Jerusalem, Israel
PRAYER UPDATE – DECEMBER 15, 2020
Israel and the
Nations
ALL PRAISE TO OUR KING
OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS AT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
We celebrate Yeshua during this week of Hanukkah!
John 8:12: “One
again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, ‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of
life.’ ”
Yeshua also said something similar in John 9:5: “While I am in the
world, I am the light of the world.”
On this Hanukkah and soon to come Christmas season, we
remember John 1:4-5: “The Word gave
life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
We rejoice Yeshua that You have overcome the darkness!!
WHO WE ARE IN HIM
-- IN THE LIGHT AND IN THE DARKNESS:
Matthew 5:14:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor
do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it
gives light to all who are in the house.”
Psalm 119:105: “Your
Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Proverbs 4:18:
“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter
and brighter until midday.”
Psalm 139: 1-12: “….
You have searched me, LORD, and You know me. You know when I sit and when I
rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying
down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You,
Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay Your
hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too great for me to
understand! Where can I go from Your
Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are
there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of
the dawn; if I settle on the far side of the sea; even there Your hand will
guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely, the darkness
will hide me and the light become night around me’, even the darkness will not
be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to
You.”
PRAYER FOR THE
SALVATION OF ISRAEL DURING THIS HOLIDAY OF LIGHT:
We pray for the seed of LIFE, YESHUA to be planted in the
hearts of all those in Israeli society. Let that seed be watered well. And, God
may You make it grow. So, neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters,
is anything…. But only God, who makes things grow. For we are co-workers in
God’s service. You are God’s field, God’s building. Let each one build with
care taken. (See 1 Corinthians 3:6-10).
Today, we pray for life to be breathed into every person
living in Israel … Jew, Gentile, Arab, Druze, traditional Christians who are
not born again, children, young people, middle aged people, old people,
soldiers, businessmen and business women, politicians, diplomats, new
immigrants, volunteers, foreigners, those who are here serving in the land, etc.
We pray that we will lay a better foundation than we have so far, in the Body
of Messiah in the land, to catch these fish for the Kingdom of God! Let the
root of what we are laying as a foundation be deeply rooted in our Messiah,
Jesus!
Jeremiah 31:7: “This
is what the LORD says: ‘Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the
nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘LORD, save Your people, the remnant
of Israel.’ ”
Proverbs 8:17: “I
love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me.”
PRAYER FOR THE ISRAELI
GOVERNMENT:
As of this writing, it is unclear whether the Knesset will soon
be dissolved, and whether Israel will go to a 4th election (the
fourth one within a year’s time). There are already new political parties
forming. To try and replace Netanyahu’s stronghold over Likud, Gideon Saar has
looked to split the Likud and form the “New Hope” political party. There are
other politicians expected to form a center-left party. But, until it is clear
whether Israel is going to elections, nothing can really change. There has been
growing dissatisfaction with Netanyahu, who is considered by more and more
Israelis to be self-centered with an autocratic leadership style. Most would
agree he has broken his promise of having a budget in place by the end of this
year, as well as following his coalition agreement with Benny Gantz by allowing
a rotation to take place where Gantz would be prime minister.
In addition, the disputes between Netanyahu’s Likud party
and Gantz’s Blue and White party have widened the schism, making it almost
impossible for the government to form a cohesiveness unified front. There have
been increased demonstrations against the current government. So, Israelis are
more welcoming of the idea of going to the polls again.
PRAYER POINTS: How do
we pray and what do we pray regarding this government?
(1) We
seek You Sovereign Lord, according to Amos
3:7, that you will reveal Your plans to Your servants the prophets, so we
know how to pray more effectively for the future of the government of Israel.
(2) We
declare John 15:15: “No longer do I
(the Lord) call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master
is doing but, I (the Lord) call you friends, because everything I have learned
from My Father, I have made known to you.”
So, Lord, we entreat you to show us
how to pray, and how to hear from You, clearly; how to pray for the government
of Israel, in Jesus name!
(3) Lord,
we seek You for greater wisdom and knowledge, asking You to reveal Your heart
and plans regarding Your order for this earthly government in Israel. It was
Gabriel that came to Daniel in swift flight and instructed Daniel in Chapter 9:22, ‘Daniel, I have now come to give you
insight and understanding.’
Do this for us, Lord, as we seek
greater prayer for our leaders of this nation. Make Your will clearly known,
and instruct Your servants, those who pray on the walls of Jerusalem, how to
offer up prayers that hit the mark, in Yeshua’s name!
(4) Many
Israelis feel that Netanyahu is irreplaceable because of his vast experience in
foreign policy. However, others feel that he has greatly failed when it comes
to domestic issues – the care for the nation and its people on a very human
level. And, the needs of the people have
come more into focus since the Covid virus appeared on the scene. Netanyahu’s
unwillingness to raise up a new generation of Likud leaders who could follow
him in politics, has caused him to retain too much personal power.
PRAYER POINT: Lord, we pray that You will raise up a generation of
leaders who are like the shepherd David, who was anointed of You to become King
– someone most unlikely to kill the Goliath that threatened Israel. But, David
did it, in Your strength, God. So, we ask You: Raise up a generation of people
who can and will fight the Goliath’s in the land; a leader who, as Commander
and Chief, can lead a group of soldiers into war. It was You and You alone,
Lord, who sustained David. We pray for someone in Israel to be raised up who
has the heart of David; a heart after You, God; and can lead Israel with
strength, courage, and valor.
(5) The Vaccine: Only 50% of
Israelis want to take the vaccine. At least 1/3 of the population wants to wait
until Israel develops its own vaccine, which is going through human trials
right now. Reportedly, in order to achieve herd immunity, at least 70% of the
population has to be vaccinated. But, no one knows how effective the current
vaccines really are; nor, how safe they are. The rush to bring them on the
scene and get emergency FDA approval, has caused great anxiety and fear in this
country, as well as in other countries. The Netanyahu government has declared
that it expects to vaccinate 60,000 Israelis a day, through Israel’s health
organizations, starting with medical personnel and the elderly. Netanyahu is
pushing Israelis to be vaccinated with the Pfizer double-dose vaccine, which
has strong side effects, especially with people who have allergies.
Netanyahu has indicated that those
going through the vaccine will receive a “green passport”. With that “green
passport”, they will be able to get into malls, cultural events, sports events,
and gyms. And, they will be able to travel. It is a threat to those who do not
want to be vaccinated at this time. It limits personal freedoms, and already
Israelis are talking about lawsuits which would bring the issue to the Supreme
Court. Those who are pro-vaccine, including some rabbis, want Israelis to get
the vaccine shot because of what they perceive is the common good of the
country. This country has a long history of socialism -- which means, that the
good of society has precedence over individual choice. Opposing forces are causing
an increasingly larger gap in society.
Mark 3:35: “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot
stand.”
Psalm 133:1: “.... Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity!”
Lord, bring Israeli society into
unity so we can stand together against the wiles of the enemy that would try to
harm and divide us.
God, we ask You to expose the truth
about the current vaccines being offered in Israel, including the safety of
these inoculations. We pray safety and protection over those receiving the
vaccines. And, safety, protection and liberty for those who choose not to take
it. Let there be no discrimination that is unleashed between Israelis, but
instead, bring harmony, peace, tolerance, compassion, and understanding.
Joel 3:16: “The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from
Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But, the LORD will be a
refuge for His people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel.”
Proverbs 16:1: “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from
the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.”
Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s
heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose
of the LORD will prevail.”
Jeremiah 10:23: “I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own;
no one who walks, directs his own steps.”
SHOW US THE WAY LORD! THAT
WE MAY LIVE AND ABIDE IN YOU, AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR BODIES, AND ALSO FOR
THE PEOPLE OF THIS SOCIETY!
PRAYER REGARDING
TRUMP’S PEACE PLANS: 4 ARAB NATIONS IN 4 MONTHS:
- There are factors that
come into play if there is a change in government to a Biden
Administration. Trump has promised certain advanced arm sales, economic
incentives, and land sovereignty to nations in exchange for their
willingness to engage in a peace deal with Israel (such as declaring Morocco’s
sovereignty over the Western Sahara; and, delivering the F-35’s to the
U.A.E.) Will the Biden Administration uphold the terms and principles of
these peace agreements? If not,
will the nations that signed with Israel pull out of the agreements?
PRAYER POINT:
Psalm 33:10-12: “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He
thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But, the plans of the LORD stand firm
forever; the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the
nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance.”
- Former Israeli Ambassador
to the United Nations, Danny Danon, recently said that Israel has
diplomatic relations with about 160 of 190 nations in the UN body. He
expects that in the next month or so, several more nations will form peace
treaties with Israel. The number could change to 170 out of 190 nations.
Israel recently formed a political
agreement with the closed country of Bhutan. It is a nation that sits in the Himalayan
Mountains between India and China. On the surface it is not an important nation
for Israel. But, because of Israel’s close ties with India, it is an advantage
for Israel to protect Bhutan. In like kind, Bhutan has 1 vote in the UN just
like every other nation…. which is very important for Israel (to gain friends
in the UN). So, any government that
wants to enter into favorable diplomatic relations with Israel has a willing
partner.
PRAYER POINT: Someday the LORD will judge the nations. According to
Matthew 25:12, “All the nations will
be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a
Shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
Matthew 13:49: “So, it will
be at the end of the age: the angels will come and separate the wicked from the
righteous.”
LORD, we see the foreshadowing of
this as you give the nations an opportunity to stand with Israel… in new and
restored diplomatic relations; in votes in the UN. Your word says that those
who bless Israel will be blessed. And, we watch as the nations come into
alignment with Your purposes and plans for Your Kingdom.
We thank You that these nations, so
far, have been bold to accept the Trump peace deals and be supportive of
Israel; and we thank You for continued cooperation which relies on only You and
not political transitions of administrations and power.
Interesting Information:
- The U.A.E. has become a
refuge place for Orthodox Jews trying to escape anti-Semitism in Europe.
Reportedly, there is no evidence by the people of the U.A.E. of blatant
Anti-Semitism, like there is in Europe, and in places in the U.S.
- About 300,000 Moroccan
Jews immigrated to Israel from 1948-1964. Now, there are up to 1 million Moroccan
Jews living in Israel. Israelis think that the Moroccan Jews living in
Israel will be a bridge to the Moroccan government, especially in the area
of culture and the arts.
- More than 800,000 Jews
immigrated to Israel in the early days of independence from Arab countries
mostly due to discrimination. Now, that Arab nations are increasingly
forming warm relations with Israel, it becomes an advantage for their
leaders to enter into Israel’s negotiations with the Palestinians.