Living The Blessed Life: God Blessed Jabez

 

God Blessed Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

There is the tendency to be so used to a situation so much so that a change is not welcomed. This syndrome is what makes some prisoners to return back to prison once released. The mind cannot let go of the old life. Accepting change should be normal but change to most is difficult to be accepted especially if the condition that demands change comes from parents or some people we so much respect. Parents tell their children how they suffered without telling the children that change is possible and how that it can be made possible. To accept change in this case will appear to be impossible.

Complete change starts from within. The seed of change is the change of the picture(s) the mind imagines and the heart accepts. Thinking about it is the first step to the change. The heart must believe it and the mind must think it before it becomes real. We cannot under estimate the power of our environment. The people around us, what they say and do is very important for the desired change to come. Blessings and curses gain ground from the people around us and from where we think. To be surrounded with negative minded people is to permit negativity to reign in our lives. When the word of God is allowed to be preached amongst a people, they begin to get the power for change and progress because that is exactly what it is meant to do. God's purpose for us is for good but the good He experts us to enjoy will not come until and unless we accept it ourselves. We must believe it with the heart and imagine it with the mind then it will become a reality. This is the reality that Jabez faced in his life. Before his birth, his parents saw sorrow and pains and when someone talks about blessing, it was far from them. To be blessed is a concept that was not welcomed. They accommodate the pain and gave it the room to grow. It was on this ground that they gave birth to Jabez.

"...his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow."

Why would a mother name her baby sorrow? It was not unconnected with the prevailing condition as at the time of the birth of the child. Probably they were in abject poverty and the breadwinner was dead or probably he absconded and life was a living hell. It could be a general condition at the time of the birth of the child when there was famine and or war where the general condition was not favourable. Some parents do not see the possibility for a change of condition and they accepted the condition as permanent. Jabez's mother must have gone through so much to come to that stage of giving him the that he later come to the state of desiring for a change. Had she been exposed to the word of God, she would have walked by faith and given him a name that will reflect what he would become and not what she suffered. Innocent Jabez grew carrying the pain he was introduced into by his parents. 

As this innocent boy grew, he started struggling and nothing seems to work. He loved the good things of life and wanted it for himself but could get none. Children play with good toys and go to good schools but he could only imagine it and not have it. Other children ate delicious and appetizing food but not him. His mother could not afford much. When he grew and became a man, all he wanted was the best for himself. The family he planned to have must not suffer what he suffered. He was exposed to an influence that made him reject what he suffered. That your family suffered or is suffering is not an excuse to embrace suffering. Change is possible.

"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: ..."

Dare to be different. You do not have to be the same with everyone else. Be different. Be honourable. You deserve the better life, you deserve some honour. The honour will not come to you by accident. You have to work it out. You have to make it become a reality. It starts from the heart and a change of mind. You have to think it through. You have to see in the imagination of your mind that it is possible. Jabez saw it and was making moves. His moves probably made him to be known and described as being honourable. 

As hard as he tried, nothing was working. His efforts however made him different from everyone else. He was district and he was known and described as being...

"...more honourable than his brethren:..."

Everyone else was down and he was the only person that appeared to be up. He did something else that gave him the breakthrough. This is important for the blessings to come.

1 Chronicles 4:10

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!..."

It is not common to introduce God into the equation of our lives. He is usually kept a side. Every successful man or woman had someone else who helped him or her. It could be a parent, teacher, someone of influence, or even a friend. The help from someone who is more influencial, more highly placed or has power to make the difference can cause change to come far much faster than others who have less influence. Bringing God into the equation is very important. God has all the power to cause any change that anyone can desire. Jabez saw this and prayed.

The Prayer Of Jabez 

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!..."

First note that Jabez was informed. There was a point that he knew that there was a God and that this God answers prayers. There could be many gods but the God that Jabez knew was difference from all other gods.

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel..."

Some knew this God as the 'God of Creation' or 'God of All Creation'. Others knew Him as 'God Of Abraham' or 'God Of Abraham, Isaac And Jacob' but here, God was introduced as 'God Of Israel'. God's dealings with the people of Israel is worthy of note here. As a people, the people of Israel had enjoyed divine intervention in amazing ways. From their days in Egypt and their miraculous difference from Egypt to the promise land and the so many things God did to them and how He blessed them, once you come to know Him as 'The God Of Israel', you identify with what He had done, can do and will do. As He had done to the Israelites, he can do and will do for you. Jabez identified with 'The God Of Israel'. This influence was the major turning point of His life. 

Jabez saw this God in the light of what He did to the Israelites. God guided them, He blessed them, He protected them and when they went into error, they were corrected in many different ways, pleasant and unpleasant ways. What He did to the Israelites captivated the mind of Jabez and he prayed to Him. It is important to personally come to the knowledge of God so as to approach Him in prayer. It may not be very necessary that you know so much about Him but get to know the right things about Him that will be relevant for a healthy relationship with Him. He is a healer and He will heal you. He is a deliverer and He will deliver you from anything that is oppressive. He is a provider and He will provide for you what you need according to His riches. He knows all things and if you learn of Him, He will teach you amazing things. To Him be the glory.

Jabez identified with 'The God Of Israel' and prayed to Him. What was the content of the prayer?

"...Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!..."

Jabez summerized the pain he was going through in the content of his prayers. A look at his prayer, you will notice that somehow and in some way, you may identify yourself with what he was going through.

The Blessing Indeed 

".....Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed,.."

This part of the prayer shows his desire for the blessing. The man who expects the blessings to come without desiring for it may be disappointed. Do you want to be blessed? Desire to be blessed. This must come first before the prayer. His mind imagined the blessing and he believed God for it in prayer. He prayed: "... bless me indeed...". This was not a prayer that someone prayed for him, it was a prayer he prayed himself. While there is no fault in someone praying for you, there is a fault in not desiring for the blessing and not praying for it yourself. Parents may push their children into things but it is left for the children to know what they really want. Had it been Jabez followed the foundation his mother layed, he would have lived a 'Jazed Life' throughout his life and transfer it to his children but instead, he took responsibility without taking offense. Jabez knew what he wanted and he prayed for it to the 'The God Of Israel'. 

Growth And Expansion 

"...enlarge my coast,.."

Being limited by circumstances and situations of life will make a man to live in sorrow and pain. Taking charge is very important. Taking charge starts with the imagination and then speaking out to the right persons. There can be issues that may arise if the wrong people are informed because they can worsen the situation. You can never be wrong speaking of your situation to God. He knows your situation and the pain you are going through and yet He wants you to ask Him. Jabez not only asked God (because everyone else around him is down and cannot be asked) but he asked God exactly what he wanted. 

"...enlarge my coast,..."

Without growing, a child becomes a burden to his or parents. Being in the same position for years can cause frustration and depression. Enlargement is part of life. Jabez felt constricted in the same position for years and he prayed for enlargement. You have to do the same.

The Presence Of God

"...that thine hand might be with me,.."

When a child walks hand in hand with the loving parent, the child learns to be confident. There is an impartation that comes from parent to child when the child is around the loving parent. This is also true in relationship with God. When we carry the presence of God wherever we go, there is a calmness we exude that can amaze others and calmns the storms of life. The presence of God helps to do things the right way. It wades off darkness and gives assurance of victory. Jabez prayed: "...thine hand might be with me,..". He saw how 'The God Of Israel' went with the Israelites. How Moses carried the presence of God and how he succeeded was a good picture of what the presence of God can do. It does not matter what you do for a living, the presence of God will make the difference. Jabez prayed for it. Pray for the presence of God.

Kept From Evil 

"...that thou wouldest keep me from evil,.."

Jabez saw enough evil during his days. He had enough of it. A good share of his life was spent seeing evil. He saw the need for it to come to an end. What others do to end evil in many instances is to introduce another evil. This in most cases, multiplies the evil. What Jabez did was a good example. He prayed to 'The God Of Israel'. There is so much power available for deliverance from evil which is available in prayer. All power belong to God. He will deliver you from evil. He will keep you far from evil. Pray to Him about it.

Freedom From Grief 

"...that it may not grieve me!..."

Grief is fabricated from darkness and sin. If you must be free from grief, you must stay away from darkness and sin. To stay away from darkness and sin, you need the help of God. The world has enough reason to grief. Sometimes it may appear as if grieving is a way of life. Say no to grief. Pray about it.

Jabez saw that grief can be put to an end and the way it can end is by introduction of the God factor. He prayed: "...that it may not grieve me!..."

Where else will Jabez go to and get free from grief if not God. Throughout his life, all he saw was grief. When he thinks of the things of God, he saw freedom from grief. It is possible to be free from grief. God will give you freedom. It shall be yours.

In summary, this is the prayer of Jabez:

" Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!..."

Jabez had his life summerized in this prayer. You will discover that something to do with your life is pinpointed here. If you will pray, you will see a change. Change your thinking and approach God in prayer. Believe Him for the change. God is bigger than everything.

It is not enough to pray. The complete package is first to change your thinking, know God and His plans for your life, approach Him in prayer then take the answers to your prayer. Did God answer Jabez?

 "...And God granted him that which he requested."

Now comes the satisfaction. That Jabez prayed is not enough, what matters at the end of the day was that: "... God granted...". Had he prayed and his life continued the way it used to be, it would have been waste of time and effort. God answered Jabez's prayer. And his life was changed. God will answer your prayers.

Do not exclude yourself from the blessing. Do not embrace pain and sorrow. Do not wallow in sin and darkness. There is change available for you in God.

Galatians 3:13

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree..."

God in Christ Jesus have made provision for us to be free from the power that is holding us down. Pain and sorrow is powerless when Christ Jesus is introduced into the equation of our lives. The curse that has been ruining things in a man's life can be reduced to nothing by the power of the cross of Jesus. The nobody can become somebody in Christ. If you have tried everything to be free and yet nothing changed, step into the boat with Jesus. You will be uprooted from the curse into the blessing.

Pray:

My Father and my God, You are the God of all Creation and of all time. You are the God of this moment in my life. What I have suffered over the year is put to an end today by the cross of Jesus. I pray for Your intervention and deliverance.

You are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I enter into the covenant You had with Abraham by faith in Christ Jesus to enjoy the blessings of Abraham as from today.

You are the God of Israel. You have proved over and over again that You are faithful to those who are faithful to You. Do to me what You did to the Israelites. Guid me like You guided them, protect me like You did them and bless me like You did them. What You did to Jabez, by the faith I have in Christ Jesus.

You answered Jabez, thank You for answering me. I take the answers to my prayers as I enjoy Your blessing. This i pray in Jesus name. Amen!