Jerusalem, Israel
JANUARY 2013 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the Middle East
PSALM 31:19; 46:1;
59:16; 107:8-9; 145:9; PROVERBS 21:30-31; ISAIAH 43:2-4; DEUTERONOMY
7:21; 31:6; ROMANS 8:28; MATTHEW 6:33
Every year at the beginning of the rainy
season in Israel we pray for abundant rain. During the last seven years, Israel
has had a net deficit in annual rainfalls. But, December 2012 changed all that.
It has been the wettest December in 20 years for the northern and central parts
of Israel! We are hoping and praying
that it is the start of a bountiful rainfall for this winter season. Currently,
the Sea of Galilee is about 3 meters 10 centimeters below the full level.
Reportedly, the lake has increased by over 23 centimeters, since the rainfall
began, causing unusually high water flows in streams and rivers of the
Galilee. The lake has risen more in the
month of December than in the past 10 years!
PRAISE
GOD and declare that these abundant rains will continue to bless the land. Pray
that the drought of the last seven years will finally be over; and, that Israel
will experience a bountiful harvest – physically & spiritually. (JOEL 2:23-24; 1 CHRONICLES 16:34; ACTS 14:17).
·
The
Israeli elections are on January 22, 2013. We ask
you to consider spending some concentrated time in intercession on that
particular day. There has been a lot
of political maneuvering going on, not only by politicians and their advisors,
but also by liberal court judges and Israel’s Attorney General. Pray for righteousness to prevail in the
courts regarding several indictments against Israeli leaders. Declare into the
heavenlies God’s Word regarding the conduct and deeds of men. Intercede for
those who will become the next leaders of Israel. (2 CORINTHIANS 10:5).
Pray
that Israel’s new and upcoming leaders will be guided by good advisors,
according to Proverbs 11:14; that their minds will be controlled by the Spirit
of Life, according to Romans 8:16. Pray that these leaders will have God’s
righteous plans in their hearts and will not walk in any deceitfulness,
according to Proverbs 12:5.
Pray
that former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of the Israel Beitenu party will
repent and turn his heart towards God. (MATTHEW 5:8; PSALM 25:8-9; JOHN 14:6).
Intercede
for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; that he acts with wisdom during this
vulnerable time in Israel… politically, diplomatically, and militarily. Ask God
to give him peace of mind and an ability to walk with greater trust in Him. Netanyahu
continues to defend Israel’s right to the land, declaring God’s biblical
mandate for the Jewish people. This is an answer to prayer! Recently, Netanyahu
declared on Israeli national television, December 22, 2012 “We live in a Jewish
nation. Jerusalem became that nation’s capital over 3,000 years ago. We will
build in Jerusalem because it’s our right…. The Western Wall is not occupied
territory, and I do not care what the United Nations says about this
matter.”
PRAISE
GOD for the words out of Netanyahu’s mouth, which have blessed the land with
God’s living waters! (ECCLESIASTES
7:19; 8:1; PROVERBS 16:15).
Proclaim
in prayer that the next leader of Israel will have great favor with the U.S.
Administration, as well as with the governments of other nations, according to Proverbs 16:13; 24:14; Psalm 145:18.
· There are many changes going on during this
“Islamic Winter” upheaval in the Middle East. Political Islam is gaining ground
in nations surrounding Israel. Declare
that God’s righteous laws will be obeyed and followed by new Middle East
leaders, and that they will submit their governments to the Lord, according to
Psalm 119:160, and Romans 3:19-20.
·
Palestinian leaders have declared their
intentions to start a third Intifada (Palestinian Uprising). They continue to
threaten to kidnap Israeli soldiers, and to renew terrorist suicide bombings. Pray that they will turn from wickedness
and towards the Lord. (PROVERBS 1:31;
5:22; 11:5).
·
Israel, the United States, and most of the
world are closely watching Syria, ready to close-in on the Assad government if
he dares to use chemical weapons against his citizens or the rebels opposed to
his government rule. Reportedly, Syria is
preparing its military, especially its air force, to strike Western fighter
jets if Western leaders try to intervene in the current civil war; or if
Western militaries try to take-out chemical weapons storehouses in Syria. It’s
possible that the only way to prevent the chemicals from getting into the hands
of terrorists will be for Israel and/or Western nations to blow them up! Israel
or the U.S. could use ground forces, as well as air strikes to deal with the
reported 150 chemical sites in Syria. It
might take as many as 75,000 U.S. troops on the ground to gain access to the huge
storehouses of chemical weapons and wipe them out.
Pray
that the Lord will give Israel, as well as Western nations, great wisdom in how
to deal with the Assad government regarding these chemical weapons. Pray that
God will provide Western nations and Israel with accurate intelligence
information as to where these weapons sites are located and whether Assad tries
to transfer any of the weapons elsewhere. Pray that these weapons will not be
used against Syrian citizens, the rebels, Israelis or anyone else. Pray that
these weapons do not end up in the hands of terrorist groups who could use them
in destructive ways. Pray for an extra measure of protection for citizens in
Middle East countries that live near these destructive WMD’s. (PROVERBS 3:26;
HEBREWS 4:16; 13:6; PSALM 23:4; 27:3-6).
· European leaders are continuing to declare
that Israeli building in settlements is against international law, and that
Israel is occupying Palestinian land. However, legally, the area is considered
disputed territory since Israel gained the land after being attacked by Arab
forces in the Six Day War. Historically, Israel has had a presence in the West
Bank (Judea and Samaria) since before the birth of the modern state. And, biblically,
these are the mountains of Israel which have been occupied by the Israelites
since ancient days, through God’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people. It
is time that the nations stopped their curses against the Lord and His plans!
Declare
Psalm 60:12 on behalf of Israel: “Through God we shall do valiantly: for it is
He who shall tread down our enemies.” Proclaim that he, who touches Israel,
touches the Apple of God’s Eye! THANK
GOD, according to Isaiah 49:16, that the Lord is in charge of Israel’s destiny:
“Behold, I have engraved you on the
palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.”