Jabez Prayer

The Bible records several times where God specifically granted what was asked for in prayer. Those examples can instruct us in our own praying.

Of course we are to follow the example prayer given to us by Jesus, which we call the Lord’s Prayer, found in Matthew 6. And we are to ask and keep on asking as Jesus instructed. Yet we can also be encouraged to see prayers God specifically answered.

One such prayer was prayed by a man named Jabez. We know very little about him except a short explanation in a record of names in the Old Testament.

“Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez (meaning ‘Pain’), saying, Because of the painful birth. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, praying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that your hand would be with me, and that you would protect me from evil, and that I may not cause pain! And God granted his request.” 1Chronicles 4:9,10

Since we know God answered this prayer let us look at what Jabez asked for and consider seeking the same things for ourself.

Jabez approached God with a bold prayer. When I was a boy we were taught it is wrong to ask for things for ourselves. We were instructed to pray only for others, otherwise we would be being selfish.

However Jesus taught us to ask for specific things for ourself, such as our daily provision, forgiveness of sins, guidance and protection. The limitation I was taught as a child was a religious idea that is not supported in the Bible. Sadly there are many religious ideas taught by Christians who haven’t stopped to see what the Bible actually says, but have kept up some tradition passed to them.

Jabez knew he had relationship with God, so he could confidently come to God in prayer. He was one of God’s chosen people, so he accepted that and stepped confidently into God’s presence, asking for what he was sure God was happy to give.

You, as a believer, are a child of God and you too can come confidently into God’s presence and bring your requests.

Jabez asked for blessing: “Truly bless me”. He knew that God’s blessing is far better than anything we can do for ourselves. We can bless ourselves by being good students, good workers, wise managers of our money, careful in our decisions, making right friends, and so on. But those blessings are insignificant compared to the blessing of God.

Jabez then asked that God would give him larger territory: “Enlarge my borders”. He knew that promotion comes from the Lord and that God is able to give us greater room in life.

“Promotion isn’t from the east, or west, or south. But God is judge. He puts down one, and sets up another.” Psalm 75:6,7

“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.” Isaiah 54:2

Our territory is enlarged when we get promoted, or find our business moving into new products and areas, or when people join our team, or we are given a bigger budget to manage. A growing family, expanding business, higher office and greater responsibility are all expressions of having our borders enlarged, as Jabez prayed.

Jabez then asked that God’s hand would be with him: “Let your hand be with me”. God’s hand with us brings us Provision, but also Protection. God’s hand can also tap us on the shoulder or point the way, giving us Direction. And when God’s sword is in His hand, we are able to win battles that are outside our strength.

When Gideon fought the Midian host their battle cry was “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” Yet what Gideon’s sword could do, with only 300 men, was next to nothing compared with what God’s sword did in that great victory.

God’s hand can go before you, setting up connections or protections, so your day works sweetly. He can put things in place for you, block those who would mess things up, take a firm hand against those who would challenge you, and so on.

Jabez then asked to be protected from harm: “Protect me from evil”. Evil can come up in our lives from two main sources. We can be attacked by others, such as an angry person, or a deceiver, thief, fool or abuser. We want to be protected from all such evil. But there is evil that springs from our own human heart, such as pride, jealousy, anger, revenge, spite, unforgiveness, lust and greed. We need to be protected from ourselves, as well as evil people around us. So I like to think of that prayer for protection as covering those two dimensions.

Finally, Jabez talks of not being a pain. Some translations suggest he was concerned about not being in pain: “Keep me from evil so I don’t suffer”. But the words are also translated as: “Keep me from evil so I don’t cause pain to others”.

Since Jabez started life as one who caused pain, and since his mother named him ‘Pain’ (Jabez), the curse on his life is of him being a pain giver. So it seems Jabez was asking for a new destiny, a new identity in life. It’s like he is praying, “May I be free from all that I was, and live in a new way, being the opposite of the bad things I am known for.”

So, since God answered the Jabez prayer, let’s take this prayer and make it ours.
“Lord God, we come to You and ask You to truly Bless us. Lord, give us expanded territory and give us the wisdom and capacity to occupy that territory well. Lord, may Your hand go with us to Provide, Protect and Guide us, and to fight for us when needed. And deliver us from all evil, including attacks from around us, and the evil that might spring up in our own heart. And Lord, take all the bad things we have been known for and turn them around so we become people known for the very opposite of those things, for Your glory. Amen.”

And now friends, may you be blessed as you live out the Jabez Prayer.