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In response to the devastating and barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, and Israel’s declaration of war against Hamas, we are issuing a critical call to prayer.

This is a call to pray for Israel and all people caught up in this war for 21 days (13 October – 2 November). Based on the initial call to prayer given by International Prayer Connect (IPC), we are using Revelation 12:11 as a foundational Scripture verse:

“They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.”

We invite you to set your alarm for 12 Noon each day and commit to praying for at least 11 minutes for the 12 prayer points listed below– a Revelation 12:11 call to pray!

We are also making Israel a focus of our weekly Sunday, Monday and Wednesday night Zoom prayer calls. We invite everyone to increase prayer for Israel as we are able.

The Israel-Hamas war has the potential to have devastating consequences. Hamas deliberately fires its rockets from heavily populated areas, including near hospitals and schools.

It is sadly true that Israel uses weapons to defend its children and all civilians, while Hamas uses children and civilians to defend its weapons.

You may like to use the following prayer points to guide you.

Pray For the Gospel to Out

• Pray for labourers to be sent forth throughout the land of Israel and Gaza who will overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and laying down their lives even unto death (Rev 12:11).
• Pray for the Lord to remove the blindness that the God of this age has placed over the minds of the unbelievers so that they see the light of the gospel in the face of Jesus! (2 Cor 4:4–6)
• Pray for dreams, visions, and encounters of Jesus in the Muslim world. Pray for an awakening in the Muslim world and a Church explosion. Pray that Muslims become disillusioned with Islam and find true answers in Jesus.
• Pray for believers to be filled with the Spirit and be very bold while the Lord stretches out His mighty hand and performs signs and wonders (Acts 4:29–31).
• Pray that the Church will stand together for Israel and that unbelieving Israel would recognise the love the Church has for her and come to Jesus (Rom 11:14).

Pray For Peace

• Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and an end to war and bloodshed. Pray for this war to be ‘restrained and contained’ and not pushed into a larger regional or global war (Psa 122:6).
• Pray that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will quickly prevail over Israel’s enemies.
• Pray that Hamas would be revealed as a horror terrorist organisation and that Palestinian people would be repulsed and turn against it.
• Pray for supernatural unity in the Church between Jews and Gentiles (e.g. Palestinians/Arabs) and that this would be a magnificent gospel witness (Eph 4:3).
• Pray for unity in the Church amongst messianic Jews in Israel.

Pray For Protection

• Pray for those being persecuted for the gospel to remain loyal in their love and allegiance to Jesus, even in the face of Satan’s most severe persecutions.
• Pray that God would protect believers in Israel and Gaza from death (Psa 91:1–5).

We are not issuing a call to fast, but you may like to consider fasting (e.g. a Daniel Fast) as the Lord leads you.

Financial Giving

Also, we are not issuing a call to give financially, but you may like to consider doing so through Celebrate Israel (led by Nel Farnik).

Celebrate Israel has identified the following four specific areas they are supporting:

• Rick Ridings from Succat Hallel (a prayer house overlooking the Temple Mount). Rick has advised a security guard is necessary due to militant opposition to the prayer house by some Muslims.
• Tony Sperandeo from Kehilat HaMaayan (who is running a widows and orphans program). This will support people directly affected by lost family members, especially families of killed IDF soldiers.
• Ima’s goodies. This is a messianic ministry that provides care packages for serving IDF soldiers.
• Milad Khoury (an Arab Christian who is a youth leader with Succat Hallel, and has a master’s in psychology). He is helping people with PTSD. Milad spoke on Canberra Declaration late last year.

If you would like to give, please click this link to Celebrate Israel and mark your giving as “Israel War”. Please email Kym or Nel Farnik if you’d like an acknowledgement/receipt.

Yours for the peace of Jerusalem and for the gospel,

Samuel Hartwich & Warwick Marsh

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Photo by Thắng-Nhật Trần.