Friday, June 27, 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).
Guarding the Land: Prayers for Israel’s Security
What You Need to Know:
Although Israel has entered into a ceasefire with Iran, that nation has not backed down from its very public declaration that it is determined to rebuild its nuclear program and the destruction of the Jewish state remains at the top of its agenda. Pray for Iranians who are suspected of cooperating with Israel, even if they did not, as 700 have been arrested in the last few days. The penalty for this is death by hanging and three men have already met that fate.
Israel’s border with Jordan is becoming dangerous with terrorist-affiliated groups planning cross-border attacks. The biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria, home to half a million Jewish Israelis is also home to over two million Arabs who hope to have this territory for a “Palestinian” state. After the October 7, 2023 massacre, a majority of Israelis recognize that there is no real partner for peace among the Arab population of the area and the two-state solution has little to no support in Israel.
Thankfully the northern borders with Lebanon and Syria remained quiet during Operation Rising Lion. However, there are no guarantees in the Middle East and Israel retains a significant military presence there at the moment.
Dig Deeper:
IDF Chief: Iran’s ‘Destruction of Israel’ Plan Was an Existential Threat
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray for the Israel Defense Forces—air force, army and navy—which stands guard over this Land. Give thanks that, unlike in the days of Nazi Germany, today there is a Jewish nation with the means of self-defense.
- Pray for those guarding the borders, that they will be alert to repel any planned terror attack or infiltration by terrorists. Pray especially for the border between Israel and Jordan, her longest and perhaps most porous border.
- Pray for Israel’s intelligence agencies, the Mossad (external) and Shin Bet (internal). Ask the Lord to hide any agents operating undercover in hostile countries like Iran.
- Pray that any lingering threats from the Houthis in Yemen against Israel, and global shipping, will be disarmed.
Anchored in Scripture:
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Psalm 46:9–10
Wisdom from Above: Praying for Israel’s Leaders
What You Need to Know:
US President Donald Trump’s decision to implement Operation Midnight Hammer, striking the Fordow nuclear site and subsequent brokering of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran have brought a tenuous peace to the region. These actions have also brought Israel’s leaders to the point of considering what is necessary for the nation’s security and whether or not that aligns with the actions of the United States.
In addition, there is pressure, both from politicians and citizens, to achieve an end to the war in Gaza with a ceasefire deal that will ensure the release of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages—20 believed to be living and the remainder deceased. Prime Minister Netanyahu must lead Israel as the country navigates the “new Middle East” where Iran and its terror proxies have been badly weakened both by the stalwart courage and bravery the IDF and the determination of the Israeli government.
Dig Deeper:
Iran Is not Hezbollah: the Real Test of the Ceasefire Is Only Just Beginning
Destabilizing the Iranian Regime Includes Toppling the Religious Leadership
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray for the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as each leader must make decisions based on what is best for their own country.
- Pray that the governmental unity within Israel will continue, now there is no longer an imminent threat of attack. Pray that both the governing coalition and opposition parties will work as one, seeking God’s will.
- Pray for God’s will to be done, His kingdom come and His name be glorified throughout the world because of the events that take place in the nation of Israel.
Anchored in Scripture:
With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.
Job 12:13
Strength for the Selfless: Praying for Israel’s First Responders & Medical Teams
What You Need to Know:
Early in the morning of June 25, on the day the ceasefire was to take place, a residential apartment building in Beersheva sustained a direct hit from an Iranian rocket. Four people were killed and another 20 wounded. A team from Bridges for Peace traveled to the city to encourage the residents and first responders, bringing along with them bottled water, snack packs and stuffed toys to comfort the children. The little stuffed lions and lambs were the things both the first responders and shaken residents asked for. A small bit of comfort amidst the trauma of the morning in a city that had already taken more than its share of the destruction caused by Iran’s missiles.
Maria, a BFP volunteer who is a nurse herself, shared the following account. “At one point I approached one of the first responders as she was resting for a moment. I said to her, ‘You are very tired, aren’t you?’ She said their team had reached Beersheva at 5:30 am, shortly after the disaster occurred and yes, she was tired. Another volunteer joined us and said to her, ‘You are the real heroes.’ After he left, she told me, ‘No. We are not heroes. This is what we do.’ As a nurse, I completely understood what she was saying. Our goal is to save lives. Even in our exhaustion. And that’s all that really matters.
Finally, and most importantly, that day members of our team told the people of Beersheva about Christians around the world who support and pray for Israel. It brought tears to their eyes and a request that we tell the world the truth about what is really happening here—Israel is fighting a battle for her very existence against a regime that seeks her annihilation. Please keep praying!
Dig Deeper:
President Herzog Visits Patients at Sheba’s Underground Hospital
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray that the already overworked doctors and nurses who treated over 3,200 Israelis injured in Iranian missile attacks will be able to recover their own strength to serve.
- Pray for the men and women of the Home Front Command who have completed countless search and rescue missions in damaged buildings, and worked to ensure Israel’s civilian population was safe during the war.
- Pray for the Bridges for Peace team here which continues to reach out to first responders to encourage and help.
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)
Frontline Faith: Praying for Soldiers and Hostages in Gaza
What You Need to Know:
While “Operation Rising Lion” was taking place, it may have seemed that the Gaza Front slipped into second place. That was not the case as the nation of Israel continues to keep the remaining hostages in their hearts and on their minds. This past week three, whose bodies had been taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023, were returned to their loved ones. The Times of Israel provided the following information about them.
Ofra Keidar was taking her daily walk near her home in Kibbutz Be’eri when she was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists. She was an active woman who loved gardening, swimming and still worked in the kibbutz’s dairy. Jonathan Samerano’s father said his son’s body was recovered on his Hebrew birthday, noting, “You have returned to us, beloved son, wrapped in the light of heroism, of faith, of a nation united.” Finally, Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson was a tank commander who fought heroically on the Gaza border before being killed. Described as “an excellent student, kindhearted and sociable,” he was also a skilled volleyball player.
IDF ground operations in Gaza are ongoing. In his address to the nation on June 24, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, ““To the families of the hostages, I say: We have not ceased for a moment, even a single one, including during this war, from our efforts to return home all of our hostages. Again: Both the living and the deceased. And we will not relent from this sacred mission until it is complete.”
Dig Deeper:
Seven Soldiers KIA in Gaza, Bringing IDF Wartime Toll to 878
Pray with Purpose:
- Ask the Lord to comfort the families of seven soldiers who were killed on June 24 when their armored vehicle hit an explosive device
- Continue to cry out for the return of the 50 hostages remaining in Hamas captivity (20 are believed to be alive)
- This week the IDF recovered the bodies of Ofra Keidar (71), Jonathan Samerano (22) and Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson (19), who had been held by Hamas and returned them to their families for burial. Give thanks that these families now have closure.
- Continue to pray for the IDF troops serving in Gaza, asking the Lord to reveal any hidden dangers such as IEDs and booby traps before they can be detonated.
Anchored in Scripture:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
Lifting the Weary: Praying for Vulnerable Israelis
What You Need to Know:
Even when buildings are not directly struck by missiles, damage from the blast wave can render them uninhabitable or unsafe. Approximately 15,000 people have had to leave their homes, the majority of them being evacuated to hotels. In addition to the recent evacuees, there are still roughly 30,000 Israelis who have not returned to their homes in northern Israel due to damages caused by Iranian-backed Hezbollah’s deadly rocket attacks from October 2023 until the ceasefire in late November 2024.
During the 12 days of the war, all schools were closed. This caused a major disruption for many families. Young children who normally attend gan (kindergarten) were left totally without any learning stimulation; elementary students had online classes which put an additional burden on parents to supervise them. High school students were not able to take their final exams which had been scheduled during this timeframe.
Dig Deeper:
First Israeli Rescue Flight Lands at Ben Gurion
The Tribulations of Stranded Israelis
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray for thousands of Israelis who have had to leave their homes because of damage done by missiles
- Continue to pray for Israelis who are stranded abroad. Although 70,000 have returned home, a significant number of Israelis are still waiting for rescue flights.
- Pray for parents and school-aged children who spent nearly two weeks at home because kindergartens (gans) and schools were closed.
Anchored in Scripture:
The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.
Psalm 28:8–9
Standing against Hate: Combatting Antisemitism in Prayer
What You Need to Know:
Global reaction to Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities was primarily favorable as most nations recognized the ultimate threat to themselves. However, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has brought a very different response. Antisemitism has been rapidly increasing in the past year and a half, approaching conditions similar to those that were seen in pre-World War II Europe. Millennia ago, the Lord spoke through His prophets about the coming day when He would bring His people back to the Land given to them by eternal covenant.
Dig Deeper:
For the First Time, Majority of American Jews Changing Their Behavior Due to Fear of Antisemitism
Hillel Fuld: ‘I am worried that a democracy can ban someone for calling out Hamas’
Pray with Purpose:
- Pray that the Jewish people will “read the writing on the wall” and make aliyah to Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, the Land promised to them by an eternal and unbreakable covenant.
- Look for ways that you can stand with Israel and encourage others to do the same.
- Prayerfully join with the Bridges for Peace team in the Land, as we tell Israelis that we represent Christians around the world who ARE praying for them during a time when hatred of the Jews is growing rapidly.
Anchored in Scripture:
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land… Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 36:24, 28
Grateful Hearts: Praise Reports from the Battlefront
What You Need to Know:
During the twelve days of “Operation Rising Lion,” we witnessed the protection of God, even in the midst of destruction. In Jerusalem, there was a direct hit on a high rise building—unoccupied because it was still under construction! As we noted last week, the surgical wing of Beersheva’s Soroka Hospital had been evacuated the day before an Iranian missile struck that particular part of the hospital! Monday’s barrage hit another building under construction, this time in Tel Aviv area. While the street was devastated and nearby buildings suffered damage, no one was killed.
We mourn the 28 deaths that did occur but the death toll was expected to be much higher. “Israel’s missile interception systems performed with high efficiency, neutralizing 80-90% of incoming threats. Of the hundreds of missiles launched, only 50-60 reached Israeli territory with just 8 causing fatal casualties. UAV success rate was 99.9%, with only a single drone managing to hit Beit She’an, causing no injuries” (Israel RealTime, June 25, 2025).
Dig Deeper:
'Identify and Intercept': Inside the IDF’s Helicopter Hunt for Iranian Drones
Op-Ed: Who Are the Real Winners and Losers in Israel’s 12 Day War with Iran?
Pray with Purpose:
- Give thanks that over 90% of the 500+ missiles launched by Iran were intercepted or fell in open areas. Less than 6% were direct hits.
- Give thanks for the IAF pilots who destroyed more than 800 missiles on the ground, some ready to be fired at Israel only moments before they were destroyed.
- Praise the Lord that, despite the intensity of the attack, Israel’s critical infrastructure, including electricity and water systems, remained intact
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
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