Jerusalem, Israel
MARCH 2012 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the Middle East
As Israelis celebrate the month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar, Jews all over the world are being misunderstood, rejected, harassed, persecuted, maimed and killed just because they are Jews. Israel’s enemies have cursed the Jewish people just like Goliath cursed David in 1 Samuel 17:42-44. Today, the leaders of Iran are calling for the destruction of Israel, just like what happened during the biblical account of the book of Esther when Haman called for the destruction of the Jews in all the king’s provinces, including the city of Shushan. (Esther 3:13).
From Haman and Goliath to Stalin to Hitler to Saddam Hussein to Sheikh Nasrallah to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – leaders throughout the centuries have cursed the Jews and have actively sought to eliminate God’s people from the face of the earth.
But, there are those men, who have acted like Mordecai and David, along with women like Esther, intent on entreating the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to stop acts of hatred towards Israel and God’s Chosen People.
· Pray that the Lord will raise-up Godly men and women who have great influence with leaders of nations and actively engage in activities that defend Israel and the Jewish people. Pray that those whom God calls will also recognize that the battle belongs to Him. (1 Samuel 17:45-47).
From May 2011 to February 2012, Iran and Hezbollah organized and carried out a terrorist campaign against Israeli and Jewish targets abroad. During that time period, six attacks were attempted in five Asian countries (Thailand, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia). The latest tactic used by terrorists has been to drive through traffic on a motorbike, and attach a magnetic explosive device to a vehicle. Terrorists have mainly targeted Israeli officials traveling or living abroad. Though sparsely reported, there was also a recent attempt to assassinate Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak while he was in Singapore in February.
· Intercede before the Lord, declaring that plots hatched against the Jewish State and its leaders will be discovered, uncovered and eliminated. (2 Samuel 22:14-15). Ask God to turn each situation around to Israel’s advantage; to sharpen His sword and make His arrows into fiery shafts against His enemies. (Psalm 7:14-16; Isaiah 59:19).
· Entreat the Lord to increase His army of “informers.” Pray that they will operate with insight and discernment, gathering intelligence information so that Israeli and global Jewish communities are protected from terror attacks, hate crimes, and other acts of anti-Semitism. (Joshua Chapter 2).
· Thank the Lord for a new elite unit of the IDF that has been established to bring Israeli security services together for covert operations deep inside enemy territory. Pray that those appointed by Israel’s Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, will develop assessments according to biblical strategies, and will successfully uncover demonic strongholds being set up against the state of Israel. (Psalm 55:23; Psalm 129:5).
· Pray that all attempts to kidnap Israelis serving in the IDF will continue to be thwarted. Ask the Lord to anoint highly trained soldiers for the coming battles that Israel will face. And, to raise-up intercessors that are capable of watching day and night from their guard posts. (Ezekiel 3:17; Isaiah 21:5-8).
· Thank God that, two recent attempts by terrorists to smuggle bombs across enemy territory into Israel, were stopped by the IDF. (Reports indicate that had the terrorists succeeded in their plots, there would have been mass casualties in Israel). Pray that the Lord will keep Israeli soldiers alert and vigilant at all times along the Egyptian-Sinai border, especially along the porous Philadelphi Corridor. While terrorist cells continue to move freely in that area, the IDF is investing in new intelligence sources to immobilize them. Entreat the Lord to give great wisdom to brigade commanders in the Southern Command. There are signals that an IDF offensive into Gaza may come as early as April, to end the constant barrage of terrorist missiles hitting Israeli southern communities. Continue to ask the Lord for His divine protection over the state of Israel, reminding Him of His promises. Pray and Proclaim: Proverbs 1:33; Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 121:7-8; 2 Samuel 22:29-37.
On Israel’s northern border, Hezbollah is reportedly receiving mass weapons being smuggled into Lebanon from the Syrian regime. Reports indicate that Syria’s WMD’s may be in the hands of Iranian Revolutionary Guards. To-date, more than 7500 Syrians have been killed in clashes with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces. The bloody revolt has gone on for 11 months and the country is in a severe humanitarian crisis. The Assad government has refused to allow the Red Cross to directly provide aid to the Syrian people. Meanwhile, there have been reports that Assad has used nerve gas against his own people, and Israeli leaders fear that he may attempt to do the same across the border with Israel. Iranian war ships have been deployed in the Mediterranean Sea to protect Syria’s naval bases. Russia and China have refused to cooperate with the U.N. Security Council to try and stop Assad’s ruthless power. Russia refuses to intervene, because Moscow could lose billions of dollars in military contracts with Assad, if his regime falls.
· Press into God for a resolve of the Syrian crisis. Entreat the Lord to save the Syrian people from murder, and to provide relief for the thousands who are wounded and suffering. Pray that the Lord will open a humanitarian corridor in Syria so that aid workers can distribute food and medical supplies where needed. Pray that the cover provided to the Assad regime by Iran, Russia, and China will dissolve, and that Assad’s deeds will be exposed, globally. Pray that the nations will act boldly to intervene in this crisis, stop Assad, and bring an end to the bloodshed in this embattled nation. Pray for Israel’s continued alertness and God’s protection on its border with Syria. (Isaiah 10:12).
High-level Israeli officials are in the U.S. this month meeting with their counterparts in Washington. The main topic of discussion: Iran. There are indications that the U.S. may be trying to prevent Israel from considering a pre-emptive strike against Iranian nuclear installations. But, U.S. leaders have declared that American and Israeli senior officials have unprecedented strategic cooperation to insure total defense coordination. They say that attention has been paid to every detail when it comes to military options concerning Iran.
· Pray that U.S. officials publicly recognize that Israel has every right to defend itself from any country that is intent on its destruction. Pray for Israel’s President, Prime Minister and Defense Minister who will be talking with leaders in the Obama Administration in early March. Ask the Lord to coordinate strategies before Israeli leaders go into meetings. Proclaim that they will have great favor and wisdom when dealing with U.S. President Barack Obama and his advisors, as well as State Department and Pentagon officials. Pray that Netanyahu’s speech at the annual AIPAC conference will be well-received and televised, globally. (Proverbs 2:1-9; Proverbs 3:3-4; Proverbs 8:35).