Jerusalem, Israel
MARCH 2013 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel
and the Middle East
(Psalm 61:6-7; Jeremiah
30:17; Jeremiah 33:6)
The biggest impediment in
Israel right now is the inability of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
to form a new government. This means that new Knesset members can introduce
bills but there is no way of furthering legislation. Everyone is in a waiting
mode. Netanyahu has been given a two week extension to form a new government by
Israeli President Shimon Peres, but after that, if no government is formed,
Israel could end up with new elections.
There were past hurts between Netanyahu and
Naphtali Bennett which caused un-forgiveness and resentment to enter the hearts
of both men. When Bennett’s party (Bayit Yehudi) won 12 seats to become the
fourth largest party in the Knesset, Netanyahu ignored him. In fact, during the election campaign,
Netanyahu’s Likud party ridiculed Bennett, even though both parties share the
same political ideology. The rift between the two, and Netanyahu’s rejection of
Bennett, caused Bennett to form a political pact with another party leader,
Yair Lapid (with the Yesh Atid party).
As a result, these two men have blocked Netanyahu’s ability to form a
strong and stable government.
·
There has been some reconciliation between
Netanyahu and Bennett. Please pray that
the Lord will bring these two men into His perfect plans for Israel. Pray that
they would surrender their personal motives to the direction of His Holy
Spirit; submit their lives to the Lord; and work towards the betterment of
Israeli society, rather than focused on their own political agendas.
·
A majority of Israelis are fed-up with the
haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community. This is causing a major division in Israeli
society, and is the main sticking point in Netanyahu’s ability to form a new
government. Secular Israelis feel that the haredi have squandered government
money; and also do not share the burden of national military service because
they sit and pray in yeshivas. Pray that
all ungodly strongholds in the haredim (ultra-Orthodox) community will be
broken. It’s time for all evil motives among the leading rabbis to surface and
be dealt with in the name of the Messiah!
Pray
that all racist attitudes within the secular population will be exposed and
there will be repentance for wrong attitudes. Pray that all fears about the
haredim will be overcome; and that Israelis will walk in love, forgiveness, and
patience in all dealings with the haredi population.
·
Pray
for the upcoming visit to Israel of U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary
of State John Kerry. Pray that their hearts will be softened towards Israel,
and that the Lord will implant in them a great love for His land and people.
Pray that all plans that are not His will be thwarted. Pray that the Lord will
protect and watch over Israel during that time, remembering His covenant with
the Jewish People. Intercede for the Lord to put His words in the mouths of
these men, and only His plans on their agendas.
·
As we have mentioned in previous Prayer
Updates, anti-Semitism is on the rise, worldwide. This is especially true among
leaders of nations. Pray, specifically, for
Great Britain and Turkey. Pray that members of these governments that make
anti-Semitic statements will be disciplined by the Lord. Pray that He will
cause their political power to be diminished with every comment made against
Israel and the Jewish People. Pray that Israel will find supernatural favor
with leaders of nations, especially during this critical transitional period in
government.