The Prayer Of Jabez

The Prayer of Jabez

1 Chr 4:9-10

9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."

10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.

 During this exhaustive list of genealogies, God stops to point out a man named Jabez and his prayer.

 God called Jabez more honorable than his brothers. Why? – Because he was a man of prayer

 A man who grew up with a deficit in his life from his very name.

 He prayed a prayer that got God’s attention

 He prayed a prayer that hit the mark, so much so, that God granted his request

 The Bible doesn’t just say, “Jabez prayed a good prayer”, its literally quotes the prayer, word-for-word

 There are obviously some real keys in this prayer that God wants us to see.

FOUR KEY POINTS TO THE PRAYER OF JABEZ

1. “Oh, that You would bless me indeed”

 What is a blessing?

 It is a specific gift from God, for a specific time and a specific purpose, to bring increase into our life.

 It is God’s nature to bless His people.

 Gen 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

 Gen 32:26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

 Ps 72:17 His name shall endure forever; his name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.

 Eph 1:3 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,

 Blessing is not for us but for those around us

 Blessing is spiritual prosperity

 Jabez prayed for God’s best in his life

 Bless me “indeed” – a lot!

2. “Enlarge my territory”

 This is taking the limitations off God in your life!

 This is saying God, “I am tired of limiting what you can do through me.”

 Remember, it is us who limits the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives

 The Hebrew word for “enlarge” also means – to bring in abundance, to increase, to bring up, to multiply, to make greater, to extend the dimensions…”

 The Hebrew word for “territory” also means – border, space, coast, bounds, limits

 Josh 17:14-18

14 Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now?"

15 So Joshua answered them, "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you."

16 But the children of Joseph said, "The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel."

17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph-- to Ephraim and Manasseh-- saying, "You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot,

18 "but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong."

 Lord, get me out of my comfort zone that I may enter into a great measure of your blessing.

3. “That Your hand would be with me…”

 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!

 The Hebrew word that is used here is the one for an open hand.

 What a comfort to know that God is there with an open hand to take ours and lift us up when we are down, and encourage us when we are weak.

 This word indicates power, means, and direction.

 Power – God’s power, The resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us