Watchman’s Prayer Letter

A Guide to Intercessory Prayer for the month of November 2020 ~ Jewish Year 5781

 `I will stand upon my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer.` (Habakkuk 2:1)

Click here for PDF copy

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Staying Focused

“O our God ...We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
(2 Chronicles 20:12).

Have you faced a situation where the opposition was so great that you knew you could not survive it without God’s supernatural intervention?  In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, king Jehoshaphat found the Kingdom of Judah in that kind of predicament when three nations formed an alliance, gathered a vast army and advanced to attack them.  In fear of this great host, the King proclaimed a national day of prayer and fasting where men, women and children from every city gathered at the temple to call on God and ask for his help.

Jehoshaphat led them in prayer, extolling God’s greatness and recounting the Lord’s mighty acts shown to their forefathers.  The king reminded God of his promises to his chosen people and petitioned him to intervene on their behalf.  Jehoshaphat acknowledged their helplessness and dependence on the Lord; they focused on God looking to him as their only hope.  As the people humbled themselves before the Lord, the Spirit of God moved in that assembly.  The Lord had mercy upon them and spoke powerfully through one of the Levites, Jahaziel.  God assured king Jehoshaphat that he would be with them and that the battle belonged to the Lord.  God gave them a strategy detailing when to go to battle, where to station themselves and how victory would be won.  In response to the Lord’s great mercy, the people bowed to the ground in worship and praised God loudly.

The next morning as they marched to the battlefield, Jehoshaphat positioned the Levites in front of the warriors; they led the procession singing and praising the Lord.  While they worshipped, God caused the invaders to destroy one another.  Just as the Lord had promised, their enemies were annihilated without Judah having to do anything!  The key to Israel’s deliverance was to remain focused on the Lord, not the circumstances around them.  They needed to trust the Lord and follow his instructions explicitly.  God’s strategies may sometimes be unconventional, but they are infallible.

Today Israel is an arena of continual conflicts.  They are fighting COVID-19, sectors of society are clashing, political parties are battling and enemies are firing missiles.  Israel is in the midst of territorial wars and around them are international disputes over waterways.  Nations are eyeing Jerusalem acquisitively, but we must stay focused on our protector!  We realise that the solution for lasting peace in these areas can only come through divine intervention from the Prince of Peace.  Until that time, like king Jehoshaphat, we must continue to humble ourselves, pray and acknowledge our dependence on the Lord.  We must be obedient to his strategies.  “O our God ... our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

Let us look to God as we pray for Israel

• Extol our God for being in control of everything despite the conflict we see today.  “O LORD ... are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you” (2 Chronicles 20:5-6).

• Beseech the Lord to help Israel’s leaders realise that only he has answers to the COVID-19 crisis.  Ask him to cause many to seek his direction instead of depending on man.  “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes” (Psalms 118:8-9).

• Ask God to send both physical and spiritual rain on Israel, removing the famine of his word.  “For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’, another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s’ and will take the name Israel” (Isaiah 44:3-5). 

• Pray for the situation between Turkey and Israel.  President Erdogan claims that Jerusalem belongs to Turkey.  Please ask the Lord to intervene for Israel and to guide the believers in Turkey as they pray.  “For this is what the LORD Almighty says: ... for whoever touches you [Jerusalem], touches the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8).  “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). 

• Bless God for the reliability of his word.  We can trust that whatever he has said will come to pass.  “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). 

Dear praying partners,

Thank you for your willingness to remain focused on the Lord in individual and corporate prayer.  Like king Jehoshaphat, we will say, “O our God ... our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12).  He will once again give the strategy.

In God’s Love,

Linda McMurray

Wall of Prayer Supervisor
Christian Friends of Israel – Jerusalem (UK edited version)

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CFI UK News and Prayer items

We are encouraged that the Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) at Home seminar prepared by CFI UK on the subject of ‘Seeking a clearer picture of Israel’ has received over 400 views at time of writing and running in second place among the various seminars presented online for CRE at Home.  Praise the Lord for this opportunity to contribute to the wider church even though the exhibition was not able to take place as a venue-based event.

Pray those who watch the seminar will see Israel more accurately in context of the Bible, history and current affairs.  Ask for inspiration from God’s Holy Spirit to help us  identify other similar opportunities whilst still under Covid-19 restrictions; and for the IT, presentation skills and time to prepare and fulfil these well, so furthering the work of encouraging understanding in the wider church of God’s ongoing purposes for Israel.

Pray as we prepare our next parliamentary lobby with the Zionist Federation ZF and identify the best subject(s) to discuss with our MPs.  The plan is to run a briefing session online, with hard copy material available.  Then in the surrounding weeks for supporters to lobby their representative MPs in the constituency or alternative online surgery arrangements MPs have in place to consult with their constituents.  Thank the Lord for the opportunity to do this with the ZF, the very same organisation to whom Balfour, as UK Foreign Secretary, sent his letter of declaration.  Pray many will engage in this way to challenge prejudice in the political establishment.

Thank the Lord for a good response to the CFI UK YouTube video about Sderot and the CFI Jerusalem project Communities Under Attack, assisting community in Israel.  Pray that many gain better insight into the situation there and the ministry of comfort to those suffering trauma from attack.

We are planning an online event with various contributors and resources to remember the Holocaust around Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2021.  Pray that the Lord will show the best way for us as Christian Friends of Israel to come alongside the Jewish community in the UK and in Israel.

The CFI UK Team