The Jabez Blessing

Scripture

"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' 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."1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV)There is a little-known character found tucked amidst all the begats of 1 Chronicles. His name was Jabez. Jabez literally means “pain.” Every time he heard his name, he was reminded of his pain. It could have been something physical or something relational; perhaps he was a burden to his parents.This honorable man, a man who strived to please God, dared to ask God for a blessing indeed. The word bless has the idea of God’s favor, His smile, His applause. Indeed means beyond, more than. He wanted more than just a blessing; he wanted a mega blessing from God. He asked that God would enlarge his borders or give him more real estate. The more land one had, the more influence he had. Jabez was asking God for more influence. He wanted God to do something so big in his life that it had to be God who did it and not something he orchestrated himself. He also wanted to experience God’s presence and God’s protection.Are you willing to pray for God’s “blessings indeed"? Are you willing to pay the price for that blessing by living in the center of God’s will? Are you willing to seek God’s face, to see who God is, and not just see His hands and what they can do? Then this prayer is for you.In a message I preached years ago, before Jabez became cool, I paraphrased Jabez’ prayer into the following:Lord, bless me indeed,Do something so big in my life that it is obviously from You;Increase my influence and opportunities for You;Give me the sense of Your continual presence and direction;Protect me and keep me from falling into Satan’s traps.In Jesus' name, amen.

5 Lessons on the Blessing of God on Jabez

1. Be willing to totally surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
2. Consistently walk in the will of God, beginning with what God has said in His Word.
3. Commit to praying this prayer of Jabez for the next 30 days. This is not a magical formula, only a guide to praying.
4. Watch for God to bless you in obvious ways.
5. Remember, some of God’s greatest blessings come from life’s most difficult trials.

I challenge you to pray the Jabez prayer for 30 days and watch for God to work in your life. It’s not a magic formula, but a way to ask for God’s blessings on your life and family.