|
|
July 18, 2006 22 Tammuz, 5766 Dear Praying Friends,
Each and every one of you in the nations reading this has an important role in this battle. As you pray, things are affected in the natural realm. Many of you have put your shoulders under the weight of this burden and are carrying us in your heart. Thank you for your fellowship in this crucial time.
Our goal in writing this letter is to share some of our thoughts to help you find your place before the Lord in this hour.
There is need to pray for issues concerning the general dynamics of the battle. This involves our fighting men, their protection, and a variety of different functions. For example, among the ground troops are drivers, gunners, scouts, field officers, medics, those involved in communications, and so on. Pray for their physical health and strength, their emotional stability, and their mental clarity. May nothing distract their focus. Pray for the equipment as well as the personnel. The area of information and intelligence needs prayer.... getting the information, sending it, receiving it, understanding it, and responding to it. Pray against confusion, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation. Pray against accidents and friendly fire casualties. Pray for the commanders, generals, and strategists directing the movement of the troops. Pray for the government ministers who set the policies and goals and determine the scope of our activity. Pray for the diplomats and their contact with other world leaders. Pray for the media reporting the news. Pray protection over sensitive areas such as military and communication centers, fuel refinery plants, airports, bus and train stations, government buildings, and our population centers. We can be praying for all this without knowledge of specific details. The points are universally applicable. We’d call this covering or logos prayer.
There is also a need to intercede for specific situations in the conflict and to relate to the spiritual forces at work (both angels and demons), for binding and releasing. Being engaged in this way requires waiting on the Lord for real-time revelation. This dynamic requires a mature settled heart that is not moved by all the feathers flying but is able to be still until the voice of the Lord is discerned.
A few days ago I heard the Spirit say, “Joshua is fighting in the trenches; where is Moses?” There are those that are called to simply be before the Lord almost as though there were nothing going on in the earth realm. This was Israel’s first lesson in warfare. The mind cannot apprehend this dynamic. It is the furthest thing from the world’s humanistic/Greek orientation. Being in this space may seem strange and disconnected from reality, but being positioned in this way affirms the immovability and absolute victory that is the Lord’s already.
Beloved, let us not worry about covering all the bases but just flow in what comes most naturally.
* * *
You are part of the commonwealth of Israel. You have been grafted in or back in to the natural olive tree. I speak in particular to you who were formerly gentiles but are now Hebrews by faith and children of Abraham thereby, and are now also partakers of the root and richness of the olive tree. This battle, this war that had to take place, is not over land or the rights of a particular group of people. The struggle is for the glory and honor of the God of Israel. This is as much your battle as it is ours.
Yesterday, the reserve unit of one of the young leaders of our congregation was called up to active duty. As of yet we do not know whether he will be sent to Gaza or Lebanon. If the conflict continues to grow, more combat reserves will go into action. Life as usual will end for a good part of the nation. Already hundreds of thousands are sleeping in bomb shelters and are unable to go to their jobs as usual, since more than 1,800 rockets have fallen on northern Israel. Over a dozen Israelis have been killed by the rockets and over 500 have been wounded. Our intelligence community is quite certain that Hizbollah has the capability to strike as far as Tel Aviv. Somehow it doesn’t seem right to just read about it and see it on the news as though we were watching a mini-series on TV.
We each have a part we can play. We on the front line need you to show up. God needs you to show up. All who identify with natural Israel today, inasmuch as you minister to the least of these brethren of Yeshua, will hear the King say, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...” (Matt.25:34).
* * *
Over the past 14 years, our government has acted in ways that have been difficult for many of us to understand. We have repeatedly given land and materials to an entity that is sworn to destroy us. Our leaders have taken positions and decisions that have weakened our position militarily while strengthening our enemies, both in terms of substance and morale. It now occurs to us, and we believe it is from the Lord, that God has been in the midst of what has appeared to be poor leadership and bad decisions. It has been His plan to draw the enemy out. From a strategic standpoint, the Red Sea was a bad place to camp. We believe that in order for our prayers to reach the Throne unhindered, we need to have a right attitude and perspective on this point. God is the reigning, sovereign, omnipotent God of Israel. Nothing happens in Israel unless it lines up with His will and purpose. Personally, we had to repent of a critical spirit towards men, when it was God’s doing. If this sounds strange, read the story in 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24. In particular, if you compare and combine the first verse of each chapter it will help in understanding what is happening here today.
* * *
God created Israel for His glory and to judge the nations (Is.41:15-16). The essence of this moment is no different from when Elijah faced the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel or when David ran toward Goliath. The defeat of Islam will be much the same as the defeat of Goliath. When their champion fell, the entire Philistine army lost heart. May the Holy Spirit draw this entity out so its head can also be removed. As we fight, we pray that God would fight with and for us. (Various news media are reporting miracles taking place, such as one particular story of a rocket that changed direction before impact and missed a house with people in it! And although we grieve for the dead and wounded, there could be so many more. He is answering the prayers of His people). We look forward to the day when Israel will fight for God.
Will you pray with us that this current episode would not end before it is over? A negotiated ceasefire would serve the enemy well, leaving them with an arsenal enabling them to pick things up whenever it suits them. Sooner or later we will have to deal with it fully. To wait only allows the enemy to gain strength and even nuclear capability.
Last week one of our team received a dream. He was being attacked by a demonic human being that was much larger than he was and far too big for him to stand against. As this enemy taunted and approached him, he retreated and retreated and retreated...until he was backed up against the wall. At that point something rose up from within him and he fought back, defeating the towering foe. We also are being driven to the wall. Only when we come to the point of having nothing to lose will this chapter be closed. This was how it was in Israel’s War of Independence. May the Name of the Lord be glorified.
A number of those that have been through this before have learned to weather having missiles and rockets falling all around them. But it can be exceptionally hard on the children. So at times like these, many families in missile range are desperate to leave their homes until it is all over. Being that two of our guest apartments are presently vacant, we will be giving shelter to several families living in the far north near the Lebanese border. We are blessed to be able to have a part in sharing the burden. This is interesting to us, because many that have visited our new location have seen us as being a refuge in the end time. Please pray that we would be able to be a comfort and a testimony to these families.
“You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Is.62:6-7).
* * *
We are so grateful for your standing with us. May God bless you from Zion!
Your servants… For the Glory of His Name, Arni and Yonit |