FOILING THE ENEMY'S INTENTIONS FOR ISRAEL

© Morris Ruddick

The enemy clearly had destructive and disorienting purposes for the September 11th attack on the free world's power centers. Despite there being many positives and much hope unleashed since that event, there have been responses reflecting seeds of short-sightedness and vulnerability -- that potentially could lead to further events compounding the impact of this horrific event.

This is a time, unlike any before, that we need to be mobilizing prayer for Israel. Specifically, we need to pray that the enemy's intentions for Israel in the midst of this calamity would be thwarted.

I mentioned in my previous post, that the morning after this shocking day, I awakened early with a awareness of what might be described as shifting plates -- such as move under the face of the earth in subtle ways to cause an earthquake. My perception was that what took place on September 11th was a preliminary shift before a bigger quake. As I prayed through the intensity of that burden, at that time and since then, -- pondering what it might be that would come next, and praying that it wouldn't -- I was impressed to pray that we not be acting or praying with a blind eye to the big picture.

There has been both a hidden-ness and a masking of the context of what took place that tragic day. The response (disinformation) from terrorist-related groups disavowing association with the attack, has been that these events were the result of isolated, independent splinter-groups. That no doubt is a lie and a smokescreen. A smokescreen designed to mask what comes next. And that is what we, as intercessors need to be giving focus to NOW.

I have also been struck by how the focus has shifted away from Israel. Despite the incredible upsurge of terrorist attacks against Israel since the inception of the Intifada a year ago, for some strange reason, that relevance has almost seemed hidden from those planning this global war against terrorism. And with that, I have also had a growing concern with just how vulnerable Israel is at this juncture.

Then a dear friend in the Lord, Catherine Brown, recently gave the following prophetic focus to what took place on September 11th. (Her entire post can be found at www.Elijahlist.com.) For me, her words provided an unmasking of what had been burdening me, a revelation into the bigger picture of the enemy's intentions in all this, and an answer to my question of what comes next.

Catherine writes:

THE ENEMY HAS A THREE POINT PLAN

"The enemy sought to strike terror into the world, through attacking three strategic world centers. These are the economic, political and spiritual centers of the world. He attacked the World Trade center (the financial capital of the world); he attacked the Pentagon and attempted an attack on the White House (the governmental/military seat of power) and I believe he is still intent on carrying out a third attack on the Biblical spiritual center of the world, which is Jerusalem."

ISRAEL NEEDS OUR PRAYERS!

"Since the enemy has failed on this occasion to take out the third target, i.e. the spiritual center of the world, that is Jerusalem, WE MUST PRAY FOR ISRAEL! The Holy Spirit told me that the enemy is determined to launch an all-out attack on Israel and we must pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

My spirit bears strong witness with Catherine's words. As intercessors, we need to recognize that "words" such as this serve strategic purposes, enabling us to see into the plans of the evil one, so we might pray that, by God's mercy, these intentions might be foiled. These are indeed perilous times. We must be constantly aware of the minefields; the snares and pitfalls and deceptions the evil one is endeavoring to implant in our pathway. We need His wisdom and His mind as we pray for His Kingdom to come.

In line with this seeming de-focus on Israel, there have been reports that US diplomatic pressure is being placed on Israel to come up with a quick-fix resolution to the Intifada, for the purposes of paving the way for alliances with Arab nations in the fight against terrorism. Regardless of the degree to which that might be happening, it is misguided and extremely short-sighted.

Israel is no doubt, still a target in the September 11th initiatives. That needs to be recognized.

PRAYER INITIATIVES FOR ISRAEL AND AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM

In praying for Israel, we need to give focus to praying for those in authority orchestrating the response against global terrorism. We need to pray that the importance of Israel's role and contribution in this response be recognized. We need to pray that these leaders would have eyes to see and eyes to hear what the Lord is saying, that they would avoid the traps and the minefields that have surrounded not just the September 11th event, but the wisdom needed for the response.

In praying for those coordinating and making the plans to undermine future terrorist efforts, we need to pray that the Holy Spirit would expose the hidden works of darkness and bring them into light. In line with this, please pray especially for the spirit behind the hatred and violence toward Israel and America to be exposed and nullified.

Pray that the networks of perpetrators of this evil would come to the same end as did Moab in Jeremiah 48: "that the strongholds are surprised; that the mighty men's hearts shall be like the heart of a woman in birth pangs. That they shall be destroyed, because they exalted themselves against the LORD. Indeed, fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, says the LORD. He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare."

Pray for the continued repentance and intercession on the part of the US and its leaders, both in the civil government and in the Church. And continue to beseech the Lord for the Spirit of renewal and revival

Pray for wisdom and balance for President Bush and his staff in the perilous times we have entered. May there also be the Spirit of grace and favor upon his life and administration -- that there would be unusual discernment in identifying those who are genuine allies and those who are acting with beguiling and undermining motives. Pray that the Holy Spirit would not allow overreactions or premature or misguided responses. Pray that the Lord's hand would be upon the actions and timing of what is done -- actions reflecting a clear and effective response in the deterrence of terrorism and in the unmasking of the evil behind the grand strategies manifesting in the recent tragedies.

Please fervently pray for revelation to be given to President Bush and those in authority around him: to recognize not only the strategic friend and ally that Israel is, but that Israel is the one nation whose assistance and collaboration is needed more than any other, at this time, in this war against evil.

Please also pray for the chaos and distractions that have been injected into policy-making levels within Israel, to be removed. That in keeping with the Jerusalem Post article one week prior to this horrific event, that Israel and all those within the Judeo-Christian tradition would pray and seek the Lord. Pray for Israel's leadership: that unusual wisdom, steadfastness and unity would prevail in the policies and actions they take internally, as well as with the US.

Pray for the Believers in Israel --- that they not only would be protected, but that this would mark a time in which the Lord raises them up to be the head and not the tail within their nation. That the Lord's favor and wisdom would rest upon them for the initiatives He is entrusting them with.

Pray that the Lord would impart an Issachar anointing -- an understanding of the times, to know what to do -- within the decision circles of both the US and Israeli leadership.

Pray that the hearts of the leaders of both these nations to be in the hand of the Lord, and that He would guide them with His eye. Pray that this would be a time in which the bond and alliance between Israel and the US would be greatly strengthened. Pray that revelation knowledge would be given the leaders of both nations on the strategic nature of a strengthening of the US-Israeli relationship.

Ecclesiates 9 says that the words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. We have come through a time in recent years, when there has been a great shouting of fools. We see strong evidence that this trend has been reversed. In a day in time, on September 11th 2001, there was brought forth a reversal of the absurd and subtle distancing of anything regarding the Lord in our national consciousness and dialogue.

Pray that this hunger and turning to God would increase and not decrease. Pray that it would spread to and impact the hearts of leaders and spokesmen in media and government circles throughout the free world. Pray that there would be a strengthening of the words of the wise, even spoken quietly; of them being heard strongly over the shout of fools.

Pray that the words of the wise, rather than the shout of fools would be heard clearly within the inner circles of both the US and Israeli leadership. And pray this same thing for the leadership within the Body, both in the US and in Israel. This is a time, when we need to be operating with wisdom - God's wisdom and with unity.

Along with this, pray especially for the continuing mobilization of prayer. That the momentum of revival would increase mightily.

In the same way that the King of Syria's plans against Israel (2 Kings 6) were revealed to the prophet Elisha; pray that the Holy Spirit would supernaturally reveal the leaders and organizations responsible for the planning and execution of these attacks against the free world -- against those of Judeo-Christian heritage. Pray that the headquarters and bases and links tying these organizations together would be exposed. Pray also, that in similar fashion to the encounter between Syria and Elisha, that the angels and chariots of fire would be brought forth to immobilize these forces of darkness allied against Jews and Christians. Petition the Lord to release the Angels of heaven to assist in both exposing and dismantling these organizations and the networks they have created.

Pray that the Lord would send confusion into the camps of the evil perpetrators. And pray that the innocent would be protected in what is released in the days ahead.

Finally, pray for the promise of restoration. God's Word promises to restore all that the enemy has stolen and to do so with multiplication. Let it be so. May His power and love be released as people are seeking answers -- and may the Body be prepared and mobilized with right responses for the time we have entered. May His Kingdom come. May the Lord be magnified.