21-Day Growth Challenge | Day Nine: "Lessons from the Prayer of Jabez, Part 1"

Monday, January 11, 2010 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

Key Verse
I 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.” 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. 

Insight
The only mention of Jabez in the Bible is contained in this text. His prayer offers a model of faith, boldness and humility. It seems that part of Jabez' motivation was to overcome circumstances surrounding his name which meant, "pain."

Asking for blessing is not a selfish request because without the blessing of God we have nothing to offer to others. Since the blessing of God is always connected to relationship with Himself, asking for blessing deepens our walk with God.

When we ask for God’s blessing, we’re not asking for what we could acquire for ourselves. We are crying out for the goodness that only God has the power to give us. As the Bible says in Proverbs 10:22 (Living Bible), “The Lord’s blessing is our greatest wealth; all our work adds nothing to it.”

Receiving and living in God’s blessing opens the door to natural and supernatural provision to do God’s will. Having this knowledge reminds us that we should not function in our own strength.

If you don’t ask for God’s blessing, you forfeit those blessings that come to you only when you ask. God wants goodness and abundance to flow into your life. Jabez understood this, and so should we.

Prayer