SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 135

Jerusalem, Israel

FEBRUARY 14, 2019 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Nations

BACKGROUND: SHIFT COMING IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

*U.S. President Trump believes that ISIS and its caliphate has been defeated. He is not listening to the advice of his military commanders; or Pentagon leaders; or Congressional leaders; or White House senior advisors. 

*Trump has agreed, with Turkish President Erdogan, to pull U.S. troops out of northeast Syria, beginning in March and ending in April 2019.

*Erdogan has assured Trump he will provide a protective corridor to those people living in Northeast Syria. But, the civilians living there think it will be a disaster. Erdogan wants to wipe out the Kurds in the area, whom he claims are terrorists. However, there is a diversity of people living there, including:  Syriac Christians, Armenians, Yazidis, Chaldeans, Kurds, and Arab Muslims. They want to live together in peace and security. There is a fledgling democracy that exists in that region of Syria. It is called, SANS:  The Self-Administration of Northeast Syria.

*Meanwhile, Russia is demanding that Israel stop striking Syria, amid reports that Israel discovered another Iranian military base in Latakia (which is in Northwest Syria).  

*Also, Russia claims the negative influence of the U.S in the Middle East will lead to conflicts in the region. The threat is a possible Lebanese/Hezbollah conflict with Israel. Hezbollah has 120,000+ missiles that can target Israel.  Israel is trying to stop Iranian precision missiles from getting into Hezbollah’s arsenal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in the Russian city of Sochi, on February 14, 2019.

Our sense is that these Middle East leaders are firming up their plans for when U.S. troops pull out of Syria. This will probably include specific negotiations over:  (1) the fate of the Kurds; (2) control of the oil fields in northeast Syria; (3) the attempt to extend the land corridor from Iran, to Iraq, to Syria, and to Lebanon, in order for Iran and its proxies to surround Israel.

DECLARATIONS:

*Believers in Israel are entreating the Lord to delay what could be a future regional war. In a recent meeting in this city, it was DECLARED: THE VOLUME NEEDS TO BE TURNED UP ON GODLY COUNSEL, AND THE VOLUME NEEDS TO BE TURNED DOWN ON OTHER VOICES! 

GOD CAN TURN UP THE VOLUME ON HIS COUNSEL. HE UNDERSTANDS THE VOICES. HE CAN STOP UNGODLY VOICES AND GIVE THE U.S. AND THE NATIONS THE RIGHT COUNSEL. A SHIFT IS NEEDED. PRESDIENT TRUMP STILL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELAY PULLING TROOPS OUT OF NORTH-EAST SYRIA. IT’S A SPIRITUAL TUG OF WAR… 

WE DECLARE: “LORD, FOR YOUR PURPOSES. SEND YOUR ANGELS TO FIGHT FOR YOUR PEOPLE!” 

PSALM 2:10-12: “THEREFORE, YOU KINGS, BE WISE; BE WARNED, YOU RULERS OF THE EARTH. SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR AND CELEBRATE HIS RULE WITH TREMBLING. KISS HIS SON, OR HE WILL BE ANGRY AND YOUR WAY WILL LEAD TO YOUR DESTRUCTION, FOR HIS WRATH CAN FLARE UP IN A MOMENT. BLESSED ARE ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM!” 

WE DECLARE: PSALM 29:4:  “THE VOICE OF THE LORD IS POWERFUL! THE VOICE OF THE LORD IS MAJESTIC!”

PRAYER POINTS:  

(1) May the Lord intervene and cause the Sochi summit to be ineffective in advancing the goals of these 3 nations. (Psalm 33:10).

(2) May God extend a sovereign shield of protection over the Kurds and others living in northeast    Syria. (Psalm 10:18).

(3) May He cause a wedge in the path of the Iranians, and stop their attempt to move forward with plans for a land corridor that would eventually surround Israel. (Job 5:12).

 

(4) May the Lord of Hosts, the Commander of the Armies of Heaven, demolish the Iranian   military base in Latakia. (Psalm 92:11).

 

(5) May all attempts by the Iranian military to create and deliver their precision missiles to Hezbollah be thwarted. (Psalm 60:12).

(6) May the Lord give Israeli Prime Minister/Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wisdom, favor, and authority as he meets with Putin in Moscow on February 21st, to discuss the “deconfliction” agreement between both nations; as well as Israel’s demand that Russia  contain Iran’s regional  aggression.    (Psalm 111:10).

(7) May God give Israel and the United States strategies from heaven to cancel and nullify all attempts by the enemy to try and destabilize the Middle East, at this time, in Yeshua’s name! (Psalm Chapter 76). 

WE DECLARE: PSALM 46:7: “THE LORD ALMIGHTY IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR FORTRESS”

BACKGROUND: ON IRAN:

*Iran has been threatening the United States and Israel in a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. In defiance of U.S. demands that Iran stop its cruise and ballistic missiles program, Iran paraded the advanced weapons around in an anniversary march… with Iran’s government celebrating 40 years since the Islamic Revolution began. 

Recently, there was the end of the official celebrations of the “10 Day Dawn”, the period marking February 1, 1979 to February 11^th, when Iranian leader Khomeini returned from exile and toppled the monarchy. 

During these 10 days, Iran launched and tested new missiles which can hit Israel and put this nation in danger. 

This is also the anniversary that indicated in Iranian minds a symbol of maturity, and in Islamic tradition is the time when the Prophet Mohammed supposedly received revelations.

During the marches in cities throughout Iran, banners read:  “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”. 

*While the government is flexing its muscles, the Iranian people are suffering. Iran is experiencing difficult financial times. U.S. sanctions on Iran are working as it is crippling the Iranian economy. There were people in the parade who talked to media who were defying bad times in Iran. They claimed that Iran is on top of scientific achievements like nanotechnology or accurate missiles. 

Iran’s current leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be publishing a derailed statement explaining the progress of the Islamic revolution.

*There is understanding among believers that a big revival is going on in Iran, and many people are coming to faith. There is even an interest by one Shia imman in the Christian faith. A Christian television network broadcasts into Iran, and this is contributing to the surge in salvations. 

*Yet, like Goliath, Iran continues to threaten Israel, with statements like:  “We’ll raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground if the U.S. attacks.”  

PRAYER POINTS REGARDING IRAN:

WE PRAY, DEAR LORD, THAT HE WHO WATCHES OVER ISRAEL SHALL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP. ISRAEL IS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE. ZION IS YOUR BELOVED CITY. JERUSALEM WILL BE A PRAISE IN THE WHOLE EARTH.

1 SAMUEL 17:45-47:  “DAVID SAID TO THE PHILISTINE (GOLIATH): ‘YOU COME AGAINST ME WITH SWORD AND SPEAR AND JAVELIN, BUT I COME AGAINST YOU IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY, THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL, WHO YOU HAE DEFIED!’ ”

‘THIS DAY, THE LORD WILL DELIVER YOU INTO MY HANDS, AND I’LL STRIKE YOU DOWN AND CUT OFF YOUR HEAD. THIS VERY DAY I WILL GIVE THE CARCASSES OF THE PHILISTINE ARMY TO THE BIRDS AND THE WILD ANIMALS, AND THE WHOLE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS A GOD IN ISRAEL!’ 

‘ALL THOSE GATHERED HERE WILL KNOW THAT IT IS NOT BY SWORD OR SPEAR THAT THE LORD SAVES; FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S AND HE WILL GIVE ALL OF YOU INTO OUR HANDS.’ ”

WE DECLARE: THAT ISRAEL WILL NOT FEAR IRAN AND WHAT IT’S LEADERS SAY, BUT WILL REVERENCE AND FEAR THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL AND WHAT HE WILL DO TO PROTECT THIS NATION!

(READ:  1 SAMUEL 17:48-51)

LORD, WE PRAY: THAT JUST AS HAPPENED IN THE TIME OF GOLIATH AND THE PHILISTINE’S, YOU WILL BE OUR HERO. YOUR ARMIES WILL PREVAIL AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL. AS YOUR SCRIPTURES MAKE CLEAR, ALL THOSE WHO THREATEN AND FIGHT ISRAEL, WILL TURN AND RUN WHEN THEY SEE YOUR VICTORIES!

ACCORDING TO PSALM 68, WE DECLARE:  “MAY GOD ARISE, MAY HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED; MAY HIS FOES FLEE BEFORE HIM.”

LORD. MAY YOU BLOW THEM AWAY LIKE SMOKE – AS WAX MELTS BEFORE THE FIRE; MAY THE WICKED PERISH BEFORE YOU GOD. BUT, MAY THE RIGHTEOUS BE GLAD AND REJOICE BEFORE YOU; MAY THEY BE HAPPY AND JOYFUL.” 

VERSE 7:  “WHEN YOU, GOD, WENT OUT BVEFORE YOUR PEOPLE; WHEN YOU MARCHED THROUGH THE WILDERNESS; THE EARTH SHOOK, THE HEAVENS POURED DOWN RAID, BEFORE GOD, THE ONE OF SINAI; BEFORE GOD, THE ONE OF ISRAEL.”

VERSE 12-13: “KINGS AND ARMIES FLEE IN HASTE; THE WOMEN AT HOME DIVIDE THE PLUNDER. EVEN WHILE YOU SLEEP AMONG THE SHEEP PENS, THE WINGS OF MY DOVE ARE SHEATHED WITH SILVER; ITS FEATHERS WITH SHINING GOLD.”

VERSES 20-21: “OUR GOD IS A GOD THAT SAVES; FROM THE SOVEREIGN LORD COMES ESCAPE FROM DEATH. SURELY GOD WILL CRUSH THE HEAD OF HIS ENEMIES….”

VERSES 24:  YOUR PROCESSION, GOD, HAS COME INTO VIEW; THE PROCESSION OF MY GOD AND KING INTO THE SANCTUARY.”

VERSE 28:  “SUMMON YOUR POWER, GOD; SHOW US YOUR STRENGTH, OUR GOD, AS YOU HAVE DONE BEFORE.”

LORD, WE DECLARE: YOU WILL SCATTER THE NATIONS WHO DELIGHT IN WAR!

WE DECLARE, ACCORDING TO PSALM 68:32-35:  SING TO GOD, YOU KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH; SING PRAISE TO THE LORD; TO HIM WHO RIDES ACROSS THE HIGHEST HEAVENS; THE ANCIENT HEAVENS; WHO THUNDERS WITH A MIGHTY VOICE. PROCLAIM THE POWER OF GOD, WHOSE MAJESTY IS OVER ISRAEL; WHOSE POWER IS IN THE HEAVENS; YOU, GOD ARE AWESOME IN YOUR SANCTUARY; THE GOD OF ISRAEL GIVES POWER AND STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE. PRAISE BE TO GOD!

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 134

Jerusalem, Israel

FEBRUARY 2019 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Nations

GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIY/ ISRAELI ELECTIONS:

Israel is in the midst of election campaigns with various political parties vying for the vote of Israeli citizens. Elections will take place throughout the country on April 9^th. In Israel there is no absentee ballots allowed. 

The first public appearance of former Israeli Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, whose party is called Resilience, occurred on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. His campaign speech put him in the running as a significant contender to current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz is taking a centrist approach with a similar platform as that of Yesh Atid party leader, Yair Lapid. The two centrists are negotiating on an agreement which may result in them running on a “joint list”, and uniting other centrist parties. This would constitute a challenge to the Likud and Israel’s right-wing parties.

Israel’s Attorney-General Avichai Mandelbit announced that he will decide, before the April 9th elections, on whether to indicate Netanyahu or not. This could happen as early as February 21^st. (On February 20^th, the registration of lists of candidates who will be running in the election ends). If Netanyahu has to attend indictment hearings before the election, this will hurt his chances of becoming prime minister for another term of office. (His wife is also under an indictment with a pending court trial coming up). 

In the meantime, Netanyahu is considering the idea of uniting and integrating Israel’s various right-wing parties under his Likud party leadership banner. There is infighting in the Likud, with popular leaders vying for top positions in the party, as the possibility of Netanyahu losing his popularity increases, because of the probable indictment.

The main concern for the Israeli public today is security. Two IDF generals, Gantz and Moshe Yaalon are running together in the election, with a third possibility that another IDF general, Gaby Ashkenazi could join them on a “joint” list. This shows the serious emphasis being placed on Israel’s security by the candidates.

Regarding the domestic agenda there are some issues of morality that various political parties will be deciding whether to adopt or not as part of their platform. One of these issues has to do with legalizing homosexual parenthood by allowing surrogate women to bear their children. As Israelis go to the polls, PRAY that they will have clarity on what each party is promoting, and that they will choose parties that want to enact just laws that honor God and His commandments.

PRAYER POINTS:

*To whomever becomes the next Prime Minister of Israel, DECLARE EXODUS 31:3:  “AND, I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WISDOM, WITH UNDERSTANDING, AND WITH KNOWLEDGE, AND WITH ALL KINDS OF SKILLS…”

*The Lord God Almighty alters and changes times and seasons. He controls the course of world events. He gives rulers their power, and takes it away, as He chooses. He removes kings and raises up other kings. He establishes the governmental leadership that He wants in place. 

*DECLARE, DANIEL 2:21:  “YOU LORD ARE THE SOURCE OF WISDOM. YOU IMPART WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING -- TO THOSE WHO ARE DISCERNING AND HAVE INSIGHT. 

IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL, YOU HAVE POSITIONED THOSE YOU WANT IN AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR PURPOSES. IN THIS TIME OF UNCERTAINTY AND INSTABILITY IN THE ISRAELI POLITICAL REALM, ESTABLISH THE NEW SEAT OF GOVERNMENT IN THE LAND. CAUSE THOSE WHO WALK IN YOUR WAYS, AND EMBRACE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE, TO BE ELECTED ON APRIL 9^TH, IN JESUS NAME.”

*Regarding Netanyahu, and his family, PRAY for the Lord to give him and his legal counsel wisdom.             

                                

JAMES 1:5:  “NOW, IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, HE SHOULD ASK GOD, WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM.”  

PSALM 31:15: “MY TIMES ARE IN YOUR HANDS; DELIVER ME FROM MY ENEMIES AND FROM THOSE WHO PURSUE ME.”

PSALM 75:6-7:  “FOR EXALTATION COMES NOT FROM EAST OR WEST OR OUT OF THE DESERT; BUT, IT IS GOD WHO JUDGES; HE BRINGS ONE DOWN AND EXALTS ANOTHER.”

DECLARE GOD’S SOVEREIGN PROMISES OVER THE NETANYAHU FAMILY; PLANS FOR THEIR WELFARE, AND NOT FOR CALAMITY; TO GIVE THEM A FUTURE AND A HOPE. PRAY THAT THEY WILL CALL UPON THE LORD AND COME TO HIM, AND HE WILL LISTEN AS THEY SEEK HIM AND FIND HIM, WHEN THEY SEARCH FOR HIM WITH ALL THEIR HEART. THIS IS ACCORDING TO JEREMIAH 29:11-12.

*PRAY for Israeli Attorney-General Avichai Mandelbit who has the power and the timing in his hands to decide if and when to indict Netanyahu. Intercede that Mandelbit will take up this mantle in the way Solomon did, with great humility:

1 KINGS 3:9: “THEREFORE GIVE YOUR SERVANT AN UNDERSTANDING AND DISCERNING HEART TO GOVERN AND JUDGE YOUR PEOPLE, AND TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG/GOOD AND EVIL. FOR WHO IS ABLE TO GOVERN THIS GREAT PEOPLE OF YOURS?”

Lord we DECREE Your Word that says in ROMANS 13:1: “EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT HIMSELF TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES; FOR THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT THAT WHICH IS FROM GOD. THE AUTHORITIES THAT EXIST HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD.”

*God of Israel, we pray that your citizens will choose leaders who want to obey your commandments and will not succumb to the gay rights agenda. 

Your Word says in PROVERBS 8:12-15: “I, WISDOM, DWELL TOGETHER WITH PRUDENCE; I POSSESS KNOWLEDGE AND DISCRETION. TO FEAR THE LORD IS TO HATE EVIL; I HATE PRIDE AND ARROGANCE, EVIL BEHAVIOR AND PERVERSE SPEECH. COUNSEL AND SOUND JUDGEMENT ARE MINE; I HAVE INSIGHT, I HAVE POWER. BY ME KINGS REIGN, AND RULERS ISSUE DECREES THAT ARE JUST; THEY ENACT JUST LAWS.” 

LORD, RULERS LEAD WITH YOUR HELP, AND NOBLES MAKE RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENTS. MAY THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL SUBMIT THEIR DECREES, THEIR LAWS, AND THEIR STATUES TO YOU. AND, EMBRACE GOOD, MORAL, AND UPRIGHT BEHAVIOR, ACCORDING TO YOUR SCRIPTURES.

*WE DECLARE:  DANIEL 2:20, “BLESSED BE THE NAME OF GOD FOREVER AND EVER, FOR WISDOM AND POWER BELONG TO HIM!”

RUMORS OF WAR:

During this time of uncertainty in Israel, there are daily sounds of Israeli Air Force jets practicing in the skies. There are also signs that the Israeli government is preparing for war with its neighbors. Below are statements that Netanyahu has made over the past week that indicate the preparations taking place within the army, although we do not hear of reservists being called up for duty; nor, anything recent about citizen preparations on the home front.

On February 3^rd, at Netanyahu’s weekly cabinet meeting, he said:

"Over the weekend we began building the above-ground barrier along the Gaza border. The barrier will prevent terrorists from Gaza from penetrating into our territory on the ground…. I would also like to make it clear: If the quiet is not maintained in Gaza, we will make the decisions even in the elections period and will not hesitate to act."

Netanyahu also stated:

"In Iran today they are marking 40 years since the Islamic revolution and are trying to boast about a new missile. Iran openly declares its intention to destroy the state of Israel… I have a clear message to the tyrants of Tehran: ‘We know what you are doing and where you are doing it. We will continue to take action against Iran with all the tools at our disposal in order to ensure the security and future of Israel.’”

On Sunday, Iran claimed that it had mounted new precision-guided warheads atop their most advanced and longest-range missiles, which are capable of reaching both Israel and American military bases in the Gulf.

Netanyahu attended a surprise inspection of the IDF Reserve Division Emergency Supply Depot at Syrkin Base on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. The surprise inspection was designed to evaluate both the readiness of the unit to carry out its wartime mission and its ability to transition quickly from routine to emergency.

Netanyahu stated:

"From what I have managed to see the command and equipment are ready, and stocks are full.

Beyond this there is also an orderly plan of how to take soldiers who have just arrived here, and bring them to the front as quickly as possible with minimal mishaps. While there certainly are things here that need improving, overall I think that the readiness here is very good."

I think that the forces that will come here with great strength and will express this strength on the battlefield. The IDF is also prepared for both defense and a crushing attack."

PRAYER POINTS:

PRAY THAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, ACTING AS ISRAEL’S DEFENSE MINISTER, WILL INQUIRE OF THE LORD IF AND WHEN TO GO TO WAR AGAINST ISRAEL’S ENEMIES. LORD, WE PRAY THAT, ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT ISRAEL’S UPCOMING ELECTIONS ON APRIL 9^TH.

ECCLESIASTES 3:8, SPEAKS OF A TIME OF WAR AND A TIME OF PEACE. IT IS UP TO YOU, GOD, TO DETERMINE WHAT TIME WE ARE IN NOW, AND TO GIVE UNDERSTANDING TO THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL.

THANK YOU THAT THE IDF IS PREPARED FOR CONFLICT IN THE FUTURE. WE ASK YOU TO FORTIFY THE TROOPS WITH ALL SUPPLIES THEY WILL NEED; TO ORGANIZE THE UNITS MOST EFFECTIVELY; TO BRING ORDER TO THOSE IN COMMAND; TO KEEP ALL WATCHMEN ALERT IN ISRAEL’S WATCHOWERS, IN YESHUA’S NAME.

WE DECLARE, ACCORDING TO PSALM 144:1-2: “BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK, WHO TRAINS MY HANDS FOR WAR, AND MY FINGERS FOR BATTLE. HE IS MY LOVING DEVOTION AND MY FORTRESS; MY STRONGHOLD AND MY DELIVERER. HE IS MY SHIELD, IN WHOM I TAKE REFUGE, WHO SUBDUES PEOPLE UNDER ME.”

PSALM 3:3: “BUT YOU, O LORD, ARE A SHIELD AROUND ME, MY GLORY, AND THE ONE WHO LIFTS MY HEAD.”

PSALM 18:39:  “YOU HAVE ARMED ME WITH STRENGTH FOR BATTLE; YOU HAVE SUBDUED MY FOES BENEATH ME.”

(ALSO, SEE:  PSALM 18:2; PSALM 28:7; PSALM 59:9; PSALM 91:2; PROVERBS 18:1; 2 SAMUEL 22:35).

WE PROCLAIM PSALM 60:12:  “THROUGH GOD, WE SHALL DO VALIANTLY; IT IS HE THAT SHALL TREAD DOWN OUR ENEMIES.”

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