Restore, O Lord

Restore, O Lord

’The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Luke 4:18

’He who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.’ Psalm 121: 4

Years ago, many of us loved Graham Kendrick’s worship song, Restore O Lord. So many times, the church sang out a prayer for the Lord to restore the honour of his name in our own lives and our nation. In the last few years, if people have asked me simply what to pray for Israel, my easiest conviction is to say for the spiritual restoration of all of Israel.

Many have prayed for Israel during the war in Gaza, across airways, into towns and communities, and into the tunnels where terrorists held so many, who were grabbed and taken as hostages on that terrible day of massacres and indescribable terror.

Of course we must also pray for our enemies and we can give thanks for the reports in February 2024, of 200 Arab men in Gaza seeing the same vision of Jesus and even whole households being saved.

• Pray that they are protected, strengthened, granted courage and are led and fed by the word of God.

We prayed for the estimated 1,000 believers in Gaza, as well as many more in Iran (Israel’s arch enemy), and we have seen revival on an unprecedented scale there.

• Pray for this revival to continue and the church grows from strength to strength.
• Pray for their leaders and the fall of the terrorising regime.

But now released Israelis, with testimonies of cruelty, depravity and hunger, also shine a light on the faithfulness of God meeting their needs in amazing ways during their captivity. We prayed for protection, God’s abiding presence and peace, and even kindness from the terrorists. The answers to those prayers are now circulating on social media and through TV interviews. We are hearing of secular Jews in captivity asking others about traditions of the Jewish faith, holding on to Sabbath and other festivals where possible (even in the tunnels) and real encounters with their Everlasting Father, the God of all Comfort.

• Give thanks that God sees all things, keeps his covenants and has undeniably answered our prayers. Give him glory for his defence of good and innocence, and his grace in the toughest of times.
• Thank him for the deep conviction in each hostage’s heart and mind. Pray that they will heal and be restored in every way, but continue to know God as Lord and Father in this new season, in their new love of life, and as they settle again with family and friends to deal with the trauma and grief that has affected them.
• Pray for each hostage released previously and in this last group released since the peace deal.
• Pray for their emotional and physical needs, and the grace for each to recognise this will take time and patience.
• Pray for counselling, whether secular or not, to assist in a blessed supernatural restoration.
• Pray for those who experienced great horror on the day of the massacre and are still deeply affected by what they saw and heard - for rescuers, heroes, armed forces and those who worked with emergency services in the kibbutzim affected and at the Nova festival.

’Who is like You O Lord?’ Psalm 89:8

Julia Soakell

October 2025