Friday, September 27, 2024

Arrows 2024 Sep 27 Operation Northern Arrows

 


Operation
Northern
Arrows

Do you realize how our spiritual prayer arrows under-gird the effectiveness of their physical combat arrows?”

"As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed. When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down." Exodus 17:11-12

     In 2005 I was on a tour with Eitan Shishkoff, then pastoring Tents of Mercy congregation in Kiryat Yam. The tour was named Baruch HaBa, based on the message from Matthew 23:39 which quotes from Psalm 118:26 – “Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD.” We heard messages, saw some of the sites, but most importantly we visited with Tikkun ministries. First we visited congregations in the north of Israel and then we traveled down to Jerusalem where we connected with Asher Intrater’s personal ministry, at that time was called Revive Israel. Eitan and Asher both being founders of the Tikkun ministries, who along with Dan Juster have networked together for 40+ years.
     At the early morning daily prayer gathering for Asher’s ministry, as worship flowed into the prophetic, Asher prophesied to me that my words would be as “Arrows from Zion.” My Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries was in its 4th year of operation. I had to produce it each Saturday and Sunday because I already worked a 5-day week or 40 hours: the weekends were the only time I had to do it. It was exhausting, but I was younger & committed.
      When I returned from Israel, now jobless having been terminated only two weeks before leaving for Israel, I made a commitment to the ministry full time. It would be at the sacrifice of financial stability but I took Asher’s prophecy to heart and created a second, smaller version of the Weekly Summary naming it: Arrows from Zion. I was financially supported by no one and over the years have not had substantial financial support – but God has always supplied our needs.  Thank you to all who have been God’s answer to me over these past 23 years!
     I take the name of the current Operation Northern Arrows against Hezballah as a sign that it has been no mistake for me to stay the course regardless of obstacles and discouragement at times. 
     In my first year of the Weekly Summary, Israel launched Operation Protective Shield. I don’t see these things as coincidences because we learned so much from praying over the clearing of terrorists nests & weapons in 2001-2002 during Operation Protective Shield. The main lesson learned was that God answered our prayers for the Israeli believers, for the Palestinian Christian believers, effectiveness of the IDF, and mercy on Israel. Now many more are praying for these things than when I started and I thank God for the small part these mailings have contributed to that. “Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; whereby the people fall under you.” Psalm 45:5 —Donna

Operation Northern Arrows
War Update Sept. 23, 2024 from the Kehilat HaCarmel Leadership Team
Pastor Dani & LuAnne Sayag  in Haifa  Kehilat HaCarmel (CARMEL Congregation)
 info@carmelcongregation.org.il  www.carmelcongregation.org.il |  

     Last night, as all of Haifa map of alerts - Haifa area and Mount Carmel were under attack from rockets from Hezbollah, we held our Monday night prayer meeting on Zoom. During the session many of us were praying from our bomb shelters while sirens were going off. Our government has now declared a state of emergency for the whole nation and officially named the new operation in the north “Operation Northern Arrows.”   Please join us in these urgent prayer points:
    David only needed one stone to defeat Goliath. Please pray for accurate hits to take out Hezbollah’s ammunition and weapons, while preserving the lives of the innocent. |  Pray for the right information to fall into the hands of our army, and for God to protect those who are gathering intelligence. | Pray for our government and IDF leadership, for wisdom to make the right decisions. | Pray that Hezbollah will be defeated from our air strikes so that we do not have to go in with our ground troops.| Pray for God to bless, protect, and strengthen our brothers and sisters in Lebanon, and to free them from Hezbollah.|     Please pray for peace and a feeling of safety for all our children during this time.
    Let's pray from Psalm 68:1, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him.”  This war is not just against the people of Israel, but against the God of Israel, but against the God of Israel, and His plans and purposes for our nation.
     Thank you, precious family, for standing with us at this time. “Hodu l’Adonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo.” “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” 

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

Reuven Doron clarifies things brilliantly in The Trigger | ….By God’s sovereign will and predetermined counsel, the PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS, your prayers, are the trigger to His terrible work. He initiates and performs the unfolding events by the hands of His mighty angels, yet the prayers of His saints are necessary for the ignition process. Some may pray prayers of intercession so that mercy may prevail upon those who suffer. Others may pray warfare prayers, declaring God’s decrees against the powers and the principalities that drive the demon armies. And yet others may be praying for the harvest, that repentance may be granted to the broken hearted and that souls may be saved even as a “brand plucked from the fire.” (Zechariah 3:2). You know your calling. You have the Spirit. You pray the necessary prayers.”
     Also this: “
As we have written in the past, contrary to the popular propaganda embraced by the uninformed and the deceived, Israel is not a warmongering nation and will not initiate a war unless provoked. October 7 changed everything, and like Hamas in the past, now Hezbollah is regretting the day it started this war. We are bracing for difficult days ahead, and ask you to pray with us for swift and decisive victory.” Read in full online, Click Title


Close Encounter of the Drone Kind

Driving through an intersection, Carolyn & Richard Hyde of Heart of G-d ministries saw 7 to 8 lights coming toward them high in the sky. As one drew closer to their vehicle they realized it was drones. “It was like something out of Star Wars,” Carolyn says. “It is REAL.” God’s protective shield of our brothers & sisters in faith from prayer cover in the nations!

Joel Jelski, an IDF reserve soldier currently on a rest break from the war, reporting for Fields of Wheat writes, “I can’t sufficiently emphasize what a critical blow this is to Hezbollah. Israel (supposedly) just injured, incapacitated, or killed dozens of Hezbollah fighters and commanders from low-level up to high-level officers. Even if most were not killed, thousands were injured in a way that would make them incapable of participating in physical warfare at the moment, if not for the rest of their lives. It also disrupts their main lines of communication, leadership, and command structure. The hospitals are overwhelmed. And many unknown Hezbollah operatives have been exposed by having the rigged pagers that Israel may not have known about previously. . . . Israel is preparing for a ground operation. These are somewhat extreme and precise measures to take out enemy combatants in order to make it easier to physically go into Lebanon with less “opposition.” Hospitals are overwhelmed, which means they won’t be able to handle new injuries. Their command structure is damaged, making it harder for them to mount a coherent and cohesive defense strategy, and the communication lines are disrupted, making it hard to communicate clearly without Israel intercepting those communications. That’s what you would try to do ahead of a ground invasion. 
     A Personal Note: Blessed U.S. trip—then Return to Attacks on our Town | On a personal note, my family and I had a blessed time in the U.S. and Mexico this summer.” The Katzir Summer camp was “deep and meaningful” with at least 8 teens from Messianic families giving their lives to Yeshua for the first time. BUT during the Chanukah camp Dec 26-29, Joel will have reported back to IDF duty. He asks prayers to find a person to step in to direct the camp in Dec.  
     NEEDED! Life-Saving uniforms for Messianic soldiers | They are life-saving, fire-retardant uniforms. If you are a combat soldier in the regular army, these uniforms are provided to you. But there are not enough for reserve soldiers like me. So, we have decided that our last IDF project for 2024 will be to help provide this uniform for Yeshua-believing combat soldiers in reserves…We already have about $45,000 to proceed with this. Any funds given toward our Iron Swords initiative will go toward providing these uniforms. Each uniform costs $500, so at the moment, we can purchase 90 units for our Messianic reserve soldiers. But the need is greater—our target is 150 uniforms, calling for an additional $30,000.. Give Here: Life-Saving Uniforms  | Thanks for your faithful involvement and fervent prayers

Chaim Malespin of Aliyah Return Center writes, “We are in a time of battle right now, and it is expanding. As I write this booms and sirens are sounding all over the Galilee…. Hezbollah, like Hamas, are set on destroying Israel based on their ideological beliefs and agendas. There have already been two wars with Lebanon (Hezbollah to be precise). I fought them in 2006 - The 2nd Lebanon War, may this be the last war we have with them.  God spoke to Abraham, “I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse you that curse you.” And this blessing was based down to Isaac, Jacob, the twelve tribes, and all of their descendants. God set aside a people for himself, even with all of their imperfections. And it says, “For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” 1 Samuel 12:22. Being God’s chosen people has come as both a blessing and a battle.
     An incredible statistic: In a book by James Carroll’s called ‘Constantines Sword: The Church and the Jews’, he estimated that there should be at least 200 million Jews in the world today. However, due to the constant persecution and murder there are only about 16 million Jewish people worldwide today.
     ….Even though we are in a time of war, let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, pray that God would bless the government with wisdom and unity with God’s will, bless the IDF with strategy and victory, and blessings on the future, when the war is over, for the rebuilding and healing for this country.  Join the online Prayer Watch at www.altarofprayer.com Register for 24/7 online prayer watches & scroll down for more information about the ministry & resources

From Asher Intrater’s Tikkun Global: Read | #LoveArabsHateJihadI love Arabs and I hate Jihad. Most Israelis, and virtually all Messianic Jews, would say the same. | The Spirit of God and the Word of God Go Together VIDEO teaching by Asher Intrater | God’s Good Work! by Hannah Tekle, Tents of Mercy Congregation in Kiryat Yam, Israel | Armor of God by Leon Mazin of Shavei Tzyon/Return to Zion Congregation in Haifa, Israel
      9/5 A Role Model for Times of Epic Challenge | by Yonas Belay, Ahavat Yeshua in Jerusalem | Many congregation members and friends are asking how to deal with fear, anxiety and worry. While reflecting on the current situation in Israel; the challenges, the war and the uncertainty, my thoughts were directed toward the confidence and faith of King David. Even at a young age, God gave David courage, strength and faith to face great challenges. We can learn much from him. | + BOOK What Does the Bible REALLY Say About the Land? by Asher Intrater

3rd installment from Emmaus Way Arni Klein’s letter two weeks ago: As much as Israel is in the center of world news, so Iran is right there alongside. Recently we’ve been in contact with two Iranian believers residing in Germany. After a number of conversations we sensed that we’d been brought together for a Divine purpose.  The ancient history of our two nations is most intriguing and prophetically significant. The Prince of Persia (ancient Iran) has a brief but meaningful reference in Daniel 10:13. In Daniel’s time (586 BCE), the Prince of Persia was at work to hinder God’s plans regarding Israel. We see this force manifesting again through the Persian empire around 470 BCE when Haman sought to annihilate the Jews…. As in Bible times, the Prince of Persia is still at work, trying to stop the return of the Jews to the Land (making Aliyah), and better yet to wipe them from the face of the earth. One difference today is that this spirit is functioning at a global level.
     In 538 BCE King Cyrus, the ruler over the Persian Empire, was directed by God to allow the Jews to return to Jerusalem  and to provide funds and materials to rebuild the Temple where it had once stood.
     Seeing the present situation in light of ancient Persia’s centrality in the life of Israel, we were impressed with the potential of the Iranian church to affect global spiritual dynamics. When the Body in Iran (or any country) looks to minister to the Lord, understanding His passion for Israel, this will release them into the unique purpose God has ordained for them regarding the spiritual awakening of Israel. We already noted the fact that Israel is to be the first priority of the redeemed in every nation. As God’s gifts and callings are forever, the spiritual dynamics revealed in ancient times are still applicable today. The magnitude of Persia/Iran’s impact on the life of Israel is great -- from total destruction to rebuilding the nation and the Temple. After years of perceiving Iran as Israel’s number one enemy to suddenly seeing it from God’s perspective is nothing short of revolutionary. We need to remember that our enemy is the government, not the people; we understand that the church in Iran is overall very pro-Israel. Since there is a significant believing Iranian community in Germany, we are praying about arranging a gathering there before the end of the year. The Iranian brothers agree that the historic prophetic perspective, the vision for Outposts of Heaven, and the Israel Revealed course (which is on the EW website in Farsi) would be a good starting point. Please pray with us that this understanding about Iran will bear eternal fruit. | ALSO:  We have been sharing about establishing “outposts of heaven.”… The vision was presented in fullness at a gathering in the UK in April. (Recordings are accessible on the home page of www.emmausway.org). Another such gathering is scheduled in Germany from October 31-November 3. It will be hosted by the Friends of Jesus in Altensteig. You can register here

From Israel Pochtar of Beit Hallel in Ashdod (& Voice of Judah Ministries) The Jewish Fall Feasts | This sacred season of the Fall Feasts is a heavy one. The ongoing war in Israel continues to affect every single person in the land. With tens of thousands of displaced families, shut down businesses, many in reserve duty on the frontline, families who have become refugees in their own country, along with single mothers, the elderly and Holocaust survivors — countless people are in need of help. This is a season of deep significance, but also one of tremendous need. And as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot, we have an opportunity to make a difference...Read in full online | Discover Rosh Hashanah - The Feast of Trumpets Explained! | VIDEO
     A New Beginning - Beit Hallel Launches Bible Study in Jerusalem! | As an extension of our ministry’s work and outreach in Jerusalem, Beit Hallel has launched a new Bible study in the heart of Jerusalem. This Bible study is part of our vision to bring the gospel back to Israel, reaching out to the Jewish people with the message of hope, grace, and redemption found in Yeshua the Messiah. Read more online
 

Revive Israel’s Youval & Valerie Yanay write, “In these challenging times we are facing here in Israel, we find strength in God’s faithfulness and in the community He’s building around us. This week has been full of encouragement and hope! We had a joyful reunion with the youth who were with us in France this summer for Camp Connections…. We also welcomed the women from הבית החם (The Warm House) back to the farm—survivors of prostitution who are on a journey of restoration… Valerie shared with them about faith…. In less than two months, we will be kicking off our Winter Program, and we are looking forward to seeing how the Lord is going to work in the lives of those attending.
     The Purpose of Prophetic Texts for End Times Events | by Bassem Adranly | End-times prophecies have always captured our attention. Throughout history, many, including some in Islam, have predicted events like the fall of Israel – predictions that have not come to pass. It’s important to understand that prophecy is not about predicting exact events, but about calling us to faithfulness in the present....read in full online |Short VIDEO  Forgiveness | by Youval Yanay

Daniel and Shirya Yahav of Peniel Fellowship in Tiberias are also well aware that the situation of Israel is so acute, the multiple problems so complex, that really only God can solve these impossible situations. “Therefore, we ask you to join us in prayer for our nation and for our government, the devil wants to destroy us but God has other plans for His people, and he is faithful to fulfill His promises! As a fellowship we have this week three days of prayer & fasting for this cause.” They include testimonies of how God has opened doors for some of those in the congregation serving in the IDF to share faith, and also for their youth who were funded by German believers to go to camp there since their usual nature park was out of the question because of rockets from Hezballah.
     Two prayer points on their heart for their congregation & soliders: A breakthrough and victory in our struggle concerning an official license for the Peniel school. While we are allowed to continue the school operation while in process, we are still waiting for a final answer from the ministry of education concerning the official license. It is much overdue.| Continuous protection of our soldiers which are in mandatory duty as well for those who are in reserve duty. Please pray also especially for the wives and families of the reserve soldiers who are already for long times alone at home and struggle with many different challenges.| Spiritual growth for our congregation in general and specifically for the ones who have recently given their heart to Yeshua. May the Lord pour out his spirit on us, which we need so desperately in these challenging end times. | Thank you for praying, we value your prayers very much!

From Guy Cohen at Katzir Asher in Acco: “Since the very beginning of the existence of the Hebrews who believe in God, every generation finds themselves aliens in their community. In every generation there are leaders and advisors that are motivated to kill, destroy and cause the nation and their God to vanish from their midst. . . . Israel of today is suffering from the hatred of not only the neighboring nations but also the nations around the world. We see this through the representation of the world powers in the UN, the Hague and more. My question is why are we suffering? Why are we here in Israel? If in the book of Esther we see that the Jews are scattered around the world, in Ezekiel 38:12 we see that in the end times the nation of Israel is regathered from all the nations back to Israel - Aliyah. However, this does not stop the enemies of Israel from continuing to plot evil for her destruction. I believe we are here in Israel not because we are righteous. We're here thanks to God's covenant with Abraham. All the evil around us can only be fought by God Himself. He is the redeemer of Israel. God did not break His covenant with Israel.
     We ask that you continue to pray by the leading of Holy Spirit
for our protection. Pray that our leaders would have wisdom and courage to do the Will of God for Israel's defense. May the physical and spiritual armies of God accompany soldiers of the IDF into battle and that the victory would be the Lord's. Please keep Guy's mother Ruthie in prayer. She is currently in the hospital in stable condition but with many battles ahead. Pray for her healing and restoration.

An encouraging letter from Dov Bikas and the team at the Aviv ministry who are doing such important work – pulling people at the bottom of their lives due to addictions, sexual and physical abuse – those “normal” people see as the dregs of society. But those who volunteer from congregations all over Israel to come to Tel Aviv to minister to and feed these people are seeing them as people God wants to rescue. It doesn’t matter how far someone falls, God is able to rescue and set them upright again in the faith of Yeshua. It take believers who will step in to deliver that message and patiently minister God’s love to them. One testimony shared was from a middle-aged woman who when one of the ministers offered her food, she answered, "There are people who need it more than me." It broke my heart instantly, because I recognized it as something a person who felt ashamed and lowly would say. Pray for this woman who was once a lawyer but in time her occasional recreational drug became her daily attempt to drown her sorrows. Their stories are diverse, but God can help any of them who will take hold in faith. Pray for all those who are being fed physical and spiritual food by this ministry. Also watch this video about our Rehab Center in Beer Sheva for men. May God bless you all and thank you very much for your prayers and support! from Dov and Olga Bikas and Aviv Ministry team

David’s Tent Avner Boskey: When the concealed is revealed | “So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Matthew 10:26) | “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light” (Mark 4:22) | "....About an hour ago, following indications that Hezbollah was preparing to fire towards Israeli territory, we began striking terrorist targets throughout Lebanon. The Hezbollah terrorist organization has been continuously launching attacks on Israeli civilians and has no plans to stop this. In southern Lebanon, there are dozens of Lebanese villages situated along approximately 80 kilometers of the border with Israel. For over 20 years, Hezbollah has deployed its arms inside homes and militarized civilian infrastructures. As a result, the Hezbollah terrorist organization has turned southern Lebanon into a battlefield....Read in full online, Click Title

Avi Mizrachi of Dugit Messianic Outreach in Tel Aviv writes, “Israel Needs Yeshua | It has been almost a year since we have experienced a grief deeper than any of us would have ever imagined here in Israel. We have lost many loved ones. It is still not safe for others to return to their homes, fields, and workplaces. The tragic events of October 7th have made us more aware of how much we need the strength, hope, and comfort that only the Lord can provide. Now, more than ever, it is so clear that the people of Israel need Yeshua!
      Dugit Outreach Ministries has been reaching out to the people of Israel for more than 30 years. Most of our team was born in Israel and we are united in our commitment to sharing the Good News with our fellow Israelis. And we are so grateful to have good friends like you standing with us…. We have learned over the years that the High Holidays are a powerful time to reach Israelis with the Good News of Messiah…. I know you share our compassion for the people of Israel. May I ask you today to make the most generous donation that you are able to help us reach all of Israel with the Good News of Yeshua?

From the Kerem-El congregation (daughter kehila of HaCarmel), leaders Yonatan Arnold, Stefan and Keren Silver speak of the pressures that the war has impacted everyone with, writing, “Currently we have several from our congregation in call up for reserve duty, most serving for the third time since the war began less than a year ago. The call ups are for active duty on three fronts: Gaza, Judea and Samaria and the northern border. In Gaza there are ongoing operations against Hamas, in the north against Hezbollah and in Judea and Samaria against Hamas and Iran based terror cells are attempting to cause the situation to boil over. During this perilous time we place or faith and trust in the Lord, knowing that he is good, he is faithful, and he is in control!
     Helping Hands | The deacons oversee many different areas of the congregation function and have done so very faithfully for years. However recently, due to different situations in the lives of our three deacons, the leadership is in is in need of additional helping hands to cover the various areas of ministry. We are seeking the Lord for more helping hands who have a calling and desire to serve Lord in the ministry according to their giftings and calling. We do appreciate your prayers as responsibilities double and triple on certain individuals in the interim.
     Partner Financially with Kerem-El | Would you prayerfully consider partnering with Kerem-El in 2024? If you would like to give towards the general ministries of Kerem-El, you can Donate Securely Online here. If you would like your gift to go to a specific cause or need, please add a designation note with your donation. Other ways to donate are on our website here.

Sally Shiff of the HaMaayan congregation in Kfar Saba is sending out important daily updates – which I just don’t have room for this week BUT the one that came in today especially caught my attention: “Israel has been attacked in the last 24 hours from north to south: A UAV from Iraq hit a military base in the Jordan Valley | UAVs from Iraq hit military bases in the Golan | Rockets from Lebanon throughout the Galilee, up to Haifa | A ballistic missile from Lebanon was launched to Netanya and Tel Aviv | UAVs from Iraq hit Eilat|....Across the world, war can be a statistic. On a global scale countries decide what is best; politically and financially. But here in Israel, it's personal. In Ukraine, it's personal. …This small country, the size of Rhode Island, this war-torn country is my home. For all of us Jews, our promised land that God gave us thousands of years ago....the people of Israel continue to live!



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