God declares in Ezekiel 33:11a: “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.’”
Likewise, in Jeremiah 18:7-8a, God says: “The instant I speak concerning a nation… to destroy it, if that nation turns from its evil, I will relent…”
We have said throughout these past two years that for these wars to end, Israel’s enemies need to stop trying to destroy Israel. That’s all they need to do.
Hamas should not have invaded Israel. Now, it needs to release the hostages, and the war would be over. Iran needed to stop funding and orchestrating proxy wars against Israel with its terror groups, Hezbollah and the Houthis, and end its genocidal ambitions of obtaining nuclear weapons to be used against Israel.
If Iran simply wanted to live in peace with Israel, it would have peace with Israel. And as the Scriptures above say, God does not want to destroy nations that go against Israel. God would much prefer those nations to turn away from evil.
However, God is a promise making and promise keeping God. So if they do want war, then they must realise Israel has a secret weapon: God Almighty.
God will fight for Israel, just as He promised (Exodus 14:14). The One who watches over Israel does not slumber or sleep (Psalm 121:4). He is her defender and protector, and He will shield Jerusalem and bring judgment on the nations that rise against her (Zechariah 12:8–9). No weapon formed against His people will succeed (Isaiah 54:17).
Iran, Hamas, and all who wage war against Israel fail to understand this one unshakable truth: they are not merely fighting the Jewish people; they are opposing the God of the universe.
Here are some prayer points:
Pray for CUFI’s events: This weekend we have a UK regional conference in Bristol and next week is the CUFI Washington Summit in America. Pray for our events, for all those travelling to them. Pray for protection for the CUFI team, the speakers, and all those in attendance. Pray that these events will bring glory to God and be a blessing to Israel and the Church.
Pray for the UK government: Pray for wisdom for the UK’s leaders. We want to see the UK standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel, but instead, we are seeing weak leadership and every excuse to stand by and not get involved. We are not asking the government to fight for Israel, but they must not hold Israel back as they deal with the existential threats against them. Pray that Britain stands on the right side of history.
Pray for the IDF and Israel’s leaders: Israel wants to have peace with its neighbours, but sadly, too many of Israel’s neighbours want to wipe out the Jewish state. Israel is fighting a war for its very existence. We pray that God will continue to guide Israel’s military as they fight on multiple fronts,
Pray for Israelis under bombardment: We pray for the people of Israel who are being bombarded and all of the challenges war brings. Israelis are taking it in their stride, seeing the lighter side of life with jokes about needing sleep, but there are also many instances of trauma. Lives are being upended, children not at school while the parents need to keep working, financial challenges, not to mention strains on relationships as Israel’s soldiers continue to fight on multiple fronts. Pray for peace and blessings upon God’s people even in the midst of these trials.
Pray for Israel’s Emergency Responders: Israel is once again experiencing widespread terror attacks in the form of Iranian rockets, hitting hospitals, homes, killing civilians, levelling medical research centres, and more. Every time these attacks happen, brave men and women run into danger to save lives. Pray that Israel’s emergency services will be able to handle these added pressures and ensure that life is preserved.
