SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 54

Jerusalem, Israel

OCTOBER 2012 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Middle East

There is a concerted effort by radical Islamists to stir hatred and violence against Christians and Jews; western nations and Israel. There is an evil spirit that is penetrating the international community and causing deeper rifts in societies.

During the All Nations Convocation (which took place in Jerusalem between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), believers from around the world spoke of increased persecution and violence in their countries as they struggled with the rise of militant Islam.  This fight for the souls of men is increasing. This needs great intercession.

Psalm 2:1-3: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

• Proclaim that God has installed His King in Zion, on His Holy Mountain.  And, He will rebuke the nations and terrify them in His wrath because of their rebellion.  Declare that the Father had given to His Son the nations as His inheritance; the ends of the earth as His possession. The Body of Messiah enters into this blessing. 

The Lord is warning the rulers of nations to be wise; to serve the Lord with reverence and trembling; and, to honor His Son. Pray through for the nations of this region as His wrath is coming!  And, pray for Christians and Jews in the Middle East to find refuge in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Psalm 83:1-5: “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how Your enemies growl, how Your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against Your people; they plot against those You cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You…”

  

•   Pray  that the nations and entities that surround Israel (Jordan; Egypt; Gaza; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Iraq; Lebanon); other Arab countries; and the Persian state of Iran, will be ashamed and dismayed at their national sin. Pray that they repent before they perish in their ways. Declare that they will turn and seek God’s ways before He sends a tempest against them. Declare that many from these nations will know the Lord, the Most High over all the earth, before the brewing storm comes in full force. 

•  King Abdullah of Jordan is the kingpin. His nation is now being threatened by the Moslem Brotherhood and Bedouin terrorists associated with Al Qaeda that are stirring up hatred among Bedouins in Jordan against the Jordanian Monarchy. There are many scriptures associated with Edom and Moab that show judgment on Jordan in the future…a nation created by the British that is sitting on God’s Promised Land for the Jews.

Pray for Jordanians to come to know Jesus before God’s wrath is poured out on their land because of their national sin against Israel and His Chosen People.  Though there is little in the news headlines at this time about Jordan, keep your eye upon this nation.  When violent uprisings begin to happen there, as well as among the Palestinians in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), it may be a sign that a new war in the Middle East is about to begin.  (See Isaiah 11:14; Jeremiah 9:25-26; Obadiah 1-8).

The United States government is involved in a cover-up of what really happened during the recent uprising in the Middle East. There was a lax of security in Cairo and Benghazi, which reflects poorly on the Obama Administration. Though acts of violence were pre-planned in these two cities, the media and U.S. State Department made it look like it was a spontaneous reaction to an anti-Islamic film produced by a Florida pastor. In the film, the character of the prophet Mohammed was portrayed in a negative light. The deception of Islam was revealed which caused a global fury. Moslems do not like it when the true face of Islam is revealed.

Because of the coming U.S. election, and Obama’s appeasement policies towards Moslem nations, the facts of what took place, especially in Libya, have been kept from the public eye. Instead of America being outraged at the premeditated killing of its Ambassador to Libya, the Obama Administration apologized to Arab nations for the anti-Islamic film.

The lack of solid U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is being seen as a weakening of America’s position in the region. This is due to a policy that compromises America’s values and caters to Islamic extremists. 

• Pray for an awakening in the United States, and righteous anger, that will call to account the Obama Administration’s twisted foreign policy. Pray that Americans will rise up and vote for justice, righteousness, and mercy, seeking the Lord for the return of their nation to Godly and moral principles.

More than 70% of Americans stand by Israel, today, and that blessing has extended God’s favor to the United States.

• Pray that Americans continue to bless Israel so that they will continue to receive the blessing of God on their nation. (See Genesis 12:3).

We have been praying for some time that Israeli leaders will begin to mention the Bible in their defense of Israel as a nation, diplomatically. When leaders like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prophesy at the United Nations that Israel has no right to the land, and must be destroyed, it is a relief to hear responses from Israel that are biblical.  

Here is the response to Ahmadinejad’s diatribes from Israeli President Shimon Peres: 

 “Around 2,500 years ago King Cyrus, the king of Persia, granted the Jewish people, led by Ezra and Nehemiah, the right to return to Israel and to rebuild their home. The Jews lived on the Land of Israel for thousands of years and there is no lie or leader that can remove chapters of history.”

• Thank the Lord that the leaders of Israel are recalling biblical stories of Israel’s claim to the Promised Land!  Praise God that the Bible continues to be a source of reference and wisdom for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, especially in the defense of the nation. Pray that the Lord protects Israel from the evil claims of Iran and defends Israel with His mighty right arm!

Netanyahu tried to explain at the United Nations that Iran is close to the “break-out” point… that point where they have enough uranium enriched to quickly build a nuclear bomb. The world looked on as Netanyahu drew a red line on an illustration of a bomb in order to point out Israel’s “red lines”. This is the point that Israel may go to war, and he implied it could be in the spring or summer of 2013.  

Biblically, scripture states that kings go to war in the spring. (See 2 Samuel 11:1; 1 Chronicles 20:1).  We still do not believe that there will be a direct war between Israel and Iran. The U.S. may lead a coalition of nations to war against Iran. 

Despite Obama’s unwillingness to talk about America’s “red lines” (a public dispute between the U.S. and Israel), the American government is discussing these “red lines” with Israel, privately.

• Pray that God will give wisdom and courage to the United States and its allies to know how to stop Iran from developing nuclear capability. Intercede that the enemy will not be able to advance his plans towards the Jewish State, and that the Lord will use the nations to protect and defend Israel from Iranian aggression.

There has been a diplomatic battle between Israel and the Palestinians. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is trying to get approval from over 150 nations at the UN for the formation of a Palestinian state. He is aiming for a UN General Assembly resolution granting a Palestinian state with the status of non-member. If the UN General Assembly votes on this measure, and the Palestinians are granted the status of a non-member state, it levels the playing field with Israel. At that point, the Palestinians will seek to come back to the peace table, but with the goal of state-to-state negotiations with Israel. 

Meanwhile, the Palestinians have already said they will look to bring Israel before the International Criminal Court for policies of oppression. If they achieve their diplomatic goals, they will seek access to many United Nations organizations where they can continually confront Israeli policy. A recent example of this is when Abbas declared that the Israeli territories are no longer disputed but occupied. This false declaration is in opposition to internationally signed treaties from 1967 and beyond. 

• Pray that the Palestinians are pushed back by the Lord from being able to advance their deceptive diplomatic policies. Pray that their plans are brought into confusion; rendered useless; and that there is no advancement of their statehood goals at the United Nations or within the international community. Pray that all plans of the enemy are exposed and that Palestinian society rises up against their own leadership rather than Israel. Pray that the Lord replaces Mahmoud Abbas with a leader who wants to bless rather than curse the nation of Israel.

Syrian President Bashar Assad is on the brink of using chemicals on his own people and on the rebels who have opposed his government rule. With 30,000 Syrians dead, and more than 1.2 million displaced, Assad is losing his grip on major cities such as Aleppo and Damascus. If he tries to transfer chemical weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon, or unleashes his wrath on his people or Israel, we could see a major battle in the north.  

On the Golan Heights, Israeli soldiers have already been conducting live exercises, including simulated combat with Hezbollah. 

The shelling and mortar fire in Syria between government and rebel forces has been heard in Israel. 

 

• Some Bible teachers think that we may be on the verge of Isaiah Chapter 17:1.  Pray for repentance, revival, and healing to come to the Syrian people, especially those who live in Damascus.

Iran has been using civilian aircraft to fly over Iraqi airspace to deliver large quantities of weapons to the Syrian government. Iran recently admitted that its Revolutionary Guards were helping Assad in the civil war he is waging against his own people.

• Ask the Lord to stop all aircraft from being able to deliver arms to Assad’s government forces. Pray that the Lord will break the ungodly alliance between Iran and Syria. Pray that the war in Syria will cease and God will repair and restore the land.  Pray for peace on the Golan Heights both in Israel and Syria.