By Joshua Gooding, ICEJ Prayer Coordinator 

Since the horrific morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded southern Israel and massacres over 1200 people, the ICEJ has been engaged in a prayer campaign unlike any in our history. For more than 22 months now, totalling over 675 consecutive days, believers from around the world have joined together in fervent intercession through our Global Prayer Gathering, held daily from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (Israel time). This gathering has drawn over 14,000 unique participants from more than 180 nations over the past year alone, with many joining on average over three times weekly to lift up Israel and the region in sustained prayer. 

Through this prolonged season of warfare, uncertainty and national grief, we have seen the Lord answer prayer after prayer. We can give testimony not only to the tensions of this conflict but more importantly to the faithfulness of our God, who hears and responds to the cries of His people. 

From early in the war, one prayer focus was the raising up of “Rahabs”, especially within the Gaza Strip. And indeed, courageous individuals from within Gaza, and even in Lebanon and Iran, have stood against evil and provided aid and intelligence to Israel. In the biblical account of Jericho, Rahab was a woman who sheltered Israel’s spies and ensured victory from within the enemy’s stronghold. In this conflict, we have seen similar acts of bravery. Though names and stories remain mostly confidential for security reasons, Israeli defense sources have credited several critical breakthroughs to local informants. For instance, sources within Gaza have provided real-time intelligence about the whereabouts of Hamas leaders and Israeli hostages. These insiders were instrumental in enabling precision operations and even hostage rescues. We believe they are the very Rahabs we were led to pray for, and they are evidence that God still moves behind enemy lines. 

One of the most tangible answers to prayer has been the release of hostages. On October 7, Hamas kidnapped 251 individuals, both Israelis and foreign nationals. As of early August, 148 hostages have been released alive, with another 56 bodies returned, while 50 are still held in captivity, though sadly only 20 are believed to be alive. These releases have come through negotiated ceasefires, international pressure, and daring Israeli rescue operations. Each one returned is an answer to thousands of earnest prayers. 

Among the released were individuals like Omer Shem Tov, who spent over 450 days in Hamas captivity, enduring isolation and fear deep in Gaza’s tunnels. He later described how the only hope he had came through whispering Scripture and sensing the prayers of thousands holding him up. Sapir Cohen, held in solitary confinement for nearly a year, spoke of the deep emotional exhaustion she endured and how prayer was her only strength. Her recovery and quiet courage in the aftermath point to God’s sustaining grace. Together, their stories reflect the power of intercession and the God who delivers. 

Throughout this time, we also prayed for a shift in international leadership, especially within the United States, that would bring greater support for Israel. Those prayers were answered through the election of President Donald Trump, marking a significant realignment in U.S. foreign policy with Israel. This administration has prioritised Israel’s right to defend itself and exerted pressure on Iran and its terror proxies. The fruit of this shift can be seen in the successful negotiation of hostage releases, coordinated defense efforts, and strategic cooperation in confronting shared threats. 

From the earliest days of the war, one of the gravest concerns was the threat of a second front opening along Israel’s northern border. Hizbullah, Iran’s most powerful and entrenched proxy militia, had long positioned tens of thousands of rockets and advanced weaponry in southern Lebanon, and with tensions rising, a full-scale confrontation seemed imminent after October 7. Israel responded by evacuating thousands of civilians from towns within several kilometers of the border, preparing for what many feared would be a ground invasion. Yet remarkably, that second front never fully materialised. Despite frequent exchanges of fire and rising hostility, Hizbullah’s forces were largely restrained. We believe this was not only the result of military strategy or deterrence, but a direct answer to the intercessory prayers of the global Church, a restraining hand from heaven in response to the daily prayers of the saints. 

What unfolded next only confirmed that divine intervention was at work. Perhaps one of the most stunning answers to prayer has been the dismantling of Hizbullah’s long-standing grip on Lebanon itself. For nearly two decades, Hizbullah held sway over Lebanon’s political institutions, border zones, and entry points. But after a Hizbullah rocket killed 12 Druze children on the Golan, Israel escalated its artillery exchanges along the border into a full-scale dismantling of the terror militia’s leadership and arsenal of weapons. Within two months, the once-mighty A-team of global terror was begging for a ceasefire. What was truly impressive was the pager operation that crippled over 3,000 Hizbullah mid-level officers in two days. The battering suffered by Hizbullah even led to the overthrow of the Assad regime in Damascus in only 12 days. And the Lebanese people were emboldened to place Gen. Joseph Aoun as president, and begin the effort to further disarm Hizbullah from within. The weakening of Hizbullah is also reducing Iranian influence in Lebanon, and even normalised relations with Israel is no longer unthinkable. The strong man has been bound. And we see it as the fruit of persistent prayer and divine mercy over the region. 

Finally, in another bold and amazingly successful covert operation, Israel launched a stunning pre-emptive strike on Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure in June 2025. This coordinated campaign began with explosive-laden drones launched from within Iran by Israeli operatives, using drones made at a Mossad factory set up several years ago inside the country. Meanwhile, Israeli planes hit over 100 targets in the opening hours, including senior political, military and nuclear figures, plus Iranian nuclear facilities and missile depots. The impact was profound. Iran’s retaliatory capacity was slashed, its nuclear advancement was set back significantly, and the world saw just how deeply compromised the regime had become by “Rahabs” inside the camp. Once again, these are not only victories of intelligence and precision; they are the result of prayer and divine intervention. 

Perhaps the greatest answer to our prayers is how the Lord responded to our pleas to help Israel’s leaders develop strategies for defeating its enemies. This has happened in incredible ways, especially in Lebanon and Iran, and now we need it more than ever for Israel to finally vanquish Hamas in Gaza. 

So, we see the Lord has not left our prayers unanswered. He has upheld Israel’s borders, raised up allies in dark places, set captives free, exposed the enemy, shifted global alliances, broken demonic strongholds, and brought nations to a turning point. While the war is not over and many wounds remain, we testify boldly that our God is a prayer-answering God. 

We are grateful for every individual who has joined us in prayer. Your prayers have mattered. They have reached heaven and moved nations. And we will continue to pray until every captive is free, every stronghold is broken, and peace is restored to Jerusalem and her people. 

Join us for the ICEJ’s daily Global Prayer Gathering at:  on.icej.org/ICEJGlobalPrayer 

Feature Image Credit: shutterstock_2444669355.jpg