I Am Prayer

״ואני תפילה״ Psalm 109:4 “I Am Prayer”

In Psalm 109:4 King David declares before the Lord “I am prayer.” Most English translations record David saying, “I give myself to prayer.” However, in Hebrew it simply says “I”, “״ואני, and then “prayer”, “תפילה”, written as a noun. “Give myself to” is omitted in the Hebrew reading.

In this Hebrew structure David could have just as easily written, I am king or I am a child of God. David was feeling the pains of being hated by his friends, and then David strangely states, “I am prayer.” 

What does that even mean that you “are” prayer? That doesn’t even make sense! Prayer is an activity. It is something that you do. Right?

However, King David makes “prayer” his identity, the very essence of his being. The Spirit of prayer flowed in him naturally and gave him a grace to commune with God in intimacy and intercession.

Because David was declared by God to be the man after God’s own heart, it is wisdom and it behooves us to understand what David understood and pursue it. 

David’s revelation of becoming prayer is the high vision of Heaven for each one He created, regardless of individual callings.

From this prayerful communion with God we move into the fullness of our individual callings.

To become prayer is not only for the intercessors and worship leaders. King David himself was a king with many responsibilities. This baptism of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication is for everyone.

Why should we give ourselves to the act of prayer? By praying we, like David, will become prayer and enter into union with God.

Union with God

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. …If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

- YESHUA  John 15:5,7

You were made for fellowship with the Holy, Uncreated God. You were created to become one with Him. Him in you and you in Him. God is looking for the man after His own heart, the ones who seeks Him and desires the high vision of union with Him. 

Yeshua gave His life to save you out of sin and into a sacred fellowship with the Godhead. He never meant for us to settle for only being saved from our sins. He wants to receive all He died for. The invitation is for all to come out of darkness and into the all-consuming light of an abiding companionship with God.

He longs for the two of you to become one flesh, that you would know His heart, His mind, and His emotions, and that your body would be infused with His Spirit and His strength.

The basic means by which He makes us one with Himself is the Spirit of prayer.

To know Him, love Him, enjoy His Presence, to be healed heart, mind, soul and body, to hear His voice speaking - all of this comes through the dance of prayer, the dance of listening, beholding and speaking to the God of your life.

“One thing is needed…” Yeshua.

“…a certain woman named Martha welcomed [Yeshua] into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Yeshua’s feet and heard His word.” 

“But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Yeshua answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

- YESHUA Luke 10:38-42

One thing is needed. One thing? Lord, that doesn’t make sense.

As I sought the Lord on what He could mean, it dawned on me that it is from this “one thing” that all other things flow. Communion with Him is the source for all other needs being met. 

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

Mary knew how to “abide in the vine,” by lingering long in the presence of the One Who is the Word of God made flesh. She heard His words and conversed with Him about the anointed words that poured forth from His lips. She was captivated.

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

Yeshua says “one thing is needed.” David, the man after God’s own heart says “one thing is desired.” And it all is centered in the dance of prayer, of sitting and listening to the Word of God, gazing on the beauty of God and asking Him questions. Prayer is the “one thing,” the foundational piece in your life with God.

November Prayer Points

Four prayer points for Israel with Scriptures to pray:

1. Dwell With God

2. Life

3. Covid and the Economy

4. Isaiah 19 Highway: USA Elections

DWELL WITH GOD

Abba, reveal the desires of Your heart to draw Your people into Your chambers. Make us like the sons of Issachar who knew the times and seasons of Israel.

• ISAIAH 26:20, “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.”

• MATTHEW 6:6

• SONG OF SONGS 3:1-4
  

Insight Into Israel: Since COVID-19 began, twice Israel has been on a month long full lockdown and in the other 6 months restrictions have been in place. Schools are closed. “COVID Hotels” are housing those who have been exposed to the disease.

Masks are worn to cover our faces on penalty of a hefty fine. Gatherings over 10 or 20 have been forbidden. Families were forbidden to travel to be together during the high holidays.

As the suicide rate, depression, unemployment, and abuse rises, more and more people are in anguish. 

Jerusalem intercessors are sensing that the Holy Spirit is using this time to set us apart, dial down the distractions, and lead us into the secret place with Him. The LORD desires for people to return to Him as their first love and to dwell with Him. It is time to command your soul to “settle down” and be released from the heavy yokes and the unknowns. Yeshua’s yoke is easy and His burden is light.

This momentary, light affliction is a wake up call to turn to the Lord and away from heavy burdens before His severe judgements come. Among other hated sins, soon He will put an end to the innocent bloodshed of the babies by means of abortion and deliver these little ones from their oppressors. For now Israel is still in a window of mercy. Please pray for us.

LIFE

Abba, we thank You for giving us life through the breath of Your Spirit. Each one of our lives belong to You. We pray for the at-risk, innocent ones in the Land of Israel and ask that You to spare their lives. Mighty Deliverer, You know each baby intimately. You have written a book of destiny for each one. Bring them forth into life in Yeshua’s name.

• PROVERBS 31:8-9, “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

• JOEL 2:12-14

• GENESIS 2:7

Insight into Israel: In Israel 40,000 Babies a year are returned to Abba Father in Heaven through abortion. The Israeli government funds 20,000 of those abortions. “Estimates say 1/5 of all pregnancies in Israel end in abortion. Since 1948, more babies have been aborted in Israel than the number of children that died in the Holocaust. Yet despite the nation’s deeply rooted respect for life, Israel is one of the only countries in the world where it is legal to abort a baby up until birth,” Be’Ad Chaim [For Life], a ministry led by a Jewish believer in Yeshua, Sandy Shoshani. 

“The Social Services Division of the IDF can refer a female soldier for up to two government-subsidized abortions during her 18-month service. Significant pressure is placed on the soldiers to abort,” Sandy Shoshani. 

Worldwide 1.6 Billion babies have been aborted since 1980, and this year alone 34 million babies have been aborted. God, have mercy, save our souls and deliver these innocent lives.

COVID & THE ECONOMY

Holy Spirit You are our healer. Come move in the midst of us. Hover over us like You hovered over the waters in the beginning of Creation. Creator of the Universe, oh Most High, have mercy and cause Your face to shine. Let Your sick-less Kingdom come and Your will be done on Earth AS it is in Heaven. 

• EXODUS 23:25, "Worship the LORD your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you…”

• ISAIAH 53:4-5,

• MATTHEW 6:25-33

Insight into Israel: Governmental approval for the extension of the state of emergency from November 5th - January 3rd has been given. Over 40,000 businesses have not been able to survive the two one-month lockdowns and continued restrictions. There is now a 24% unemployment rate among working Israelis. Over a million Israelis are on unemployment. Another 500,000, at least, have lost their “under-the-table” employment.

In the midst of the political bickering this government has not been able to pass a budget, causing Israel to have fewer resources to manage the crisis. The government has allocated 100 billion shekels ($29 billion) on measures including aid to businesses whose revenue has fallen by at least 25% due to the pandemic.

Israel Institute of Biological Research (IIBR) reported that a vaccine for COVID is now in human trials. By summer time the vaccine will be ready for the public. The highest COVID infection rate is in the Haredi (Orthodox) neighborhoods with 1 in 5 infected in yeshiva. In response the government has highly restricted religious gatherings, yeshiva and the neighborhoods. 

There has been great unrest and demonstrations against the government, especially among the unemployed and the religious.

English resources for Israeli news are ynetnews.com, TV7 on YouTube (Christian), Joel Rosenberg emails, and ILTV on YouTube.

ISAIAH 19 HIGHWAY

Holy Spirit bring about salvation in the Middle East and unity in the Bride of Messiah in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Bless Your people in Egypt and the nations that make up Assyria. Reveal to Israel what it means to be the inheritance and joy set before Yeshua the Messiah.

• ISAIAH 19:23-25, “In that day there will be a highway …the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

• MATTHEW 25:31-46

• ISAIAH 2

Insight into Israel: The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan joined Egypt and Jordan as nations who have signed peace treaties with Israel. President Trump has called the signing of the Abraham Accords a “dawn of a new Middle East.”

Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE said, “Today, we are already witnessing a change at the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world.” 

During the signing of the peace treaties Gaza sprayed rockets onto southern Israel. Even though the Palestinians are outraged and feel abandoned, more Arab nations are seriously considering a peace treaty with Israel. Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are among the six to ten more nations who are deliberating a deal with President Trump.

Nations who have taken up the Palestinian cause in the past are suffering financially and feel they need to think about their own nation. Peace treaties with Israel remove the label of being a “terrorist nation” causing the USA to lift sanctions.

USA Elections

Israelis seem to be as invested in the USA elections as Americans are. Netanyahu described Trump as “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”

President Trump has strengthened the bond between our two countries by recognizing Jerusalem as our capital in in December 6, 2017, granting Israel sovereignty over the Golan Heights on March 25, 2019, and leading her into the Abraham Accords peace treaties. October 29, 2020 he lifted the ban on US funding on Israeli scientific research and development in the West Bank and Golan Heights. 

President Trump put an end to the Iran deal and committed $3.8 billion annually for military aid to Israel. When the criminal courts of the UN threatened Israel with war crimes, he threatened sanctions on the UN and caused the UN to back down. He recognized that the Palestinians were causing the peace process to not move forward. 

What is Yeshua doing through the Abraham Accords? My sense is that Yeshua is connecting the hearts of Jews with Arabs and vice versa. Yeshua said in Matthew 25 that the “sheep” nations will care for His brethren, the Jews, and “goat” nations will not. Yeshua is redeeming this time and season to draw hearts from surrounding nations into loving Israel.

Turning Away and Turning To

Prayer

Abba, along with Jews around the world, during this Hebrew month of Elul we humble ourselves, turn from sin and ask for new hearts of fiery devotion to You.

We cry out for a revival of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and of loving our neighbor as ourselves.

40 Days of Repentance

At sundown August 20th as the Hebrew month of Elul began we celebrated the New Moon with feasting and by invoking a heavenly Presence as we sang songs about God's holiness.

The atmosphere was rich with the Spirit brooding over us as we worshipped Him.

The New Moon Elul marks the beginning of 40 days of repentance for Jews worldwide. These hallowed 40 days ultimately leads to the climax of Yom Kippur, the most revered day in Judaism. 

In our community we not only take the 40 days to turn “away” but we also turn “to.” We turn away from sin and we return to our first love, Yeshua.

As a dancer I learned quickly that the way to prevent dizziness and falling is to keep a steady focus on what I was turning to and not what I was turning from.

It does not work to simply turn away from sin without a focus on where, or rather, on Whom you are turning toward.

Spiritually, we spend this month doing both. Turning away from all that hinders love and returning to the One Who is Love.

40 Day First Love Fast

We are currently on the 40 Day First Love Fast. We began sundown Elul 1, August 20th until sundown Yom Kippur September 28th.

We are focusing on 2 prayer points: 1) believers will return to their first Love Yeshua; 2) Israel will turn to Yeshua, the Lover of their souls.

Below are 3 of the Scriptures we are highlighting:

• REVELATION 2:2-5, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear  those who are evil.

• …you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 

• Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…

• To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

• SONG OF SONGS 3:1-4, "By night on my bed I sought the One I love; I sought Him, but I did not find Him.

• I will rise now…I will seek the One I love. I sought Him, but I did not find Him….

• ’Have you seen the One I love?’ Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the One I love. I held Him and would not let Him go.”

• EZEKIEL 36:24-29, “For I will take you from among the nations…and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean…

• I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 

• I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes… you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.”