THE POWERFUL PRAYER OF HONORABLE JABEZ

IN THE DAYS OF HIS POWER SERIES.

TOPIC: THE POWERFUL PRAYER OF HONORABLE JABEZ

COMPILED/EDITED BY:-
Rev. Innocent Peace-Udochukwu
President Living Fountain Ministries Int’l LIFOM

“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 KJV

This text has been referred to as the briefest of Bible biographies. Verse 4:9 says, “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.” Jabez wanted to be more and do more for God, and according to v.10, God granted him his request. Ever since I became a “believer,” I have desired to “make a difference,” to live as to be missed, and to help the body of Christ realize it is under challenged. I’ve never had a desire to “just get by.” God placed in my heart a “whatever it takes” attitude from day one.
Years later, I still desire to do a great work for the Lord.
The prayer of Jabez has incredible potential of revolutionizing our lives.
This prayer reveals our Heavenly Father’s desire to give us so much more than you may have ever thought to ask for. In this prayer, a “little difference makes all the difference.”

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”
-Rev. Martin Luther king jnr

In his most famous speech, spoken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he declared: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

But, in the broken, fallible human experience, it is far easier to judge a person and “label” them on the basis of the pigment in their skin, or the possessions they own, or the clothes they wear, or the house they live in.
And, too often, it is these “labels” that seem to determine a persons future.

If a person labeled you “a loser” it may not be long before you believe you are a loser and begin to act accordingly. Sadly, people are labeled all the time.
Such is the person we are going to look at this morning. He was labeled. His mom gave him the name “pain.” How would you like to have that name hang on you?

But, there was something different about this man! He was not going to allow a label to dictate his future. He was going to do something about it!

“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ 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” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10, NKJV).

What a pain! Has anyone ever said that about you? It was said about the person we are looking at in this scripture today. Jabez’s name in Hebrew means “pain”! His mother delivered him in great pain and she never let him forget it. She named him Pain so that he would always remember what he had done to his poor mother. I had a relative who was a lot like Jabez’s mother, because she repeated the story of how much pain her child had caused her in birth. And she always liked to tell the old, old story when there were several people around. Other parents do something similar by rehearsing all the disappointments they have felt with their children, and the pain it has caused them. You might say Jabez came from a dysfunctional family, with a controlling mother who was an expert at exacting guilt from her children. But in spite of all that, he overcame the obstacles created by his upbringing. The Bible says that he was an honorable man — more honorable than the rest of his family. Why was that?
We find Jabez buried in a long list of genealogies — so and so was the father of so and so, and so and so was the father of so and so . . . . ad infinitum.
It goes on for nine chapters in the book 1Chronicles. You are so bored by the time you reach Jabez that you almost skip over him. But he is there like a shining star in this long list of anonymous characters. It is significant that what Jabez is remembered for is not some outstanding achievement, but a prayer. He did not win a great battle or erect a great building. He simply prayed a prayer. But out of all the people in this nine chapter list of characters, he alone is lifted out because of the prayer that he prayed.

James 4:2–3 ESV
‘You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

This is no mystery: Our character impacts Our prayers. Selfishness, pride, arrogance–all adversely affects our prayer life. On the other hand, godly character will lead you to pray prayers that please God.

Jabez was a man of godly character–and that would carry him over a very sizeable obstacle in his life.

The label people give you is NOT your destiny–It’s what God gives you that counts!

For Jabez–it was different.
“…his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”
In the cultural setting of our story, people gave names to their children as a way of expressing their hopes and beliefs in what their child is or should be.
A name contained purpose, promise, and possibilities.
But, for whatever reason, the mother of Jabez gave him a name that represented pain, grief, and sorrow.
Maybe she had a very difficult pregnancy.

Maybe Jabez was born in a family that experienced tragedy or great hardship.
Or, maybe he was born in a time where the nation was facing famine, or surrounded by enemies, or a time of significant spiritual struggle or stagnation.
But, there was something in Jabez that would not settle for pain. He chose not to allow the label he was given to determine his destiny.

Too many people feel trapped by their circumstance in life–being brought up in a dysfunctional family–making bad decisions as a teenager or young adult–experiencing the hardship or humiliation of being fired from a job or a broken marriage. You feel your label is permanent. So we convince ourselves that our lot in life is hopeless–that there is nothing we can do.

But, there is something you can do. There is something that Jabez did–and it changed everything!
Seek God with all your heart

1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV
Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
Jabez called upon the God is Israel. He chose not to find the answers in his own abilities or intellect–but in God alone.
Jabez believed God would provide the answer he needed to live the overcoming life.
This is a biblical principle that is essential to experiencing true victory in your life.

Jeremiah 29:11–13 ESV
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Faith, trust, belief–all essential to experience the blessings of God. Without faith, you resist what God wants to do in your life. Your prayers can be nothing more than wishful thinking, devoid of any confidence that God is greater than your need.
The integrity, faith, and actions of Jabez gave him the courage and insight to boldly petition God.
What did Jabez ask God?

The Prayer of Jabez
I need Your blessing.
1 Chron. 4:10a “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my boarder.”
Some people are put off by the boldness of this request–that it seems quite selfish to ask for God’s blessing.
He asked God to bless him–to enlarge his borders.
For the Israelite, land had a very important roll in ones life: land equated to livelihood, to dignity, to influence, to a worthwhile purpose. Without it, he would continue to live under the shame of his label.

He was desperate and this was a desperate prayer–Jabez needed purpose. He needed God’s help to jettison the humiliation–to jettison the pain. He needed a miracle. He needed God’s favor. He needed God to enlarge his purpose and potential.

Maybe you can identify with Jabez. You try to do all the right things–but it seems you get the raw end of the deal.
In the New Testament, Jesus makes clear not to settle–to remain empty and discouraged.

He invites you to ask–to pray and bring your requests to God–to not hold back.

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

I need Your presence.

1 Chron. 4:10b “…and that your hand might be with me…”
The “hand of the Lord” is a biblical term for God’s power and presence in the lives of His people.

Jabez needed more than mere “stuff”–he needed the power and presence in his life to be an overcomer.
Just like Jabez, we need God’s power and presence. And, Jesus made clear what needs to happen:

Acts 1:8 ESV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit’s infilling is God’s hand. And when God’s power and presence is in our lives, it begins to impact everyone around us.
In the book of Acts, the phenomenal success of the early church was attributed to one thing:

Acts 11:21 ESV
“And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”

When we ask for God’s mighty presence like Jabez (and the early church did), we will also see tremendous results that can be explained only as from the hand of God.
I need Your protection.

1 Chron. 4:10c “…and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!”
Jabez needed divine strength. Constant pain and exhaustion will make most people vulnerable to personal and public failure. He needed protection.
Jabez did not want to go back to a life of fear and hurt. To experience the blessing of God, he needed God to help him–to rise above the label.

What brings you pain this morning? What holds you back and enslaves you to fear? What imprisons you? What label to you where this morning?–the limitations people or even yourself have placed on you?

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

For Jabez, his integrity open the door so a sincere faith that God can help him. And, what did God do? 1 Chron. 4:19d “And God granted what he asked.”
So, what is the need your carrying in your life that you need God to provide?
The greatest need is our need for relationship with Him.

Do you know Him this morning? Do you believe in the One who gave His life so you can know God. His name is Jesus. And, Jesus wants you to trust in Him and He wants to be your help, your hope and
Salvation.

SHALOM!

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