Israel at War: How to Pray

War is serious business and when it is in the Middle East, the stakes are very high. Its central location, oil reserves, long history and various theologies, and inter-connectedness with the rest of the world, mean that conflict can affect everyone. If the world were a stick of dynamite, the Middle East would be the fuse.

Despite the dire challenges there is great hope. Never forget this reality: prayer is far more powerful than military might. Bowls in heaven are filled with the prayers, praise, worship, and thanksgiving of the saints (Revelation 5:8). The more you fill those heavenly bowls, the more there will be an overflow that will rain blessings on the earth.

People of faith and goodwill want to pray about the current, and future, crises in the Middle East. This short essay will give you some prayer points

BACKGROUND

Here are a few things to consider before you pray:

• Arabs and Jews are cousins and neighbours. Historically they had harmonious relations and, by God’s grace, they can have them again. With two million Arab inhabitants each in Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, plus 350,000 in Jerusalem, a rocket attack on Israel can mean Arab casualties, too. Rockets have landed in Abu Ghosh, Jaffa, and Lydda, all with Arab populations.

• This is much more than a nationalist war; it is a clash of civilisation between the Judaeo-Christian world and the secular woke left-Islamist world. Terrorism is one of the manifestations. The terrorist attack experienced by Israel can be exported and the US, UK, and Europe are already targets; the goal is to bring down Western civilisation.
• The real enemy is not the ones that you can see, but those you can’t. There are powerful spiritual forces that manipulate the entire situation, including the prince of Persia (Daniel 10:13,20). Only the Bible-based, Spirit-filled and empowered believer has the authority and power to deal with these entities (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), in the name of Jesus.

Prayer Points

• LIMITED DURATION: Pray for a miraculously quick end to the violence and war.

• CIVILIANS: Pray for the Psalm 91-style protection of innocent civilians on both sides, especially women and children and the safe release of the surviving hostages. May God grant all of them peace of heart and mind.

• CONTAINED CONFLICT: Pray that this conflict does not spread to a multi-front war. May Lebanon, Syria, Arab citizens of Israel, West Bank and East Jerusalem Arabs remain safely on the sidelines.

• OVERCOME HATE: Pray for the overcoming of the spirit of intense demonic hate, particularly anti-Semitism, which is the oldest and most irrational hatred in the world. 

• LEADERS: 1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. Pray that leaders will do God’s will and walk in His wisdom, so all of us can live quiet and peaceful lives. These leaders are in Jerusalem, Gaza, Ramallah, Beirut, Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Ankara, Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, London, Brussels, Washington, Canberra, and Ottawa. 

• SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and bind up the ‘prince of Persia’ (Iran) attempts to undermine, subvert, steal, kill and destroy. Remember praise, worship, and singing in the Spirit are highly effectual in spiritual warfare 2 Chronicles 20:22; 1 Corinthians 14:15.

• DELIVER US FROM EVIL: This key clause in the Lord’s prayer should be our anthem. May we and the Middle East be delivered from intense and demonic wickedness. This can be accomplished when God’s will is done and His glory revealed.

• PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM (Psalm 122:6). It is the city of the great king (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35). This means it is the location of David’s throne, from where Messiah will rule and reign on His return. The fact that God is placing His king on the holy hill of Zion is a cause of great turmoil for the nations (Psalm 2). The peace of Jerusalem blesses all the inhabitants of the land and makes the city ready to receive the king.

PRAYER AND DECLARATION

Heavenly Father,

We come to you in faith through the Name of Jesus.

We lift up the deadly situation in the Middle East and ask that you will limit and quickly stop the conflict. Put a divine hedge around the violence so that it does not spread beyond the original parties. We bind the spirit of hatred and anti-Semitism and release the spirit of God’s love. We pray for key leaders near and far that they may walk in your will and wisdom, changing the outcome of this conflict into peace and tranquillity. 

We denounce the spiritual forces that are pulling the puppet strings. By our Scriptural authority in Christ (Matthew 16:19; 18:18), we bind up the prince of Persia and renderer inoperative his plans to control, manipulate, steal kill and destroy.

Above all, according to your word, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the city of God, the city of the great king.

All of these things we pray and seal in the mighty and matchless Name of Jesus. Amen

DECLARATION  

I declare:

God’s love will conquer hate;

Christ’s light will overcome the darkness;

God’s life will cancel out the covenant and culture of death;

The Lord’s peace will replace fear and war;

God’s protection will save the vulnerable;

All Israel (Romans 11:26), and its neighbours, shall be saved.