Sermon.994
The Prayer of Jabez”
First Chronicles 4:9-10
Are you ready for an adventure that will get you a better life, protect you and not cause you any pain?
That sounds like those old time sideshows of the elixir sellers who would peddle their medicine that was believed by the people who purchased it to hold the power to cure all ills.
In our text in First Chronicles, you can step right up and receive the elixir of “The Prayer Of Jabez” that seats you deep into the cavity of God’s desire and will for your life.
It’s a prayer that totally and absolutely leaves all trust in God’s hands.
When we read this short prayer, we suddenly see several unique things:
1. You not only receive, but you enjoy a fuller life that God desires for you to live.
2. You will learn to ask not for what you can get for yourself, but you will ask for only what God is willing to give.
3. You will become acutely aware of the direction God is moving in your life.
4. And you will seek God’s protection from the evil one.
Read First Chronicles 4:9, 10
Who is Jabez?
If you’re a genealogy buff, and you like to read the boring genealogy in First Chronicles, you see that Jabez is buried in a long list of genealogies and is from the tribe of Judah.
His spotlight in Hebrew history is only two verses.
In verse 9, his mother named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”
In other words, his mother named him “pain” so he would always remember the pain he had caused his mother in childbirth.
All babies arrive with a certain amount of pain, but something about Jabez’s birth went beyond the usual; so much that his mother chose to be forever reminded of his birth by giving her son the name “pain.”
In biblical times, the name given to a person often meant the character of the plight of that person.
For example, the name Jacob means “supplanter” or “the one who tricks”, and we know that Jacob lived up to his name when he tricked his brother out of his birthright.
The name Jesus means “God saves” and through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus saves us from our sins.
Jabez has the distinction of having a name that literally means, “I gave birth to him in pain.”
His name would be a constant reminder that he caused pain to his mother.
What a plight to bear in life.
Many people subconsciously predict career success based upon a name; that is according to Dr. James Bruning, a psychology professor at Ohio University.
In his study, he found that girls with names like Emma or Carolyn were more likely to pursue occupations like nurses or hairstylists, while boys with names like Bruno or Duke were more likely to pursue occupations such as truck drivers or plumbers.
A fifth grader named Michael decided to run for President of student council at his grammar school.
During the campaign for the office of President of student council, Michael had to go to his pediatrician for his annual checkup.
His doctor, noticing all the campaign buttons Michael was wearing, volunteered that he, too, had run for President of the student council when he was in the fifth grade, but he had not won.
Several days later, the election at Michael’s grammar school was held, and he did not win.
When Michael got home that day, he told his mom, “Mom, it looks like I’m going to be a doctor!”
The first part of verse 9 says that “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers…”
Something must have happened in this man’s life that took him from his pain to his glory.
Jabez wanted to be more and do more for God, and I believe that’s the extraordinary thing in Jabez’s life.
Jabez has the distinction of being more honorable than those who lived around him.
Jabez went from being a pain to being more honorable!
In verse 10, Jabez cried out to God in prayer, saying, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”
The blessing part of verse 10 states that God granted him this request!
Jabez is distinctly remembered, not for some great accomplishment in his life, but for what he prayed.
His prayer to God became his unique distinction:
Jabez prayed for:
1. God to bless him.
2. For God to enlarge his territory.
3. For God to keep His hand upon him.
4. And for God to keep him from evil so he would be free from pain.
His 4-part prayer may not strike you as being an earth shattering prayer, but Jabez believed that God would hear his prayer and that God would answer.
Jabez left the answering of his prayer up to God because he wanted God to be the One who made the difference in his life.
The prayer of Jabez enabled God’s will, power and blessing in his life, and I believe that God’s desire is to do the same in your life and in my life.
Whatever our gifts, education, or vocation might be, our calling is to do God’s work.
If you want to call that doing ministry, then that’s okay.
You can call it your Christian day job or you can call it doing ministry for God, but whatever you call it, God is looking for people who want to do more and more ministry for Him.
It’s when you start asking in earnest for more responsibility with which you can honor God, it’s then that God will bring opportunities and people into your path so you can expand your boundaries and experience the tremendous thrill of God carrying you along as you’re doing it.
God is watching and waiting for you to ask for that kind of supernatural power that He has to offer you!
Are you willing to be like Jabez to bring about the extraordinary work of God in your life?
The surest sign that you are a growing Christian is that there is within you a growing desire to have your life used by God.
Pray for God to enlarge your life.
Ask Him for something so unique that you cannot possibly do it by yourself.
Ask God to enlarge your territory.
Ask God to bless you and keep His hand upon you.
And ask God to keep you from evil.
Then be reminded that God’s ear is never filled to capacity with prayer and He will grant your request!
Oh, bless me today Lord like never before.
Open the flood gates and flow to my door.
All Your power and wisdom and I will go forth.
Praying the Prayer of Jabez.
Lord, let me do more for Your kingdom I pray.
Widen my boundaries and show me the way.
Bring the people you want me to comfort today.
Through Your Spirit their lives will be changed.
May Your hand be upon me, stay close by my side.
Give me courage and strength for the task You decide.
Keep the evil one from me, protect me from sin.
Guard my heart and my mind with Your truth.
And I’ll witness the miracles along the way.
I’ll give my testimony of Your mercy and grace.
Let me not take the credit for something You did.
I’ll proclaim "All the Glory is His!"
As I’m praying The Prayer Of Jabez.
Deb Hickling
