At the same time, the various Islamic militant factions operating in the region, both in Gaza and in Lebanon, openly unveiled their cooperation and partnership in their sworn war against the "Zionist enemy." Hizbullah is thought to have over 13,000 missiles, including Iranian rockets capable of striking deep within Israel's population centers. Still, the enemy's camp is also riddled with confusion and rivalry, and violent clashes between Palestinian units broke out recently at the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Pray for confusion and division to increase in the enemy's camp.
Apart from the northern front, the campaign of terror continues on the southern front, with Kassam rockets continually fired on Israeli towns from Gaza. Israel's challenge in Gaza, is Palestinian militants staging their launchings from densely populated areas, which Israeli forces aren't willing to hit, in consideration of civilian casualties. Throughout Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), Arab militants were throwing rocks and firebombs at Israeli targets, and fired at soldiers. Thankfully, Israeli security forces have been able to stop a number of terror operations against civilians before they were carried out. Pray for the enemy's plans inside Israel's center to be exposed and thwarted.
We advise the intercessors and those personally involved, to brace for the long haul. Pray for a harvest and protection among the Lebanese civilian population caught in the cross fire. Thousands of international visitors in Beirut cannot depart the besieged city and need prayer as well.
With the dark shadow of Syria and Iran on Israel's eastern horizon, an all out regional war is always a dire possibility. If and when such a war erupts, and should Israel find itself backed into a corner (which is not hard to imagine given her small territorial depth), nuclear weapons may be introduced into the arena and reshape the Middle East forever.
PROPHETIC WORDS OF BATTLE AND COMFORT
A number of intercessors from around the world have reported meaningful visitations and visions. Two of these are being shared below as, we believe, they capture the heart of what the Spirit is saying:
Jane Pickering wrote: "I was praying for protection for military personnel and those who were in danger, and soon came to the point where I had no words left. I asked God to show me what He wanted me to pray. Suddenly I was weeping and had a sense of deep grief. All I could do was cry out, 'Yeshua, Yeshua,' again and again (I'm not Jewish). Then, added to the grief, was a powerful sense of purpose. I had my shofar in my hands and asked if there was anything I could blow for. The Lord said to blow for His people to be sustained.
The next moment, in the Spirit, I was standing on top of a building on a hill. I asked where I was, and was told I was on top of the Dome of the Rock (in Jerusalem). I've only seen pictures of it, but even from those, I didn't recognize it because the dome was no longer glowing gold, but a dull and weather-beaten blue.
I blew my shofar for a long time, and a column of angels descended down over the dome, but they didn't touch it. The column broke, some way above my head, and the angels spread out over the land. They were taking strength, courage, and comfort to wherever they were needed, and all the time they were saying, 'Yeshua, Yeshua.' I felt that they were specially linked to Him, and that, in all they were bringing, they would be stirring up a yearning for Him." End of quote.
We hear the Spirit indicating not only the Lord's nearness and comfort in the heart of the crisis, but also that those ministering angels are sent to draw the people to their Savior at the same time. Crisis can serve God's highest purposes since the harvest is not brought in by the harp, but by the sickle! Let the intercessors work in prayer with those angels, and ask for the opening of blind eyes and the turning of many hearts toward Jesus.
Stephen Bennett from Awesome City Music in Australia wrote: "In early June, we went into an unusual time of intercession and prayer for Israel. The presence of the Lord was very powerful, and many had prayers and words from the Lord. I personally had a vision of the Lord sitting on a big throne 'over' the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem--the throne was so big it completely covered it. Jesus was releasing His presence, glory, and protection over the city with waves of power from His arms.
We prayed for her peace as the Bible calls us to. I also saw a 'swarm' of dark demonic hordes. A huge dark wall of evil suddenly filled the sky, swooping into Israel and Jerusalem from the east, hell bent on her destruction, and demise in any way possible. It was vehement and looked very ugly. That night, there was an urgency of the Holy Spirit that the Lord was calling believers all around the world to pray for Israel and Jerusalem. The war was intensifying for that nation, and will continue to do so as it has for decades." End of quote.
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT SAYING TO THE CHURCH?
Scripture instructs us to prayerfully discern what the Spirit is saying. Given the double witness of the appearance of the Lord's angels and authority over the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (Islam's crucial spiritual claim in the land), we believe that the Spirit of the Lord is saying that not only is the battle going to be hard, but its primary "hot spot" and determining factor will be the unseating of the demonic aspects of Islam, which energizes and activates the blinded Arab masses. Pray for the strength of the Lord to command this battle and wage this warfare!
As we wrote in the past, the sooner this militant demonic world principality is broken in battle, the better off the Arab masses will be who are presently in bondage under its dark shadow. Israel, it appears, may soon be called to fulfill yet another of her end-time purposes--that of bringing down Islam.
Prophesying of the glorious Kingdom that is coming at the end of this age, the word of God sets the volatile context, saying, "Now also many nations have gathered against you, who say, 'Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.' But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, nor do they understand His counsel; for He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hooves bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth" Micah 4:11-13. Pray the word!
IS ISRAEL ALONE?
Never! Not only is God ever present, watching over His interests and covenant promises, but myriads of angels and intercessors are watching, praying, and waging spiritual war. You may be called to be one of them.
In addition, if you take a look at your map and examine the lands northeast of Israel, from which the main demonic thrust is issuing--Iran and Syria, you'll find Iraq lodged right in between them. An American force of roughly 100,000 battle ready troops, plus forces from other coalition nations, is stationed in Iraq at present. We have previously called attention to this unique fact, openly pondering the possibility that the Lord may have a different purpose for those coalition forces beyond the Iraqi mission--"for such a time as this."
Will the USA, Israel, and possibly other coalition nations, join efforts to subdue a fierce Islamic threat that is driven by demonic hatred to flood the world with Jihad? Islam's primary objective is to annihilate Israel, but that is only the beginning of its global intent of world domination. Without Israel taking a stand against it, Islamic terror will continue to flood westward, uninterrupted as it has already begun. However, the final wars will be fought, "May God help the nation that turns her back on Israel in her hour of need."
Watch and pray. The battle is the Lord's, yet the folks on the battle fields carry the brunt of the campaign. "Bein Hameitzarim" recently started and is the three week season of distress on the Jewish calendar. During this window of time, the Jewish nation suffered repeated historic disasters, including the destructions of both Temples. This period of extreme danger ends on August 3, and is a time of urgent heightened prayer for Israel and her survival.
In grace,
Reuven and Mary Lou Doron