The Prayer of Jabez

Introduction:

When I was growing up we had this saying, “Everyone is trying to get their 15 minutes of fame,” which meant getting on TV for a news story of some kind and hopefully for something good. If you were on a screen it’s because you were important, famous, or a movie star.

Then Facebook came along and people started creating lives that everyone else would like and envy.

Then Instagram hit the scene that moved us from pictures to videos and people started creating content. And people started watch that content and wanting more content.

Then youtube started blowing up with content and started paying people for the views and influencers were born. I’m not sure how it all works but the basic premise is this: The more people that watch your channel the more ads they see. The influencer then gets paid for these views.

One of the biggest youtube channels today is a channel called MrBeast with 127,000,000 subscribers, and 30 Employees. This guy is making millions with a channel about nothing. (https://www.youtube.com/user/MrBeast6000)

We are also called to be influencers for the kingdom of God. At Reliant we call that Kingdom building. Jesus commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel, to share the good news that God is love and through his love he has made a way of salvation for all humanity.

So I preach and minister in my local community.

I am write books for the masses to share.

We make content on our youtube channels for the world to see. Reliant has one. I have one. Mark has one. Kim has one. Danny has one. and Torin has one with one video on it from high school. Its a must see.

We take every opportunity to share this good news about the gospel in hopes that someone would receive the message of salvation and enter into the kingdom of God.

Last week we began to sit at the feel of Jesus as the disciples before to said, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” Please stand with me and grab the hand of the person next to you as we approach the Lord together.

Lord, teach us to pray as John the baptist taught his disciples to pray.

We want to have intimate moments with you as you do with the Father.

Teach us the power of prayer as we pray with expectation.

Teach us how to usher in your kingdom as we see your day approaching.

And may we influence others with the message of love, joy, forgiveness, and grace that we have received from you.

I want to dial down on a phrase the Lord used in his prayer as the teaches us to pray.

Matthew 6:10 ESV

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

I love this peace of the prayer because it prayer of movement. Something is happening. The kingdom of God is expanding throughout the Earth as we see the King approaching to take his throne. Heaven is coming to Earth.

This event is news worthy and worthy of content. We should make every effort to prepare the world for King Jesus and his return. We should pray for kingdom influence and open doors to be kingdom-builders.

Is this the content of your message to the world? (or is it duck lips on the beach)

Are we praying that God would expand our influence so that we can expand his kingdom?

There was a man that prayed such a prayer in the Old Testament. His name was Jabez.

There is a book that you might have heard of called “The Prayer of Jabez” by Bruce Wilkinson that has sold over 9 million copies world wide. If you haven’t read it, it’s worth your time.

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 ESV

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 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.

4 Elements of Prayer for Kingdom-Builders

Reliant Core Value

Kingdom Builders: We will take every God-given opportunity to advance His kingdom in this world.

1. Pray for Kingdom Blessings

1 Chronicles 4:10a (ESV)

10 ...“Oh that you would bless me”

Do you understand the difference between a blessing and a curse?

James 4:2–3 ESV

2 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. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Three questions to identify the why for your prayer of blessing:

If God answers this prayer, how does it draw me closer to Him?

If God answers my prayer, how does it bring Him glory?

If God answers my prayer, how does it build the kingdom?

God’s blessing enables you to bless others

God’s generosity allow you to be generous

He fills you with his Spirit so his Spirit can flow out.

A whirlpool in a flowing river. It catches everything not in the flow.

2. Pray for Kingdom Expansion

Throughout history borders represented the influence held by a person, city, or empire. The more you enlarged your borders the more influence you had in the world.

God uses us to expand His kingdom influence here on earth.

Matthew 28:19a (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...

We expand the influence of Christ by making disciples of all nations, tribes, and tongues.

Pray for open doors of influence to expand God’s kingdom.

As a Church (Example: The Church of Philadelphia)

Revelation 3:8 ESV

8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

As individuals

3. Pray for Kingdom Presence

Without the power and presence of Christ we can do nothing

Jabez needed the might hand of God

Jabez was vessel of honor before the Lord

2 Timothy 2:20–21 ESV

20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Jabez called upon the God of Israel (4:10a)

Ask God for a movement of His mighty hand.

Illustration: Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus; Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46–52 ESV

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

4. Pray for Kingdom Protection

1 Chronicles 4:10 (KJV 1900)

10 ...and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

There is an enemy to your kingdom effort.

The enemy wants to stop you.

The enemy wants to discourage you.

The enemy wants to destroy you.

Evil always produces pain.

There is a consistency in the prayer of Jabez and the Lord’s prayer: “Deliver us from evil.”

The Results of the Prayer of Jabez

Jabez was enlarged from a man to a city.

1 Chronicles 2:55 ESV

55 The clans also of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

The city of Jabez was a city of scribes

“In biblical times, scribes were in demand to prepare copies of Israel's sacred literature on parchment scrolls. Many scribes devoted themselves to preserving and copying the scriptures.”

(Church News Archives; “Scribes were masters of Hebrew law, writings through diligent study”; 12 Nov 1994)

https://www.thechurchnews.com/1994/11/12/23256241/scribes-were-masters-of-hebrew-law-writings-through-diligent-study

The city of Jebez blessed the nations with God’s Word.

Conclusion:

What is your message to the world?

Are you praying the prayer of Jabez for yourself and for your church?

Are you a kingdom influencer in a world of influencers?