1) November initiative for the development of a united prayer movement

Lisa Loden and Evan Thomas, two Messianic Jewish leaders with a heart for the unity of His Body sent this report about the gathering of ministry leaders in Netanya on Friday November 4^th:

“Although the numbers were relatively small, this first initiative was very productive. The 12 local participants included both Messianic and Israeli Arab Christian leaders from Jerusalem, Galilee and central Israel. John Robb (USA) and Brian Mills (UK) provided us with an excellent foundation for "Transformative Prayer.”  Numbers of highly relevant personal testimonies from their decades of field experience in conflict areas of the world, their wise input and encouragement was invaluable!

 Their contribution led to a time of worship and prayer in small groups of three (triplets) where we sought the Lord for direction and a deeper understanding of the spiritual authority available to us through Messiah.

 Lisa and Evan then provided  basic facilitation to enable the group to identify primary spiritual strongholds that beset the nation and hold our peoples captive in our intractable conflict. We also identified some historical issues that have resulted in an endemic resistance to the Gospel. For your information, we are attaching a list (by no means exhaustive) of  the points we raised, discussed and prayed about.

 The time spent praying into these issues and identifying with our respective peoples was extremely valuable. Our prayer focus also helped provide insight into how much our own faith communities are impacted by religious strongholds and societal sins as well as by the ever-present Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 Overall, the day provided an excellent beginning. Our strong sense is that we should continue in this call to prayer by gathering together every few months.

Notes from Prayer Day, November 4, 2016

These points were expressed by the attendees following joint prayer in small groups throughout the day.

Areas for Prayer

1. Lack of peace. The land is bathed in conflict as are individual lives
2. For the body of Messiah to unite in prayer.
3. Pride, unbelief and hard heartedness.
4. Distrust of order and authority.
5. Systemic unrighteousness in government
6. Freedom from religious influences in society – coercion, control
7. A “spirit of death” (ex. high abortion rate)
8. Spiritual apathy
9. Lack of honor and respect (society and relationships)
10. For moral integrity in the young generation (pre-adolescence)
11. Culture of victimhood and offense on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
12. For the national Body of Messiah to have an understanding and revelation of the importance of prayer.

Thoughts on the way forward - Movement Towards Transformation

1. We need to model this more than to teach it.
2. Importance of starting with youth in prayer.
3. Need to develop an effective prayer model.
4. Network with others (small groups, etc.) who are already praying together.
5. This group should meet again (continuation of this initiative)
6. Identify key people who resonate with the concept of transformational prayer.
7. Recognize the need for this to be a “grass roots” movement led by the Spirit, i.e. not designed and organized from the top or from outside sources.

 Evan Thomas and Lisa Loden

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Please be in prayer according to the points that these ministry leaders identified that pertain to the development of a united, transformational prayer movement. This is utterly vital for this land that the Lord loves so much and that is so central to the His redemptive plans for our world.

2) Additional prayer concerns for Israel:

ISRAEL AFLAME.  HER LORD WANTS TO RENEW HER DAYS.  WILL SHE OPEN HER EYES?

I have no other country/Even if my Land is burning

Just a word in Hebrew/Penetrates my veins into my soul

Into a body that hurts/Into a hungry heart

Here is my Home

I won’t be silent/Because my country changed its appearance

I won’t give up on her/I will remind her

And sing here in her ears/Until she opens her eyes

Until she renews her days/Until she opens her eyes

This poem (Hebrew: Ein li Eretz Acheret) written by Ehud Manor in 1982 came to many of our minds here in Israel over the past week. It has been a deeply disturbing—at times alarming—week in Israel.  Beginning last Tuesday, wildfires began raging across the nation in an unprecidented way.  Except for a few smatterings of rain in a few locations a month ago, Israel hasn’t experienced any precipitation at all since last spring, and the land is like a tenderbox.  The early fires were attributed to this dryness, having been ignited by natural means.  Even so, it was strange the way they began leaping up in various places, keeping firefighting services scurrying through the first afternoon and evening. Then the winds were high, and a village west of Jerusalem had to be evacuated.  By mid-week, major fires were burning west and east of Jerusalem, a settlement in the Territories, then to the north along the coast, and finally in a horrifying way, they sprung up on Mount Carmel headed for Israel’s third-largest city, Haifa.  By this time, it began to be evident that they were no longer only being started by natural means, arsonists were definitely now involved.  Soon there were literally scores of fires burning simultaneously across central and northern Israel.  Israeli firefighters were exhausted—from Tuesday to Saturday some 2,000 firefighters were deployed, some working 24 hours shifts.  Around 450 soldiers from Home Front Command were sent in to assist, then 69 firefighters from Cyprus, then around 40 volunteers arrived from the U.S.   Israel’s 14-plane firefighting squadron was joined by 15 planes from other nations.  Assistance arrived from Russia, Turkey, Greece, France, Spain, and Canada, the Palestinian Authority.  During the five days, over 1.5 million tons of fire retardant materials and liquids were used, besides the water lifted in huge canisters by helicopter from the sea and dumped over the flames.  As the fires roared into Haifa, the largest evacuation of its kind ever to take place in Israel occurred, with some 60,000 residents being ordered to vacate about a dozen threatened neighborhoods. 

By Sunday, as the fires came under control, the scope of the devestation began to emerge.  In Haifa, according to some reports, over 500 homes were completely destroyed, and and at least 1,700 residents were not able to return home Saturday night, because their homes were too damaged.  Other communities heavily damaged were the Jewish village of Halamish in the West Bank, and Nataf in the Jerusalem hills. It is estimated that as many as 32,000 acres of natural forests and brush were destroyed.  Already, the week’s fires are expected to be among the costliest in Israel’s history. Now things are quieter.  The winds have died down.  Rain is finally predicted for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Miraculously—in the turmoil and destruction caused by the firestorms, no one has died! 

Yesterday morning we were visiting with a Messianic leader who lives in a corner of the Jerusalem Forest, and has been in Israel for 40 years. He remarked that he has never, ever witnessed anything like the fire phenomena which took place in Israel during those five days.  It is strange and unusual.  We are deeply grateful for all those nations which came to our aid.  Yet, it is also true that, with all the help, for much of the time we were overwhelmed—were at the mercy of something bigger than us.  It could have been so much worse—what a mercy that no one died!  Is there something which God wants His people to see from this?  Certainly, there is Biblical precedent for His witholding rain (Amos 4:7) and even threatening to release fires on Israel, that they might awaken and “Seek the LORD and Live” (Amos 5:6).  Amos took this warning seriously, and cryed out to the Lord,  ‘O Adonai YHVH, cease, I pray!  Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!’  So YHVH relented concerning this.  ‘This also shall not be,’ said Adonai YHVH’” (Amos 7:4-6).  Let us join in this prayer for Israel—and with the poet quoted at the beginning, pray for Israel’s awakening—that she open her eyes.

I won’t be silent/Because my country changed its appearance

I won’t give up on her/I will remind her

And sing here in her ears/Until she opens her eyes

Until she renews her days/Until she opens her eyes

PLEASE PRAY: 

*  For Rain.  There may be many natural factors contributing to the drought conditions…but God’s word instructs us to call out to him when we are in need of water.  Pray for citizens of Israel to be convicted so ask for this blessing from Heaven.

*  That the tons of chemicals released into Israel’s atmosphere to try and stop the fires would dissipate…we are hearing of asthmatic attacks and other sickness around the country due to these chemicals.  Pray that the first rains will quickly wash the air clean, and be followed by more.

*  For Winds to abate and that the fires would not be able to re-ignite before the coming of the rain.  “God makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7).  Pray for angelic ministry over the wind and the fire.

*  Supernatural strength, courage, protection and efficiency for the hundreds of firefighters who have been exhausted for days, but have had to continue going from place to place.

*  That the work of the enemy against the people, land and trees of Israel be bound.  For Israel’s law-enforcement officials.  That workers of terrorism involved would be exposed.

*  Mercy, comfort, provision for those who are now destitute from the destruction caused by the fires.

*  That Israel will see what God would have her to see, and understand what God is saying in the midst what is taking place.  That Israel will hear God’s warnings and take heed, turning her eyes to Him! 

Martin and Norma Sarvis in Jerusalem