Topic: God and Effective Prayer. Categories: Know God> Power>
Bible Scriptures: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, Genesis 1:28.
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Long time ago, in the days of the Bible, in the Old Testament, before Jesus walked the earth as a man, there was a man whose name was Jabez. The life and prayer of Jabez reveals much about God.
In his birth, Jabez caused his mother great pain, so his mother gave him a name which means to grieve or sorrow. So every time someone would call his name, Jabez would receive a negative emotional image of himself and take on the blame for something that was not his fault. His own mother, his own family, his own tribe and the world when calling Jabez’s name, would reinforce these negative words.
Yet God said something very interesting of Jabez.
1 Chronicles 4:9 ‘Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”’
God said of Jabez he was more honourable than his brothers. Why?
1 Chronicles 4:10 ‘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.’
effective prayer
Jabez called on the God of Israel, the Eternal One, the great I Am, the God of the Bible, the creator of heaven and earth and all things good. He was more honourable than his brothers because he engaged with and entered into a personal relationship with the living God. Jabez chose to give his allegiance to God. As a result Jabez received his identity from God and not from the negative words spoken over Him from his birth.
Only God can heal and transform the deep rooted negative image of self and transform shame into honour.
Jabez knew God and became one with God’s heart. His prayer to God testifies.
prayer of blessing
First thing Jabez asked God for was that you (God) would bless me (Jabez).
In the original Hebrew language in which the Old Testament was written, this word translated as bless is the exact same word that God declared over the first man and woman. It means because of ones love for another honour is given.
Let us go back to the beginning of human history, when God out of love created both male and female in His own image, to a time when everything was good. Before the first man and woman chose to become one with evil and good, activating evil into God’s perfect world.
Genesis 1:28 ‘Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God created them both male and female in His own image and blessed them both equally.
Remember this word translated as blessed or bless means that because of ones love for another honour is given. Because God so loves, He created the first man and woman and gave His honour to them.
His honour
God honoured the first man and woman and gave His image, His identity, His love, His joy, His peace, His goodness, His kindness, His gentleness, His self-control, His patience, His faithfulness, His power, His authority and perfect world. He gave the first man and woman everything of Himself. That is the heart of God because God so loves.
Jabez’s heart and God’s heart were one. God loves unconditionally and gives of Himself to all who are willing to receive Him. Jabez knew that God was the source of all things good and cried out to Him.
Jabez asked God for the restoration of God’s identity and honour. The first man and woman chose to become one with evil and have their identity with evil and good. Jabez chose to become one with good, one with God and asked God to restore in him what was lost by humanity.
The first thing Jabez asked of God was to restore the honour of having his identity in God.
prayer of mission
The second thing Jabez asked God for was to ‘enlarge my territory.’
This Hebrew word translated as multiply that God declared over the first man and woman is the same Hebrew word that is translated as enlarge my territory that Jabez uses in his prayer. It has a big meaning. It means to multiply, increase, be in authority, to grow.
Let us read again. Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed (because I love you I give my honour) them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply (increase, be in authority, to grow); fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Once again Jabez’s heart and God’s heart are one. Jabez knew that only God is the source of all things good. Jabez knew it was God’s heart for humanity to be fruitful, multiply, increase and to be in authority to grow only good.
The first man and woman chose to become one with evil and gave over their power to increase, grow and multiply only good to that of evil and their selfish desires. As a consequence humanity multiplies both good and evil.
Jabez chose to become one with good, one with God and asked God to restore in him what was lost by humanity.
Only God can restore to humanity His authority to multiply His goodness.
prayer of intimacy
The third thing Jabez asked of God was to restore intimacy with Him and as a result be saved from evil and cause others pain.
Once again Jabez’s heart and God’s heart are one. Jabez knew that only God has unconditional love and mighty power to walk beside him and save him from evil. He knew that only God could save him from the consequences of causing offence to others.
Jabez knew it was God’s heart for humanity to be saved from evil and to not cause pain.
Jabez asked God for the restoration of intimacy with Him.
The first man and woman chose to become one with evil and good, not wanting intimacy with God. Jabez chose to reject evil and become one with good, one with God and asked God to restore in him what was lost by humanity.
Only God can restore to humanity intimacy with Him and the deliverance from evil.
in conclusion
The first thing Jabez asked of God was to restore the honour of having his identity in God.
The second thing Jabez asked of God was to restore the authority to multiply God’s goodness.
The third thing Jabez asked of God was to restore intimacy with Him and deliverance from evil so that he would not cause others pain.
what was God’s response to this prayer?
Scripture tells us, ‘So God granted him what he requested.’
Effective prayer is engaging with God, the creator of heaven and earth and all things good, choosing to become one with God’s heart, mind and salvation mission.
Only God can transform shame into honour, restore identity in Him, and take away the power given to evil by humanity and save humanity from evil and their own
selfish desires.
It is only God who can provide what humanity needs. That is God Himself and intimacy with Him.
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