Beginning this Sunday (15 October), the ICEJ is calling for successive three-day ‘Esther Strikes’ of Fasting and Prayer to undergird Israel’s Battle against the genocidal spirit of Hamas terrorism.
The Church has reached a time when it is not enough just to say, “We love Israel” or “We stand with Israel.” Real action is needed!
Israel is at war! Last Saturday, October 7th, Israel experienced what President Isaac Herzog described as the worst day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. On the high holiday Simchat Torah and the days after, Israel has lost over 1,300 people, the vast majority of them civilians. Thousands more are wounded. Over 5,000 rockets have rained down on Israel.
The massacre began when some 2,000 Hamas terrorists breached the security fence along the Gaza border in multiple locations and over 20 communities in the south were infiltrated. Some towns even came under the control of Hamas gunmen for over two days until the IDF drove them out. Scores of women, children and the elderly were slaughtered, and infants were even decapitated. Hamas also attacked an outdoor music festival, and they dragged over 150 people in all back into Gaza as hostages. Many of them again are women, children, and the elderly, along with a number of IDF soldiers.
Over recent days, Israel has mobilized more than 380,000 IDF reservists and placed them on the outskirts of Gaza, as well as on the northern border with Lebanon as the situation with Hizbullah threatens to escalate. In congregations across Israel, most of the young men and women between 18 and 40 have been called up for army duty, including two of my own sons. Currently, well above 500 Messianic believers are serving in the IDF, including in frontline commando units. Many lives have already been lost on the battlefield, and among them so far are six believing soldiers.
This attack is without a doubt rooted in the demonic realm as a manifestation of the Spirit of Amalek (see Exodus 17:8ff, Deuteronomy 25:17; 1 Samuel 30:3; Esther 3:1 & 8).
Two of the main manifestations of the Spirit of Amalek in biblical history can be found in Exodus 17:8, as Israel was approaching Mt. Sinai, and in the book of Esther as Haman – an Amalekite from the royal house of Agag (Esther 3:1; 1 Samuel 15:8) – planned to annihilate the Jewish people. These battles were won by unceasing prayer (Exodus 17:9-11) and by three days of fasting (Esther 4:15).
This is a time when the Church is called to ascend to our spiritual vantage point and join in this battle, just as Moses prayed while Joshua was fighting Amalek on the ground! This is the time to call for an Esther Fast to approach the throne of God on behalf of His beloved people.
Brothers and sisters, it is imperative for the global Body of Christ to stand with Israel and its people. Our professions of love and support alone will not do it anymore! It is the time for action, including in the spiritual realm!
Israeli experts today estimate that the war against Hamas will be at least 2-3 weeks minimum. We call upon the Church to accompany this with ongoing prayer and fasting until this war against the Hamas terror militia is won.
You can do so in three ways:
- Join the Global Esther Fast for Israel. Over these next 2 to 3 weeks, please commit to at least one three-day period of fasting and prayer for Israel to prevail in its battle against the genocidal terrorism of Hamas. These successive “Esther Strikes’ will start on the 15th of October, the first day of the new Hebrew month, at 4:00 PM (Israel time). In our consecutive waves of prayer and fasting, we will help carry Israel through to victory. You might even consider doing several 3-day fasts during this critical window period. Please let us know how you are joining by writing us at: prayer@icej.org
- Join our daily Global Prayer Gatherings at 4:00 PM (Israel time). You will be surrounded by a worldwide army of Christian leaders and intercessors, and receive daily updates on the critical situation on the ground here in Israel. Join us at: https://on.icej.org/ICEJGlobalPrayer
Please note that the sessions have live translations into several languages. If you would like to translate these into an uncovered language, we can facilitate this. Also consider holding special prayer meetings in your church, community, and ministry network, etc. - Join the Rosh Chodesh prayer chain during the war. You can either join existing prayer watches or mobilize your own watch with a minimum group of 10 people, and register with us at: prayer@icej.org
Prayer Points:
- Pray that the war will be successful in completely removing the threat of Hamas from not only Israel but the entire Middle East. May they never raise their heads again to harm Israel and suppress their own Arab people. Pray for decisiveness and resolve among Israel’s leaders to pursue this battle to the very end (Psalm 18:34ff).
- Pray for the protection of all Israeli soldiers who serve their nation. May a divine hedge of protection surround them! (Psalm 91).
- Pray for unity among the people of Israel, that this war will become the catalyst for a new-found brotherly spirit throughout the nation (Luke 11:17).
- Pray for protection for all those in the region who love peace and seek to live in friendship with Israel and the Jewish people. Pray that God would send deliverance and a spirit of repentance and transformation upon the people in Gaza.
- Pray that many Rahabs might come forth to join the Israeli people in this effort to restore calm and sanity in the region, just like Rahab did in hiding and assisting the people of Israel.
- Pray for the Arab churches in Israel, the territories, and the wider Middle East to have the courage and moral clarity to take a clear stand in that conflict and distance themselves from the evil spirit of Hamas. Pray that God’s Spirit will remove the veil of Replacement theology and Supersessionism from their hearts.
- Pray that this conflict will become a catalyst for spiritual renewal in Israel. Pray that miracles of God would manifest in powerful ways. May this be the time when the Spirit of Grace and Supplication will be poured out on Israel as foreseen in Zechariah 12:10ff. Just as Abraham entered the Land of Promise on his 75th birthday to reach his divine destiny, let us pray that on this 75th anniversary of the state of Israel, its people would enter into their redemptive destiny in God.
ICEJ
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in 1980 in recognition of the biblical significance of all of Jerusalem and its unique connection with the Jewish people. Today, it represents millions of Christians, churches, and denominations to the nation and people of Israel. We recognize in the restoration of the State of Israel God's faithfulness to keep His ancient covenant with the Jewish people.
