“Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!’ And God granted him what he requested.”
—1 Chronicles 4:10

Reflection

One of my favorite things about the prayer of Jabez is that it is so simple and childlike. We don’t know much about Jabez’s life and history, but we know that when he went before the Lord with a pure and sincere heart, praying for Father God to bless him and enlarge his territory, God answered.

The good news for you and me, beloved, is that God’s goodness toward us is the same as it was toward Jabez. Scripture declares this repeatedly. Paul began many of his letters to the early church by saying, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This means God’s favor is on you and me. It means that He loves us and when we ask Him for good things, as Jabez did, He’s going to give them to us.

Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11).

You’re not condemned before Father God. He’s not mad at you. Your future isn’t going to be filled with gloom and doom. The enemy wants us to believe his lies. But the truth is that God loves us, we are His children, and His desire is to bless us.

The Bible says that we have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but a spirit of adoption by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Beloved, God is your Father. Do you realize that? When you pray, do you address Him only as God or Lord, or do you address Him as Father, Abba, Daddy, or Papa?

Yes, the Lord is our God, but our God came to us in the person of Messiah Jesus so He could become our Father and we could know Him as Daddy. We’ve not received a spirit of isolationism; we’ve received the spirit of adoption by which we cry, “Daddy, Father.”

A Muslim woman from Pakistan once came face to face with this revelation. During a very difficult time in her life, she began reading the Bible and spiritual life began to spring forth within her. Yet she was confused by the contradictions between what she had been taught and what she was reading. Finally, in desperation, she fell on her knees and asked God which was true. She shared that the Spirit of the Lord spoke to her and asked, “Which one tells you to call Me Father?”

That totally melted her heart. The revelation of God as a loving Father saved her life.

As we consider the prayer of Jabez, realize that we’re praying to someone who is a Father to us and loves us as His children, someone who has good things in store for us and wants to bless us by bringing good things into our lives.

Application

• Come before God with the simple, childlike confidence of Jabez, knowing you are praying to a Father who loves you.
• When you pray, receive the spirit of adoption and relate to God personally as your Father, believing in His goodness toward you.

Prayer

Father God, thank You that I have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear, but the spirit of adoption by which I can cry, “Abba! Father!” Help me to know You not only as God and Lord, but personally as my loving Father. I ask You to bless me, enlarge my territory, let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm. Break every lie that causes me to fear Your heart toward me. I receive Your love and believe that You have good things in store for me as Your child. Amen.