum benefit for Israel from this period
- We recognized that the world is in turmoil and that this particular time is essential for Israel and the US as well.
- We thanked God for the truth that this administration is speaking in the public arena such as the UN Security Council, and other UN forums.
- We prayed for the Lord to guard this time and bring it to fullness so that it will accomplish all that it is meant to.
Finally, we prayed for Israel's security
We prayed from Ezekiel 38. We are not thinking or saying that we are at that time, but we recognize that some of the same principles are at work already and we acknowledged that the Lord is sovereign over the nations and enemies.
- God brings the nations against Israel (Eze. 38:4)
- God calls them to prepare themselves (Eze. 38:7)
- God will rise in a fury against the enemies of Israel (Eze. 38:18)
- God will deal with the nations who come against Israel (Eze. 38:20)
- The nations will know that He is the LORD (Eze. 38:23)
- We acknowledged God's sovereignty and lordship over the nations
- We acknowledged God's control of the nations
- We thanked Him for giving Israel victory over its immediate enemies (Iran, Hamas)
- We prayed that the Lord would continue to protect our borders and people
Blessings from Jerusalem,
______________________________________
1. https://goo.gl/QthDmG