ISAIAH 62 PRAYER INITIATIVE
August 2016 Prayer Letter

Dear Prayer Partners,
Isn’t it amazing that God says we can ask of Him and He will hear us? (Mark 11:24)
Though we are mere human beings, we have this great privilege to approach our Creator in the name of His Son Jesus through prayer. Not to pray ‘into thin air’, but to a Person who then responds and acts on our behalf! Instead of an inner conversation with ourselves we turn away from our inner core towards the One who gave us our very existence, the One in whom we live, and we cooperate with Him for His house to be built and finally finished (Acts 17:28, 1 Cor. 3:9, Eph. 2:19-22).
God is Building His Dwelling Place
As God’s heart and eyes are upon Israel, the apple of His eye, His Spirit is wooing and drawing us to approach His throne through secret and public intercession. Our request, together with Jesus, is for God’s revealed will to be done here on earth concerning the building of a dwelling place for Him, the Body of Messiah (Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Cor. 3:16-17).
God’s dealings with Israel are at the core of this divine building process, to make His dwelling place among men and to renew our world. In our lifetime, He has brought modern day Israelis back to their own ancient homeland from over 100 nations. He has purposed to save and bless them and their land; this is why we continuously, tirelessly and consistently pray for the nation of Israel and stand by their side (Ezekiel 36:24-38, Rom. 11: 26-29, Ps. 122:6). The day is coming when all Israel and every Gentile nation will see God’s glory coming upon the people and land of Israel like never before in all of human history!
Continuous Prayer for Israel
In the Book of Isaiah we read: “For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns… I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isaiah 62:1, 6-7).
Each generation is clearly called to pray for the restoration and final salvation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, and never give up until the Lord has done it! This is not a prayer to be prayed once and then forgotten. No! The Lord commands us to pursue the complete restoration of Israel and Jerusalem through our consistent, active and even forceful prayers until it is accomplished.
This continuous prayer on behalf of Israel before God’s throne is an expression of living faith. As we pray this prayer on behalf of Israel, we are escorting them as a nation and accompanying them for their protection on their way to their God-given destiny. Through our intercession we become part of God’s security and safety plan for His people as He carries them towards their destiny.
God Will Finish What He Has Begun
When all is said and done, and Israel has arrived to her final destiny and met with her God, a new era will be ushered in among all the nations (Isa 2:1-4). Jesus will return and the whole earth – all nature and the animal world – will be released from the bondage of futility and corruption (Rom. 8:18 – 11:36). And with our glorious resurrected bodies, as believers we will fully, completely and freely reflect the glory of our Lord for all eternity. This future of ours is worth waiting for, and worth first escorting Israel to her destiny, so the rest of the foretold “His-story” in God’s Word concerning the nations and our planet will take place, too!
We Will Pray
Remember, Jesus is saying: “whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). It is amazing that God says we can ask of Him and He will hear us! We can hasten the glorious future ahead of us through our prayers before God on behalf of Israel and by living holy lives! So do not give up, do not grow weary or get too tired to pray for Israel!
With blessings and in full expectancy that His Kingdom shall come,

Rev. Juha Ketola
International Director, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem
 
PRAYER POINTS
For August 2016
The next day of prayer and fasting in our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, August 3rd 2016. Please join us!

Pray with us according to the following guidelines:
1. Israel’s Foreign Policy

Israel is establishing new international connections. From being a very isolated country in the past, with very few allies, it has extended its reach over the past years in many directions, mainly thanks to the diplomatic skills of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Today Israel enjoys warm relations with many new allies, like India, China, Russia and more. The most surprising ties that have been strengthened are with states in the Middle East, like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. A recent vote in the UN to accept Israel into the judiciary committee was a historic one, where 109 votes out of 153 were in favor of Israel.

Guidelines for prayer: Give thanks to the Lord for Israel’s favor among its new allies. Nevertheless, Israel still faces many challenges. Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu and the entire Israeli government for wisdom and divine strategies as they meet and negotiate with other leaders in the world.

Scripture to use in prayer: Dan 2:20-21; 1 Tim. 2:1-4

2. UNESCO Vote on the Temple Mount

While Israel is being recognized by her new allies, there is a threatening new initiative underway at the UNESCO council in Geneva. A new resolution is planned to strip the Temple Mount of all its Jewish history, and would make it an exclusively Muslim holy site. The initiative is spearheaded by the Palestinian Authority and the Kingdom of Jordan.

Guidelines for prayer: Please pray that these evil schemes will become futile. Pray for the truth to prevail against all the lies of the enemy. Declare in faith God’s eternal purposes over this hill which God chose for His presence to rest.

Scripture to use in prayer: Ps 2; Isa 11:9

3. Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles celebration is fast approaching. The Word of God declares that Sukkot (hebr. tabernacles) is a feast when gentile nations are to join the people of Israel, and together worship God in Jerusalem. One nation that the prophet Zechariah highlights in particular is the nation of Egypt. God promises rain, thus provision, for the nations that come to celebrate Sukkot in Jerusalem.

Guidelines for prayer: Pray that many thousands would follow the call of God to come up to Zion! Pray especially for the church in Egypt to send a delegation to the Feast. Pray also for your own country to be represented by a large delegation at this year’s Feast and for it to release a rain of revival over your nation. Pray that the Feast of Tabernacles would be a powerful prophetic testimony to the nation of Israel.

Scripture to use in prayer: Zech 8:20-23; Zech 14:16-19

4. Ethiopian Aliyah

The Israeli government has made a strategic decision to bring the remaining 9000 Jews from Ethiopia back to Israel. This is another prophetic step towards the return of the exiles to Israel. The ICEJ has been asked to take the lead in this prophetic task.

Guidelines for prayer: Please pray that any possible obstacles, which withhold the return of Jews from Ethiopia, would be removed. “Declare to the South ‘Do not hold back!’ (Isa 43:6)” Pray that this wave of Aliyah will happen speedily and without any hindrances. Pray also that all the needed funds would be released to ensure their safe journey back to Israel, as well as for their acclimatization. Pray that God would allow us as the ICEJ to be a powerful prophetic testimony to the Ethiopian Jews in helping them come home.

Scripture to use in prayer: Isa 43:5-7; Eze 36:24