HOW TO PRAY FOR ISRAEL
Before we can unpack the “how” of praying for Israel, we must first understand the “why” that would drive us as believers to pray for Israel.
Praying for Israel is not an intercessory assignment strictly reserved for those with a vocational missions calling to the Middle East. Rather as Gentile believers who have been grafted into God’s family (Romans 11:17) we have been given the glorious mandate by our Father to intercede for the salvation of our brother, Israel. Israel’s transgression and rejection was the very means by which the Father enabled the riches of His salvation and reconciliation to reach the ends of the earth. But the wisdom and reach of God goes even further:
“Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!” (Romans 11:11-12, NIV)
There are greater riches to come as Israel’s eyes are opened to their Messiah, Jesus, and we as Gentiles who have been grafted into God’s family have the glorious role of provoking our Jewish brothers and sisters to jealousy through radical acts of love and obedience to Jesus, as well as humility and mercy displayed towards the Jewish people.
Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. (Romans 11:30-32, NIV).
It is through the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God that He saw fit to allow the majority of Jewish eyes to be blinded for a time (Romans 11:7, 25) in order that mercy could be shown to the Gentiles. God’s desire is that as a result of this mercy we’ve now received, that we would in turn extend that same mercy back to our Jewish brothers and sisters by proclaiming the Good News of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, through our words, actions, and intercession.
Thus, we pray for Israel, and we do so with a relentless love and fiery zeal authored in the heart of our Father for our Jewish brothers and sisters. We pray with boldness and confidence, knowing that God’s faithfulness to graft us Gentiles into His family is a sure sign of His faithfulness to keep covenant with Israel.
“After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!” (Romans 11:24, NIV).
So, how can we pray for Israel?
Start by praying to receive God’s heart for Israel - read Romans 11 and ask the Holy Spirit to release revelation and understanding of the Father’s heart for Israel, the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8), as you read.
Pray the Word - agree with God’s heart and promises for Israel and the Jewish people in the Scriptures.
Pray for Jewish eyes to be opened and for Israel to be saved (Romans 10:1, Romans 11, Matthew 23:39)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9)
Pray for God to raise up more watchmen/intercessors who will stand in the gap for Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jewish people (Isaiah 62:1-7)
Pray for Israel to walk in her fullness as a blessing to all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12:2-3, Isaiah 19:23-25)
Pray for believers around the world to receive revelation and understanding of God’s heart for Israel (Romans 11:25-32)
Pray for Jewish believers - that they would be strengthened in their faith and in their boldness to proclaim Yeshua/Jesus to their own people and to the nations. (Ephesians 3: 16-19, Colossians 1:9-12)
Pray for God to raise up a Gentile witness to Israel, particularly from the Muslim world - pray for God to touch the hearts of Muslim background believers with a radical love for Israel and zeal to proclaim the Gospel to their Jewish brothers and sisters; that the enemies of Israel would become salt and light, provoking the Jewish people to jealousy unto salvation. (Romans 11:11)