Pray Like Jabez (Life Night Series)

November 7, (First Tuesday opener) Pray Like Jabez: Living Up to Faith

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 (NKJV)

9 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.

Origins of today’s pain and suffering need not determine or define tomorrow. Jabez’ mother, she who labeled him as Son of Pain was reacting to a moment of misery. She pinned him down as a baby and as a youth with an identifier that embedded itself, like an unsightly thorn, in the formative years of Jabez life. Most likely, his naming was an innocent reaction meant to be a reminder that she suffered, that his entrance to the world was marked by misery.

Let’s do a quick jet-tour through the coming Tuesdays as we study to Pray Like Jabez, trusting for Answers Like Jabez!

November 14, Pray Like Jabez: Bodacious Blessing

Pray Like Jabez 1) Bodacious Blessing

Jabez began by asking for God’s blessing!

Bodacious: Excellent, fabulous, great.

Reminder from Pastor’s kickoff of the Blessed book in the last series: The definition of blessing… “Anything that makes me more like Jesus!”

We must always bear in mind, that God‘s original covenant with Abraham, which is our spiritual inheritance, included Blessing. And that blessing was never to be an end in itself, but rather it was a gateway… God told Abraham that he would be blessed to be a blessing!

First, the prayer is not impersonal, but personal. Jabez didn’t ask, “Please bless the world,” but rather, “Please bless me.” And unapologetically so. Praying for the world is good, but so is praying for yourself. We have examples from countless Bible characters, yielding to their limitations, like David in the Psalms, and Jacob when he wrestled with the angel:

Genesis 32:26 (NKJV)

26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Second, the prayer is not specific, but general. God’s blessing is, by definition, directed and determined by God, not by man. If you limit your expectations and request to one specific way you want God to bless you, you may be praying a valid prayer, but you’re no longer praying with the open heart of Jabez. Ultimately, there’s only One who knows the most appropriate and fulfilling blessing for you, and that’s God. Trust Him.

Third, the prayer does not ask for meager provision, but for abundant blessing. Do you think your heavenly Father is stingy? When we ask for great blessing, He will choose wisely how and when to answer, but He is not put off by enthusiastic prayer. In fact, if our great passion is an expression of great honesty and fervor, then God welcomes it.

Fourth, the prayer doesn’t limit the request to a specific time, like “today,” but allows God to bless whenever, wherever, and however He prefers. Too often, we are tempted to put a time limit on the Lord. True, many of the prayers of the Bible specify a time limit—for example, Jehoshaphat prays for the people of Israel when the massive Syrian armies are preparing to attack the next morning—but Jabez’s prayer does not. If you ask, “Please, Lord, bless me by next Friday,” you are no longer praying the prayer of Jabez.

November 21, Pray the Greatest Blessing Ever Over Your Thanksgiving! (Friendsgiving celebrations)

November 28, Pray Like Jabez: Expansive Vision

Pray Like Jabez 2) Expansive Vision

Everything You’ve put under my care, O Lord—take it, and enlarge it.

Isaiah 54:2 (NKJV)

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.

In Jabez’s time, part of Israel’s recent national history was Joshua’s conquest of Canaan and the partitioning of the Promised Land into chunks of real estate for each tribe.

Aren’t you grateful for people who can think big? Conquerors like Joshua who inspire people to conquer.

Joshua 17:17–18:3 (NKJV)

17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 

18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.” 

1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. 

2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. 

3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you?

If you’re doing your business God’s way, it’s not only right to ask for more, but He is waiting for you to ask. Your business is the territory God has entrusted to you. He wants you to accept it as a significant opportunity to touch individual lives, the business community, and the larger world for His glory. Asking Him to enlarge that opportunity brings Him only delight.

Suppose Jabez had been a wife and a mother. Then the prayer might have gone: “Lord, add to my family, favor my key relationships, multiply for Your glory the influence of my household.” Your home is the single most powerful arena on earth to change a life for God. Why wouldn’t He want you to be mighty for Him? No matter what your vocation, the highest form of Jabez’s prayer for more territory might sound something like:

O God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I touch more lives for Your glory. Let me do more for You!

December 5, (First Tuesday) Pray Like Jabez: Panel Review

December 12, Pray Like Jabez: Supernatural Empowerment

Pray Like Jabez 3) Supernatural Empowerment

Could any of us? Dare we attempt anything for God without His hand empowering us?

But with His hand, we have nothing to fear.

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

God’s blessing and a vision are crucial, but without God’s power, Jabez could do nothing.  

December 19, Pray Like Jabez: Divine Protection

Pray Like Jabez 4) Protection

When it is all said and done, we cannot throw away our blessing, vision and empowerment with evil living. Jabez also prayed that God would keep him from evil. Jesus taught us to pray,

Matthew 6:13 (NKJV)

13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Paul warned us,

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NKJV)

22 Abstain from every form of evil.

November 7, (First Tuesday opener) Pray Like Jabez: Living Up to Faith

(November First Tuesday): PLJ - Living Up To Faith

stigma, n. (sharp stick, derived from ancient Greek, meaning instrument for piercing or puncturing)

Literal: A mark made upon the skin by burning with a hot iron (rarely, by cutting or pricking), as a token of infamy or subjection; a brand.

Figurative: A mark of disgrace or infamy; a sign of severe censure or condemnation, regarded as impressed on a person or thing; a ‘brand’.

How The Parent Wound Is Passed Down Generationally:

The parent wound is the pain, shame, and embarrassment parents carry that they unconsciously pass down to their children.

The parent wound is developed when we're raised by parents who parent from their survival brain due to their own unsolved trauma.

When a person has a core belief that he or she is broken, unlovable, and not worthy of the people who love , they will struggle with emotional intimacy.

This makes them prone to sabotaging behavior like addiction, betrayal, and avoidance.

When their children trigger these insecurities and repressed trauma, parents will become immediately defensive and act out.

They might yell, shame, or give the silent treatment without any awareness of how these moods and behavior affect those around them.

Children who grow up in this environment internalize the core belief "something is wrong with me." They believe they caused their parent's behavior, their abandonment, or their rejection.

The wound is passed down, generationally.

The parent wound creates issues with self esteem. It makes people more prone to dysfunctional relationships where they enable and caretake. Instead of praying for, receiving help for unbalanced relationships, the impulse becomes: try harder to be loved.

The parent wound can be healed when we understand our parents are reflections of their pasts. The way they treat us, show up (or don't show up for us), and the way they relate to us has everything to do with them, and is not our fault.

We can rebuild our sense of self. We can break free from generational patterns of our parents and build new futures.

Origins of today’s pain and suffering need not determine or define tomorrow. Jabez’ mother, she who labeled him as Son of Pain was reacting to a moment of misery. She pinned him down as a baby and as a youth with an identifier that embedded itself, like an unsightly thorn, in the formative years of Jabez life. Most likely, his naming was an innocent reaction meant to be a reminder that she suffered, that his entrance to the world was marked by misery.

How many souls have lived down to their name?

Nabal: stupid, wicked fool.

Hophni: pugilist

Phineas: mouth of a serpent

Korah: ice, frozen over

Diotrephes: nourished by Zeus (sustained by a false god)

When you recall childhood names hurled thoughtlessly, it’s easy to also recall the feeling associated. When you and I remember difficult events or circumstances, it’s the most natural reaction to slump right back into the impact it made as we were told (or told ourselves) that we were losers, failures, dumb, ignorant, or just plain stupid TO CAUSE THE DIFFICULTY.

Don’t live down to your stigma, live up to your faith.

The Bible does not record any history of Jabez and his activities besides his prayer and the answer.

Our biggest clue as to Jabez’ faith is the genealogy where he appears in the scripture record. It is likely that he lived when the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, was in his legacy.

Perhaps by this generational positioning, we have clues as to how Jabez was able to captivate his decision to live up to Faith, and not down to stigma. Regardless, as to how he was branded, he had enough faith to pray a bold prayer with great expectation, and trust in the God of his forefathers.

We’ve all heard voices of failure, negativity, disillusionment. We’ve all been branded by ourselves, those who we’ve respected, and (maybe unintentionally), by our loved ones.

What has clung to your mind and soul that drives silence, fear, inaction, faithlessness?

What is your greatest stigma?

Jabez determined to live UP to the faith of his heritage.

The account of Jabez helps us break the cycle and realize that honor is available in the middle of suffering if we have enough desire to cry out in our prayer to God!

Psalms 107:14 (NKJV)

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

And broke their chains in pieces.

Nahum 1:13 (NKJV)

13For now I will break off his yoke from you,

And burst your bonds apart.”

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.