SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 85

Jerusalem, Israel

AUGUST 2014 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Nations

·         Israelis living in border communities have lived in a war zone. Many have left their communities in the south, temporarily, to escape the constant sounds of war. They have also needed a respite from having to flee to bomb shelters and safe rooms day and night. 

As they try and return to their homes and normal living, pray that God will heal their minds and bodies of post-traumatic stress disorder. Intercede before the Lord for all fear to dissipate. Ask the Lord to restore calm and order to their lives. Citizens still worry about cross-border infiltration into their kibbutzim from Gaza terrorists. This could happen in other areas of Israel, as well. 

The first part of Proverbs 14:30 states, “A heart of peace gives life to the body.”  Pray this for all Israelis, especially those on the southern border with Gaza and northern border with Syria and Lebanon.

Declare Proverbs 14:26-27 over Israel:  “Those who fear the Lord are secure; He will be a place of refuge for their children. Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.”  

And, Psalm 91:15-16: “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him; and let him see My salvation."

Thank the Lord there were no Israeli soldiers that were kidnapped during this military operation, as it would have caused great trauma for Israeli society. Psalm 44:5: “Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes.”

For those Israelis who have buried their loved ones who died on the Gaza battlefield, pray that the Lord comforts them with His deep love. Psalm 44:25-26:  “For our soul has sunk down into the dust; our body cleaves to the earth. Rise up, be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your loving-kindness.

·         Israelis have pulled together as a family, sharing a homeland; wondering what the future holds and what will happen to them. It is a collective concern about their land and their people.  

Pray that they come to Yeshua; drawn to Him by the Holy Spirit, which is their only security and Hope in difficult times! 

 Pray and proclaim, with us, Romans 10:1: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” 

This should be the heart cry of the Body of Messiah in the land and throughout the world!

·         During the war, the U.S. allowed Israel to tap into its local U.S. arms stockpile to re-supply the IDF with grenades and mortar rounds. The arsenal is called, “War Reserves Stocks/Allies – Israel (WRSA-1).”  Though there have been many reasons for Israel to be upset, diplomatically, with the Obama Administration’s handling of this war, we can thank God, and be grateful, that America still supplies arms to Israel as needed. Thank the Lord, as well, for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s decision to add $225 million for the Iron Dome, which it attached to a spending bill for Central American refugees. 

·         The Hamas motto is: “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Koran is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”  During the Gaza war, it was obvious that Hamas glorified death more than life. Hamas encouraged Gaza citizens to die for the cause of Allah, promising them a bright future. The terrorists see their dead as martyrs, believing all will be alive in the afterworld. But, they do not know it is only through Messiah Jesus that they can know life, and life eternally. 

Declare 1 Peter 1:23-25 over the people of Gaza, proclaiming that they must be born again, not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.

Proclaim Isaiah 60:18 on behalf of Israeli citizens: “No longer will violence (hamas) be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.”

·         There are already reports that the international community will try to bring war crimes against Israel. There are several leaders of nations, as well as UN officials that want to tie up Israel’s lawyers in the international court room. Israel now has to focus its resources on finding evidence that proves it was Hamas that violated international law, not Israel. 

Pray for favor, wisdom and the Lord’s guidance as Israel begins to prepare its defense. 

Declare Isaiah 54:17 on Israel’s behalf:  “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.”

·         Israeli leaders say that at least 50% of the dead in Gaza were terrorists. How can that be proved? The IDF is having a difficult time pulling together these facts. And, the nations are raging against Israel, accusing the IDF of deliberately targeting UN schools. But, Israel says some of the rockets that hit the schools were from Hamas. And, several Hamas rocket launchers were in front of the schools, so when Israel retaliated against rocket strikes on Israeli communities, they would end up striking the UN facility. Meanwhile, Israel considered certain UN buildings as legitimate military targets because the UN stored Hamas rockets at three of its sites.

Declare Isaiah 50:8-10 in defense of the Jewish nation:  “He who vindicates Me is near; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand up to each other; Who has a case against Me? Let him draw near to Me. Behold, the Lord GOD helps Me; Who is he who condemns Me? Behold, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them. Who is among you that fears the LORD; that obeys the voice of His servant that walks in darkness and has no light?  Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”

·         Significant extremist fronts are opening up to re-arm Hamas in Gaza. Strategic weapons are being introduced by Israel’s enemies into the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). The tactics of terrorists in the future will be to attack the Jewish State on all its borders.  

Ask the Lord to contend with those who contend with Israel, according to Psalm Chapter 35. (Speak, out loud, the whole chapter!)

·         The war brought out the extreme rise in anti-Semitism worldwide. This is the time for believers to focus on helping the Jews with immigration back to Israel. Prepare the highway!  Pray in the Aliyah through the 64 scriptures mentioned in the Bible. Pray for greater public diplomacy in Europe. There has not been enough of a focus on hasbara by Israel or the European Jewish Community. 

·         Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman recently said that a battle of civilizations is taking place in the Middle East. The Gaza war was part of that wider struggle. It’s the greatest challenge facing the world since WWII.  

 God knows how to defeat His enemies. We stand in awe of Him and what He will do for Israel and the nations to show His power; and, to uproot the wicked and defeat the forces of evil!