A Historic Fast for Israel

May 2023 will bring about something historic. Multiple Christian leaders believe this will be a once-in-history kind of development, carrying with it the invitation for a significant commitment from the Body of Christ.

Believers from all four corners of the world are joining together (locally and virtually) for a 21-day fast, May 7–28, in the spirit of Isaiah 62. The fast is centered around prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, God’s salvation purposes for Israel, and for the Lord to raise up 100 million intercessors for Israel.

For 21 days, 1 million people are interacting in this global solemn assembly fast at various levels. Many groups are serving as prayer hubs for the fast, and IHOPKC will be hosting daily prayer meetings for Israel in the Global Prayer Room in Kansas City, partnering with God’s heart for Jerusalem through intercession and live worship.

These 21 days in May are unique. Well-known and established prayer leaders, prominent messianic ministries, and some historians all agree that never in history has there been a time when a company of people prayed for Israel for 21 straight days, 24 hours a day. This is the first time ever in human history. And we get to participate in it!

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

(Isaiah 62:6–7)

When the Lord says, “I have set watchmen on your walls,” He’s referring to His intercessors, those who won’t be quiet, reminding Him night and day of His promises. Although there will probably be some watchmen on Jerusalem’s walls in the literal sense, this verse is spiritually speaking about the walls of intercession. God promised the prophet Isaiah that there would be a time in history when He would sovereignly set His watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem to stand in the breaches and the gaps.

Although God promised this 2,700 years ago, it has only happened a little sprinkle here and there in history. But as we’re approaching the escalation of end-time events at the coming of the Lord, there’s going to be a massive acceleration of God’s setting watchmen on the wall. He’s marking hearts with His own zeal for Israel, primarily of Gentiles who—although they love Jesus sincerely—are unaware that He is very zealous for the city of Jerusalem.

The vast majority of the Body of Christ does not grasp the Lord’s zeal for Zion, but He is clear about it in His Word. “I am zealous for Zion with great zeal” (Zechariah 1:14; 8:2). And the Lord wants His people zealous for Jerusalem. He is the one who’s waking up believers’ awareness of this issue, gripping them with what grips Him about Jerusalem. The Lord will sovereignly put His hand on the minds and hearts of Gentiles, and they will be set sovereignly in place on the wall of intercession, carrying the zeal of the Lord for His people Israel.

And these watchmen shall never be quiet until God makes Jerusalem a praise in the whole world. That is a statement directly connected to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most evangelical Gentile believers who love the Great Commission are not aware that the preaching of the gospel to all nations mentioned in Matthew 24 has something about the Gentiles provoking unbelievers in Jerusalem to see Yeshua. Jesus is only coming back when the leaders of Jerusalem say, “Jesus, we want You back.” And right now they’re not saying it. But God’s going to move by His Spirit on many of them, and He’s going to use the Gentiles on the earth as His tool to provoke Israel to jealousy. The Gentiles have got to be on board with that.

Paul builds this thought a bit more in Romans 11. He says that there was an increased anointing on Gentile leadership of the gospel because the Jews failed to respond to it—so the gospel went to the nations. Paul says that their failure is riches for the Gentile nations. And if their being cast away brought the gospel to the nations, what will the acceptance of Jerusalem be to Jesus? Life from the dead to the whole earth, the whole millennium kingdom! Jerusalem saying yes to Jesus is a gigantic issue in God’s leadership.

Psalm 102:13 says, “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.” There is a set time in God’s calendar for Him to have mercy on Jerusalem. That doesn’t just mean wars and attacks will cease. It means that Israel will turn to Jesus. They will see Him as their Redeemer and their Savior.

We believe we are stepping into an acceleration of a set time this May, which is going to keep accelerating. There are probably 20–50 other key things on the earth that the Lord is pushing buttons on in their set time—there are many facets to His great symphony. But there is only one set time in history like this that ultimately leads to Jerusalem being saved. We believe May 2023 is a catalyst month in an acceleration of a set time.

This 21-day fast will culminate on May 28, the day when over 5,000 prayer networks have committed to pray for Jerusalem as part of the four global days of prayer in 2023 through the 110 Cities initiative. For the first time in history, 100 million intercessors will be praying for Jerusalem in one given day.

The vast majority of those praying that day might not be connected to God’s purpose for Israel and her vital role in God’s end-time narrative. So the 21-day fast preceding May 28 serves as a great window for the 1 million people engaging with the fast to cry out for the Lord to mark each intercessor with His purpose for Israel. And we believe the Lord’s going to Holy Spirit ambush them in the most glorious way. That’s 100 million in the Body of Christ set up for the Lord’s arrows to strike their heart with His own zeal for Zion.

Therefore, although the commitment (at different levels for different individuals/families) is an extravagant one, it is worthwhile! It is an invitation to be part of something that’s never been done in history, even as we do it in our weakness. It is a sign of the times. Never has there been a period in history where God marked millions for Israel in a short period of time. It’s coming right around the corner.