Jerusalem,
Israel
MAY
24, 2024 PRAYER UPDATE
Israel
and the Nations
GPW News and Prayer Update
We are in a time of seeing shadows and types of
what is to come. The birth pangs of Matthew 24, in their beginning
stages, are warnings that the prophetic events we are waiting for, will
happen, in much greater measure; and that we should prepare.
Often, we use scripture to say, “this is happening
now,” when it is only a foreshadow.
So, keep these words in mind as you read the following
scriptural passages: “PREPARE, WATCH, OBSERVE”. Not, these words: “IT’S NOW BEING
FULFILLED.” There is a big
difference between the two!
ZECHARIAH 12:1-9:
“The oracle
(a burdensome message) of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares
the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth
and forms the spirit of man within him:
Behold, I am going to make
Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling (staggering) to all the surrounding
peoples; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be
against Judah.
And in that day, I will
make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be
severely injured. And, all the nations of the earth will come and be
gathered against it.
In that day, declares the
LORD, I will strike every horse with panic and his rider with madness; but I
will open My eyes and watch over the house of Judah,
and will strike every horse of the [opposing] nations with blindness.
Then the clans of
Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are
our strength in the LORD of Hosts, their God.’
On that day I will make the
clans of Judah like a flame that sets a woodpile ablaze or like a
burning torch among sheaves of grain. They will burn up all the neighboring
nations right and left, while the people living in Jerusalem remain secure.
The LORD will save
the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the
house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not
become greater than that of Judah.
In that day the LORD will defend
the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that
day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like
God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.
(On that day the LORD will
defend those who live in Jerusalem so that even those who stumble
will be like David, and David's family will be like God, like the Messenger
of the LORD ahead of them).
And in that day, I will
seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”
PRAYER POINT:
Today, we prayerfully
desire to partner with You, Lord, in defending Israel -- in seeing Jerusalem
saved, but also Judah. We entreat You that we be called forth like the Messenger
of the LORD!
THE CURRENT
DIPLOMATIC WAR THAT WILL LEAD TO A MILITARY BATTLE:
The news, today, gives us
glimpses of what this battle will be like, mentioned in Zechariah. We have seen
it in the past, when the Palestinians asked the United Nations for a UN
peacekeeping force to protect them from Israel. They insisted on this while standing
on the land given to the Jews through a covenant with the God of Israel. (It is
not the covenant of the God of Israel with the Palestinians).
In the end, the
Palestinians did not get their UN peacekeeping force…. yet.
Current news reports
suggest that the stage is being set for Judea and Samaria, part of the land
of Israel, to become a state of Palestine, which would result in Islamic
claims to the land God gave the Jews. This would result in pressure for parts of Jerusalem
to become the capital of this Palestinian state; Or Jerusalem declared as an
international city (instead of the capital of Israel). Jerusalem will become
the stumbling block for all nations!
It does appear that Israel
will have to go through another dividing of the land; and afterwards more war;
but, the upheavals lead to repentance, and God deals with Israel, as well as with
the nations. Always His good promises are there to proclaim:
“The House of
David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them!” (Zechariah 12:8).
It is our responsibility
to: observe, keep our eyes focused, and look at the signs, so we can prepare
for that future day coming! Therefore,
when we are disappointed with the actions of the nations, this scripture
passage mentioned in Zechariah will continue to come to mind. In the end, God
wins this battle over Jerusalem. (Zechariah
12:9).
THE NATIONS:
Nation, after nation, is currently declaring a
state of Palestine – the latest being Ireland, Norway, and Spain. Israel has recalled its ambassadors from
these nations. Israel has brought the
ambassadors of Ireland, Norway, and Spain into the Israeli Foreign Ministry for
a reprimanding; insisting they watch a video of the massacre on October 7, 2023.
Yet, the stubbornness of these nations remains.
Israel’s Foreign Minister,
Israel Katz, said, recently, that Israel would sever contact between the
Spanish mission in Israel and the Palestinians, and prohibit the Spanish
Consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians from Israel.
This is because of Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state, and, the anti-Semitic comments of the Deputy
Prime Minister of Spain, who spoke of liberating Palestine from the river to
the sea.
This kind of hate from
European leaders, especially when Spain lived under oppressive Islamic rule for
700 years, shows how much the demonic is affecting the minds and hearts of
current government leaders.
PRAYER POINT:
We do not lose heart. We
know God has a plan. Scripture warns us that Jerusalem will become a heavy
stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And, all
the nations of the earth will come and be gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:3).
We pray for those people
of influence who try to lift that stone, that God will meet them in their
darkest hour. We acknowledge that we have seen signs
along the way, and yet, we are not in the actual time period that Zechariah
talks about.
It is in the way that the
nations deal with Israel that they will see God’s judgement come.
JOEL 3:2:
“I will also gather all
nations. And, bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And, I will enter
into judgment with them there, on account of My people, My heritage
Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have also divided
up My land.”
WHERE SHOULD
OUR PRAYER FOCUS BE?
We will observe this
treatment, by God, towards the nations. It is our place to stand in the gap as watchmen
and PRAY for His mercy to prevail. Do not be surprised that in the days coming,
we may be urged by the Lord to switch from looking to save an entire nation
through prayer…. to, rather, saving individuals through prayer. PRAY for the remnant
in the nations, who needs salvation and rescue.
PRAY not just for a government that is making decisions that oppose what is best for Israel. PRAY, for the powerbrokers in that government, that are at the root of those decisions being made. PRAY for those individuals in government, who have turned their back on God, and opposed His scriptures regarding His Chosen People. May God use you as an influencer in the lives of those individuals!
INFLUENCERS:
There is a story about a
pro-Israel pastor/politician who was a Senator in the opposition part of his
government. He had considered becoming a member of the government of a
ruthless, socialist, leftist, Marxist president. How could he easily and
peacefully serve such a corrupt man?
He pointed out the
biblical story of Daniel – who served in the courts of the king. The
pastor/politician said that, as long as he was not asked to do something that
would compromise his conscious, in any way, he could serve this ruthless ruler.
Otherwise, this pastor/politician said he would tell the president that he
could not serve him in that one particular way. And, he believed that the
president would honor his request.
It is not sure that he
ever entered the government to serve the president. But, what did happen is
that this pastor/politician was used mightily by God!
For years, the ruthless
ruler of this government had severed ties with Israel. One day, those ties were
repaired. Israel restored diplomatic relations with this nation. And, who was
behind the scenes, responsible for that repair? The pro-Israel
pastor/politician!
We never know how God will
use us in critical moments for a breakthrough. We must be prepared,
ready, and with the right attitude, in the right season, understanding God’s
mysteries, as Daniel did.
The book of Daniel,
Chapter 2, is about King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The king became angry because
he couldn’t find a wise man to interpret his dream. And, he was ordering the
execution of all wise men in his kingdom! (Note: We are not going into the whole
group of scriptures here, which explain the interpretation of the dream in
detail).
Daniel
2:14-30:
“When Arioch, the
commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon,
Daniel replied with discretion and tact.
“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked.
At this time Arioch
explained the situation to Daniel. Daniel went in and asked the
king to give him some time, so that he could give him (Arioch) the
interpretation.
Then, Daniel returned to
his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven
concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed
with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
During the night, the
mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of
heaven and declared:
‘Blessed be the name of
God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
He changes the times and seasons; He
removes kings and establishes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge
to the discerning.
He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in
darkness,
and light dwells with Him.
To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
because You have given me wisdom and
power. And now You have made known to me
what we have requested, for You have made
known to us the dream of the king.’ ”
“Therefore, Daniel went
to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and
said to him, ‘Do not execute the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the
king, and I will give him the interpretation.’
Arioch hastily brought
Daniel before the king and said to him, ‘I have found a man among the exiles from
Judah who will tell the king the interpretation.’
The king responded to
Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to tell me what I saw in the
dream, as well as its interpretation?’
Daniel answered the
king, ‘No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king
the mystery of which he inquires. But there is a God in heaven who
reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what
will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your
mind as you lay on your bed were these:
As you lay on your bed,
O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries
made known to you what will happen. And to me this mystery has been
revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that
the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand
the thoughts of your mind.”
BEING EQUIPPED FOR THE
WORK OF THE MINISTRY:
Daniel was operating in word
of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discernment of spirits. This is needed
for us to be able to walk the halls of government and minister to those in
authority. God will give us these gifts if we ask Him. He will equip us for the
task at hand.
Daniel 2:44-48:
“In the days of those
kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,
nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and
bring them to an end, but will, itself, stand forever.
And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands,
and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great
God has told the king what will happen in the future.
The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.
At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering of incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, ‘Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.’
Then the king promoted
Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over
the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all
the wise men of Babylon. And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel
remained in the king’s court.”
UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES
AND SEASONS AND SPHERES OF INFLUENCE (1
Chronicles 12:32):
We know the scriptures.
We know the prophecies. We know what will happen. We don’t always know the exact
day or the exact time. We are entering a
season where God is going to bring us into the presence of government leaders, decision-makers,
and people in authority. It may be His way of preserving our lives. (Daniel
2:12-13).
The Lord will equip us
to interpret the dreams of these individuals, and to bring them the salvation
message; to share a good word in due season. (Isaiah 52:7; Proverbs 25:11;
Proverbs 15:23).
ALIYAH NOT YET AN
“EMERGENCY.” IT IS A TIME OF PREPARATION FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE WEST:
In the recent protests and
antisemitic acts on college campuses:
Those universities that
brought in the police, who clamped down on protestors, especially groups coming
on to the campuses from the outside, were able to shut down the antisemitism…
at least for now. There is still a sense of the law working.
When you begin to see
“lawlessness” out of control, and the Jews become the scapegoat for every
problem in society… then, we have entered into a time of emergency.
Until then, it is a time of preparation.
Our tendency, as watchmen,
is to rush through prophecy and prophetic action. We need to learn how to wait
and watch, more than to react. We need to refine what we believe we are
getting from the Lord, with greater accuracy and timing. This comes through
wisdom in seeking Him more.
An Aliyah Jewish leader
said, recently: “I have no idea what will happen, next month or next year, and
I don’t think anyone can make forecasts.”
What does God say about
this matter?
AMOS 3:7:
“Surely
the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the
prophets.”
This is what
God did for Daniel, and this is what God will do for you!
(Source: Global
Prayer Watch News and Prayer Update)