What can Christians around the world do to help Israel? We can be deliberate in prayer. Use this Israel Prayer Guide to lead your church to pray for Israel and Gaza.
Our hearts are grieved by what we’ve seen in Israel in the days since the attack by Hamas. We stand with Israel.
This Prayer Guide has 11 topics of prayer, 27 Scripture passages, and 10 ways that you can raise up prayer in your church. Start by praying through this post and then see how you can lead others to pray for Israel. Be sure to pick up the free download of this Israel Prayer Guide.
Join with me to pray for Israel.
Call to Pray for Israel
Oh Lord, you tell us to pray for the peace of Israel, and we are praying now, fervently, for you to bring peace and salvation to Israel. We are praying for your mighty, sovereign hand to reign and rule. We ask that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We are here to enter in with you into this time of prayer for Israel.
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May those who love you be secure.
Genesis 12:1-3
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.
Thank you, God, that from the time of your covenant with Abraham you promised to bless those who bless his descendants. We align ourselves with you and your providence in this world. We align ourselves with the nation you created out of your covenant with Abraham. We stand here in prayer to be a blessing to Israel.
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
We know that this is a spiritual battle breaking out in the earthly realm. We recognize that our battle in prayer is against the evil forces (Eph. 6:12). We declare that we are alert and sober minded, praying in the spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests, always praying for all the Lord’s people.
Pray for the Hostages
Lord God, we pray for the hostages. We lift them up before you. Each one. You know who they are and where they are, and we ask that you would be near to them. We pray that you would protect them. Cover and shield them. Guard them with your heavenly forces. We ask that you would give them courage and hope. We pray for the children that you would give them supernatural peace and protection, that they would not be afraid, but see you with them, caring for them.
Psalm 146:7-8
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
We ask, Lord Jesus, that you would bring release to the captives. That the jail doors would swing open and the prisoners would be set free. That you would show off your power and your goodness in the complete freedom and return of every hostage.
Pray for the Political and Military Leaders in Israel
We pray for wisdom, Lord Jesus, and for strength for Prime Minister Netanyahu, for the generals and commanders, for the cabinet and political leaders. We pray that you would give them strength. We pray that your Spirit would lead them with strategy and ideas and insight, that they would lead with supernatural anointing. We pray that you would show them the way through to victory. The battle is yours, and these men and women are your servants; please provide all they need to win this battle.
Proverbs 2:1-8
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Proverbs 24:10-12
If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!
Psalm 27:2-3
When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
Pray for the Israeli Soldiers
Father in Heaven, we pray for the Israel Defense Forces, and for the 360,000 reservists who have been called into action. We pray that you would encircle each one (Ps. 139:5). We pray that you would be their shield, that they would be hidden under your wings and that you would bring them safely home to their families having done their duty. We pray that you would fill them with courage. That they would have wisdom and insight. That you would supernaturally direct their paths, and when this is over, each one would have stories of how you led, protected, saved, and gave them the victory.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Isaiah 41:11-13
“All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
12 Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
13 For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Psalm 73:28
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
We pray for their physical protection, and your supernatural working through them to win the war, and to set their hearts on you, their faithful God, for the rest of their lives.
Pray for World Leaders to Stand with Israel
Father God, we pray that nations would not waver in their support for Israel. We all pray that our nation would do what is right and remain an unwavering friend of Israel. We pray that you would work through the political and military leaders to provide the resources and the diplomacy that Israel needs. We ask you for strength and resolve in the hearts and words of Israel’s allies around the world.
I Timothy 2:1-3
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, …
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Pray for those Who are Bereaved
Lord Jesus, we cannot imagine that trauma that shrouds so many in Israel. We pray for the bereaved, for those who have lost loved ones, that you would be their comfort, that you would give them peace, that you would receive their tears. We ask, Lord Jesus, that you would carry them and comfort them. We claim Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”
Psalm 10:14-15
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
Pray for the Israelis Who Have Suffered Trauma from the Attack
Lord Jesus, we see that everyone in Israel has suffered trauma from the Hamas attack. We call on you to comfort and heal them with time, and right now to carry them through. Would you give them strength to stand and do what is before them: to help care for the children of the reservists, to support the families around them, to provide food, and to minister comfort. We pray that the shock and grief would be lifted off of them by your tender mercy, and they would find themselves at peace in the midst of the war.
Psalm 31:21-22
Praise be to the Lord,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Psalm 31:14-17
But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, Lord,
for I have cried out to you;
Psalm 90:13-17
Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 33:12-22
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
We pray the nation of Israel would put their trust in you. That those who have been secular would find themselves expressing faith in you, trusting you, and learning to love you. We pray that the horror of it all would cause them to turn their hearts to you, not further away from you. Show yourself mighty to them, Lord God.
Pray against Israel’s Enemies
God in Heaven, fight the battle for Israel as you have done in the past. May the fear of the Lord fall on Hamas, and Hezbollah, on Lebanon and Syria and Iran, on every enemy of Israel. Would you make them weak and fearful and confused, fighting among themselves and incapable. Tie their hands and bind their feet, send chaos among them, and give them what judgment they deserve.
Amos 1:6-7
This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
Isaiah 17:13-14
Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters,
when he rebukes them they flee far away,
driven before the wind like chaff on the hills,
like tumbleweed before a gale.
14 In the evening, sudden terror!
Before the morning, they are gone!
This is the portion of those who loot us,
the lot of those who plunder us.
Pray for Innocent Palestinians in Gaza
Lord Jesus, we pray for those who are innocent and caught in the Gaza Strip. We pray that you would provide a way of escape for them, that you would provide the food and water and shelter and protection they need, and that you would provide a better life of freedom for them. We pray that your Gospel would spread, and that many would come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Thank God for his Sovereignty in the World
Father God, we declare that you are in control, and we rejoice in your mighty sovereignty in the world. We know that you allow evil some ground, as you did in Job’s life, but that your will is supreme and your power is in control. We honor and magnify your name.
Job 42:1-2
Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Psalm 33:10-11
The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Pray that People would Trust in God
Lord Jesus, we pray that this trial will cause more people to trust in you. We see a saving faith that comes from grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we acknowledge that Israel is your chosen people and you love them. We pray that hearts around the world would turn to you in freedom and faith. We pray that your name would be lifted up, and that the lies and bondage of the evil one would be stamped down.
2 Chronicles 7:14-16
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Psalm 85:10-11
Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
11 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.
We give you all the glory, Lord, for you goodness and your greatness in every battle large and small.
10 Ways to Raise up Prayer for Israel in your Church
I believe it is our responsibility as Christians to stand with Israel. Not everyone sees it that way. You can disciple your church members by teaching them to pray for Israel. Here are ten ways you can add meaningful prayer about the war in Israel to your church life in the next couple of weeks.
1. Pray from the Pulpit
Lead the church in a prayer for Israel during the service this weekend.
2. Prayer Triplets during the Church Service
During the church service, take a few minutes to pray in groups of 2-4. Give them just three to five minutes. You may put prayer prompts or verses on the screen or in the program to guide their prayers.
3. Prayer Night
Hold an hour of prayer one night this week using this Israel Prayer Guide.
4. Multiple Hours of Prayer
Gather for an hour every night for a week, or one night every week until the war ends, as your way to teach your church to be faithful in prayer.
5. Ask your groups to include prayer for Israel.
Ask your small group leaders to take a few minutes in their group meeting to pray for Israel. Give them some prompts and verses to use, if you think it will help them.
6. 24 Hours of Prayer
Go big, and organize a day of prayer for Israel. Create a prayer guide that lasts an hour and reuse it every hour. Ask 24 people in your church to lead an hour with several of their friends. They could pray whenever they want on a certain day, or you could schedule 24 consecutive hours at the church. We did that recently in the lobby. It was powerful.
7. Email Prayer Prompts
Email your congregation each day this week with a simple verse and prayer for them to pray for Israel that day.
8. Discipleship Prayer
See this war as an opportunity to teach your church members about Israel. As you ask them to pray, include something about Israel from the Old Testament.
9. Prayer Reminder
Ask people to set an alarm on their watch or phone for a certain time each day to stop and pray for Israel.
10. Watchman Prayer
Ask the prayer warriors in your church to meet with you for an hour to pray for Israel and any ramifications in your church and community.
What’s Next?
How can you be a person of prayer for Israel? How can you lead others to pray?
Hal Seed is the founding and Lead Pastor of New Song Community Church in Oceanside, CA. He mentors pastors who want to lead healthy, growing churches with resources at www.pastormentor.com.
Start Here to learn more about the resources available for you at PastorMentor.
Dr. Hal Seed
Praise the Lord for the great work you are doing for humanity and to the Kingdom building.
Remain blessed🙏👏👍🤝
Faithful Servant;
Dr. Michael K. Ladele (IBPR) Min.
Executive Director/ Founder /Missionary- International Bible Prophecy Revival Ministry -Philadelphia, PA.
USA
My pleasure Michael. I’m glad this tool was/is useful for you.
1,000 blessings!