.png)
Day one: The Prayer of Jabez 1 Chronicles 4:9-11
The prayer of Jabez is a good example of how we should make prayer a priority in our lives. We should always look to God for our help in time of need, and we can take our requests straight to the throne of grace. the prayer of Jabez provides a wonderful instance of a child of God approaching the Majesty on High in humility, faith, and reliance upon God’s goodness.
Thoughts: Pray for God’s blessing. An expansion of territory. The presence of God’s hand. This was Jabez’s way of asking for the guidance of God and His strength to be evident in his daily existence. Protection from harm.
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give”) Isaiah 62:2
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
1 Chronicles 16:11
Jabez’s very name meant pain, grief, sorrow. Here is Johnny, Suzie, and Pain! You talk about a negative self-image! What label are you wearing? It may be divorce, depression, bankruptcy, addiction. That may be where you have been, but it does not have to define who you are! Life is filled with pain. The pain of the past and pain of the present. A.W. Tozer said, “It is doubtful whether God can use a man greatly, until he has first hurt him significantly.” There is purpose in the pain. Setbacks in life can be used by God as a setup for blessing. Most people would have talked about their pain, but not Jabez. He did not play the victim. He prayed for blessing. Don’t focus on your pain. Focus on His promise! God will get you through your pain! God does not have to remove the pain to bless you. He can bless you in spite of the pain. Pain does not have the last word on your life. God did not change Jabez’s name, but He changed his future. Jabez prayed, “Lord, don’t let my label be my legacy.”
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ Rev. 2:17
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” Jeremiah 29:11-14
The Prayer of Jabez:
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 4:10, NKJV
How to meaningfully make the prayer of Jabez personal
And Jabez called on the God of Israel.
“Oh, Father, we call upon You. You are the God of Israel and You are my God. You are the God who saves me, and I trust You. Thank You that when I call upon You, You promise to listen.
Also, You tell me You will answer me and show me marvelous things that I do not know. Would You do that today? Would You hear and answer me? And, would You show me great and mighty things that I need to know?”
Oh, that You would bless me indeed.
“Lord, would You bless me indeed. Would You open the heavens and pour out rich blessings upon my life? As I bring my tithes and gifts to You, would You open the windows of heaven for me? Will You pour out a blessing so great that I won’t have enough room to take it in?
Father, I ask You to bless me spiritually. I praise You, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the way You have blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
I ask that You bless me with the peace that passes understanding, with joy overflowing, with wisdom to see and understand Your ways, with Your love for those around me, with discernment as I make decisions, and with grace for unexpected turns up ahead.
Also, I ask You to bless me financially. As I work, budget, save, tithe, and live; would You make me wise with my finances? You promise to provide all that we need for life and godliness. Would You graciously provide for every true need of our lives?
And, would You bless me with power and strength today? I need You! Without You, I’m a mess. But, with You, I can do all things. I ask that You anoint me, endorse me, empower me, encourage me, and establish me. Please, bless the work of my hands today”
And enlarge my territory.
“Oh, God, would You enlarge my territory? Would You expand my horizons and my borders? Would You take my life and use me like You never have before? I will enlarge the place of my tent; stretch out the curtains of my dwellings, spare not; lengthen my cords and strengthen my pegs. As I do this and make more room, I ask You to abundantly work in and through my life.
Would You enlarge my influence, enlarge my ministry, enlarge my work and business, enlarge my heart for You? Lord, Would You give me a love for You greater than I’ve ever had? Would You give me a love for the Bible and for prayer like I’ve never had in the past?
And, would You give me more love for the lost and those in need as I’ve never had before? Would You give me a desire to know You above all else? Deep within my heart, light a fire for You that will passionately burn and grow. I want to know You.”
That Your hand would be with me.
“Lord, let Your hand be with me; I’ve chosen to walk with You. I’ve chosen Your Word and Your way. Thank You that I don’t have to fear because You are with me. You strengthen me, help me, and uphold me with Your righteous right hand.
I ask that Your hand would lead me, protect me, strengthen me, and be an all-sufficient hand for my life. I’m so thankful that You are with me.
By Your hand, would You also protect me? Keep me from places I don’t need to go. Keep me from people I don’t need to see or deal with today. Surround me with Your protection. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Thank You for being with me.”
And that You would keep me from evil.
“Oh, Father, deliver me from evil. Keep me from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin. Keep me also from the evil one, Satan, and from all evil men and evil company.
Additionally, would You keep me from the evil of trouble and all the evil designs of my enemies, that they might not hurt my life or my family? I ask that You protect me from evil as I press in close to You.
Also, I ask that You give me victory over evil as I put on Your armor. I am strong in You and in Your mighty power. I will stand with the belt of truth buckled around my waist. I’ll put on the breastplate of righteousness and have my feet ready to share the gospel of peace.
I’ll take up the shield of faith, which will enable me to extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one. And, I’ll put on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – Your Word.
So, God granted him what he requested.
“God, You are the granter of requests, the One who answers prayer, and the only One to whom I turn right now. I ask that, like you did with Jabez, You would grant me Your favor and answer my prayers. You can do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that I might ask or think. You are able!
Thank You for hearing my prayer today.
I do love you, Lord.
In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4
I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.”
Ezekiel 34:26
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12
Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Matthew 5:13
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
Jesus rode a donkey and received praise from the people of Israel. He carried our grief and sorrows so that we could carry his weighty presence in our lives. His burden is light and gives blessing with no sorrow. We are his donkeys and we carry his light.
A huge horse is scared of a small mouse and runs away. That is the wicked when no pursues them because they are fearful of impending judgment for sin and evil. A donkey is there ready to carry burdens and listen to its master.
A Donkey is very smart and can remember the holes in a path it took and avoid it. Strong and stout and carry heavy things.
Isaiah 53 provides one of the most beautiful and powerful descriptions of the Messiah in all of Scripture. One important description is how Jesus the Messiah has “surely . . . borne our griefs” (Isaiah 53:4, ESV). The fact that He has surely borne our griefs is central to Jesus’ work as the promised Messiah.
The Messiah is the “arm” of the Lord who has been revealed (Isaiah 53:1) but who was rejected by many. This Messiah grew up like any young thing does—like a suckling or a root (verse 2a). There was nothing abnormal or majestic about His human appearance (verse 2b). In fact, He was even despised by men and forsaken. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief—people hid their faces from Him, He was greatly despised, and people did not recognize or esteem Him (Isaiah 53:3a). These verses explain how Jesus has surely borne our griefs (Isaiah 53:4). It was bad enough that He carried our sorrows, but, as Isaiah puts it, even as He was bearing our griefs and sorrows, we did not esteem or care for Him. The next verse explains specifically how Jesus has surely borne our griefs.
Isaiah tells us that Jesus the Messiah (or the Christ) was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5a). He was afflicted not because of any deficiency of His own, but He took on our transgressions and iniquities and paid the price that you and I owed to God. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. Paul explains there that the consequence of Adam’s sin—and our own sin because we are descended from Adam—is death (Romans 5:12). Specifically, the penalty was eternal separation from God. This is the death promised in Genesis 2:17. God added physical death as a penalty and as a way to keep humanity from living eternally on earth in that condemned state (Genesis 3:19, 22). Since Adam and Eve’s fall, humanity has lived in that lost state—being dead in sin, separated from God because of sin (Ephesians 2:1–3). But even as God pronounced judgment on humanity after the fall, He promised that there would be redemption, accomplished by one specific Person (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53). It is in this way that Jesus has surely borne our griefs.
Paul explains that, while we were still sinners and totally helpless, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). None of us had any merit before God. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). We have all gone astray like wayward sheep, and we have all gone our own way (Isaiah 53:6a). Yet in His amazing love, God allowed the eternal penalty for our sins to be paid by Jesus. The Lord caused all our iniquity to fall upon Him (Isaiah 53:6b). This is how Jesus has surely borne our griefs (Isaiah 53:4).
Jesus paid the price of our redemption willingly, going like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). In doing so, He fulfilled promises God had made to Israel that He would forgive their sin (Isaiah 53:8). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, as He was buried in a rich man’s grave (Isaiah 53:9; cf. Matthew 28:57–60). Jesus was the offering for all our guilt (Isaiah 53:10a), but He did not remain dead. Rather, He arose and will prosper—and Isaiah predicted that, too (Isaiah 53:10b).
Just as Jesus arose from the dead to show that He had conquered death, so it is for all who believe in Him—they are given eternal life (John 3:16; 6:47). In this world, believers have new life (Ephesians 2:8–9) and new purpose and joy in life (Ephesians 2:10). While many in Jesus’ day did not believe in or receive Him, as Isaiah foretold (Isaiah 53:1, 3), we all have the opportunity to believe in Him for eternal life (John 20:30–31). All who have believed in Him are born again as children of God (1 John 5:13), no longer guilty of sin and separated from Him. Because Jesus has surely borne our griefs (Isaiah 53:4), if we have believed in Him, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1).
Thank you for another great day of Zoom Battle Prayer.