JABEZ 2

JABEZ PART 2

HOW MANY PRAYED -- “Bless Me Indeed!” — THIS PAST WEEK

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (GW) Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez [Painful], because she said that his birth was painful. Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, “Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.” God gave him what he prayed for.

Now -- I’m going from the beginning of His Prayer to the end of His Prayer

ILLUSTRATION:

Full page AD showed a Roman Gladiator, who has dropped His Sword & an enraged lion, seeing its opportunity, is in mid lunge, jaws wide open -- The caption reads:

Sometimes you can afford to come in second -- Sometimes you can’t!

We need to understand what that doomed gladiator didn’t -- The greatest strategy for defeating the roaring lion -- STAY OUT OF HIS ARENA!!!

1 Peter 5:8 (GW) Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.

JABEZ PRAYED:

“Keep Me From Evil”

I call this -- “FROM PAIN TO SUSTAIN”

SEE -- Satan wants you to come in SECOND!!!

Whenever you make up YOUR MIND & HEART that YOU are going to totally begin to “Do It” God’s Way -- YOU are going to experience ....

· Unwelcome criticisms

· Distractions

· Opposition

· Oppression

· Opportunities to return to Favorite Sins

We have been redeemed & commanded for the “Front Lines” of this Spiritual War -- WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO TURN AROUND & RUN!!

I know that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY NEED TO PRAY THIS WHEN ....

· I am experiencing some Good Things Happening

· I am experiencing fatigue and extra tiredness and I’m feeling spiritually spent

JESUS TAUGHT US TO PRAY IN THE MODEL PRAYER:

MATTHEW 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (evil one)”

MESSAGE BIBLE SAYS; Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil! You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty!

With all of Heaven to Back Him Up -- Even Jesus Prayed for the Father to “Keep Him From Evil”

The Most Effective Weapon we have against Sin -- Stay Out Of The Arena Where The Sin Is Prevalent For Us To Engage In A War Of Will!

LOOK AT THIS!

Ephesians 4:27 (NKJV) nor give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:27 (GW) Don’t give the devil any opportunity {to work}

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (GW) Keep away from every kind of evil.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

The “Arena Of Temptation” is usually the enemies territory -- temptation itself is Not Sinning -- It is the Acting on the Temptation that brings about the Sin ….

· Tempted to Anger -- don’t release it

· Tempted to drugs -- don’t hang out with people who have them

· Tempted to drink -- don’t buy any or go to the bars or hang out with folks that drink

· Tempted to steal -- don’t check out other people’s property

· Tempted to Lie -- don’t allow yourself to talk unless it’s the total truth

PSALM 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

PRAYER = the key to dwelling in the Secret Place of God -- the place where God COVERS YOU!

PRAY:

“Lord, keep me from making the mistakes I’m most prone to when temptation comes.

WE REALLY GET IN TROUBLE WHEN:

We rely on Our Wisdom

· We may think ourselves to be wise … but in the garden Satan shredded any wisdom man might have on his own in one conversation.

· When we think we are smarter than GOD’S WORD & HIS WISDOM – WE HAVE JUST MADE THE WORST MISTAKE

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

We rely on Our Experiences

· Pride & Foolish Self Confidence can spell disaster

Ecclesiastes 8:5 (GW) Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way {to act}.

Lord, keep me safe from the pain & grief that SIN brings. For the dangers that I can’t see, or the ones that I think I can risk because of my experience (pride and carelessness), put up a supernatural barrier.

We rely on Our Feelings

· We are living in a culture that worships freedom, independence, personal rights & the pursuit of pleasure

"Gut" feelings that are not tempered in the Word are bad choices that can place us right in the middle of a LION INFESTED ARENA. Today lives are racked and wrecked because of the common occurrence of "I just feel …"

BUT -- Christ calls us to be “Living Sacrifices” -- Christ calls us to be “Crucified To Self”

We have got to destroy the “Stinkin Thinkin” of ....

Temptations that pull at our emotions and physical needs -- those things that call out to our sense of

· “What I Deserve”

· “What I Have The Right To Feel”

· “What I Have The Right To Enjoy”

These “Feelings” -- Flaky as they are -- Are the Devil’s Greatest Tools To Deceive us With!

EVEN WHEN YOU CONFRONT THE EVIL ONE -- STAND CONFIDENT IN -- THE DEVIL IS ALREADY DEFEATED!

Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

ILLUSTRATION:

Man & Wife walked into a pet store -- a parrot on a stand at the door looks down & says;

“Sir, you have the ugliest woman I have ever seen!”

Well, the man & his wife were enraged & insulted by this parrot, so they went to the store owner & told him what happened.

The store owner comes up to the parrot & slaps him around a bit & tells him, “You better quit being mean to people & insulting them or I’m going to get rid of you now! Don’t let me hear you say another insulting thing again or ELSE!”

The man & his wife, after shopping a bit, pay for their stuff & are leaving the store, as they walk past the parrot, the parrot yells out;

“Hey Mister!”

The man looks up and the Parrot says;

“YOU KNOW!”

WE need to start shouting out to the devil;

HEY DEVIL -- YOU KNOW ....

· You are defeated

· I am an overcomer

· I am blood bought, spirit filled, faith walkin, word speakin Victoriously blessed indeed CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD!!!!!

THE FATHER’S DESIRE IS SEEN FOR OUR LIVES IN JABEZ PRAYER ....

Bless Me Indeed -- From Pain To Gain

Keep Me From Evil -- From Pain To Sustain

Through Christ -- We can live in Triumph -- not from temptation or defeat!!!