Friday prayer points

1. Iranian threat - Israel's government

The recent report from the International Atomic Energy Authority tells us what we already knew, that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon. The world's reaction is just talk and it looks as though unless Israel acts, Iran will achieve its goal. Pray for Israel's government and in particular for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak:

for them to be of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32 NKJV)

Speak to them by dreams, visions, scripture, wise counsel.

Give them Your wisdom, Lord.

Give them strength and clarity.

May they not lose sight of the threat from Iran.

May Israel not depend upon the other nations but upon You, Lord.

May Israel not depend upon the USA for help or permission if we need to strike against Iran, but be willing and ready to act unilaterally.

Whatever You do, O Holy One of Israel, may You be the one who receives all the glory!

2. Iranian threat - the IDF

Good preparation for what is coming.

Strategies to confound the enemy.

Give the pilots of the air-force courage.

If Israel does need to strike, let there be the minimum loss of life consistent with fulfilling Your purposes, o God!

Give us good intelligence information about the realities on the ground in Iran. Protect and anoint those gathering the information.

Guard against dissension among the military leaders of Israel. - Divine unity.

3. United Nations Security Council vote

The Security Council is due to vote today 11/11/11 on the Palestinian request for statehood. Pray:

for this vote to be defeated.

for the USA to be willing to use its veto if necessary.

for the 15 members of the Security Council to be willing to say no.

for the leaders of these nations to have their eyes opened to the significance of their votes on this issue and to be in fear of the Lord.

for these nations to step back from the judgment which follows for those who curse the people of the Lord and divide the land.

4. Security in Israel

Mahmoud Abbas has warned of the possibility of violence in the aftermath of this vote. Pray for:

the police and the IDF to wisely distribute their forces to ensure the security of the nation and the people of Israel.

discernment of what should be done, when to act firmly and quickly and when to exercise constraint.

the security forces to nip in the bud any planned attacks against Israel in order to save lives.

Arabs to stay at home.

rain, storms, snow, if necessary to undermine the plans our enemies may have to cause trouble.

Confound those who hate Israel and thwart the plans for any new intifada!

God's people to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6 NKJV). We don't know what the peace of Jerusalem is meant to look like today, but we ask that we may be faithful in praying for it according to Your will.

5. Sarkozy - Obama conversation

It has emerged in recent days that a conversation was overheard between French President Sarkozy and US President Obama in which they expressed their low opinions of Benjamin Netanyahu. We need to pray about reactions to this:

What the enemy purposes for evil, would You, Lord, use for good!

Pray that Israel would unite behind her Prime Minister. It's not just Netanyahu who is under attack but Israel.

Thank the Lord that the truth will come out and we can know what these leaders actually think.

Pray for real affirmation for Netanyahu himself to counteract the personal hurt caused by these remarks.

6. People of Israel

In the tense times we are in there is a sense of Israel's isolation and the stirring up of the Jews' centuries old sense of rejection by the world. Yet despite people's fears a recent survey has revealed that very few are tempted to leave the country. In biblical times there was a history of the people of Israel turning back to God when things got really bad. Pray:

that the people will turn back to the Lord, not to religion.

that they may search the scriptures for themselves rather than just accepting what the rabbis have said. And may they see Rabbinical Judaism for the prison it is.

that God will remove the veil which prevents the Jews seeing Him for who He is, and they will see Him and know His love, here in this land.

that the Comforter would come to Zion. The people would turn to Him and know His acceptance.

that God would sprinkle clean water on His people and cleanse this nation.

they would see that You, God, have set Your King over them and recognize that in Yeshua they have life forever and lasting peace.

7. The Church

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins. Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:25-29 NKJV

Pray for:

the Church to come out of ignorance regarding Israel and see what God is doing in the world.

the Church to see current events in the United Nations for what they are and their pivotal significance for the nations involved.

boldness to proclaim what God is doing.

the exposure of the darkness behind anti-Semitic teachers who seek to lead the Church astray into replacement theology.

8. Aliyah

Then say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land… Ezekiel 37:21 NKJV

Bring back those who know You and those who don't yet know You.

Let the Jewish people come home quickly to Israel, which is their refuge, their future, their hope, their destiny and the place where their Messiah will meet them!

Shake them loose! Let them recognize that the USA is not the promised land.

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. Isaiah 35:10 NKJV

Let the believing Jews return home with joy, recognizing that living in other countries means living in exile or in prison as a result of the sins of their forebears. Confront them with Your word, O Lord!

Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Isaiah 49:22 NKJV

Give the burden to the Church to participate in the aliyah, helping to bring the Jewish people home.

So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD. As for Me, says the LORD, this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants, says the LORD, from this time and forevermore. Isaiah 59:19-21 NKJV

He is sovereign and He will do it! Amen.

taken from Intercessors for Israel newsletter