Jerusalem, Israel
OCTOBER 15, 2017 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the
Nations
***There has been quiet among Israeli government and military
leaders about a recent conflagration with Syria. Israeli jet planes were flying
a routine mission over Lebanon when the Syrians (for unknown reasons) were
provoked. They launched a missile towards the Israeli Air Force, and Israel
retaliated. Israel dropped four bombs on the Syrian anti-aircraft battery that had
launched the missiles, destroying it. This was a strong message sent to the
Syrian government. Apparently, a similar incident happened this past March.
ISIS also claims they launched a Grad rocket from the Sinai
that hit Israeli territory this week. There were no injuries. Israel retaliated by carrying out a drone
strike which killed one person in the Sinai area of Rafah.
PRAYER POINTS:
Psalm 3:7-8: "Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation
belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah..."
Israelis have been
revived during a month of celebrations of the biblical feasts, including a time
of repentance and refreshing. This is when the new cycle of Torah readings has
begun and Israelis are experiencing a new year of blessings. The rains came
during Succot. The land is filled with His Presence… with the living waters
from heaven. Pray for the watchmen on the walls to intercede for the borders of
Israel at this time, especially for an extra measure of protection over the
land in the north and the south.
***Allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were
near an indictment level this past summer. Also, there were rumors that his
wife, Sara was going to be indicted. But, things quieted down, and there was no
announcement of wrong-doing during the month of the high holy days. The
on-going investigation is now in high-gear again, with criticism being launched
against the Prime Minister and the Police.
PRAYER POINTS:
Ecclesiastes 9:1: "For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it, that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. It
is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked;
for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a
sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the
sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.…"
Pray for what is
needed so the Israeli government can function normally…. a final end to the constant
bickering about whether the prime minister is guilty or not; whether his wife
is guilty or not. Let the truth be known once and for all; let anything illegal
be exposed; let the case be solved and finished. Let justice prevail!
***There has been a partial agreement between Fatah (the
Palestinian Authority that oversees Palestinian operations in the West Bank), and
Hamas (the terrorist government that oversees Palestinian operations in Gaza). This
agreement, which basically calls for all decisions regarding peace or war to be
coordinated between the two groups, is dangerous for Israel. Hamas has not agreed to give up its weapons
against Israel, which includes some 25,000 armed troops in Gaza. It is expected
that there will be increased international pressure for Netanyahu to resume
negotiations with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the near
future.
PRAYER POINTS:
Declare over
Israel: Isaiah 54:14-15: "In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And, from terror, for it will not come near you.
If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me. Whoever assails
you will fall because of you.”
***Recently, there was a meeting between Saudi Arabia’s King
Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin. They signed tentative agreements
on security, energy, communications, and trade cooperation. The Saudis are
planning to buy the S-400 anti-missile system from Russia, the same system that
is, reportedly, in Syria; and, was given, in parts, to Iran.
Russia has become a big player in the Middle East, mostly
because of the continued lack of action by the United States… starting with the
retreat from world leadership of former U.S. President Barack Obama, and continuing
with an unclear foreign policy directive from current U.S. President Donald
Trump. While Trump has been decisive on decertifying the Iran treaty, he has
been less forthcoming about sustainable relationships with Arab countries. In
fact, plans for an Arab coalition against Iranian aggression, which was
expected to be developed by the Trump Administration after his May 2016 trip to
the region, never really took place.
Now, Russia is not only a diplomatic power to contend with,
but it has increasingly becoming strong, militarily, in the Middle East. Russia
has solidified its military presence in Syria in exchange for assuring the
survival of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. Moscow now has an
operational naval and air force base in Syria, giving it a more permanent
foothold in the region. It has used those bases to launch missiles against
Syrian opposition forces. Putin has also used Iranian bases for Russia’s air
force to take off and land from bombing missions in Syria.
Furthermore, Russia has become a cover for Iran to extend
its regional powers. In Syria, Russia has helped Iran’s Shia militias that cooperate
with Assad’s army. In helping Syria and Iran, Russia has paved the way for a
strengthening of Hezbollah’s terrorist militias, which operate in Syria, and
which have taken over the control of the Lebanese army. Hezbollah is Israel’s
main enemy on its border with Lebanon and Syria.
Russia has also increased its political, economic and military
cooperation with Egypt.
The Middle East is still unstable. Not only with the civil
war still raging in Syria, despite attempts at a Russian-U.S. cease fire, but
also with the expectations of Kurdish independence. War is likely to be
launched against the Kurds, if Turkey intervenes to try and stop Kurdistan from
becoming an independent state in the region. This further instability provides
another avenue for Russian expansion, especially if America continues to take a
more passive role in the region.
PRAYER POINTS:
Russia is becoming known as the slumbering bear that has
woken up. Not only has Russia gained ground in the Middle East, European
nations that are dependent on Russian gas, are less likely to confront Russian
aggression over the Baltic States.
At present, Russia and Israel are continually having to make
sure there is no conflict of forces over Syria, with clear channels of
communications open between Israeli and Russian military leaders.
Please pray that this
channel remains effective and that no mistakes are made about the intentions of
both Israeli and Russian operatives.
Biblically, Russia could be part of the alliance of ungodly
powers described in the eventual war mentioned in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39.
Pray that Israeli
military and government leaders, at all times, will have open eyes to Russia’s
intentions in the Middle East, and develop Godly strategies of how to overcome
continued Russian aggression in the region.
Declare, before God,
that America will find its renewed and rightful place as a superpower in the
world, especially when it comes to securing advantageous Middle East alliances.
Pray that the Trump Administration will focus on a clear and thorough U.S. foreign
policy that will raise the level of its involvement in diplomatic and military issues
of strategic importance to Israel and its allies in the region.
Pray for God’s
supernatural peace to come over the Middle East… the peace that passes all
understanding in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). He is the rock of Israel’s salvation,
and the salvation of every nation on the earth!
Psalm 18:2-3: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation; my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be
praised, And, I am saved from my enemies.”