The Faith of Jabez
Did you know that God never meant for us to live an average life. He has designed us for excellence. He has created us for success. He wants us to live above the norm. Each one of us is uniquely created by Him and for Him. Instead of being one in a million, you’re actually one in about seven billion! There’s nobody else like you – you are unique.
Everybody likes to be recognized. In fact it’s important to our own emotion health to have some recognition. That’s why children will shout out, “Watch me – watch me!” Everyone wants to be recognized – we want to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps that’s why so many people today are getting tattoos and body piercings – it’s a way to express our individuality and uniqueness. We have a need to be different – to be excellent – to stand out from everybody else.
In First Chronicles 4:9-10 we find a man who stands out from the crowd. His name is Jabez. The first nine chapters of First Chronicles consists of genealogies. There are over 600 names listed there. Right in the middle of all these names God singles out one man for special recognition – and that is Jabez.
There are only two verses in the entire Bible that mentions his name. Yet those two verses tell us a lot about Jabez. Let’s go ahead and read those two verses now:
“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain." Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested.” 1 Ch. 4:9-10 (NASB)
There were five secrets to this man’s life found in these verses – five secrets that can apply to our lives and help us to live above the norm too.
The first secret is:
1. Jabez had a life of FAITH
How can I say that? Because the Bible says:
“Now Jabez called on the God of Israel” (v.10)
In other words – he prayed. But look at what the book of James tells us:
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 (NASB)
Jabez prayed in faith and because of his simple prayer that we’re still talking about him thousands of years later. He was a simple man of faith. There’s no mention in the Bible of Jabez having any special ability or talent or gift. The Bible doesn’t say that he was wealthy or educated. He was not a great prophet or a great preacher. He was not a wise ruler over some great nation. He was not famous for being so great warrior who could almost single-handedly win battles. He is not remembered for his great wealth. He is remembered – because he prayed to God in faith and God heard him and answered his prayer. But it’s his prayer that sets him above the norm. A simple prayer made him stand out in the Bible. Our prayers could help us stand out too – to live above the norm.
But maybe you’ve hesitated to ask for things in prayer – I know I have. Maybe you’ve felt your request was selfish – I know I have. Maybe you’ve not prayed because you felt that God may not answer – I know I have.
But let me tell you a secret that I have learned about prayer. If you ask God for the things He already wants to give you – it’s not selfish – it’s not self centered – it’s not wrong. You see God already has ambitions for your life. He wants you to be successful. He wants you to have a life above the norm. The Bible says:
'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jer. 33:3 (NASB)
So why don’t we call on Him? Why don’t we ask Him? That’s what Jabez did – he asked in faith – believing that God would answer his prayer and guess what – God answered him. Let’s look at what Jabez asked for – they are the next secrets to living a life about the norm.
2. Jabez prayed for God to BLESS him
“Oh that You would bless me indeed…” (v.10)
It is God’s nature to want to bless His people. In Genesis chapter twelve verses two and three – God is speaking to Abraham and He says:
“I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Gen. 12:2-3 (NASB)
In the New Testament we find:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” Eph 1:3 (NASB)
God always wants to bless His people – so it is not wrong for Jabez to ask to be blessed and it is not wrong for you or for I to ask God to bless us either.
How much do you want to be blessed? I know that I would want to be blessed “a lot”. Don’t you? We just need to ask God – He is big enough to bless us.
But here is a very interesting thing that you don’t see in the English translations. If you go back to the Hebrew it says:
“Bless me – Bless me” The word for “bless me” is used twice there – two times in a row. The English says – “Bless me indeed”
But the Hebrew is basically saying, “Bless me – A LOT” Bless me today – Bless me Tomorrow – Bless me the day after that and the day after that – Bless me forever – Bless me a lot.”
God has no shortage of blessings. Let us ask Him daily to be blessed.
Also:
3. Jabez prayed to have MORE
He said,
“enlarge my border”(v.10)
In other words he was saying: “Enlarge my territory – make it bigger.” The Message Bible says it this way:
“Give me land, large tracts of land.” (Msg)
Notice that Jabez did not ask God for a hundred acres. He did not ask God for a thousand acres. He didn’t ask God for a million acres – he just said, “Enlarge my border – give me more.” You know something happens when you pray a prayer like this:
You’re taking the limits off God – that can be a frightening thing to do. It is like giving God a blank check and telling Him – He can fill in the amount. This is like saying to God, “I am tired of limiting You Lord. Here is what I’ll do – You can give me what You think is best for me.”
Boy that takes a lot of faith – doesn’t it – to let God be God – to let God be in control? It takes a lot of faith to tell God, “Whatever You want to give me Lord – I am willing to accept.”
How much land did God give Jabez? We don’t know – but I’ll bet you it was enough. It was more than he deserved – but not more than God could give. Not too much and not too little – it was just right.
Also:
4. Jabez prayed to have God’s PRESENCE in his life
“that Your hand might be with me” (v.10)
When the hand of God is on you, it is apparent to everyone around you. God in all His glory, all His majesty, all His splendor and awesomeness wants to put His hand on us! He wants to carry us through each and every situation. He wants to give us direction. Time and time again the Bible talks about the hand of God. In Psalm chapter eighteen and verse thirty five we find:
“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great.”
Psalm 18:35 (NASB)
In Psalm chapter sixty three and verse eight we find:
“My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”
Psalm 63:8 (NASB)
In Psalm seventy three and verse twenty three we find:
“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.” Psalm 73:23 (NASB)
It is comfort to know that God is there with His hand upon us – watching over us taking care of us. It is like the story that I heard of a young girl and her father walking through a cave. The father reached out to help his daughter around some rocks that were in the path. Just then the lights of the cave went out and they were in complete darkness. The father called out to her, “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here.” She replied, “I am not afraid – I know you are right there – because you have my hand.”
When God’s hand is upon us – we do not need to be afraid.
God’s power is mighty. He can heal the broken hearted. He can give sight to the blind. He can make the lame walk. He can restore a soul. Should we not all pray, “Lord put Your hand upon me. Guide me with Your wisdom. Protect me with Your power.”
God wants to take care of us. Should we not ask for His care? Should we not ask for His presence in our lives? The Bible says:
“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:23-25 (NASB)
God always wants to walk with us. Should we not pray for His presence in our lives?
Also:
5. Jabez prayed for God’s PROTECTION
Jabez prayed:
“that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” (v.10)
The King James says it this way:
“that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” (v.10)
As I think about it – we kind of pray this prayer every week when we say the Lord’s Prayer – don’t we? We say:
“And lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil….”
Sin is the worst evil that there is. It disrupts our relationship with others and with God. It causes pain to everyone!
It’s interesting that Jabez had grown up with the title – “one who causes pain” – that is what the name Jabez means. Remember early on in the sermon I read:
“his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain."
Jabez knew that pain could affect a life – but he knew that God could set him free from pain. God has always promised to set us free from pain. We read in the Book of Revelation:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Rev. 21:4 (NASB)
God is big enough to take away our sorrow. He is big enough to take away our guilt. He is big enough to take away our shame. He is big enough to take away our pain. Should we not ask Him to protect us?
Did I tell you that Jabez is only found in two verse of the Bible? He was not a great prophet or a great preacher. He was not a wise ruler over great nation. He was not famous for winning a battle against a fierce enemy. But He is remembered because he prayed. He prayed in faith – believing that God was big enough to answer his prayer.
And Jabez prayed for the same things that God already wanted to give him. You see – God wanted to bless Jabez. God wanted to give him more – to increase his boarders. God wanted to walk Jabez daily and show him His presence. And God wanted to keep him from harm and relieve his pain. And because of that the Bible tells us:
“And God granted him what he requested.”(v.10)
Let us walk in faith and let us pray in such a way that God will grant us all that we ask for. Amen.
(I want to thank Rick Warren, Bruce Wilkinson and Bob Ashcraft for the sermon starter ideas.)
