A Foundation of Prayer
Since the day Ebenezer Operation Exodus came into being it has been an intercessory ministry with a prophetic task.
Following the miraculous fall of the Iron Curtain, from 1991–2004 the Lord led us to pray for the Jewish people of the former Soviet Union and to help them by ship on their journey home to Israel. This understanding of His heart then widened to encompass a worldwide return of the Jewish people to Israel (Aliyah in Hebrew). This would only happen with prayer and intercession.
‘On your walls O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.’
Isaiah 62: 6-7
Intercession is a prayer of identification.
It’s connecting through prayer with the matter or persons being prayed for. It’s responding to the Holy Spirit’s leading and identifying with what is in God’s heart and with His plans. In fact, the Bible says Jesus’ ministry right now is intercession; “Christ Jesus who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34).
Daniel too, was an intercessor. He recognised from Jeremiah’s prophecy that 70 years of Babylonian captivity would soon end, and so he identified with the nation of Israel and pleaded in prayer for their freedom and restoration (Daniel 9:1-3). Daniel understood the heart of God, but knew prayer was needed for the prophecy to be fulfilled. Jesus confirmed this when He taught that praying for God’s will to be done is to be our goal, so that He is glorified (Matthew 6:9-10).
Dr Kingsley Priddy of the Bible College of Wales was a dear friend to Gustav and prayer supporter of Ebenezer Operation Exodus for many years. In a unique letter about our call to pray for the return of the Jewish people to The Land of Israel, he writes:
“The Holy Spirit is using ‘Operation Exodus’ to gain a position of intercession for the subsequent return of the Jews from every part of the world. Although that is clearly foretold in Scripture and is certain of fulfilment, it will not happen automatically. God foretold through Jeremiah that the Jews would return from Babylon after seventy years, but it necessitated the intercession of Daniel when that time came to bring its fulfilment.”
Dr Kingsley Priddy
This is how the Lord has called us to operate — to stand upon the promises in God’s word concerning Israel and the Jewish people and to pray for their fulfilment. Therefore, we aim to be guided by the Holy Spirit in devoted prayer and dedicated intercession for Aliyah.
Key Scriptures
Our Guidelines for Effective Prayer Times
Before we come together we should examine ourselves to see if there is anything we should put right with God or someone else.
We begin with praise and then move into worship.
We leave personal agendas aside in order to serve the Lord in intercession.
We take time to listen to the Lord; we seek to be led by the Holy Spirit as to how to pray.
We have an acknowledged leader who is sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and we submit to his or her leadership.
Together we declare the Lordship of Jesus over our prayer time.
We are sensitive to the Lord’s leading but also bold to pray, prophesy or share as the Holy Spirit leads.
Our prayer is effective when we are in unity.