THE PRAYER OF JABEZ - Part II
I Chronicles 4:9-10 – “And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
ENLARGE MY BORDERS
As the first request of Jabez had to do with blessing, the second request was that the Lord would enlarge his coast or expand his borders. What did Jabez actually mean by this request? Looking back at the previous month’s article, we know that the birth of Jabez was cloaked with negativity. Maybe, as we have mentioned in the previous article, his mother was not able to care for him or did not want him. We can only speculate as to what the circumstances were that led up to his birth, but maybe, just maybe, his family had been the proud owners of something that was stolen from them that as a result, left them destitute and hard-pressed to be able to afford anything. Maybe, due to this detrimental and unfavorable situation, he found himself in a place and position that was lacking, with no room for growth. Whatever the circumstances were that surrounded Jabez at this moment in time, he requested of the Lord — the only One that could hear and honor his request — that He enlarge his borders and get him out of this present situation in which he found himself.
GOD SAID HE CAN TURN IT AROUND
I believe that we could learn a lesson from Jabez with his request for the Lord to enlarge his borders, and I believe that it can be applied to us today in two ways. First, many believers, and many people in general, never break out of that which imprisons them. They have been held captive and confined to their negative circumstances, and they feel that they will never be able to be freed from that situation. It haunts them; it follows them everywhere like a dark cloud hovering over them on a daily basis. However, there is One who can take us out of that present, negative experience and turn our situation around for the good. Only God could take Joseph from a prison to the palace. Only God can turn beauty from ashes and joy from our pain. Only Jehovah can take that which Satan meant for evil and turn it around for good. He’s only waiting for us to ask Him.
DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS WHEN GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU SO MUCH MORE
Secondly, I believe this refers to asking and believing Him for the impossible. Too many Christians settle with second best when God wants to give us the best. They settle for little when the Lord has so much more in store for us to experience. All He wants us to do is ask Him and believe Him to enlarge our borders. To use an example from our church, Family Worship Center, there is a trap door on the platform, but it is not seen by most people. If one stands in the middle of that trap door and stays there, he has limited himself to that small space. Most Christians have limited themselves and, in reality, limited God to a small space by not believing that God will do for them what He has done for others. However, if one will look at the main auditorium of Family Worship Center and see that amount of space and the size of that building, it is massive. In other words, He wants to give us so much more than what we can even ask or think. All we must do is simply believe Him and ask Him for the impossible.
Nearly every morning as I go to the Lord in prayer, I seek Him for that which is impossible. I ask Him to give us the entirety of this planet. To most people, that seems as if it is an impossible task, and with man, it is an impossible task. However, I have news for you. The Scripture tells us that with God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Now, it’s up to you to believe that, for you can settle for less, or you can ask the Lord to enlarge your borders. Keep asking Him for the impossible! Keep seeking Him for the impossible! Keep knocking on that door, for the Bible tells us that those who ask will receive, those who seek will find, and for those who keep knocking (and never quit), that door will be opened unto you.
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS THE ONLY TRUE WORD OF FAITH THERE IS
Now, I can imagine that some of you reading this column are saying to yourselves, “Pastor Gabe is preaching Word of Faith.” You’re right! However, let me clarify that statement. The Message of the Cross is the only true word of faith there is. I will never claim that you can “name it and claim it” or “blab it and grab it,” but I am saying that what Jesus did at the Cross affords us so much that we really do not have the wherewithal to comprehend such blessing. Everything that God wants to give us comes through our faith in Christ and what He did at Calvary and our faith in that finished work. It cannot come through any other manner or means. The Cross paid for us to experience all that God has for us. When we plug in to the Message of the Cross, that is what energizes the Holy Spirit to begin working in our lives in the way that He sees fit. The Cross, ladies and gentlemen, is the answer for all of life’s problems, and it is the only answer to life’s problems. This is God’s prescribed order of victory, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
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