JABEZ 

In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 we have an amazing example of what can happen when someone earnestly reaches out to God to see their circumstances change for the better:

"Now Jabez was more honourable 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"   (NKJV).

Jabez got off to a bad start in life.  He obviously gave his mother a painful pregnancy – to the point she named him Jabez (meaning “pain, sorrow, distress”).  In naming him Jabez his mother placed a negative curse upon him, never allowing him to forget the pain he had caused her.  Jabez represents so many people in this generation – people who have not had a good start to life, those who have been birthed outside of love and acceptance, those who carry rejection from the womb, etc.  These things lead to a negative existence, even into adulthood.  Jabez obviously felt the pain of what he had caused his mother.  He was the innocent victim of the circumstances that surrounded his entrance to the world.

In adulthood Jabez longed to be free of that life-long curse, and he developed a yearning to be free.  That yearning got to the point where he cried out to God to change him, to break the negativity and curse off his life.  He did not want to be a pain, or a burden to any one!  That thing had affected his whole life.  It had robbed him of blessings, expansion in land ownership, of being conscious of God’s hand upon him, of living an acceptable free-from-evil life-style.  He was sick of causing pain to others.  What he had sown into him he had grown up to sow into others.  The pain became a pain!

Jabez pleaded his cause with God.  He prayed for God to break the cycle, to change his life and circumstances.  He longed to know success, acceptance and honour. 

God loved that prayer!  God answered that prayer!  God granted Jabez all that he requested. 

Surely the example of Jabez demonstrates the heart of God toward those who are sick of their lot in life and who desire to rise to live a respectable life to the glory of God. 
TODAY, no matter what the past has handed out to you, YOU can rise to a new level of living.  Take your pain to Jesus.  Discover that you do not have to live under the negative talk, opinions and curses of others – even parents!  Jabez discovered that God comes to the rescue!  He also discovered the name Jabez has another meaning – “height.”  When God answered his prayer he rose to be more honourable than his brothers and sisters.  He changed from the “gutter most” to the “utter most,” from being looked down on to being looked up to.  That’s the purpose of God for you today.  Don’t stay in those negative circumstances that rob you of true destiny in God - Rodney Francis.

 Bible  Readings:  Judges 6;  Exodus 3.

 Please Pray This Prayer:

  "Lord God, I bring my life before You right now in Jesus' name.  I especially place my past circumstances, rejections, inferiorities, hurts, anger, resentments and pride at Your feet, at the foot of the Cross.  I no longer want to live according to the negatives and curses of the past.  I want to be free, like Jabez, to rise to become more honourable than my brothers and sisters in such a way that I can glorify You like I have never been able to before.  I am sick of the failings of my past, and I see from the life of Jabez that I can rise again into newness of life and experience victory that I have never been able to before.  Like Jabez, I reach out to You from the depth of my being and say, 'O that You will bless me indeed, enlarge my coast, let me feel the sure hand of God on my life, deliver me from evil and enable me to live to bring blessing - and not pain! - to others.'  I thank You, Lord Jesus, for hearing my cry, and I believe I will now rise (like Jabez) into a new season in my God.  In Jesus' name I pray these things, Amen."

The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry, , New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.