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Focus

Shift the Nation: 24/7 Prayer 12–22 May 2023

Intention

For us to grasp the necessity to pray for Israel.

Scripture

“I have posted watchmen on your walls Jerusalem, they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”

– Isaiah 62:6–7

Reflection

Many years ago, when the Lord called me to found the Australian House of Prayer for All Nations, some of our watchmen and intercessors were passionate about praying for Israel. At the time I had little understanding of the call of a watchman, but I concluded that if the house of prayer was to be for all nations, then Israel must be one of them.

In 1997 my husband and I were led to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, preceded by a bus tour around the land.

Late one afternoon our bus stopped at the war cemetery at Beersheba, and we all wandered in to look at some of the Australian graves. Suddenly grief unexpectedly overtook me, and falling to my knees I wept and wept, sensing the power of God on me. I began to pray until finally peace came, and somewhat embarrassed I got back on the bus.

Back home I began to have a hunger to know more about Israel from a biblical perspective and experienced a renewed burden to pray. I read Kelvin Crombie’s recently released book Anzacs, Empires and Israel’s Restoration, and it opened my eyes to the history of the charge of the Australian Light Horse at Beersheba on October 31, 1917, which opened the way for Jerusalem to be liberated from Turkish Ottoman rule. On the same day as the battle, the War Cabinet in London met and agreed to the establishment of a Jewish national homeland, a decision that became known as the Balfour Declaration.

Thus, Australia and New Zealand played a significant role in the return of the Jewish people to their homeland, after centuries of Muslim domination.

Incredibly, in the following years, the Lord called me to travel around Australia and New Zealand to call up the intercessors to pray for Israel, sharing that just as the ANZACs had fought together physically, now we were being called together to spiritually defend Israel.

We eventually launched the ANZAC watch on Zoom, which continues to this day as the Lord calls us to pray from the uttermost ends of the earth (Isaiah 24:15–16).

Now the spiritual battle is intensifying again with the renewed threat of Muslim domination. Israel is in great danger as Iran and its allies threaten to destroy it with a nuclear attack.

That is why the call by Mike Bickle from IHOPKC for millions of people around the world to take up the Isaiah 62 mandate for prayer and fasting for Israel in May, is God-ordained.

Let’s heed that call.

Video

Prayer

We thank you Father that You are calling for prayer for Israel at this hour.

We declare your word, “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.” (Isaiah 62:1)

We pray Father that you will thwart the attacks of those who seek to destroy Your people Israel.

May they come to know their Messiah according to Your everlasting covenant, and know Your promise to them, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are ever before Me.” (Isaiah 49:16)

Amen.

Author Bio

Jenny Hagger AM is the founder and former Director of the Australian House of Prayer for All Nations, and Mission World Aid.

She is on the leadership of the Global Watch, connecting with intercessors and houses of prayer around the globe.

Prayer Points and Purpose for GO 2023 in May

1. To worship Jesus and give extravagant praise to God. Heb 12:28–29
2. Pray that the Lamb who was slain might receive the reward for His suffering. Rev 5:6–14
3. Pray for revival for Australia and for millions to find Christ. Isa 64:1–2
4. Pray for revival for Israel and millions to find Christ. Rom 10:1
5. Pray for five friends to find Christ and share the gospel with those five in May. Matt 28:18–20

We invite you to support this prayer campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for revival and see millions come to Christ. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for Family, Faith, Freedom, Life, and the Good News of God’s love through Jesus Christ His Son.

Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:

DATES: Every night for the month of May

TIME: 8pm AEST

ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184

ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184

ZOOM TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhAEoCF7jg

May Daily Devotionals: https://dailydeclaration.org.au/tag/go-2023-prayer

Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.