In March of 1947 the Exodus set sail for Israel. Aboard was a Christian Zionist Methodist minister, John Stanley Grauel. He was closely connected with the Haganah, but was there on the ship ostensibly as an undercover correspondent for the Churchman, an Episcopal journal. With that designation, he secured a visa from the British Consulate in Paris, enabling him to legally enter Palestine. His assignment was to make certain the world knew of the events surrounding the ship.

Once he had arrived in Europe, Grauel’s job was to arrange for the transfer of refugees from displaced persons camps to the Exodus. His tasks were many and varied—cook, distributor of supplies, administrator, and contact person between the refugees and the crew. The ship steamed toward Palestine with more than 4,550 refugees packed aboard. Just as she neared Haifa on the Mediterranean coast, the ship was rammed by the British Royal Navy cruiser Ajax, in a convoy with five destroyers, and was boarded by sailors.

This was not an easy task, as the SS Exodus had been fortified with barriers and barbed wire to discourage such actions. The British reportedly bombarded the ship with tear gas grenades in order to subdue the passengers. Captain Ike Aronowicz and his crew challenged the boarding party. One crew member, First Mate William Bernstein, a sailor from California, and two passengers were bludgeoned to death. The ship that had brought such hope to so many had been attacked by the British navy a mere seventeen miles offshore, in international waters. It was a wanton act of piracy for which the Royal Navy commanders were never charged. Grauel later reported that, as the Exodus staggered into the port at Haifa, those still able to stand gathered on the deck of the ship and sang “Hatikvah,” the hymn of hope.

Grauel, the only passenger onboard with a valid visa, was arrested but soon escaped with help from none other than the future mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek (who would become a very dear friend of mine years later) and the Haganah. He was approached by a reporter, who was a member of the Jewish organization. The unnamed reporter shepherded Grauel to the men’s room, from which he was whisked out a back door into a waiting car displaying American press credentials. The Jews on board the Exodus were then forced to disembark in Haifa and were eventually and unwillingly returned to British-controlled camps in Germany.

Grauel was summoned to Kadimah House in Jerusalem to give a firsthand account of his experiences during the voyage with the refugees to the United Nations Committee on Palestine. As he stood before that group, he leveled his heartfelt accusations regarding the treatment of the Jewish passengers on the Exodus. He later said of his testimony: “There was great gratification for me in knowing that my eyewitness report was now a matter of record. Inherent in the nature of the relationship between Christians and Jews was the fact that because I was a Christian, in this situation my testimony would be given greater credence than that of a Jewish crew member.”

Grauel’s witness proved to be an effective means of gaining compassion and support for the Jewish cause. His eloquent speech to the UNSCOP later earned him the moniker of “the man who helped make Israel possible.” Prime Minister Golda Meir believed it was Grauel’s recounting of the events surrounding the Exodus that persuaded the UN to support the creation of a Jewish state.

Over 200 times, the Old Testament describes God as the Lord of hosts. David used this term more than anyone, and with good reason. David said, “The Lord of hosts is with me.” The Word of God is true—trust it more than anything else. Believe me when I tell you that your Good Father is much closer than you think. Believe that He is more committed than you think. And believe that God is more ambitious than you think.

Believe in God’s mighty Word. At times, you may have problems with words. You may get into disputing other people’s words. Did you ever hear anyone call someone else a liar? It is easy not to have a lot of confidence in people’s words. However, your mistrust of others will desensitize you to the words of God, so when you hear His words, you don’t trust them as you should. Before you go to sleep at night, let the last words that go into your spirit be the words of God. David declared: “The Lord of hosts is with us” (Psalm 46:11, KJV). In Hebrew, the word host means “an army ready and poised for battle.” David also said, “I am kept. The Lord keeps me.” The word kept in Hebrew means “to hedge about as with thorns, to guard, to protect, to attend to.”

What is God saying to you today? Can you hear Him? Listen, He is saying, “Will you allow Me to be the Lord of hosts in your life?” Many Christians do not have a philosophy by which they live—no objectives or goals. One positive thing I can say about my life is that I am focused. When God tells me to do something, nothing in this world can persuade me not to do it. Why is that important? Because many people miss the blessings of God by allowing themselves to be distracted. They stop focusing on God and turn their attention to something else.

Encourage yourself in the Lord. In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read that although David was greatly distressed, he encouraged himself in the Lord. Let me ask you this: Who says we must depend upon each other for encouragement? The world around us is totally co-dependent; it knows nothing of the Good Father’s Word and His ability to encourage and strengthen us. There is a dynamic truth in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His word that you learn when you are discouraged. Let me give you an example: When you die, I can’t do anything about it. No one can carry you through the valley of the shadow of death, except Jesus. This is a private matter between you and Him. You can reach out to people for support, but there is a great difference in having a support system and being co-dependent. Encourage yourself in the Lord.

Ephesians 3:16 says, “That he would grant YOU, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Verse 20 says, “Now unto HIM that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us” (capitalization added). One of the main reasons some Christians live in continual defeat is because they are ignorant regarding the sovereignty of Christ. They have not developed an intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not walk and talk with Him. How can you encourage yourself in the Lord? The only way is to spend time with Him.

You cannot be encouraged in the Lord if you are not nurturing your relationship with Him. You encourage yourself when you are walking with the Lord. If you are going to walk in the kingdom of God on a daily basis, you cannot make the church or any individual your source. You cannot make your wife or your husband your source. No one can be your source but the Lord. If you make the Lord your Source, you will have a breakthrough. Encourage yourself.

To hear God, you and I must listen with our entire being—mind, soul, and body. It is difficult to hear His voice over the cacophony that constantly surrounds us—traffic noise, television blaring, electronic devices beeping. Parents sleep with one ear tuned to the nursery, waiting for a babe’s cry in the night. As Believers, we must walk with our ears totally tuned to the Father so that we can hear that still, small voice that calls to us above the frenzied crowds. What, then, do you think God might wish to say to us once He has our attention? Perhaps, as He did me, He would call you “son” or “daughter.” He might tell you that He had been waiting for you as the earthly father did for the Prodigal Son or searching for you as the good shepherd searched for the lost sheep. Our Lord might possibly warn you that there is danger ahead, and you need to change direction.

John, the Beloved, wrote in his Gospel chapter 3, verses 16–18: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Our loving heavenly Father desires that you and I know that we can be overcomers through Him; that if we follow in His footsteps, He will lead us in the way we are to go. Then He will whisper, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

The great orator and preacher Charles Spurgeon said: “Having once discerned the voice of God, obey without question. If you have to stand alone and nobody will befriend you, stand alone.” God calls the humble and obedient to fulfill His mission. His power is made perfect in our weakness. Only with the realization that you can do nothing without Jehovah are you then ready to be used by Him. Only then will you be able to fulfill the Good Father’s wonderful plan for your future.

A spiritual battle is raging in Israel and around our world. We see the other wars covered on the news day after day. In addition to the physical war being fought with guns and planes and tanks, there is an economic war, an ideological war, and a media war. Those are wars Israel is equipped to fight.

They can’t fight the spirit war. The Bible says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

It is no coincidence that the deadly and demonic Hamas attack on October 7 was code named the Al-Aqsa Flood. The Holy City, and specifically the Temple Mount, are the target of the Enemy. Al-Aqsa is the Islamic mosque on the Temple Mount. It is also no coincidence that our Friends of Zion Center is located just 600 meters from the Temple Mount.

We provide a way for Believers around the world to join together in powerful new ways to fight the spirit war for Israel future. Together we join forces against the principalities and powers behind the government of Iran and their terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Mahdi Army, and the Houthis. Together we will bind those forces through prayer, unleashing God’s arm to move in powerful ways to help defend Israel. Just as Daniel fought the spirit war against the prince of Persia until the angel came with the answer to his prayer, we stand in the gap for Israel.