Jerusalem, Israel
DECEMBER 2012 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the Middle East
There is a constant reminder
in the north of Israel that the IDF is preparing for another war; one that
could be much worse than the one it just fought in Gaza. There are,
approximately, 200,000 missiles that could be used against Israel, contained in
arsenals in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Gaza. Israel is concerned about the
Iranian Fajr-5 rocket that Hamas used against Israel in the recent war.
Hezbollah has the same missiles that they may try to launch against Israel’s
command and logistic centers; communication networks; radar stations, airports;
economic hubs; fuel installations; factories, etc.
·
Declare
Isaiah 41:11-16 over Israel at this time; that those who oppose her will become
as nothing and perish. Thank the Lord for holding Israel’s right hand, helping
her through wars and rumors of war, so that she will rejoice in the Lord and
glory in the Holy One of Israel. Pray that whoever tries to attack the Jewish
State, according to Isaiah 54:15, will surrender to her. Intercede according to Psalm 27:1-3, that
Israel’s enemies and foes will stumble and fall. Proclaim that if war breaks
out in the north, Israelis will recognize that the Lord is their light and
their salvation, of whom shall they be afraid? Decree, according to Psalm 24:8
and Exodus 15:3, that the Lord is the King of Glory; strong and powerful;
mighty in battle. He is Israel’s Warrior King!
Israel continues to fight a
diplomatic war as well as a public relations war, plagued by biased media
reporting and anti-Semitism in the international community. Israel’s sovereign
right to the land is being placed on the UN chopping block, once again. Those
who hate Israel are re-writing history to make it look like there is no
rightful connection between the Jews and the covenant land God has given them,
including His beloved city, Jerusalem.
The “usurper” (the devil) is using the Palestinians to claim that they
are the rightful owners and overseers of this land. The diplomatic battle has
intensified since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas brought his statehood bid
to the UN and 138 nations approved. (See Isaiah 8:10).
·
Please
pray, continually, that the “usurper” of Israel’s land will not be able to
seize and hold positions of power, through ignorant or racist leaders who are
intent on hurting the Jewish people. Declare that all Palestinian illegitimate
claims to the land will be exposed and all legitimate Jewish biblical rights to
the land will be acknowledged by the global community. Pronounce that what God
has intended for Israel through His covenants will be upheld by world leaders;
and that the Lord will judge those states that act against His will and plans.
·
Praise
God for
the brave nations who recently stood with Israel and against the Palestinian
bid for statehood in the United Nations General Assembly. These include: the U.S., Canada, Micronesia, Palau, Panama,
the Czech Republic, Nauru, and the Marshall Islands.
In this current season of
diplomatic warfare against Israel, it is expected that there will be high-level
delegations wanting to visit and establish full embassies within the land that
the Palestinians now occupy. It’s likely that Hamas will be receiving these
same diplomats in Gaza. If Abbas is able
to unite the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) with Gaza, integrating both areas as
one Palestinian state with defined borders, then the push for Israel to
compromise land for peace will intensify.
Furthermore, the
Palestinians can be expected to immediately continue their accusations that Israel
committed war crimes in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), and
Operation Pillar of Defense (the recent Gaza war in 2012). Abbas will look for ways of bringing Israelis
before the International Criminal Court, presenting a legal nightmare for
leaders in Jerusalem. This kind of pressure on Israel hinders the IDF’s ability
to win wars as it has to stiffen its rules of engagement, not able to hit enemy
targets for fear of diplomatic retaliation later on.
Now that the Palestinians
can sit in the UN with observer status as the state of “Palestine,” they will
look for every opportunity to damage Israel’s credibility in public
forums.
One dangerous possibility is
that they may take measures in the West Bank to build up their military force,
while pushing for the UN to send troops into the area to protect Palestinian
communities within the Green Line. This
would put foreign armies on Israel’s eastern border challenging Israel’s
authority and rule over its own territory! (See
Zechariah 12:1-9).
·
Declare
Psalm 27:11-14 over Israel, expecting that the Lord will show the Apple of His
Eye His clear and straight path. Thank the Lord that He will put down Israel’s
oppressors and will not turn Israel over to the desires of her foes. For all
those false witnesses that have risen up against the Jewish State, pray that
God, Himself will deal with malicious accusations against His Chosen People in
the United Nations and in all international forums.
Intercede for God to change
atmospheres so those situations which are meant to harm Israel will be turned
around, providing Israeli diplomats with great favor when dealing with global
leaders. Pray for Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Ron Proser; that he would be
given insight from the Lord in how to deal with evildoers who prosper in their
ways within UN organizations that are anti-Israel. (See Psalm Chapter 37; Psalm
35:1). Pray for the Palestinian people to receive dreams and visions from the
Lord and come to faith in Him.
Praise
God for a constant source of support for Israel in the U.S.
Congress, which has the power to withhold U.S. aid to the UN and the
Palestinian Authority.
·
Pray
for a unified, strong, bi-partisan bill in Congress that would be in Israel’s
favor; a bill that would deny the Palestinian Authority aid should Abbas bring
a case against Israel in the International Criminal Court.
·
Pray
that the Lord gives pro-Israel supporters in Congress the discernment and
understanding of events that are coming which could hurt Israel’s diplomatic
standing. Pray that these U.S.
Congressional members receive God’s wisdom in how to use U.S. aid as leverage
when dealing with UN organizations and nations that work against His purposes
concerning Israel. (See Isaiah 60:12).
Now that the war is over in
Gaza the concern Israel has is that Hamas and other terrorist organizations
will not keep the cease-fire. Hamas sees Palestine (all of Israel) as an
Islamic Wakf (gift from Allah), throughout the generations until the Day of
Resurrection.
Hamas international leader
Khaled Mashaal has claimed Palestinian territory as being from the River to the
Sea; from the north to the south. He has declared this territory, which is
biblically Israel’s, as his own. He sees it as the land of his fathers and
grandfathers, inhabited by the Palestinian people from long ago.
The Hamas leadership will
not give up on trying to destroy Israel until the land becomes theirs, so they
can turn it into an Islamic state. The Hamas government sees the current cease-fire
as a “hudna”, a temporary truce. It brings a sense of quiet and calm to Israel
and Gaza. But, it is deceiving because it allows time for Hamas and other Palestinian
terror groups to re-build, re-arm, train and get stronger so they can prepare
for future attacks.
During this particular
cease-fire, Israel is indirectly negotiating with Hamas through Egypt. Egypt’s
President Mohamed Morsi is acting as a mediator. Hamas is demanding that Israel lift its
military blockade of the Gaza Strip. It is also insisting that all borders with
Gaza (both on the Israeli and Egyptian side) remain open. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israel are trying to
stop the flow of rockets and arms from Iran to Gaza which are being smuggled
through underground tunnels and hidden in freighters at sea.
·
Pray
that all pressure on Israel from Hamas, Egypt, and the U.S. will not cause a
security risk to the Jewish State. Through intercession acknowledge that the
Lord will fight for Israel in every detail of negotiations, dealing strongly with
Hamas and Israel’s other adversaries. Declare these great scriptures: Exodus
14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30; Deuteronomy 3:22!
·
Thank
the Lord that the strong strategic military cooperation between the U.S. and
Israel, including shared intelligence, will stop the flow of missiles and
armaments to Hamas.
If Hamas and Palestinian
terrorists do not keep to the cease-fire, the IDF plans to go into Gaza with a
ground offensive, along with continued air strikes. Israel’s current Defense
Minister Ehud Barak has said that Israel has no problem getting into Gaza; it
is getting out of Gaza that is the problem. In other words, Israel needs an
exit strategy (which is difficult to figure out in an urban warfare jungle).
Current Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that it will take more
than four months to conduct a ground operation in Gaza if the IDF has to go in.
It might even entail re-occupying the Gaza Strip. Any such move will anger the
international community even though Israel has a right to defend itself.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has implied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a ground offensive would be illegal under international law.
·
Pray
that the Lord will give Israel’s generals successful strategies for overcoming
their enemies in urban warfare settings. Declare, according to Isaiah 54:17,
that no weapon forged against Israel will prevail. Pray that Israeli leaders
will be able to refute every tongue that accuses the Jewish State, falsely. Intercede
that whatever Israeli leaders need to do to defend the Jewish state will be
done, successfully, without hindrance by world leaders. Pray for the Lord to
vindicate Israel according to Isaiah 50:8-9.
There were miracles spoken
of during Operation Pillar of Defense (Operation Pillar of Cloud in
Hebrew). More than 1500 rockets were
fired on Israel’s population during the eight days of war, with only six
Israelis killed. That, in itself, is a miracle! During the war, Israel’s rabbis called the
masses to pray at the Western Wall.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef requested that Israelis recite Psalm Chapter 83, including a special prayer for IDF soldiers and
residents in the south of the country.
·
Pray,
according to Psalm 83:15-18, that God will pursue Israel’s enemies like a
tempest and terrify them like a storm!
Proclaim that the Lord brings shame to those who would come against His
nation and people. Intercede that international leaders will stop conspiring
together against Israel and, instead, turn to Yeshua and receive His
salvation! Pray that the Lord will let
these rulers know that He and He alone is the Most High over all the earth!
During the war, Netanyahu
said that Israel was operating on four levels:
the military front; the home front; the diplomatic front; and the public
diplomacy front. He encouraged public relations volunteers to fight for the
truth and the facts; to refute the industry of lies; and, to reach many sectors
of their populations.
After the war, Netanyahu
spoke at a military ceremony and during his remarks he made this
statement: “Anti-Semitism exists, it changes its forms – and the Jewish People
have still not found rest; and, it is doubtful if it will come in the form that
our prophets hoped it would. The only thing that separates the fate of our
people from that of the dark periods in our past is the IDF, the security
services, and our ability to realize the mighty potential that there is here in
order to defend our people.”
·
Intercede
for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is facing new elections on
January 22, 2013. Pray that he puts his trust in God and not in men. Declare
Psalm 20:7 over him and all of Israel:
“Some boast in chariots and some in
horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord our God.” Proclaim:
Deuteronomy 20:1; Proverbs 21:31; Isaiah
31:1; Jeremiah 9:24 for Netanyahu, Lieberman, and other leaders in Israel
seeking re-election.