Pray for Israel and Gaza

By now, most of you have seen the images from Israel's ground assault of the Gaza Strip which began Saturday night. Over the last week as Israel's air force conducted an aerial bombing campaign of Hamas terrorist infrastructure, the Israel Defense Forces had been moving soldiers and equipment to the perimeter of the Gaza Strip in preparation of a ground assault.

Sunday afternoon (January 4, 2009), I will be departing for Israel to lead a group of young adults from T Bar M Camps. Gabriel, my son, will accompany me and assist during this two-week tour as we teach and train these young believers. Last year at this time, we escorted another group and one of the places visited then has been called to my mind as we make final preparations for what is sure to be a very interesting trip.

Latrun, the site of a fierce battle during Israel's War of Independence is today a monument to the bravery of the Israel Defense Forces' famed Armored Corp. Only Israel's finest young men and women are accepted for service in this elite fighting force. The soldiers that man Israel's tanks and artillery have turned the tide of battle toward Jewish victory many times. The stories of their bravery and what they have accomplished in defense of Eretz Yisrael are legendary. Many young Jewish boys and girls grow up hearing of the Armored Corp's exploits on the field and aspire to join their famed ranks.

During our visit last year my group had the honor of meeting one of these young soldiers at Yad L'Shiryon, the museum and memorial at Latrun that honors the heroes of the Armored Corp. A young female officer guided the group through the grounds and museum. At 21 years of age, she had already tasted the acrid smoke of artillery fire and witnessed the death of close friends during the Second Lebanon War which occurred during the summer of 2006.

This impressive young woman was scheduled to complete her military service in a couple of months, take a little time off to travel, and then attend college in preparation for a career in marketing. Focused, articulate, passionate, tough, commanding and intense are the adjectives that best describe the characteristics observed in her by my group that day. I can't help but think about her impassioned and tearful explanation of the wall which honors those who have fallen in battle. Lovingly she touched the names of friends who had died in Lebanon just months before.

Today, I'm certain that some of the young soldiers that she trained are making their way into battle once again. In front of them is an intractable and tangible adversary. It is clear that Hamas has no intention of ever recognizing the State of Israel's right to exist. Nor does it intend to end its terrorism, regardless of international mandates to do so.

In the physical realm, this is war between peoples and ideologies. The very survival of the Jewish state is at stake. But there is something much bigger at stake. This is also a spiritual war. This is the land where heaven meets earth, where Satan is attempting to destroy the Jewish people and thwart God's plan to glorify Himself. This is the land where Yeshua was born, grew to manhood, ministered to those without a shepherd, and gave His life on the Tree. This is the land where the prince of this world lost his power over those who choose to belong to Messiah Jesus. Last of all this is the land where the Messianic King will establish His rule over the whole earth and sit upon David's throne forever.

You are a soldier in this war, a war that is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our weapon of choice is prayer and supplication in the Spirit. At this critical hour...

• Pray for the Jewish people and their salvation.
• Pray for the Palestinian people and their salvation.
• Pray for the State of Israel and her leaders.
• Pray for my group as we travel the next two weeks.
• Pray that we will have many opportunities to share the Gospel with the people we meet, because the Prince of Peace is the only real solution to the wickedness of the human heart.

“Follow Me,” Mark 1:16 & 17

Arlie Francis
Executive Director