Friday, July 18, 2025
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Prayer Highlights:
The Bible encourages us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps 122:6). At Bridges for Peace, we want to partner with you to do just that with clarity and purpose. That’s why we’ve refreshed our weekly prayer update to make it even more helpful and easy to use.
Each week, you’ll find five to seven key prayer focuses, designed to guide and deepen your intercession. For every focus, you’ll receive:
• What You Need to Know – a quick snapshot of the situation to help you pray with insight
• Dig Deeper – links to trusted articles and resources if you want to explore more
• Pray with Purpose – practical prayer points to get you started
• Anchored in Scripture – powerful verses to declare and stand on as you pray
Thank you for standing with Israel in faithful, Scripture-based prayer. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16b).
Wisdom from Above: Praying for Israel’s Leaders
What You Need to Know:
It was a difficult week for Prime Minister Netanyahu as two ultra-Orthodox parties left the coalition. On Monday, United Torah Judaism, which held seven seats, withdrew both from the coalition and the government over objections to the proposed draft legislation addressing the exemption of ultra-Orthodox students. Then, the Shas party announced on Wednesday that they would leave the coalition but not the government, citing the same reason. However, Shas is expected to support the coalition, which has now dropped below the 61 seats needed for a majority, at least until the end of the month, at which time the Knesset will go into summer recess.
The results of last week’s meetings with US President Trump are still unfolding. One of the major topics of discussion was Gaza and a ceasefire/hostage agreement, which President Trump wants to see happen quickly. Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to insist on achieving security for Israel, which entails the total defeat and removal of the Hamas terror organization.
Dig Deeper:
Is Israel Headed for Early Elections?
Shas Quits the Government but Is not Pushing for Early Elections
Pray with Purpose
- Pray that Israel’s leaders will put aside party agendas and come together in unity during the time when the nation is still fighting on multiple fronts.
- Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu as he leads the country, asking that he will seek wisdom from God alone.
- Pray for the relationship between Israel and the United States, her strongest ally among the nations of the world. Pray that Israel will put her relationship with God first and only then look for allies in the world.
Anchored in Scripture
Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. (Psalm 22:4–5)
Shield from the East: Praying for God's Strategy to Counter Iranian Aggression
What You Need to Know:
Although the war with Iran ended on June 24, there has been very little silence. Israel and the United States continue to insist that Iran’s nuclear program will not include enriched uranium, a condition to which Iran resolutely refuses to comply. Moreover, Tehran has refused to back down from its stated determination to annihilate Israel, which has been in place since the ayatollahs took power 46 years ago.
Is Iran’s rhetoric “all talk and no action?” Mordechai Kedar, a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, told JNS that “as much as Israel hit the Iranians, it didn’t break the regime. The Iranians now behave like a wounded bear, which is very dangerous.”
Dig Deeper:
Khameni Warns that Iran Is Ready to Respond to Any New Attack
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray that the leaders of Israel and the United States will correctly assess the potential danger from Iran—the “wounded bear”—and act accordingly.
- Pray that any hidden components of Iran’s nuclear weapons program will be brought to light and destroyed.
- Pray that the Lord will bring confusion and division among the Iranian regime so that they will no longer be an existential threat to Israel and the Western world.
Anchored in Scripture:
And the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:10)
Guarding the Land: Prayers for Israel’s Security
What You Need to Know:
This week has seen increased military activity along Israel’s northern border, both in Syria and southern Lebanon. In Syria, the IDF acted to protect the Druze who were attacked by Syrian regime forces. Next door in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit attempts to rebuild its strength. In both cases, the IDF is committed to preventing a repeat of the October 7 incursion to Israel’s northern communities on the Golan Heights.
The Houthis in Yemen also continue to launch missiles toward Israel, the latest on Wednesday, July 16. “Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 61 ballistic missiles and at least 15 drones at Israel,” the Times of Israel reports. Thanks to the vigilance of the IDF, the interception rate continues to be very high.
Dig Deeper:
Israel Acts to Shield the Syrian Druze
Druze in Israel have Sacrificed Much – their Syrian Relatives Deserve Safety
Israel Bombs Deep within Lebanon to Prevent Hezbollah from Rebuilding
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray that Israel will be able to keep her commitments to the Druze without being drawn into a larger conflict with the Syrian regime.
- Pray that the 1,000 young Israeli Druze who crossed the border with Syria in order to join the fight against the Syrian regime will return to Israel quickly.
- Ask the Lord to protect the IDF soldiers who are on the ground inside Syria and that their presence will ensure the continued security of Israeli communities in the Golan Heights.
Anchored in Scripture:
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places. (Deuteronomy 33:29)
Frontline Faith: Praying for Soldiers and Hostages in Gaza
What You Need to Know:
Yet another week has gone by and the hostages remain in Gaza. Negotiations continue to falter as Hamas refuses to bend on certain demands that are not acceptable to Israel.
It has also been a difficult week for the IDF as they have changed their strategy from “short, targeted raids to a continuous presence in the heart of Gazan cities,” according to Israel Hayom. Moreover, several deadly incidents took place this past week. One was the attempt by Hamas terrorists to kidnap Master Sgt. (res.) Abraham Azulay, who was killed during the struggle. An additional three soldiers from the 401st Brigade were killed while fighting in northern Gaza.
Finally, delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza is another area fraught with the possibility of violence as the IDF seeks to protect the distribution sites and their access routes from Hamas terrorists who attempt to steal the aid for their own purposes.
Dig Deeper:
Israel Ramps up Attacks in Gaza as Ceasefire Talks Stall
Israel Improves Food Delivered to Gazans via Humanitarian Aid
He Joined His Father’s Yom Kippur War Battalion—and Fell in Gaza
Pray with Purpose:
- Continue to intercede for the hostages—20 are believed to be living—who have been held captive for over 650 days. Pray for their loved ones, who have also been undergoing unimaginable pain.
- Pray that the humanitarian aid will be successfully distributed to the Gazans who need the food and will not, in any way, be used to further the goals of Hamas.
- Pray for the soldiers who are fighting in Gaza, encountering deadly booby-trapped buildings and undiscovered tunnels that conceal Hamas terrorists. Ask the Lord to be a shield of protection for them.
Anchored in Scripture:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
Lifting the Weary: Praying for Vulnerable Israelis
What You Need to Know:
There are no shortage of weary and hurting Israelis today. This week, we would like to focus on one group: the wives and families of IDF soldiers who have been called up for reserve duty time and time again since the current war in Gaza began after October 7, 2023. Parenting in Israel is a two-person effort, with fathers taking an active, hands-on role in childcare. When they are called to defend the country, spending weeks or even months on the battlefield, all of the load falls on the mother.
Many women work outside the home, balancing a career with family. Added to that is the burden of maintaining a strong “face” for the children while knowing her husband is often in life and death situations on the battlefield. While relatives and the surrounding neighbors in tight-knit Jewish communities step forward in support of these women, it can still be overwhelming. The children also desperately miss their abba, and some are too young to understand why he is gone.
Dig Deeper:
Reflecting on Reserve Duty: 21 Months on Gaza Front
Rights of Reservists and their Spouses
The Burden of Reserve Duty on the Working Population of Israel
As the War Drags on, Reservists Fight to Balance Military Duty and the Home Front
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray for all the wives whose husbands are currently doing reserve military duty, asking the Lord to strengthen and encourage them as they fight a different kind of war.
- Pray for the children whose fathers have been gone for long periods of time and are physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted when they do return.
- Pray for the husbands who must put aside the longing of their hearts to be at home with their families in order to defend the nation.
Anchored in Scripture:
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion. (Psalm 20:1–2)
Standing against Hate: Combatting Antisemitism in Prayer
What You Need to Know:
“Antisemitic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel attacks are continuing to happen around the world—not behind closed doors, but out in public,” Ynetnews reports. The social media account of a character for Sesame Street, a popular television show for young children, was hacked this week. Rather than teaching the children to grow smarter, stronger and kinder, one of the puppets proclaimed, “Death to Israel!”
In Athens, Greece, masked attackers vandalized a kosher restaurant with painted slogans calling the IDF “rapists and murderers” while declaring that Zionists were not safe there.
Finally, the Board of Deputies of British Jews released a report through their Commission on Antisemitism that found there was “a specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism within the UK National Health Service and hidden barriers against Jewish artists and performers,” according to the Times of Israel. The past two years have seen record numbers of antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom, leaving the Jewish community with very few places where they have not experienced discrimination.
Dig Deeper:
One in Six Antisemitic Incidents in Toronto Schools are Approved or Started by a Teacher
Report: UK Jew’s Wellbeing Increasingly Undermined by Antisemitism
Romania’s President Blocks Law against Antisemitic Speech
Antisemitic Attacks on Jews and Israeli Sites Surge Worldwide
Pray with Purpose:
Pray for opportunities in your sphere of influence where you can be a voice of support for the Jewish community.
Ask the Lord for discernment regarding how to confront the pro-Palestinian messages that do not accurately reflect biblical truth.
If there is a Jewish community in your area, seek ways that you can let them know they are not alone.
Anchored in Scripture:
The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.” (Jeremiah 31:3–4)
License: Wikimedia
Grateful Hearts: Praise Reports from the Battlefront
What You Need to Know:
Commercial airlines are gradually beginning to resume to Israel and air travel is returning to pre-war levels. Air France was the first major carrier to return, restarting flights on July 7. This week, they were joined by three additional European airlines, with United Airlines scheduled to return the week of July 21. The Israel Airports Authority reported there were 370 international flights on Monday, July 14.
In another airborne praise, during the war, an IAF jet came perilously close to disaster as there was a fuel tank malfunction during a mission deep within Iran. Though no refueling planes had accompanied this particular mission, one was dispatched and managed to arrive in time to prevent a forced landing. The IAF’s original pre-war assessment was that Israel could lose 10 jets in the first 72 hours. Yet miraculously, no planes were lost throughout the entire 12 days of war!
Dig Deeper:
Israeli F-15 Barely Avoided Emergency Landing Deep Inside Iran
Europe Removes Flight Restrictions to Israel
From LA to Israel under Fire: One Woman’s Choice to Make Aliyah during a War
Pray with Purpose:
- Give praise for all the miracles that happed during the 12 days of war, specifically for the safety of the IAF pilots who flew many dangerous missions and all returned safely.
- Give thanks for all those who have chosen to make aliyah (immigrate) to Israel this summer. Pray that they will quickly put down roots and become established.
- Again, we want to offer praise for all the faithful intercessors who have held Israel close to their hearts in prayer and continue to do so. May the Lord strengthen and encourage you all.
Anchored in Scripture:
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
License: Wikimedia
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