When Pastor Mike Bickle and his staff at IHOPKC began to plan the Isaiah 62 Fast being held later this month, it never occurred to them that they may be making history.
The three-week event gets under way on May 7 and it may well be the biggest prayer initiative for Israel among Gentiles in the history of the church.
The nation of Israel will be the recipient of millions of prayers during a volatile time in history when it needs them the most.
While a large portion of the Middle East continues to express its hatred towards Jews and its intention to destroy Israel—especially Iran—millions from around the world have committed to fast and to pray at least one hour a day for Israel between May 7 and May 28.
Iran is close to making its nuclear capabilities a reality, and that could be catastrophic for Israel. Also, Bickle says, civil war in Israel could be “a minute away.”
So why Isaiah 62?
“There is more of a promise for Israel in Isaiah 62 than in any other chapter of the Bible that I know of,” Bickle told Charisma News’ John Matarazzo in a recent interview. “Many people who love Israel agree with that. Having made this call three weeks ago (at the time of the interview), scores of Israel-type ministries—Gentiles, Messianic Jews—have said Isaiah 62 is their main chapter. It’s really 12 verses, every one of them dynamic until the end of the age.”
It’s an effort that Bickle is excited about because thousands of ministries have already signed up to participate in the Isaiah 62 Fast.
Bickle, along with Lou Engle and Jason Hubbard, are “calling for 1 million believers to participate in a ‘global solemn assembly’ to fast and pray for the Lord’s purposes for Israel, and to ask Him to raise up 100 million intercessors for Israel according to His promise in Isaiah 62:6, which reads: ‘I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night. You who remind the Lord, do not keep silent. …'”
“It is history—never mind human history—but church history,” Bickle says. “Some of our listeners may not know about this, but this may well be the greatest time of crisis in the 75-year history of Israel. We didn’t even know that when we started this thing.
“The Word of God is going to go from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, and it’s going to come back around to Jerusalem. And God is going to actually use Gentile believers in the generation that the Lord returns to move Israel to jealousy and say ‘yes’ to Jesus.”
Many around the world celebrated Israel’s Independence Day on April 17, but that date was observed using the Gregorian calendar. In the Hebrew calendar, Israel’s Independence Day will be celebrated on May 14, seven days into the Isaiah 62 Fast.
On the Isaiah 62 Fast website, Bickle says, there are hubs for ministries to put their information on the site. But, he says, those ministries, churches or even Bible studies must commit to do at least one of hour of prayer a day for 21 days with “at least two or three other believers.”
“Jesus said where there are two or more, I’m in your midst,” Bickle says. “It doesn’t have to be in a regular prayer ministry. It can be in your office building, your dorm room or it can be virtual. I am going to take five minutes a day and talk to people [using] my app. And the reason this is exciting is because it’s causing people in their geographic area to get together and do this.”
So why is this prayer and fasting initiative for Israel so important for Bickle and his partners?
“Because at the end of the day, what we’re really passionate about is that the conversation in the body of Christ about Israel exploding,” Bickle says. “There’s an acceleration of the global conversation. Right now, there are several million believers that talk about Israel, but I believe 4 or 5 million praying in this day, even with two or three people talking about it on their social media, will make the numbers explode.
“My big point is the prayer for Israel at the greatest hour of crisis in their 75 years. But also even beyond that, it’s the explosion of the conversation in the body of Christ around the biblical narrative of Israel. It’s going to be incredible.”
Please visit isaiah62fast.com to register or for more information.
Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at charismamedia.com.
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