“AND JABEZ PRAYED”

Post date: Sep 16, 2013 3:56:02 AM

Equipped with what he knew about himself, his family and his situation, and the God he knew is able, willing and can comfortably help and deliver him out. Jabez voluntarily submitted himself to pray, seek and call with all his strength on the God of Israel whom he worshiped, this is the record of how and what he prayed for: “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 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. And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:10 

Jabez presented just five requests before God. In all the five presentations, he looked ahead into his future expectations for his life, an expectation which was quite different, quite unique and more glorious than what he was experiencing at that particular time. He did not dwell on what had passed, he did not query God for allowing his parents to give him that name, he did not blame his parents or anyone before God, he did not declare war on any institution, but he gave himself to seek and to seek the face of God, he look up for help, for deliverance and for the blessings that only God can provide upon his life.

The uniqueness in Jabez prayer is that despite the fact that he knew the right source of his problem, he did not declare war on them, but went straight to God to effect a lasting desired change. Like Hannah, Jabez did not report his parents for giving him a bad name, but presented his own personal life expectations before God in prayer. If God will not change your situation, He will not give you the grace to pray through, He will not open your eyes to see the wickedness of the devil in your life, He will not give you the power to know you are being laid back and held back by such activities and He will never give you the desire to expect changes. If God give you the grace to endure a situation as He did for Paul, He will also give you the power to go beyond its limitations. God will not give you the grace to endure something that will hinder His work, His praise and His glory in your life. He will not open the door for you to hear and understand that He wants your complete freedom, your deliverance from all sickness and evil dominion and that He wants to save your soul and bless you thereafter if He has no intent to perform it.

The two things that Jabez knew about himself were, (1) Through God’s special design and mercy and despising his parents thought and the name given to him, he was more honorable than his brethren. Do you know that your salvation guarantees the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in you? That definitely makes a great different in your life and that of everyone else in your family, in your neighborhood and in your office. (2) He was having an issue that hinders who and what God intended for him from being manifested. When he noticed how extraordinary and honorable he was, he went into prayers to enforce the fullness of God upon his life. Jabez was not asking for a temporal relieve or a one day freedom, but a change that will last longer and will change his entire life and destiny. When you prepare yourself spiritually and physically to pray, you will pray fervently, effectively, you will pray right and you will pray through. 

These were the five things that Jabez prayed for in that single moment of prayer. Those five point prayer touched everything about his present life, his efforts at breaking through his disabilities, and clearly expressed his future expectations despite his present difficulties. It went far beyond what people were thinking and saying of him, it went far beyond the meaning and the consequences of his given name. It went far beyond what people were waiting to see happen to him. That prayer reflected the continuous perfect mind and will of God for him. For God making him to be honorable from birth without first asking was not something to be taken for granted. He tapped into the available goodness and mercies of God which his parents did not know how to ask for and how it works. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” Lamentation 3:22-23. Prayer Click here