Dear friends,

Jerusalem is unique in so many ways. For example, it is the only city in the entire world which the Bible explicitly directs us to pray for continually. Jerusalem’s role and calling in God’s redemptive plan is simply too important to leave to chance. So we are to pray for her peace, and for her righteousness to go forth as brightness. (Psalm 122:6, Isaiah 62:1)

Right now our prayers are needed more than ever, as the spiritual battle over Jerusalem is intensifying. That battle is always there, but those of us here in the city can sense we are at a critical juncture concerning its future. Yet we also have a great expectancy that a momentous victory is coming in this Jubilee year for a reunited Jerusalem. Thus, we are believing that this very year the city will be released even more into its prophetic destiny in God.

The battle over the city has ratcheted up in recent months after new US President Donald Trump appeared ready to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But he seems to have backed off that promise for now. This is due in part to his desire to relaunch the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and to rebuild a US-led regional alliance against Iran.

Trump is also being confronted with the same old Islamic threats of violence over the city that has held back past presidents. For nearly seventy years now, the entire world has been intimidated into denying the Jewish people their rightful place in Jerusalem. Although other excuses are often put forward, the main reason for this reluctance to accept Israeli sovereignty over the city is simply fear of a violent Islamic response.

There were other times in Israel’s history when the enemy tried to make the Jewish people afraid to possess their inheritance in Jerusalem. For instance, when King David and his forces drew near, the Jebusites taunted him from the walls of their fortified city. But he did not cave in to the fears and instead challenged his loyal troops to forge ahead, and they easily conquered the city. (2 Samuel 5:6-9)

In a similar fashion, Ezra and Nehemiah encountered much opposition and intimidation from local tribal leaders when they were rebuilding the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem, but they pressed on with their work anyway. When Sanballat and Tobias sought to trick Nehemiah into stopping construction on Jerusalem, he realized “they all were trying to make us afraid.” He then prayed: “Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9)

Today, we need to pray that Israel will not be cowered by Islamic threats into ceasing to build Jerusalem, and that the nations also will not cave in to the fears which Israel’s adversaries are trying to cast over the holy city. We also need to pray for world leaders to become like Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes; each of whom were used by God to empower the Jews to again build the city of Jerusalem. Finally, we need to pray for the peace or shalom of Jerusalem, which in Hebrew also means “wholeness” or “completeness.” That is, we must pray for the continued unity of Jerusalem in Jewish hands.

Blessings from the special city of Jerusalem!

David Parsons

ICEJ Vice President & Senior Spokesman

PRAYER POINTS
For June 2017

The next day of prayer and fasting in our Isaiah 62 Global Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, 7th of June 2017. Please join us!

Pray with us according to the following guidelines:

1. Prayer for Israel

Pray that Israel would not be hindered or deterred from building up Jerusalem within the plans and purposes of God for this day. Pray that the nations would overcome their fears of recognizing Jewish rights and Israeli sovereignty over the city. Pray for the Holy Spirit to override the plans and schemes of man when it comes to this city. Pray for Jerusalem to remain undivided and in Israeli hands. Pray that God will accomplish all that He intends for the city of Jerusalem and the people of Israel in this special year of Jubilee. Pray according to Leviticus 25:10, Psalm 122, Isaiah 62:1-7, Jeremiah 33:14-26, Micah 4:1-4, Luke 1:32 and Luke 13:35.

2. Prayer for the Region

Pray for the Trump administration as they seek to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to rebuild a regional alliance to stand against Iran. Pray that Israel will not be forced into making risky concessions and will not be unfairly blamed for opposing peace. Pray that the Palestinians will finally make a strategic choice to live in true peace with the Jewish state of Israel and to compromise on their maximalist demands regarding borders, Jerusalem, settlements and the return of refugees. Pray for the end of Palestinian incitement against Israel and of their culture of glorifying death. Pray that the surrounding Arab nations will go ahead and normalize relations and trade with Israel, rather than waiting for the Palestinians to make peace first. Pray in line with 2 Chronicles 20:5-12, Psalm 46, Jeremiah 1:10, Joel 3:1-2 and Revelation 11:15.

3. Prayer for the ICEJ

Pray for the International Leadership Conference of the ICEJ coming up in early June, when some 100 representatives of our global ministry gather in Jerusalem for a time of strategizing, envisioning and empowering for the future. Pray for our interaction with Israeli officials and Jewish leaders during our time in Jerusalem, as well as for our engagement with hundreds of other Christian leaders from around the world gathered for the inaugural Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Israel. Pray for the renewed aliyah flights of Ethiopian Jews which the ICEJ is sponsoring in coming weeks. Also, pray for our planning and preparations for the Feast of Tabernacles in October, that the speakers and worship program will be anointed and directed by the Lord. Pray according to Ezra 3:1-4, Psalm 84:5, Isaiah 60:1-5, Jeremiah 3:17 and Matthew 18:20.

Thank you for joining with us in prayer!