4 Folds of Jabez's Prayer 1 Chron 4: 9-10
Bible Passage: 1Chron 4: 9-10
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 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.
In our today's topic, we are going to dwell on a popular character in the bible named Jabez. We often read about the prayer of Jabez in our Bible that change his situation for good. So, here, we want to look into the content of his prayer.
The name Jabez means pains. It was given to him by his mother because of when she went through in his birth. I learn from here that most times what we are passing through in life is not actually our fault. But we mustn't sit down and suffer for what we did not know.
It was not Jabez's fault that labor was delayed while his mother was trying to bring him forth. On a normal, a woman of her type will name the child, "ThankGod", Mercy, Grace, or Victory. Someone who went through hell during child ai always grateful to see end alive. But wasn't so for Jabez's parents. They rubbed it on the innocent child.
I have also learned that even with the bad name following Jabez, he was still famous. He still made it. It also shows that our destiny and progress are not in anyone's hands. But one thing is remaining.
Jabez knew there was still a limitation in his honorability. He is noble and honorable but there is still a 'but' in his life. Something is still contradicting his personality.
He knew he needed God's blessing to go farther than his brothers. he had territory but he needed God to enlarge his. He needed the presence of God and he asked for it and he also needed long life and enjoy all of these.
4 Folds of Jabez's Prayer 1 Chron 4: 9-10
- Jabez asked God to bless him
- He asks God to enlarge his
territory
- He prays that God will stay
with him and stay close
- Jabez asks God to
keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain
Before we enter deep into these four folds of prayer, I want to take us somewhere.
(a) We need to understand who we are and what we have. Jabez did a great thing and broke free of the devil’s shackles that held him. His prayer was summarized in verse one but it is more than that.
(i) Jabez is one man out of many – walloying in pain until he remembered what he had.
(j) Moses was one man out of thousand – trapped in between two enemies until he used what he had.
*The crossing of River Jordan (Josh. 3:5-17): The priests of God and the people sanctified themselves and bore the Ark of the Covenant. Crossing over to the other side demands sanctification and the walk and work with the Ark.
*Elijah parts the Jordan River and crosses over (2 Kings 2:5-9): at this point was where Elijah was to be taken. But he must cross River Jordan to actualise it. He was destined to be taken up. Until you cross over, part the sea before you, your destiny will not manifest. Our mantle of prayer is the key to divide the sea before us.
*Elisha parts the water at Jordan River (2 Kings 12:15): I have discovered that at one point in time our life, the sea has always manifested either to discourage us, intimidate us or kill us. After Elisha had received double anointing of his master Elijah, the River barricaded him. Verse 14; he used the mantle. We are going to apply the same mantle that Jabez applied.