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Eternity 6 - Prayers That Work - The Prayer of Jabez
(1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV) 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.
"So God granted him what he requested..." why? because Jabez was thinking of others even as he asked blessing for himself. He prayed his prayer - "so that I may not cause pain". Jabez was terrified of living up his name and being a source of pain. He wanted to break out of human destiny and get into divine blessing. But he knew that before he could give - he had to receive. Jabez wanted to receive a blessing, so he could be a blessing!
God wants to end pain, and in heaven there will be no more sickness or crying or pain. (Rev 21:1-4) God does not want us to be painful people but people who are a blessing, a joy, great to be around. God will answer our prayers when we pray in order that we may not inconvenience others.
Jabez's prayer has five components:
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Bless me indeed - fruitfulness, multiplication and dominion (see Genesis 1)
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Enlarge my borders - increase the area in which the fruitfulness, multiplication and dominion occur.
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May your hand be with me - supernatural power behind a normal life.
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Deliver me from evil - keep me from the ravages of curses and wickedness and injustice, allow the blessing to endure and be established.
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That I may not cause pain - that my life will not add to the fallenness and brokenness of this world but rise above the normal and be positive.
The prayer of Jabez is a revolt against accepting a miserable and painful status quo. It is acknowledging that you don't have to be fallen and broken and a painful nuisance and a burden on everyone else.
Its an acknowledgment that you can break out of this by the power of God who can give you the blessing ,and territory and power and protection that you need to prosper and be a positive contributor to your community.
Why not pray the prayer of Jabez now - God put it in the Bible as an example for us to copy and told us He would answer it! Pray a prayer - that God answers! A prayer that works!
Blessings,
John Edmiston
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