1. Praise:

    Shabbat’s prophetic portion points out the joy we have in salvation – and the reason for it: I will greatly rejoice in YHWH; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness… (Isa. 61:10a)

    • Lord Yeshua, You are our righteousness and in You we are righteous before God (Rom. 3:21-26).
    • Thank You for taking our sin and imparting to us Your righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).
    • We rejoice in You for clothing our nakedness with salvation and righteousness (Psa. 132:9).
    • Thank You for providing us with that clothing – just like You did for Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21).
    • We bless You Lord Yeshua for being the light of the world, the resurrection and life, as well as the way, the truth and the life – all of that and more found in You (John 8:12; 11:25; 14:6).
    • Hallelujah! You are the true source of the joy of our salvation (Psa. 13:5; 35:9; Phil. 4:4).
    • Thank You Yeshua, our High Priest, for giving us access to God’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16).
    • Lord Yeshua, we proclaim You as Creator and King during next week’s Rosh Hashanah feast (Creator: John 1:3; Col. 1:14-16; Heb. 1:2; King: Matt. 2:2; 21:5; 27:31; Rev. 19:11-16).

    • YHWH has established His throne in the heavens; His kingdom rules over all.Psa. 103:19

  2. Government:

    In the prophetic portion those who are called to be intercessors for Israel are told about our ultimate aim: that God would be glorified in and through Israel’s restoration.

    • I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night: you who are YHWH’s reminders [the Hebrew for “secretary” comes from this word], do not keep silence, and give Him no silence, until He establish, and until He make Jerusalem a praise [unto God (cp. Isa. 62:1-3)] in the earth.Isa. 62:6-7

    • Work in the hearts of all Israelis so that they vote on November 1st in a manner that furthers Your ultimate goal for this nation –which is declared in Isaiah 62:3.
    • We continue to ask for You to clear out the dross and raise up leaders who will lead Your nation on a more biblically righteous path (Isa. 1:25-27).
    • Let Israelis running for office present their platforms and their heart intentions clearly (Prov. 12:17).
    • Thank You for answering our previous request as Prime Minister Yair Lapid, speaking at the UN on Thursday, said he is in favor of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians (Luke 11:9).
    • Lord, block Lapid and all other politicians who will work for the creation of a Palestinian state – or even something less than a state – to be a part of the next government (Lev. 25:23; Ezek. 36:5).
    • Install in Israel a government that values all parts of Your land equally (Jer. 33:12-14).
    • Lord God, be the ultimate decision-maker in Israel’s current transitional government (Jer. 10:23).
    • Bring to light any hidden dealings of the transitional government – in particular concerning the establishment of a “Palestine” or the setting of Israel’s maritime borders with Lebanon (Mark 4:22).
    • Give both the transitional government and the next government clarity of mind and strength of purpose when it comes to dealing with Israel’s enemies – internally and externally (Num. 24:18).
    • Lead the transitional government’s ministers to work for what is best for Israel – and not what is best for their own political careers (Prov. 16:1, 9).
    • Over the holydays, remind Israel’s leaders that It is better to trust in YHWH than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in YHWH than to put confidence in princes. (Psa. 118:8-9)
  3. Internal security:

    The Jewish nation’s crossing over into the land of Israel was a serious thing to God as seen in the Torah portion when Moses tells them, Today you stand before YHWH your God …that you should pass over into the covenant of YHWH your God, and into His oath, which YHWH your God makes [lit: cuts] with you today, in order that He may establish you as a people for Himself, and that He may be your God, as He said to you, and as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Deut. 29:10a, 12-13)

    • Lord God, as Israel’s possessing of the land was viewed by You as entering into Your covenant and a confirmation of Your oath to their forefathers, we bless You for letting us see this happening again in our day – just as You promised it would in the last days (Jer. 30:3, 18-22; 31:1-5).
    • Enable Israel’s next government to recognize how important the land is to You and to extend its sovereignty over all of it – at least all of it west of the Jordan River at this time (Joel 3:1-2).
    • Show Israel how to deal justly with the Israeli Arabs who are being radicalized against Israel and the Jews – and who desire to destroy the state and kill the Jews (Rom. 13:1-4).
    • Lord, we ask for a miracle, that You would save multitudes of Israeli Arabs and Palestinians and turn them into lovers of Zion (Isa. 60:1-3, 9; Jer. 12:14-17)
    • As Israel’s internal enemies plot its destruction, watch over Your word in Psalm 35:4-8.
    • With an increase of terrorist attacks in the land, Lord arise as Israel’s Divine Protector (Psa. 121:4).
    • Go with Israel’s security forces that raid terrorist strongholds nightly, aiding them to either capture or eliminate terrorists and to capture or destroy all weapons depots (Deut. 20:3-4; Prov. 21:31).
    • Thank You for providing Israel with accurate, actionable intelligence and the wisdom to know what to do with the intelligence that it receives (Job 42:2; Eccl. 9:18a).
    • Continue to expose the plans of those who intend evil against Your people (Psa. 21:8-11).
    • Shield those who gather information for the IDF and keep them from all deception (2 Tim. 3:13).
    • As we are seeing the expected increase of fighting between the various Palestinian terrorist groups, give the IDF wisdom to know what to do and provide Your protection as they do it (Prov. 26:17).
    • Give Israel’s security forces godly discernment and clear communications (Eccl. 8:5b; 1 Cor. 14:8).
    • Protect IDF soldiers from all future friendly fire accidents (Psa. 121:7-8).
    • Lord, watch over Your people during the high holydays [starting Sunday evening] and protect them from the expectations of increased terrorist activities (Psa. 32:7; 91:4-5).
  4. External security:

    China agreed to help Iran financially and is now suffering economically, as well as with drought, heatwaves, massive fires and food shortages. Russia has helped Iran and now its war against Ukraine is going badly, costing it economically, resulting in massive deaths and in a destroyed global prestige. Many EU nations and the UK have traded heavily with Iran and today their economies, their societies and their ecologies are suffering. Former US President Obama pushed the Iranian nuclear deal, and today America is under severe judgment with a lack of righteous leaders, as well as huge droughts, floods, and riots and LGBTQs over-the-top demands, plus much more. [Here is a biblical study on why God judges the nations]

    1. Prayer for the Body of Messiah
      • Lord God, teach the Church that when nations help a nation that openly declares its aim is to destroy Your nation – You take that very seriously (Isa. 34:1-8).
      • Then teach believers to stand in the gap for their nations – praying for mercy (Ezek. 22:30-31).
      • Let more churches bless Israel and also pray for their governments to do the same (Num. 23:9b).
      • While it is good to confess the sins of one’s nation against Israel in the past, Lord, do not allow the sins of that nation today to go unnoticed by Christian Zionists.
      • Lift the deception of replacement theology from Your Body and replace it with a love for all of Your Word and for Your people, and a recognition of their obligation to stand with Israel (Rom. 15:26-27).
      • Replace in the Body any trend to be politically correct with a holy passion of always being biblically correct (Psa. 119:104-5).
    2. Prayer for Israel’s external security
      • May Israel’s current leaders be more concerned about its security than they are about their political careers (Prov. 19:21).
      • Guide the IDF in its “war-between-the-wars” against Iran – especially in Syria (Psa. 44:4-5).
      • Download wisdom to IDF leaders as it battles all of Israel’s external foes (Prov. 21:31).
      • Expose every one of Iran’s plans being made in darkness against Israel (Job 12:22; 34:22-22).
      • Lord, as You said, please break the bow of Elam [ancient Persia/Iran] so that even if Iran obtains nuclear weapons they will have no way to launch them (Jer. 49:35).
      • Use the current riots in Iran against the regime over the beating death of an Iranian-Kurdish woman because she was not wearing her hijab correctly to bring down this wicked regime (Jer. 49:38b).
      • Also use this to finally bring all the various Kurdish factions throughout the Middle East into unity.
      • Help Israel remain on high alert against Hizbullah’s threats from Lebanon (Psa. 7:6; 59:5; Isa. 51:9).
      • If Hizbullah attacks, let Israel’s response be absolutely disproportionate against it (2 Sam. 10:19).
      • Deafen Israel’s leaders to any negativity from the world whenever it defends itself (Psa. 38:12-13).
      • Do not allow Israelis – and the Jews in exile – to forget the history lesson that Jews can trust the threats of their enemies more than they can rely on the promises of their “friends”!
  5. Aliyah:

    The exile is over; Jews are coming home in their tens of thousands. From last year’s high holydays to this years’ 60,000 Jews and others who are eligible to become Israeli citizens have come home – and since the beginning of 2022 over 50,000! Yet more Jews still remain outside of Israel than those who live in it. So our burden to pray for the Jews in captivity to return remains.

    • God, it is sobering to realize what happened to cause so many Russian and Ukrainian Jews to flee to Israel, and so we ask for much mercy as You deal with the remnant still stuck in exile (Isa. 14:1).
    • Lord, whatever is holding Your people back from coming home – remove it (Isa. 62:10).
    • Draw Jews living in Western nations back home through Your covenant-faithfulness (Jer. 31:3).
    • If that does not work, chase them home through an increase of persecution (Jer. 16:16).
    • As more Jews in the West cover up their Jewishness when outside – especially as they go to high holyday services next week – show them the freedom that Jews in Israel have today (Psa. 119:5-6).
    • Lord, place a desire of the relatives of Israelis who live in the captivity to want to be with the rest of their family who live in Israel (Jer. 3:14; 23:3).
    • God, speak to nations like Iran, China and Venezuela to “let Your people go,” and then open up ways of escape to every Jew who is politically trapped in exile today (Ex. 8:20; Acts 12:7-9).
    • Wake up Jews who can come to Israel, but refuse because they are just too comfortable (Zech. 10:2).
    • Use the high holydays as a time of reflection that will allow Your voice to be heard (1 Kin. 19:12).
    • Give an urgency to those who want to make aliyah, but think that they have time, when in fact so much has changed so rapidly in the world that the door could close suddenly (Jam. 4:13-14).
    • Drain Latin America of its Jews and use the Church there to help carry them home (Isa. 49:22).
    • Speak to the many Messianic Jewish Israelis who live among the gentiles that today is the day to return home and be a living witness to their nation and people (Rom. 1:16; 11:14).
    • Anoint in Israel’s current and next government people with a burden and with viable plans to have the nation prepared to receive a huge number of new immigrants (Isa. 43:5-7).
    • Lead the authorities to see that by planting Your people throughout Your land that then there will be plenty of space to build houses and new communities (Jer. 32:42-44).
  6. Salvation:

    One of the clearest Tanach terms to describe the theological concept of being born-again, or born-from-above, is found in the Torah reading: YHWH your God will bring you into the land your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers. And YHWH your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love YHWH your God with all your heart, and all your soul, that you may live. (Deut. 30:5-6)

    • Abba, as Jews read this, let them ask You about “heart circumcision” (John 3:3-7; Col. 2:11).
    • Lord, during Ellul, this month of repentance, please circumcise the hearts of many of Your people whom You have brought back to their land this past year (Jer. 24:7; 32:39; Ezek. 11:19).
    • Let Your words which are found in the prayers of forgiveness that are recited this month be very effective in the hearts and minds of Your people (Deut. 30:14; Isa. 55:11: Heb. 4:12)
    • Encourage gentile believers declare to the Jews this verse from the prophetic portion: Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with him, and His work before Him. (Isa. 62:11)
    • While the Jews read the prophetic portion, let them seek You to reveal to them who the Angel of [Your] presence is who has saved them (Isa. 63:7-9).
    • Lord Yeshua, as You sat with sinners while You sojourned on earth, so once again come alongside those who are looking for love in all the wrong places and draw them to Yourself (Mark 2:15-17).
    • Release mighty signs and wonders to be done in Your name throughout Israel (Acts 8:7, 13)
    • Work mightily in the ultra-orthodox community, turning them away from the traditions of men and back to Your Word while also giving them a hunger for the truth (Jer. 29:13; Mark 7:9, 13).
  7. Water:

    We are asking for a rainy season that will completely fill up the Sea of Galilee and all of Israel’s underground aquifers.

    • Lord, we ask You for rain, starting now and continuing until Israel’s natural storage places are filled completely (Zech. 10:1; Eph. 3:20-21).
  8. IFI:

    The Torah portion tells us that there are “secret things” which are God’s alone, but all that He reveals are for us (Deut. 29:29). At IFI, we know there are many things for which prayer is needed today, yet we concentrate our prayers on those things with which God has burdened us with and try to not be distracted by the burdens of other believers. That is not easy, so we appreciate your prayers for us to continue to do that. Thank you for your support in so many other ways as well.

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team

2 Thess. 3:16