2. Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

3.  Name’s have meaning  David = ancient Hebrew = “dear” or “darling  Melissa = Greek = “honey bee”  Sharon = Hebrew = “fertile plain”  Frederic = German = “peace ruler”  Jabez = Hebrew = “PAIN”  “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me” does not apply to Jabez.”  God helps him through his simple prayer  Sometimes it’s the simple prayers that mean the most!

4.  “Oh, that you would bless me…”  What is a blessing?  It is a specific gift from God, for a specific time and a specific purpose, to bring increase into our life.  It is God’s nature to bless His people.  Gen 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.  Ps 72:17 His name shall endure forever; his name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.  Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  Jabez prayed for God’s best in his life

5.  “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!”  This is taking the limitations off God in your life!  This is saying to God, “I am tired of limiting what you can do through me.”  Remember, it is us who limits the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives  The Hebrew word for “enlarge” also means – to bring in abundance, to increase, to bring up, to multiply, to make greater, to extend the dimensions…”  The Hebrew word for “territory” also means – border, space, coast, bounds, limits  This prayer, in essence, is saying “Lord, get me out of my comfort zone that I may enter into a great measure of your blessing.”

6.  “Let your hand be with me…”  God in all His glory, all His majesty, all His splendor and awesomeness wants to put His hand on us!  The Hebrew word that is used here is the one for an open hand.  This word indicates power, means, and direction.  Power  Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.“  2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  Means  Phil 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Ps 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

7.  This word indicates power, means, and direction.  Direction  Ps 37:23-25 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.

8.  “…keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”  Harm = evil  Sin doesn’t just affect us, it affects those around us.  Jabez had grown up with the title of “one who causes pain” – but he knew God could set him free of that label  Matt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.  Rom 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Don’t struggle with your sin and say, “I will go to God after I have dealt with this.” Ask him to help you deal with it.”

9.  Jabez is remembered today:  He was not a great prophet or preacher  He was not a wise ruler over great nation  He was not famous on the field of battle  He was remembered because of his prayer!  James 4:2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.  We should pray for God’s blessing  We should ask him to get us out of our comfort zones – enlarge out territories  We should pray for God’s power, means and direction  We should ask him to keep us free from sin