God Is Committed to Your Growth, Not Your Comfort: Jabez's Prayer
Dr RJ Sing, 30 min, Part 1 of Expanding Your Borders and Influence
Originally preached as “Expanding Your Borders and Influence”
Sermon outline
God hears the cry of His children, and the prayer of Jabez is a bold request He is ready to grant: to be empowered to prosper, enlarged in territory and influence, and kept by the hand of God.
Main text
- 1 Chronicles 4:10
Opening
He prays for anointing and for every need in the room to be answered, welcomes first-time visitors and guest ministers, congratulates two newly married couples and announces a baby dedication. He explains that the church has been in a theme on solving life's problems, but because it is communion service he feels led to deviate and share 'expanding your borders and influence for God', a word that began with God dealing with his own heart.
Jabez called on the God of Israel
God could not have granted Jabez his request if He had not heard him, so be reminded that God hears you. Jabez means pain and he came into the world in pain, but he cried to God. We are never too big, too mature or too educated to cry out. David made many mistakes as king, yet he knew how to cry out to his God.
Illustration: Noisy children running around do not grab a parent's attention, but when one cries out in pain, mum and dad run with a sense of urgency.
“There's something about when a child of God cries.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:10
- Acts 13:22
Oh, that you would bless me indeed
He defines bless from the Hebrew barak: to be strengthened in your weakness as you kneel before God, an empowerment to prosper, with longevity, fruitfulness and the ability to produce. People around you do not always understand that it is God giving the increase. We need God in our marriages, careers and professions, whatever our background or experience.
Illustration: Blessings are part of a Jewish wedding. A marriage contract is not between a man and a woman only, but between a man, a woman and God: a threefold cord.
“The word bless means an empowerment to prosper.”
- Numbers 6:24-26
- Ecclesiastes 4:12
Enlarge my territory
To enlarge is to make greater in quantity or dimension, to extend limits, to set at liberty and release from confinement or pressure. Man was never created to be confined, because God made us in His image for increase and multiplication. In his opinion Jabez needed more land for crops or livestock. Territory includes land, houses and real estate, and also a sphere of influence, and his word to the church is that theirs is going to increase.
“God created us to expand.”
- Genesis 1:26-27
That your hand would be with me
The hand of God is the power of God, an unseen power behind our natural lives. People who attack you do not realise they are attacking the power behind you. When Moses buckled under the pressure of leading the people, God asked him whether the Lord's arm had been shortened. Pressure can push anyone into doubting because the dream looks bigger than the resources, and that is why we must learn to cry out to God.
Illustration: The older Christians, he says, knew how to cry to God.
“There's a hand on your life.”
- Numbers 11:23
First, the hand of God intervenes to make provision
Moses stood between the people and the Red Sea not knowing what to do, cried to the Lord and was shown exactly what to do. The same hand parted the sea, sent manna, drew water from the rock and protected Israel. However big or small your need, He can meet it.
“It's the hand of the Lord that will provide for you.”
- Exodus 14:15-21
- Exodus 16:14-15
- Exodus 17:6
Second, the hand of God intervenes to move the hearts of people in power
Your life does not depend on what a difficult manager or supervisor thinks of you. God is bigger than they are and still in control behind the scenes. He can change their hearts towards you, and even policies and procedures.
“Behind the scenes, God is still in control of your life.”
- Proverbs 21:1
Third, the hand of God intervenes with His presence
When Elisha's servant saw that they were surrounded, Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened and he saw the chariots and horsemen of God. Elisha knew the invisible power of God in the middle of a crisis. Whatever you face, know that God is with you.
“He knew that in the midst of crisis, God was with him.”
- 2 Kings 6:15-17
Fourth, He intervenes to defend and protect you
He simply asks the church to trust God's protecting hand.
“I want you this morning to trust God's protecting hand.”
Fifth, the hand of God intervenes to overcome your personal limitations
If we had it all together we would not need God. He set things up so that we would cry to Him, He would help, and He would get the glory. His eyes search the whole earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are loyal to Him.
“We need God because there's a power bigger than us.”
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
Five requests, and an abundant increase
Jabez asked five things: bless me indeed, enlarge my coast, let your hand be with me, keep me from evil, and keep me from grief. Enlarge means abundant increase, the same idea as 'multiply' in Genesis 1:28, where two people were told to fill the earth. Jabez was not after a little blessing. We limit God when we get comfortable, and transition is uncomfortable because growth is pain and it provokes jealousy. The hand of God comes into play for those who keep climbing mountains in His strength.
Illustration: Adam and Eve's assignment was to go from just two people to an earthful. You may be one or two, or a family of four or six, but God is with you.
“God's not committed to our comfort. He's committed to our growth.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:10
- Genesis 1:28
Putting it into practice
- Learn to cry out to God, however young or old you are.
- Underline 1 Chronicles 4:10 in your Bible, write the prayer down and pray it every day.
- Trust God's hand with difficult people in authority over you.
- Do not settle into comfort: be ready to move and to take more territory.
- Stop fighting battles you should not be in. God has you covered.
Closing
He says he has 'not even begun' his message, tells the church to get ready for increase in territory and asks them to pray the prayer of Jabez daily. With everyone standing he ties it to the theme for the month, 'I shall do greater works', calls for a victory shout and says an SMS, an email or a phone call may come this month that increases their stature and influence. He ends by blessing them with the priestly blessing and the promise that God will never leave nor forsake them.
Declarations he led
- I have a big God.
In his words
- “There's something about when a child of God cries.”
- “The word bless means an empowerment to prosper.”
- “God will change policies and procedures and laws just for you.”
- “God's not committed to our comfort. He's committed to our growth.”
- “Transition is growth and growth is pain.”
Every scripture in this message
- 1 Chronicles 4:10
- Acts 13:22
- Numbers 6:24-26
- Ecclesiastes 4:12
- Genesis 1:26-27
- Numbers 11:23
- Exodus 14:15-21
- Exodus 16:14-15
- Exodus 17:6
- Proverbs 21:1
- 2 Kings 6:15-17
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
- Genesis 1:28
- John 14:12
- Hebrews 13:5
