The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family

Jabez and his Prayer

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-08

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver examines the brief account of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, highlighting his honorable character and his prayer for blessing, enlarged coast, God's hand, and protection from evil. The sermon emphasizes that Jabez sought spiritual blessings, God's presence and power, and deliverance from sin, and that God granted his request. Applications include the need for repentance, faith, and obedience to change a sorrowful course, praying for deliverance from evil, and trusting in a prayer-hearing God.

[John Weaver] 1 Chronicles 4, verses 9 and 10. The title of the message today is just simply, Jabez and his prayer. Look in 1 Chronicles 4, verse 9. The Bible says, And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.' And God granted him that which he requested." There have been books that have been written about Jabez. In fact, there is one book, I just think, that is entitled, Jabez and His Prayer.

[John Weaver] There have been numerous sermons preached on this text, I am sure. And clearly the Bible tells us that Jabez was a very honorable person. But what is absolutely amazing about Jabez is this. Nothing is known of this man except what is mentioned right here. His name does not occur in any other part of Scripture with the exception of 1 Chronicles 2 and verse 55 where it appears to be the name of a town or a city. Now the town or city may have been named after this individual, I do not know for sure, but Jabez is here introduced to us without description, without ancestry, and he's introduced in such a way that would lead you to think that he was a well-known individual. We can only suppose that he was well-known to those for whom Chronicles was written, either by tradition or at least maybe He was a contemporary. But there's nothing else given us in Scripture concerning Jabez. Now I want you to look in verse 10, because the Bible says very clearly, And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, and you'll skip down, that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.

[John Weaver] In fact, his mother in verse 9 named him Jabez, and she says the reason why, because I bear him with sorrow." So the name Jabez actually means sorrow or sorrowful. So you must ask yourself this question, why in the world did his mother name him Jabez?

[John Weaver] Now scripture does not give us the details so we can only assume that either his birth was extremely difficult or during that time a grievous set of circumstances befell his mother or befell the family. Maybe perhaps her husband died, I don't know. Maybe it could be that she might have died in childbirth. If you would hold 1 Chronicles, but go back in your Bibles to Genesis 35, Genesis 35, and you will notice that that happened to Rachel. Notice Genesis 35, and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Genesis 35, and notice verse 16.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, And they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath. And Rachel prevailed, she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not, thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, note if you would, as her soul was in departing, for she died, that she called his name Benoni, But his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephraim, which is Bethlehem. So very obviously, very clearly, here was a woman who had great difficulty in burying her son, and she died during childbirth. She named him Benomi, that is, son of my sorrow. But his father changed his name to Benjamin, which means son of my right hand. So it could have been that his mother died during childbirth. We don't know. The Bible does not tell us.

[John Weaver] But since you're in Genesis, go right back, if you would please, to Genesis chapter 3 and look, if you would please, at verse 16. Genesis 3 and verse 16. I want you to note that the Scripture teaches us that basically all children are born with sorrow. Genesis 3 and verse 16. God is speaking to the woman and He says this, unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Notice, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children. We understand that some children are born with and in greater sorrow than others. Jabez evidently was born in greater sorrow. Now regardless of the circumstances surrounding the naming of Jabez, we do know that his name is associated with sorrow.

[John Weaver] So you would have to ask yourself this question. Why in the world would a mother name her son with such a name that he would always be identified and associated with sorrow? I laugh when I say that because when you hear some modern day names you still ask yourself why in the world any mother named their child such. But notice if you would, there are at least two possible answers as to why she named her child J-Bess.

[John Weaver] First, it could be that she desired a memorial to herself to be thankful to God as long as she lived for supporting her under and bringing her through that sorrow, that is, if she did not die during childbirth. It is needful and necessary at times to be reminded of our sorrows that we may learn to rejoice in things which are not sorrowful. Many times we are unthankful and ungrateful at things for which we should be thankful and grateful. And we should also learn to be thankful and grateful for our deliverances from sorrow. There are many times, I believe that we go through experiences that God teaches us to be thankful for His deliverance. And He also teaches us to rejoice in the fact that He does give us good times. And I don't know about you, but I am thankful that usually in the average life, The good times far outweigh the bad times. But there could be a second reason, that is, his name could have been a memorial for Jabez, reminding him that this world is indeed a world of sorrow and tears.

[John Weaver] Do you remember Job 14 verse 1, where the Bible says that man who is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble. And she could have just simply been reminding Jabez that he needs to be serious about this life. We have fewness of days and fullness of trouble. It might also remind him to love and honor his mother who brought him into this world with such sorrow and be a comfort and a help to her.

[John Weaver] Now, we're told not only that His name is associated with sorrow, but we're also told in 1 Chronicles 4 that He was more honorable than His brethren. The word honorable literally means to be weighty, to be rich, to be glorious, to be honorable, So when the Bible says that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, you could understand that in several different ways. You could understand it to mean that he was a man of great wealth, or he was a man of great authority and a great position. Or you could understand it to mean that he was a man of great courage and great strength and of great spiritual understanding. We do know that he was indeed a praying man, and we do know that he was devoted to the One True and the Living God. And the Bible says that he was more honorable than his brethren.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 9 and verse 6, because this same word is used in reference to Samuel. Now, you remember that Samuel was undoubtedly a very godly man. You remember that God called Samuel. And God used Samuel throughout his entire life. But in 1 Samuel chapter 9, in verse 6, you remember Saul and his servant has been sent to look for the asses that escaped. And finally the servant said to Saul, in verse 6, And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man.

[John Weaver] All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither, for eventually he can show us our way that we should go.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note that Samuel is referred to as an honorable man. When you think about the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, and all of their wickedness and all of their ungodliness, they could never have been called an honorable man. But here, Samuel is called an honorable man. Why? Because he was a godly man. He was a man who was devoted to the worship and service of the one true and the living God. Likewise, in 1 Chronicles 4 in verse 9, the Bible tells us that he was more honorable than all of his brethren. In verse 10, we find out that Jabez was indeed a man of prayer because he cried out unto the one true and the living God.

[John Weaver] So, in all probability, I would say this. The word honorable then refers to his inclination to prayer, his inclination to godliness and worship and truth and his obedience in spiritual things. In other words, I believe the Scripture is saying that He was more holy, more godly, more dedicated to the One True and the Living God than all of His brethren. Do you realize the way to be great is to be godly? And the way to be honored is to be humbled. Humility comes before honor. And godliness is what makes an individual great.

[John Weaver] Now what I would like to do today is this. I want us to examine the prayer of Jabez. I want you to look at it. I want you to understand that this prayer that Jabez uttered centuries ago has many applications for each of us today. First of all, I want you to note, I'll give you the brief outline. He sought God's blessing. He said, Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast. Secondly, he sought God's power and presence and that thine hand might be with me. Thirdly, he sought God's protection, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.

[John Weaver] And fourthly, we see the answer. and God granted him that which he requested.

[John Weaver] Now let's go back and look at these things one at a time. First of all, he sought God's blessings. Look what he said in verse 10, And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast. It is one thing to desire and seek God's blessings, And it is quite another thing to understand the implications of seeking those blessings. Spiritual blessings are indeed the best blessings. And those who are blessed with spiritual blessings are blessed indeed. God's blessings are real. They are genuine.

[John Weaver] They produce positive effects in our lives. And the truth of the matter is this, you and I can only desire them and pray for them and ask for them, but in order to have them, God must actually grant them, God must actually give them to us. No one is ever blessed apart from God. You know, each morning when I wake up, I pray before I get out of bed and one of the first things I do in prayer is, Lord, thank you for letting me live through the night and for giving me this day.

[John Weaver] I have a very good friend that I grew up with just this past week. Went to bed at night and never woke up in the morning. He died in his sleep. I don't need to quote this verse, I don't think, but I shall. Lamentations 3 verse 33, it is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because His compassions, they failed up, they're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Just stop and think.

[John Weaver] It is God who commands the blessings. It is God who commands the sun to rise. upon the just and the unjust alike. It is God who gives us life. It is God who gives us rest. It is God who gives us sleep. It is God who protects us 24 hours a day. Without Him, without His blessings, we're nothing.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you this prayer request of Jabez in light of Jacob's prayer. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 4 and turn back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. Genesis 22. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Genesis 22 and verse 16. Well, let's see. I said Genesis 22, but I don't think that's the passage I want. Let me go a little further over. Okay. It would be Genesis, I think, 32. Let's see. All right. No, I'm in between. I've got the wrong passage.

[John Weaver] Wait until I get there. Okay, here it is. Genesis 28. Genesis 28. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. You know, remember the story. Jacob is being sent into Paddan Aram, which is Syria, to get a wife for himself. He's going in obedience to his father. And of course, as he rests that night, God comes to him, and notice, if you would, in Genesis 28 and verse 16, and Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God.

[John Weaver] This is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillar, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it, And he called the name of that place Bethel, that is, the house of God. But the name of the city was called Luz at first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee. Now note if you would, verse 20 tells us that Jacob vowed a vow saying, if God will be with me and will keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and put ramen on and that I come again to my father's house, then God's going to

[John Weaver] be my God and I'm going to give him a tenth of all. Now here's what Jacob did basically. Jacob is saying, God, I'm asking you, I'm asking you for a blessing and that blessing is your protection and your provision that you give me enable me to return again to my Father's house, and Lord, I will serve you, you will be my God, I will recognize that by giving you the tenth

[John Weaver] of everything that I made." Now, Jacob's vow, Jacob's prayer had reciprocity in view. Simply stated, if God would provide for Jacob and protect him, then Jacob is saying, I will worship none other than the one true and the living God who has revealed himself. Jabez prayed something similar. So if you look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10, And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast.

[John Weaver] Now, what is not written is implied. What Jabez was saying is this, Lord, if you will bless me, I will worship you and serve you only. Jabez did not express his promise, but he left it to be understood. Maybe he did not express it because he did not want to promise in his own strength, but he still resolved to totally devote himself to God. Basically, here's what Jabez did when he said, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts. What is implied is this, God, if you will bless me, if you will help me, I'll give you a blank check. You just write whatever you want me to be and whatever you want me to do, and that's what I'm going to do. He wanted the blessings of God. He is saying, Lord, I want your blessings. If you will bless me indeed, I will be at your disposal forever.

[John Weaver] His prayer is the most ardent, an affectionate expression of desire. Literally it is this, O that thou wouldst bless me. He was beseeching, he was hungering, he was thirsting for a blessing. O that thou wouldst bless me and bless me greatly with manifold and abundant blessings. It was the same as if Jabez was saying, O God, give me the blessings of Abraham. Give me the blessings of David.

[John Weaver] I want everything that you have for me. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 4 and turn over your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 1. Let me show you. Ephesians chapter 1. And here is a very important truth. Ephesians chapter 1 and look if you would please at verse 3. Ephesians 1 and verse 3. Look what the scripture says. The Apostle Paul is giving this great hymn of adoration, this great doxology in Ephesians 1, 1-14, but he says this in verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, now watch carefully, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Now look carefully at that. Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. How many spiritual blessings has God given us? All of them. Where are they? They're located in Jesus Christ. Now here's my question.

[John Weaver] I know that we pray that God will supply our need, help us to make the money we need to live to pay our bills, I know we ask God for His blessing upon our bodies for health. I know that we ask God for strength to do what we need to do. But how many of us have ever really sought Him for spiritual blessings? Most of the blessings that we ask God for are physical or material. We don't usually ask God for spiritual blessings.

[John Weaver] Jabez, when he said, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, he was basically saying this, Lord, I want everything that you have for me. I want everything. Have you ever prayed to be more holy, to be more godly, to be more spiritual? Have you ever prayed to be more heavenly minded? Have you ever prayed for the fullness of God's power in your life? Have you ever prayed that God would enable you to submit yourself entirely, completely, and totally to Him? Have you ever prayed, Lord renew my mind, give me the mind of Christ constantly, consistently? Have you ever prayed that God would enable you to bring your body into conformity to His Word? Your body, your mind, yes? Have you ever prayed that God would transform you by the renewing of your mind? Have you ever prayed that God would mortify your members which are upon this earth? Subdue your iniquities? Have you ever prayed that God would give you the much more of the Holy Spirit?

[John Weaver] What did He say in the book of Luke? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? I'm just simply pointing out the fact here are all spiritual blessings and most of us cry out for physical and material blessings and we totally neglect everything that God has for us in Christ. God is more interested in our being holy and our being obedient than He is in us having a million dollars. I had a friend, he's still a friend, but I remember years ago, 40 years ago, His biggest prayer was that God would make him a millionaire so he could travel around and tell people how gracious and how good God was.

[John Weaver] I got news for you folks. You don't need to be a millionaire to tell people how good and how gracious God is. And you don't need to travel anywhere. If you can't worship Him, if you can't do what you're supposed to do, where you are, Why in the world would God give you a million bucks to do something just because you wanted a million bucks? I'm just simply pointing out, he said, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed. He wanted everything that God had for him.

[John Weaver] And then he added, and enlarge my coast. Well now you say, Brother Weaver, that's got to be physical. Well it might be. It could be. He could be asking God to enlarge his coast by expelling the Canaanites that dwelled in the land. He could be asking God to enlarge his coast by giving him the worldly substance that was necessary that he might use it for good ends and good purposes. But it could also be translated in one sense of the word or interpreted in another sense of the word. that he could be asking God for a spiritual enlargement in his own life, particularly in light of knowledge and understanding.

[John Weaver] For instance, look right back in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 4. 1 Kings chapter 4. You remember Solomon was praying, 1 Kings chapter 4, And God asked, said, what do you want Solomon? And Solomon said, Lord, I don't have sense enough to come out of the rain, much less to lead your people. Lord, what I need is some wisdom and discernment that I might lead your people. Look what happens in 1 Kings 4 verse 29, And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seacoast." What did God do? God enlarged His coast.

[John Weaver] But it was a spiritual enlargement. God gave him a mind that understood and discerned. God gave him a mind of wisdom.

[John Weaver] Now, if you want to interpret Jabez's prayer as physical, Lord, enlarge my coast." Then what Jabez is doing is this. He is asking God to give him the ability to drive out the enemies of God that God had already commanded him to drive out. He's still beseeching God for God's blessings. He's saying, Lord, You told me to root out these people and I want to root them out, but I need You. I need Your power and I need Your blessing.

[John Weaver] And if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12, again you can see how the enlargement of the coast, not only in 1 Kings 4 and verse 29, but here it could also be very clearly stated in Hebrews chapter 12. Notice if you would, beginning there with verse 22. Look what the Bible says, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 22, but you are come unto Mount Zion, and into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of

[John Weaver] all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." Notice, there is indeed the heavenly city. There is indeed a heavenly coast. And so when Jabez prayed, Lord that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast. He could have far greater meaning than just simply a physical coast or physical extension of property. What he was asking was the same thing that Solomon asked for, an enlargement of heart and wisdom and understanding. And I want to submit to you folks, one of the greatest needs that you and I have today is for wisdom and understanding and discernment.

[John Weaver] We need to know how to live as sheep among wolves. We need to know how to stay away from the wolves. And not just Ed and Kerry. I'm talking about the four-legged kind. And the kind that are devouring us. Certainly not Ed and Kerry. I'm just teasing when I said that. But you understand what I'm saying? We need wisdom. We need discernment. We need to know how to help people. We need to know how to fight injustice. We need to know how to stand up against wickedness.

[John Weaver] And how did it begin? Jabez said, Lord, that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and that Thou wouldst enlarge my coast.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10. Jabez sought God's power and presence. He said, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me. And that thy hand might be with me.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you how important this is. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 33. Exodus 33. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Exodus 33 and verse 12. I want you to notice what Moses said. This is exactly what Jabez is praying in one sense of the word when he said, Oh, that thy hand mightest be with me. Exodus chapter 33 and verse 12. And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, and that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people. And look, look what God said to Moses. My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

[John Weaver] Ah, now look what Moses said to God. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Isn't that amazing? God told Moses, my presence will be with you. And Moses said, if your presence is not with us, I don't want to go. I don't want to go anywhere you don't want me to go. I don't want to take this people anywhere you don't want me to take them. I want your hand to be upon me.

[John Weaver] You know what most of us have never ever learned? We have never ever learned two simple truths. The first one our Lord made exceedingly plain in John 15 in verse 5, help me out now, He said, without Me you can do nothing. Is prayer something? Can we do it without Christ? No. Is obedience something? Can we do it without Christ? Is fighting wickedness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? Is standing for righteousness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? No. Without me, you can do absolutely nothing. We have to come to the realization, folks, that we're totally, absolutely helpless and hopeless and powerless in and of ourselves. Without Christ, we are nothing. Without Christ, we can do nothing.

[John Weaver] And whatever we do in our own strength and power, we usually fail and fall flat on our faces. It's worthless. The second truth that most of us have never learned, the Apostle Paul gave it to us in Philippians 4 and verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me. There is nothing we cannot do with Christ. Nothing. I don't care if it's arguing with the wicked. I don't care if it's standing in a court of law. I don't care if it's confronting an atheist. I don't care. Whatever it is, Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. We've forgotten, number one, that we're nothing in ourselves, and we can do nothing without Christ, but with Him, we can do all things.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note what Jabez prayed. He said, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and here's the part I'm dealing with, and that thy hand might be with me. In other words, I want your presence. I want your power.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 44. Psalm 44. I love this passage. Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist said this, We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantish them. How thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

[John Weaver] He's talking about the wicked. For they, that is Israel, got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favor unto them.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. Did not Israel fight when they went into the land? Yes. Did they not use their swords, and spheres, and shields, and bows, and arrows? Yes. But they did not get the land in their own strength and by their own power. They got it by the power of God. It was God's hand who gave it to them. Go back in your Bibles, whole Psalms. We'll come back to Psalms. But go back in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 15.

[John Weaver] Let me just show you this. What is he praying? That thy hand mightest be with me. Notice if you would, in Exodus chapter 15, You remember Israel has come out of the land. Pharaoh has chased them to the Red Sea. Israel gets the cross on dry land. Pharaoh and his chariots pursue them. The waters come back together and drown Pharaoh and his armies.

[John Weaver] Now let's begin with verse 1. Exodus 15 verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. And Spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he that is the Lord, hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he, the Lord, thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation, my Father's God, and I will exalt him. Are you looking? The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

[John Weaver] The depths have covered them. They sank Into the bottom is a stone, here it is. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed into pieces the enemy. What did He say? That thy hand might be with me. I want your presence, yes, but I want your power in my life. And if you'll look in Psalm 98 and verse 1, you will see basically the same truth taught again. Notice Psalm 98 and verse 1. The Bible says, O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath done marvelous things. His right hand and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory. I want you to pray that thy hand might be with me. When we are with the Lord, And the Lord is with us. Victory is absolutely assured.

[John Weaver] And that's what Jabez wanted. Jabez wanted God's presence and God's power. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 7, let me just quote it. And this is the blessing of Judah. And he said, hear Lord the voice of Judah and bring him into his people Let His hands be sufficient for Him, and be thou a help to Him from His enemies." Let His hands be sufficient for Him. In other words, Lord, You uphold Him.

[John Weaver] Yes, He has to work. Yes, He has to fight. Yes, He has to protect. But Lord, You must make it effectual. You must have Your presence and Your power there for His hands to be sufficient. So Jabez was more honorable in his brethren. Because he sought the Lord. And he not only sought the Lord, he wanted God's presence and God's power in his life.

[John Weaver] You know, it's interesting.

[John Weaver] even when it comes to preaching. If you're preaching in the power of God, when you get through, you're not nearly as exhausted as if when you're preaching in the flesh.

[John Weaver] Now stop and think about that. What did Elijah do? When God fed Elijah and God gave him water, the Bible says that he went in the strength of that meat and drank 40 days and 40 nights, running across the desert. And do you remember when God sent rain from Mount Carmel after He chopped off the heads of all those prophets of Baal? Elijah told King Ahab, to gird himself and get in his chariot and get back to the city for there was a sound of abundance of rain. You remember that? And Ahab got in his chariot and started driving back to the city and the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah and he girded up his loins and out ran Ahab and beat him back to the city. How can a man outrun a chariot and horses? The answer is the power of God.

[John Weaver] I'm just simply pointing out, folks, it's nothing less than pride, arrogance, and blasphemy to think that we can accomplish anything without God's power and God's presence. Jabez understood that. He said, Oh, that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand would be with me.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, I want you to look back in 1 Chronicles chapter 4 verse 9. Jabez also sought God's protection. Look what he said. This is very important. O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." Wow. How instructive and informative this request should be to each of us.

[John Weaver] Let me say that again. How instructive and informative This request should be to each of us. When Jabez prayed, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. Jabez desired to be delivered from evil. He desired to be delivered from the evil of sin, wickedness and iniquity. Because he understood that those things only led to grief. His request is that God would keep him from evil, from the evil of sin, from the evil of trouble, from the evil of all of his enemies, that they might not hurt him, that they might not trouble him, that they might not make him a Jabez.

[John Weaver] There's a play on his name. Because he is indeed a man of sorrows. And what he is saying is, Lord, deliver me that it might not grieve me, that I might not be the man of sorrow."

[John Weaver] Now the Hebrew word for evil here is ra'ah, which is translated in our Bibles as evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, affliction, adversity, harm, and trouble. The word speaks of everything that is bad, evil, malignant, disagreeable, displeasing, hurtful, harmful, and injurious. So He said, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. You remember earlier I talked about all those blessings that we have in Christ Jesus in heavenly places.

[John Weaver] How often have you prayed this prayer? You're familiar with it, are you listening? and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Our Lord taught us to pray that. This is exactly what Jabez is praying. Lord, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. How desperate are we to be kept from evil? How desperate are we to be delivered from evil? The problem is most of us seek out temptation. We don't want to be delivered from it, we want to run to it.

[John Weaver] I remember the story that I've told in times past about the father who told his young son not to go swimming in the canal. The father came home early and he saw the son coming out of the canal a pair of wet swimming trunks. And he stopped and he said, son, I thought I told you not to go swimming in that canal. He said, yes, father, you did.

[John Weaver] He said, but I was tempted. He said, well, son, why did you bring your swimming trunks with you? He said, in case I got tempted. You know, the Bible says, make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. Most of us run to it instead of running away from it. Do we purposely shun evil and wickedness? If you and I really genuinely want to be delivered from the grief of sin and the grief of wickedness, we need to learn to pray and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. And then we also need to learn to pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Which means, Thy will be done in my heart. How many of us really, genuinely want to be His instruments, His vessels? Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 2. Turn to 2 Timothy 2. And notice if you would please, what Paul tells Timothy. 2 Timothy 2. And verse 20, 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 20, But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, that is from those to dishonor, He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meat for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work." Now, you remember before modern day conventions and inventions, every house had a vessel of dishonor. They had the honeypot. You know what a honeypot is, don't you?

[John Weaver] In South Georgia, they're slop jars. They're kept under the bed at night. Today, we just have modern-day toilets. How many of you really enjoy cleaning a toilet? Nobody. Except Lacey. If I have to help her. That's a story in itself. But the point I'm trying to make is this. There are vessels of honor, there are vessels of dishonor. There are things in our lives that are dishonorable. There are things in our lives that are wicked and wrong.

[John Weaver] Every one of us have them. Some more than others, some less than others, but every one of us have them. And here's what Paul is telling Timothy. Here's what Jabez is praying. Paul is telling Timothy, if you will purge yourself from these vessels of dishonor, if you will get rid of that stuff in your life that is wicked and wrong, then you will be a vessel of honor fit for the Master's use. And so Jabez is praying, that his hand would be with him. Why?

[John Weaver] That he might deliver him from evil, that it might not grieve him. In other words, Jabez did not want to be pained, grieved, hurt, vexed, tortured, or made sorrowful by sin. John Gill said this concerning Jabez's prayer, and I'm quoting, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin, and from the evil of one Satan, and from all evil men and all evil company, and make me companions such as I am, that it might not grieve me." Alluding to his name Jabez, which he had from the sorrow and grief of his mother. And nothing is more grieving to a good man than the evil of sin.

[John Weaver] So, contrary to the nature and will of God, being committed against a God of infinite love, grace, and mercy, whereby the name, ways, and truths of Christ are dishonored, and the Spirit of God grieved, and the saints are bereaved of much comfort, and therefore desire to be kept from it, knowing they cannot keep themselves, but the Lord can and will, at least from the tyranny of it and destruction of it." So he's praying, Lord, keep me from this evil, that it might not grieve me. In other words, there's a marginal reading that says this,"...grant that the grief implied in my name may not come upon me."

[John Weaver] You know, we could pray that prayer because each of us are sinners. We could pray,"...grant that my nature that I have might not come upon me." In that sense of the word, because we are indeed sinners. Jabez, earnestly, sincerely and genuinely sought to be delivered from evil, and there's a stated reason that it might not grieve me. He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results. Always. No one escapes it. No one escapes it. If you sin, you suffer. Now, although wanting to avoid the evil and the grief of sin is a lawful and legitimate reason to pray to be delivered from it. And by the way, I could point out that, you know, a lot of people want to sow their wild oats. but they just don't want to reap the harvest. But if you sow the oats, you reap the harvest. Some people like to work for sin, but when it comes to collecting wages, they don't want to collect. But I got news for you, if you work for sin, you end up collecting the wages.

[John Weaver] Now, it is a lawful and legitimate reason to pray, to be delivered from sin, that it might not grieve us because we know that if we sin, we suffer. But let me show you a better reason to pray to be delivered from sin. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39. I'm sure that you are familiar with this story. Genesis 39.

[John Weaver] You'll remember how Joseph has been released from prison, or at least not released from prison, he's been sold into slavery, and he becomes a slave of Potiphar. And you'll remember that he was the head of the house. Potiphar didn't know what was in his house, didn't even know what was in his possession. Joseph had control of everything. Until Potiphar's wife made advances toward Joseph. Now I want you to look at what Joseph said to her, Genesis 39 and verse 7. It came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, And she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath into my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife.

[John Weaver] Now watch, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Joseph didn't say, how can I do this great wickedness and not be grieved, not be hurt? How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? You see, the real wickedness of sin is not that it just grieves us, but it grieves God. That's why God said in Jeremiah 44 and verse 4, O do not that abominable thing which I Sin is not only against us, it's against God. We should learn to pray like Jabez, that God would keep us from evil that it might not grieve us. Yes, but we should even learn to pray more that God would keep us from evil that we might not grieve Him. If you look back in 1 Chronicles chapter 4, here to me is the most amazing thing. Look in verse 10. Here you have the answer to Jabez's prayer. Read verse 10 with me. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.

[John Weaver] And God granted him that which he requested. Wow. Do you realize that God is always willing and ready to hear and answer prayers that are prayed in accordance with his word and his will? I want you to think about this. What did God command us? Be holy as I am holy. Would not God answer your prayer if you wanted more holiness in your life? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be holy. Would He not answer your prayer if you wanted more obedience in your life and greater obedience? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be obedient. Would He not give you greater wisdom if you asked for it? The Scripture said, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth it all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given unto him. Well, sure he would. He wants you to have wisdom. The prayer of Jabez was successful. God granted him that which he requested.

[John Weaver] God prospered him remarkably, and gave him success in his undertakings, in his studies, in his worldly business, in his conflicts with the Canaanites, He became more honorable than all of His brethren. I want you to turn in your Bibles to one last passage. That's 1 John 5. 1 John 5. I want you to look at this passage. May I remind you that God's hand is not shortened.

[John Weaver] and His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear." And of course, you know the rest of that verse. It's our sins that have separated between us and our God. But if we repent of those sins and turn from those sins and seek Him, He has promised to be found of us. And I want you to notice what He said in light of prayer. Look in 1 John 5, verse 13. John wrote, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

[John Weaver] Now watch, if you're a saint, if you've been saved by the grace of God, and this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. Whoa, stop right there. What did the Scripture just say? If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. So we know if we ask to be made more holy, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be made more righteous, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be more obedient, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be conformed more greatly to His Word, He hears us. He just said, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. His will is revealed in His Word. We know what His will is.

[John Weaver] Now, look at the next verse. And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire to them. I want you to think, folks. He said if we ask anything according to His will, we know that He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we also know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.

[John Weaver] whenever we want to be holy, and to do what's right, and to be godly, and to be brought in greater conformity to His Word, and have wisdom to serve Him and to honor Him. He said that He will hear our prayer. And if He hears us, we know that we have those petitions that we ask of Him. What does that mean? That means that our lives should be constantly and continually be changing, and we should be constantly and continually growing into greater holiness, greater obedience, greater godliness, greater wisdom, greater understanding.

[John Weaver] Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. Remember that the name Jabez means sorrow or sorrowful. Those that were born in trouble and sorrow do not have to continue in that course. Repentance, faith, and obedience are the paths to change. The problem with most people is when they are in sorrow and swallowed up by it, they don't want to repent. They don't want to change. They want somehow to be delivered out of their problems and still be allowed to keep doing whatever they did that got them in their problems to begin with. No.

[John Weaver] It doesn't work like that. We may be sorrowful and we may be sorry, but there's repentance and faith and obedience. And those are the only roads to change and deliverance. The second application is this. We must learn to pray the prayer of Jabez with a present day application. Listen folks, evil is evil no matter where we are and where we live. You just stop and think of all the evil in this life. Yes, there's the evil of sin. There's the evil of tyranny. There's the evil of injustice. There are so multitudinous kinds of evil. We need to learn to pray that He would indeed lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Sometimes you can spell evil with just three letters, can't you? The alphabet agencies? Of course.

[John Weaver] We want to be delivered. We need to learn to pray. The third application is this. We need never despair. Why? Because we serve a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God. I never will forget a preacher that I met probably 40 years ago. He was one of these fellows who was... I guess had a pretty good sense of humor. But he liked little quips. And he'd always ask people, do you know God's telephone number?

[John Weaver] He said, if you don't, I'll give it to you. It's Jeremiah 33. Call upon Me and I'll answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. That's what God said. Call upon Me. Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. We need never despair when we serve such a glorious, sovereign, majestic God, and when we understand, according to Proverbs 21 in verse 1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he willeth. God is in control, and we need to cry out to Him and worship and serve Him. Father, we bow to Thee this day.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Jesus Christ. We thank You, Father, for this prayer. And I pray, Father, You would teach us to pray the prayer of Jabez. Help us, Lord, to pray and seek Thee, and say to Thee, O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my ghost, and that Thy hand would be with me, and Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. And Lord, I pray that You will answer our prayers as Thou didst answer J-Bez's prayer by granting us that which we ask. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your goodness and kindness. We ask your blessing upon your people, in Christ's holy and blessed name. Amen.

Jabez and his Prayer

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	5jl1yxm6y3E
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	85

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to Jabez

Jabez is introduced as an honorable man known only from this passage, with a name meaning sorrow, and his prayer is the focus.

1 Chronicles 4, verses 9 and 10. The title of the message today is just simply, Jabez and his prayer. Look in 1 Chronicles 4, verse 9. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

"And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested."

There have been books that have been written about Jabez. In fact, there is one book, I just think, that is entitled, Jabez and His Prayer.

There have been numerous sermons preached on this text, I am sure. And clearly the Bible tells us that Jabez was a very honorable person. But what is absolutely amazing about Jabez is this. Nothing is known of this man except what is mentioned right here. His name does not occur in any other part of Scripture with the exception of 1 Chronicles 2 and verse 55 where it appears to be the name of a town or a city. Now the town or city may have been named after this individual, I do not know for sure, but Jabez is here introduced to us without description, without ancestry, and he's introduced in such a way that would lead you to think that he was a well-known individual. We can only suppose that he was well-known to those for whom Chronicles was written, either by tradition or at least maybe he was a contemporary. But there's nothing else given us in Scripture concerning Jabez. Now I want you to look in verse 10, because the Bible says very clearly, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying," and you'll skip down, "that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me."

The Meaning of Jabez's Name

Jabez's mother named him 'sorrowful' due to difficult circumstances, possibly a hard birth or family tragedy, and the name serves as a memorial or reminder of life's sorrows.

In fact, his mother in verse 9 named him Jabez, and she says the reason why, "because I bear him with sorrow." So the name Jabez actually means sorrow or sorrowful. So you must ask yourself this question, why in the world did his mother name him Jabez? Now Scripture does not give us the details so we can only assume that either his birth was extremely difficult or during that time a grievous set of circumstances befell his mother or befell the family. Maybe perhaps her husband died, I don't know. Maybe it could be that she might have died in childbirth. If you would hold 1 Chronicles, but go back in your Bibles to Genesis 35, Genesis 35, and you will notice that that happened to Rachel. Notice Genesis 35, and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Genesis 35, and notice verse 16.

The Bible says, "And they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not, thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing," note if you would, "as her soul was in departing, for she died, that she called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem." So very obviously, very clearly, here was a woman who had great difficulty in bearing her son, and she died during childbirth. She named him Benoni, that is, son of my sorrow. But his father changed his name to Benjamin, which means son of my right hand. So it could have been that his mother died during childbirth. We don't know. The Bible does not tell us.

But since you're in Genesis, go right back, if you would please, to Genesis chapter 3 and look, if you would please, at verse 16. Genesis 3 and verse 16. I want you to note that the Scripture teaches us that basically all children are born with sorrow. Genesis 3 and verse 16. God is speaking to the woman and He says this,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Notice,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children."

We understand that some children are born with and in greater sorrow than others. Jabez evidently was born in greater sorrow. Now regardless of the circumstances surrounding the naming of Jabez, we do know that his name is associated with sorrow.

So you would have to ask yourself this question. Why in the world would a mother name her son with such a name that he would always be identified and associated with sorrow? I laugh when I say that because when you hear some modern day names you still ask yourself why in the world any mother named their child such. But notice if you would, there are at least two possible answers as to why she named her child Jabez. First, it could be that she desired a memorial to herself to be thankful to God as long as she lived for supporting her under and bringing her through that sorrow, that is, if she did not die during childbirth. It is needful and necessary at times to be reminded of our sorrows that we may learn to rejoice in things which are not sorrowful. Many times we are unthankful and ungrateful at things for which we should be thankful and grateful. And we should also learn to be thankful and grateful for our deliverances from sorrow. There are many times, I believe that we go through experiences that God teaches us to be thankful for His deliverance. And He also teaches us to rejoice in the fact that He does give us good times. And I don't know about you, but I am thankful that usually in the average life, the good times far outweigh the bad times. But there could be a second reason, that is, his name could have been a memorial for Jabez, reminding him that this world is indeed a world of sorrow and tears.

Do you remember Job 14 verse 1, where the Bible says that man who is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble. And she could have just simply been reminding Jabez that he needs to be serious about this life. We have fewness of days and fullness of trouble. It might also remind him to love and honor his mother who brought him into this world with such sorrow and be a comfort and a help to her.

Jabez's Honor

Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, likely due to his godliness, prayerfulness, and devotion to God, similar to Samuel.

Now, we're told not only that His name is associated with sorrow, but we're also told in 1 Chronicles 4 that He was more honorable than His brethren. The word honorable literally means to be weighty, to be rich, to be glorious, to be honorable. So when the Bible says that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, you could understand that in several different ways. You could understand it to mean that he was a man of great wealth, or he was a man of great authority and a great position. Or you could understand it to mean that he was a man of great courage and great strength and of great spiritual understanding. We do know that he was indeed a praying man, and we do know that he was devoted to the One True and the Living God. And the Bible says that he was more honorable than his brethren.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 9 and verse 6, because this same word is used in reference to Samuel. Now, you remember that Samuel was undoubtedly a very godly man. You remember that God called Samuel. And God used Samuel throughout his entire life. But in 1 Samuel chapter 9, in verse 6, you remember Saul and his servant has been sent to look for the asses that escaped. And finally the servant said to Saul, in verse 6,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 9:6

"And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man." "All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither, for peradventure he can show us our way that we should go."

Now, I want you to note that Samuel is referred to as an honorable man. When you think about the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, and all of their wickedness and all of their ungodliness, they could never have been called an honorable man. But here, Samuel is called an honorable man. Why? Because he was a godly man. He was a man who was devoted to the worship and service of the one true and the living God. Likewise, in 1 Chronicles 4 in verse 9, the Bible tells us that he was more honorable than all of his brethren. In verse 10, we find out that Jabez was indeed a man of prayer because he cried out unto the one true and the living God.

So, in all probability, I would say this. The word honorable then refers to his inclination to prayer, his inclination to godliness and worship and truth and his obedience in spiritual things. In other words, I believe the Scripture is saying that He was more holy, more godly, more dedicated to the One True and the Living God than all of His brethren. Do you realize the way to be great is to be godly? And the way to be honored is to be humbled. Humility comes before honor. And godliness is what makes an individual great.

The Prayer of Jabez: Seeking God's Blessing

Jabez prayed for God's blessing indeed and enlargement of his coast, implying a desire for spiritual blessings and a blank-check commitment to God, similar to Jacob's vow.

Now what I would like to do today is this. I want us to examine the prayer of Jabez. I want you to look at it. I want you to understand that this prayer that Jabez uttered centuries ago has many applications for each of us today. First of all, I want you to note, I'll give you the brief outline. He sought God's blessing. He said, "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast." Secondly, he sought God's power and presence, "and that thine hand might be with me." Thirdly, he sought God's protection, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me."

And fourthly, we see the answer. "And God granted him that which he requested." Now let's go back and look at these things one at a time. First of all, he sought God's blessings. Look what he said in verse 10, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast." It is one thing to desire and seek God's blessings, and it is quite another thing to understand the implications of seeking those blessings. Spiritual blessings are indeed the best blessings. And those who are blessed with spiritual blessings are blessed indeed. God's blessings are real. They are genuine.

They produce positive effects in our lives. And the truth of the matter is this, you and I can only desire them and pray for them and ask for them, but in order to have them, God must actually grant them, God must actually give them to us. No one is ever blessed apart from God. You know, each morning when I wake up, I pray before I get out of bed and one of the first things I do in prayer is, Lord, thank you for letting me live through the night and for giving me this day. I have a very good friend that I grew up with just this past week. Went to bed at night and never woke up in the morning. He died in his sleep. I don't need to quote this verse, I don't think, but I shall. Lamentations 3 verse 22-23,

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."

Just stop and think.

It is God who commands the blessings. It is God who commands the sun to rise upon the just and the unjust alike. It is God who gives us life. It is God who gives us rest. It is God who gives us sleep. It is God who protects us 24 hours a day. Without Him, without His blessings, we're nothing.

Now let me show you this prayer request of Jabez in light of Jacob's prayer. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 4 and turn back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. Genesis 22. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Genesis 22 and verse 16. Well, let's see. I said Genesis 22, but I don't think that's the passage I want. Let me go a little further over. Okay. It would be Genesis, I think, 32. Let's see. All right. No, I'm in between. I've got the wrong passage.

Wait until I get there. Okay, here it is. Genesis 28. Genesis 28. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. You know, remember the story. Jacob is being sent into Paddan Aram, which is Syria, to get a wife for himself. He's going in obedience to his father. And of course, as he rests that night, God comes to him, and notice, if you would, in Genesis 28 and verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 28:16-22

"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God."

"This is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillar, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel, that is, the house of God. But the name of the city was called Luz at first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Now note if you would, verse 20 tells us that Jacob vowed a vow saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on and that I come again to my father's house, then God's going to

be my God and I'm going to give him a tenth of all." Now here's what Jacob did basically. Jacob is saying, "God, I'm asking you, I'm asking you for a blessing and that blessing is your protection and your provision that you give me enable me to return again to my Father's house, and Lord, I will serve you, you will be my God, I will recognize that by giving you the tenth of everything that I made." Now, Jacob's vow, Jacob's prayer had reciprocity in view. Simply stated, if God would provide for Jacob and protect him, then Jacob is saying, I will worship none other than the one true and the living God who has revealed himself. Jabez prayed something similar. So if you look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast."

Now, what is not written is implied. What Jabez was saying is this, "Lord, if you will bless me, I will worship you and serve you only." Jabez did not express his promise, but he left it to be understood. Maybe he did not express it because he did not want to promise in his own strength, but he still resolved to totally devote himself to God. Basically, here's what Jabez did when he said, "O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts." What is implied is this, "God, if you will bless me, if you will help me, I'll give you a blank check. You just write whatever you want me to be and whatever you want me to do, and that's what I'm going to do." He wanted the blessings of God. He is saying, "Lord, I want your blessings. If you will bless me indeed, I will be at your disposal forever."

Seeking God's Power and Presence

Jabez asked that God's hand be with him, recognizing the need for divine power and presence, as Moses did, and that without Christ we can do nothing.

Secondly, I want you to look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10. Jabez sought God's power and presence. He said, "O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me." "And that thy hand might be with me." Now let me show you how important this is. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 33. Exodus 33. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Exodus 33 and verse 12. I want you to notice what Moses said. This is exactly what Jabez is praying in one sense of the word when he said, "Oh, that thy hand mightest be with me." Exodus chapter 33 and verse 12.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 33:12-15

"And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, and that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people."

And look, look what God said to Moses.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 33:12-15

"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."

Scripture Reading — John 15:5

Ah, now look what Moses said to God. "And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Isn't that amazing? God told Moses, "My presence will be with you." And Moses said, "If your presence is not with us, I don't want to go. I don't want to go anywhere you don't want me to go. I don't want to take this people anywhere you don't want me to take them. I want your hand to be upon me." You know what most of us have never ever learned? We have never ever learned two simple truths. The first one our Lord made exceedingly plain in John 15 in verse 5, help me out now, He said, "Without Me you can do nothing." Is prayer something? Can we do it without Christ? No. Is obedience something? Can we do it without Christ? Is fighting wickedness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? Is standing for righteousness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? No. Without me, you can do absolutely nothing. We have to come to the realization, folks, that we're totally, absolutely helpless and hopeless and powerless in and of ourselves. Without Christ, we are nothing. Without Christ, we can do nothing.

And whatever we do in our own strength and power, we usually fail and fall flat on our faces. It's worthless. The second truth that most of us have never learned, the Apostle Paul gave it to us in Philippians 4 and verse 13,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me."

There is nothing we cannot do with Christ. Nothing. I don't care if it's arguing with the wicked. I don't care if it's standing in a court of law. I don't care if it's confronting an atheist. I don't care. Whatever it is, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

We've forgotten, number one, that we're nothing in ourselves, and we can do nothing without Christ, but with Him, we can do all things.

Now, I want you to note what Jabez prayed. He said, "O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast," and here's the part I'm dealing with, "and that thy hand might be with me." In other words, I want your presence. I want your power. Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 44. Psalm 44. I love this passage. Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist said this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 44:1-3

"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them. How thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out."

He's talking about the wicked. "For they, that is Israel, got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them." Now let me ask you a question. Did not Israel fight when they went into the land? Yes. Did they not use their swords, and spears, and shields, and bows, and arrows? Yes. But they did not get the land in their own strength and by their own power. They got it by the power of God. It was God's hand who gave it to them. Go back in your Bibles, hold Psalms. We'll come back to Psalms. But go back in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 15.

Let me just show you this. What is he praying? "That thy hand mightest be with me." Notice if you would, in Exodus chapter 15, you remember Israel has come out of the land. Pharaoh has chased them to the Red Sea. Israel gets across on dry land. Pharaoh and his chariots pursue them. The waters come back together and drown Pharaoh and his armies.

Now let's begin with verse 1. Exodus 15 verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:1-6

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. And spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation, my Father's God, and I will exalt him."

Are you looking?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:1-6

"The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea."

"The depths have covered them. They sank into the bottom as a stone." Here it is. "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed into pieces the enemy." What did He say? "That thy hand might be with me." I want your presence, yes, but I want your power in my life. And if you'll look in Psalm 98 and verse 1, you will see basically the same truth taught again. Notice Psalm 98 and verse 1. The Bible says, "O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath done marvelous things. His right hand and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory." I want you to pray that thy hand might be with me. When we are with the Lord, and the Lord is with us, victory is absolutely assured.

And that's what Jabez wanted. Jabez wanted God's presence and God's power. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 7, let me just quote it. "And this is the blessing of Judah. And he said, Hear Lord the voice of Judah, and bring him into his people. Let His hands be sufficient for Him, and be thou a help to Him from His enemies." Let His hands be sufficient for Him. In other words, Lord, You uphold Him.

Yes, He has to work. Yes, He has to fight. Yes, He has to protect. But Lord, You must make it effectual. You must have Your presence and Your power there for His hands to be sufficient. So Jabez was more honorable than his brethren because he sought the Lord. And he not only sought the Lord, he wanted God's presence and God's power in his life.

You know, it's interesting.

Even when it comes to preaching. If you're preaching in the power of God, when you get through, you're not nearly as exhausted as if when you're preaching in the flesh. Now stop and think about that. What did Elijah do? When God fed Elijah and God gave him water, the Bible says that he went in the strength of that meat and drink 40 days and 40 nights, running across the desert. And do you remember when God sent rain from Mount Carmel after He chopped off the heads of all those prophets of Baal? Elijah told King Ahab to gird himself and get in his chariot and get back to the city for there was a sound of abundance of rain. You remember that? And Ahab got in his chariot and started driving back to the city and the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab and beat him back to the city. How can a man outrun a chariot and horses? The answer is the power of God.

I'm just simply pointing out, folks, it's nothing less than pride, arrogance, and blasphemy to think that we can accomplish anything without God's power and God's presence. Jabez understood that. He said, "Oh, that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand would be with me."

Seeking God's Protection from Evil

Jabez prayed to be kept from evil that it might not grieve him, desiring deliverance from sin and its harmful consequences, echoing the Lord's Prayer.

Thirdly, I want you to look back in 1 Chronicles chapter 4 verse 9. Jabez also sought God's protection. Look what he said. This is very important. "O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." Wow. How instructive and informative this request should be to each of us. Let me say that again. How instructive and informative this request should be to each of us. When Jabez prayed, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me," Jabez desired to be delivered from evil. He desired to be delivered from the evil of sin, wickedness and iniquity. Because he understood that those things only led to grief. His request is that God would keep him from evil, from the evil of sin, from the evil of trouble, from the evil of all of his enemies, that they might not hurt him, that they might not trouble him, that they might not make him a Jabez.

There's a play on his name. Because he is indeed a man of sorrows. And what he is saying is, "Lord, deliver me that it might not grieve me, that I might not be the man of sorrow." Now the Hebrew word for evil here is ra‘ah, which is translated in our Bibles as evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, affliction, adversity, harm, and trouble. The word speaks of everything that is bad, evil, malignant, disagreeable, displeasing, hurtful, harmful, and injurious. So He said, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." You remember earlier I talked about all those blessings that we have in Christ Jesus in heavenly places. How often have you prayed this prayer? You're familiar with it, are you listening? "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Our Lord taught us to pray that. This is exactly what Jabez is praying. "Lord, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." How desperate are we to be kept from evil? How desperate are we to be delivered from evil? The problem is most of us seek out temptation. We don't want to be delivered from it, we want to run to it.

I remember the story that I've told in times past about the father who told his young son not to go swimming in the canal. The father came home early and he saw the son coming out of the canal with a pair of wet swimming trunks. And he stopped and he said, "Son, I thought I told you not to go swimming in that canal." He said, "Yes, father, you did." He said, "But I was tempted." He said, "Well, son, why did you bring your swimming trunks with you?" He said, "In case I got tempted." You know, the Bible says, "Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof." Most of us run to it instead of running away from it. Do we purposely shun evil and wickedness? If you and I really genuinely want to be delivered from the grief of sin and the grief of wickedness, we need to learn to pray "and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." And then we also need to learn to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." Which means, "Thy will be done in my heart." How many of us really, genuinely want to be His instruments, His vessels? Let me show you.

Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 2. Turn to 2 Timothy 2. And notice if you would please, what Paul tells Timothy. 2 Timothy 2. And verse 20, 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 20,

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 2:20-21

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these,"

that is from those to dishonor,

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 2:20-21

"he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

Now, you remember before modern day conventions and inventions, every house had a vessel of dishonor. They had the honeypot. You know what a honeypot is, don't you?

In South Georgia, they're slop jars. They're kept under the bed at night. Today, we just have modern-day toilets. How many of you really enjoy cleaning a toilet? Nobody. Except Lacey. If I have to help her. That's a story in itself. But the point I'm trying to make is this. There are vessels of honor, there are vessels of dishonor. There are things in our lives that are dishonorable. There are things in our lives that are wicked and wrong.

Every one of us have them. Some more than others, some less than others, but every one of us have them. And here's what Paul is telling Timothy. Here's what Jabez is praying. Paul is telling Timothy, "If you will purge yourself from these vessels of dishonor, if you will get rid of that stuff in your life that is wicked and wrong, then you will be a vessel of honor fit for the Master's use." And so Jabez is praying, that his hand would be with him. Why? That he might deliver him from evil, that it might not grieve him. In other words, Jabez did not want to be pained, grieved, hurt, vexed, tortured, or made sorrowful by sin. John Gill said this concerning Jabez's prayer, and I'm quoting, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin, and from the evil of one Satan, and from all evil men and all evil company, and make me companions such as I am, that it might not grieve me." Alluding to his name Jabez, which he had from the sorrow and grief of his mother. And nothing is more grieving to a good man than the evil of sin.

So, contrary to the nature and will of God, being committed against a God of infinite love, grace, and mercy, whereby the name, ways, and truths of Christ are dishonored, and the Spirit of God grieved, and the saints are bereaved of much comfort, and therefore desire to be kept from it, knowing they cannot keep themselves, but the Lord can and will, at least from the tyranny of it and destruction of it." So he's praying, "Lord, keep me from this evil, that it might not grieve me." In other words, there's a marginal reading that says this, "...grant that the grief implied in my name may not come upon me."

The Answer to Jabez's Prayer

God granted Jabez his request, demonstrating that God hears and answers prayers according to His will, especially for holiness and obedience.

"And God granted him that which he requested." Wow. Do you realize that God is always willing and ready to hear and answer prayers that are prayed in accordance with his word and his will? I want you to think about this. What did God command us? "Be holy as I am holy." Would not God answer your prayer if you wanted more holiness in your life? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be holy. Would He not answer your prayer if you wanted more obedience in your life and greater obedience? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be obedient. Would He not give you greater wisdom if you asked for it? The Scripture said, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given unto him." Well, sure he would. He wants you to have wisdom. The prayer of Jabez was successful. God granted him that which he requested.

God prospered him remarkably, and gave him success in his undertakings, in his studies, in his worldly business, in his conflicts with the Canaanites. He became more honorable than all of His brethren. I want you to turn in your Bibles to one last passage. That's 1 John 5. 1 John 5. I want you to look at this passage. May I remind you that God's hand is not shortened.

"And His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear." And of course, you know the rest of that verse. It's our sins that have separated between us and our God. But if we repent of those sins and turn from those sins and seek Him, He has promised to be found of us. And I want you to notice what He said in light of prayer. Look in 1 John 5, verse 13. John wrote,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:13-15

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Now watch, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us." Whoa, stop right there. What did the Scripture just say? If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. So we know if we ask to be made more holy, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be made more righteous, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be more obedient, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be conformed more greatly to His Word, He hears us. He just said, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. His will is revealed in His Word. We know what His will is.

Now, look at the next verse. "And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him." I want you to think, folks. He said if we ask anything according to His will, we know that He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we also know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.

Applications for Today

Believers should repent and obey to change a sorrowful course, pray for deliverance from evil, and never despair because God hears and answers prayer.

Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. Remember that the name Jabez means sorrow or sorrowful. Those that were born in trouble and sorrow do not have to continue in that course. Repentance, faith, and obedience are the paths to change. The problem with most people is when they are in sorrow and swallowed up by it, they don't want to repent. They don't want to change. They want somehow to be delivered out of their problems and still be allowed to keep doing whatever they did that got them in their problems to begin with. No.

It doesn't work like that. We may be sorrowful and we may be sorry, but there's repentance and faith and obedience. And those are the only roads to change and deliverance. The second application is this. We must learn to pray the prayer of Jabez with a present day application. Listen folks, evil is evil no matter where we are and where we live. You just stop and think of all the evil in this life. Yes, there's the evil of sin. There's the evil of tyranny. There's the evil of injustice. There are so multitudinous kinds of evil. We need to learn to pray that He would indeed lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Sometimes you can spell evil with just three letters, can't you? The alphabet agencies? Of course.

We want to be delivered. We need to learn to pray. The third application is this. We need never despair. Why? Because we serve a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God. I never will forget a preacher that I met probably 40 years ago. He was one of these fellows who was... I guess had a pretty good sense of humor. But he liked little quips. And he'd always ask people, "Do you know God's telephone number?"

He said, "If you don't, I'll give it to you. It's Jeremiah 33:3. 'Call upon Me and I'll answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.'" That's what God said. "Call upon Me. Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." We need never despair when we serve such a glorious, sovereign, majestic God, and when we understand, according to Proverbs 21 in verse 1, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he willeth." God is in control, and we need to cry out to Him and worship and serve Him. Father, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Jesus Christ. We thank You, Father, for this prayer. And I pray, Father, You would teach us to pray the prayer of Jabez. Help us, Lord, to pray and seek Thee, and say to Thee, "O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand would be with me, and Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." And Lord, I pray that You will answer our prayers as Thou didst answer Jabez's prayer by granting us that which we ask. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your goodness and kindness. We ask your blessing upon your people, in Christ's holy and blessed name. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Nature of True Honor

Summary: True honor comes from godliness, humility, and devotion to God, not from worldly status or wealth.

Evidence: The word honorable literally means to be weighty, to be rich, to be glorious, to be honorable... I believe the Scripture is saying that He was more holy, more godly, more dedicated to the One True and the Living God than all of His brethren.

Seeking Spiritual Blessings

Summary: Believers should prioritize spiritual blessings over material ones, asking God for holiness, wisdom, and conformity to Christ.

Evidence: Most of the blessings that we ask God for are physical or material. We don't usually ask God for spiritual blessings... Have you ever prayed to be more holy, to be more godly, to be more spiritual?

Dependence on God's Power and Presence

Summary: Without Christ we can do nothing, but with Him we can do all things; we must seek God's hand to be with us.

Evidence: Without Me you can do nothing... I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me... Jabez wanted God's presence and God's power.

Deliverance from Evil

Summary: We should earnestly pray to be kept from evil and sin, which always leads to grief, and desire to not grieve God.

Evidence: Jabez desired to be delivered from evil... He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results.

God Answers Prayer According to His Will

Summary: God is faithful to answer prayers that align with His revealed will, especially for holiness and obedience.

Evidence: If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us... And if we know that He hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.

Repentance and Obedience as the Path to Change

Summary: Those born in sorrow or trouble can change their course through repentance, faith, and obedience.

Evidence: Those that were born in trouble and sorrow do not have to continue in that course. Repentance, faith, and obedience are the paths to change.

Key Arguments

Jabez's honor stemmed from his godliness and prayer life.

Summary: The word 'honorable' likely refers to Jabez's spiritual devotion, not just wealth or position, as seen in his prayer.

Evidence: In all probability, I would say this. The word honorable then refers to his inclination to prayer, his inclination to godliness and worship and truth and his obedience in spiritual things.

Jabez's prayer for blessing implied a total commitment to God.

Summary: By asking for blessing, Jabez was essentially giving God a blank check for his life, similar to Jacob's vow.

Evidence: What is implied is this, 'God, if you will bless me, if you will help me, I'll give you a blank check. You just write whatever you want me to be and whatever you want me to do, and that's what I'm going to do.'

Spiritual blessings are superior to material blessings.

Summary: God has given all spiritual blessings in Christ, and we should seek those rather than primarily physical or material things.

Evidence: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ... Most of the blessings that we ask God for are physical or material.

We are powerless without God's hand.

Summary: Like Moses, we must recognize that without God's presence and power, we cannot succeed or even want to proceed.

Evidence: If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence... Without Me you can do nothing.

Sin always produces grief.

Summary: Jabez prayed to be kept from evil because he understood that sin leads to sorrow and harm.

Evidence: He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results. Always. No one escapes it.

God answers prayers for holiness and obedience.

Summary: Because God commands holiness, He will answer prayers that seek it, as seen in 1 John 5:14-15.

Evidence: If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us... We know that if we ask to be made more holy, He hears us.

Scripture References

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Context: The primary text introducing Jabez and his prayer.

Genesis 35:16-20

Context: Rachel's death in childbirth, illustrating a possible reason for Jabez's name.

Genesis 3:16

Context: God's declaration that women will bring forth children in sorrow.

Job 14:1

Context: Man is of few days and full of trouble, relating to the sorrowful nature of life.

1 Samuel 9:6

Context: Samuel called an honorable man, paralleling Jabez's honor.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Context: God's mercies are new every morning, illustrating daily blessings.

Genesis 28:16-22

Context: Jacob's vow at Bethel, similar to Jabez's implied commitment.

Ephesians 1:3

Context: God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ.

Luke 11:13

Context: The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask, emphasizing spiritual gifts.

1 Kings 4:29

Context: God gave Solomon largeness of heart, an enlargement of coast spiritually.

Hebrews 12:22-23

Context: The heavenly Jerusalem, suggesting a spiritual enlargement of coast.

Exodus 33:12-15

Context: Moses insisted on God's presence, paralleling Jabez's request for God's hand.

John 15:5

Context: Without Christ we can do nothing.

Philippians 4:13

Context: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Psalm 44:1-3

Context: Israel's victories came by God's right hand, not their own strength.

Exodus 15:1-6

Context: God's right hand is glorious in power, dashing the enemy.

Psalm 98:1

Context: His right hand and holy arm have gotten Him the victory.

2 Timothy 2:20-21

Context: Vessels of honor and dishonor; purging oneself leads to being fit for the Master's use.

Genesis 39:7-9

Context: Joseph refused sin because it was against God, a higher motive than avoiding grief.

1 John 5:13-15

Context: Confidence that if we ask according to His will, He hears us and we have the petitions.

Historical References

Rachel's death in childbirth (Genesis 35)

Context: Used as an example of a mother naming a child out of sorrow, possibly similar to Jabez's mother.

Samuel as an honorable man (1 Samuel 9)

Context: Samuel is called honorable, illustrating that honor is tied to godliness, like Jabez.

Jacob's vow at Bethel (Genesis 28)

Context: Jacob's conditional vow parallels Jabez's implied commitment to God if blessed.

Solomon's request for wisdom (1 Kings 4)

Context: Solomon's largeness of heart is an example of spiritual enlargement of coast.

Moses' insistence on God's presence (Exodus 33)

Context: Moses refused to go without God's presence, similar to Jabez's request for God's hand.

Elijah's supernatural strength (1 Kings 18-19)

Context: Elijah outran Ahab's chariot by God's power, illustrating the hand of the Lord.

Joseph's resistance to Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39)

Context: Joseph's motive was to not sin against God, a higher reason to avoid evil.

Important Quotes

And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow.

Significance: Introduces Jabez's character and the meaning of his name, setting the stage for the sermon.

O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.

Significance: The complete prayer of Jabez, which is the central focus of the message.

The way to be great is to be godly? And the way to be honored is to be humbled.

Significance: Summarizes the sermon's teaching on true honor coming from godliness and humility.

Without Me you can do nothing.

Significance: Key verse emphasizing total dependence on Christ, central to the argument for seeking God's hand.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.

Significance: Complements the previous quote, showing the power available with Christ.

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Significance: Joseph's higher motive for avoiding sin, used to teach that sin grieves God, not just us.

If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.

Significance: Foundation for confidence in prayer, especially for spiritual blessings.

Call upon Me and I'll answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.

Significance: Encouragement to pray, quoting Jeremiah 33:3, emphasizing God's readiness to answer.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to be 'more honorable' in a biblical sense, and how can we pursue that kind of honor?

Context: The sermon defines honor as godliness and devotion to God, not worldly status.

Why do we tend to pray for physical and material blessings more than spiritual ones, and how can we shift our focus?

Context: Pastor Weaver notes that most blessings we ask for are physical, while God offers all spiritual blessings in Christ.

In what areas of life are you most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than God's hand?

Context: The message stresses that without Christ we can do nothing, and Jabez sought God's power.

How can we cultivate a genuine desire to be kept from evil, not just to avoid consequences but to honor God?

Context: Jabez prayed to be kept from evil that it might not grieve him, but Joseph's example shows a higher motive of not sinning against God.

What does it mean to give God a 'blank check' with our lives, and what holds us back from doing so?

Context: Jabez's prayer implied total commitment to God if blessed, similar to Jacob's vow.

How does knowing that God answers prayers according to His will change the way you pray?

Context: 1 John 5:14-15 is used to show confidence in prayer for holiness and obedience.

In what ways can sorrow or difficult circumstances become a catalyst for spiritual growth rather than despair?

Context: The name Jabez means sorrow, but the sermon teaches that repentance, faith, and obedience can change one's course.

Applications

Seek spiritual blessings above material ones.

Summary: Pray for holiness, wisdom, and conformity to Christ rather than primarily for physical needs.

Evidence: Have you ever prayed to be more holy, to be more godly, to be more spiritual? ... God is more interested in our being holy and our being obedient than He is in us having a million dollars.

Depend on God's power and presence.

Summary: Acknowledge that without Christ we can do nothing, and actively seek His hand in all endeavors.

Evidence: Without Me you can do nothing... Jabez wanted God's presence and God's power.

Pray for deliverance from evil.

Summary: Regularly ask God to keep you from sin and temptation, recognizing that sin always leads to grief.

Evidence: Jabez desired to be delivered from evil... He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results.

Repent and obey to change a sorrowful course.

Summary: Those in trouble or sorrow should turn to God through repentance, faith, and obedience for transformation.

Evidence: Those that were born in trouble and sorrow do not have to continue in that course. Repentance, faith, and obedience are the paths to change.

Trust in God's willingness to answer prayer.

Summary: Have confidence that God hears and answers prayers that align with His will, especially for spiritual growth.

Evidence: If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us... And if we know that He hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.

Give God a blank check with your life.

Summary: Commit to serving God unconditionally, trusting Him to direct your path as He blesses you.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:13:44Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:51:37Z

Clean Transcript

Jabez and his Prayer

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

1 Chronicles 4, verses 9 and 10. The title of the message today is just simply, Jabez and his prayer. Look in 1 Chronicles 4, verse 9. The Bible says, "And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested." There have been books that have been written about Jabez. In fact, there is one book, I just think, that is entitled, Jabez and His Prayer.
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There have been numerous sermons preached on this text, I am sure. And clearly the Bible tells us that Jabez was a very honorable person. But what is absolutely amazing about Jabez is this. Nothing is known of this man except what is mentioned right here. His name does not occur in any other part of Scripture with the exception of 1 Chronicles 2 and verse 55 where it appears to be the name of a town or a city. Now the town or city may have been named after this individual, I do not know for sure, but Jabez is here introduced to us without description, without ancestry, and he's introduced in such a way that would lead you to think that he was a well-known individual. We can only suppose that he was well-known to those for whom Chronicles was written, either by tradition or at least maybe he was a contemporary. But there's nothing else given us in Scripture concerning Jabez. Now I want you to look in verse 10, because the Bible says very clearly, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying," and you'll skip down, "that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me."
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In fact, his mother in verse 9 named him Jabez, and she says the reason why, "because I bear him with sorrow." So the name Jabez actually means sorrow or sorrowful. So you must ask yourself this question, why in the world did his mother name him Jabez?
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Now Scripture does not give us the details so we can only assume that either his birth was extremely difficult or during that time a grievous set of circumstances befell his mother or befell the family. Maybe perhaps her husband died, I don't know. Maybe it could be that she might have died in childbirth. If you would hold 1 Chronicles, but go back in your Bibles to Genesis 35, Genesis 35, and you will notice that that happened to Rachel. Notice Genesis 35, and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Genesis 35, and notice verse 16.
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The Bible says, "And they journeyed from Bethel, and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not, thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing," note if you would, "as her soul was in departing, for she died, that she called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem." So very obviously, very clearly, here was a woman who had great difficulty in bearing her son, and she died during childbirth. She named him Benoni, that is, son of my sorrow. But his father changed his name to Benjamin, which means son of my right hand. So it could have been that his mother died during childbirth. We don't know. The Bible does not tell us.
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But since you're in Genesis, go right back, if you would please, to Genesis chapter 3 and look, if you would please, at verse 16. Genesis 3 and verse 16. I want you to note that the Scripture teaches us that basically all children are born with sorrow. Genesis 3 and verse 16. God is speaking to the woman and He says this, "Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Notice, "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children." We understand that some children are born with and in greater sorrow than others. Jabez evidently was born in greater sorrow. Now regardless of the circumstances surrounding the naming of Jabez, we do know that his name is associated with sorrow.
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So you would have to ask yourself this question. Why in the world would a mother name her son with such a name that he would always be identified and associated with sorrow? I laugh when I say that because when you hear some modern day names you still ask yourself why in the world any mother named their child such. But notice if you would, there are at least two possible answers as to why she named her child Jabez.
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First, it could be that she desired a memorial to herself to be thankful to God as long as she lived for supporting her under and bringing her through that sorrow, that is, if she did not die during childbirth. It is needful and necessary at times to be reminded of our sorrows that we may learn to rejoice in things which are not sorrowful. Many times we are unthankful and ungrateful at things for which we should be thankful and grateful. And we should also learn to be thankful and grateful for our deliverances from sorrow. There are many times, I believe that we go through experiences that God teaches us to be thankful for His deliverance. And He also teaches us to rejoice in the fact that He does give us good times. And I don't know about you, but I am thankful that usually in the average life, the good times far outweigh the bad times. But there could be a second reason, that is, his name could have been a memorial for Jabez, reminding him that this world is indeed a world of sorrow and tears.
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Do you remember Job 14 verse 1, where the Bible says that man who is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble. And she could have just simply been reminding Jabez that he needs to be serious about this life. We have fewness of days and fullness of trouble. It might also remind him to love and honor his mother who brought him into this world with such sorrow and be a comfort and a help to her.
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Now, we're told not only that His name is associated with sorrow, but we're also told in 1 Chronicles 4 that He was more honorable than His brethren. The word honorable literally means to be weighty, to be rich, to be glorious, to be honorable. So when the Bible says that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, you could understand that in several different ways. You could understand it to mean that he was a man of great wealth, or he was a man of great authority and a great position. Or you could understand it to mean that he was a man of great courage and great strength and of great spiritual understanding. We do know that he was indeed a praying man, and we do know that he was devoted to the One True and the Living God. And the Bible says that he was more honorable than his brethren.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 9 and verse 6, because this same word is used in reference to Samuel. Now, you remember that Samuel was undoubtedly a very godly man. You remember that God called Samuel. And God used Samuel throughout his entire life. But in 1 Samuel chapter 9, in verse 6, you remember Saul and his servant has been sent to look for the asses that escaped. And finally the servant said to Saul, in verse 6, "And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man."
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"All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither, for peradventure he can show us our way that we should go."
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Now, I want you to note that Samuel is referred to as an honorable man. When you think about the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, and all of their wickedness and all of their ungodliness, they could never have been called an honorable man. But here, Samuel is called an honorable man. Why? Because he was a godly man. He was a man who was devoted to the worship and service of the one true and the living God. Likewise, in 1 Chronicles 4 in verse 9, the Bible tells us that he was more honorable than all of his brethren. In verse 10, we find out that Jabez was indeed a man of prayer because he cried out unto the one true and the living God.
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So, in all probability, I would say this. The word honorable then refers to his inclination to prayer, his inclination to godliness and worship and truth and his obedience in spiritual things. In other words, I believe the Scripture is saying that He was more holy, more godly, more dedicated to the One True and the Living God than all of His brethren. Do you realize the way to be great is to be godly? And the way to be honored is to be humbled. Humility comes before honor. And godliness is what makes an individual great.
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Now what I would like to do today is this. I want us to examine the prayer of Jabez. I want you to look at it. I want you to understand that this prayer that Jabez uttered centuries ago has many applications for each of us today. First of all, I want you to note, I'll give you the brief outline. He sought God's blessing. He said, "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast." Secondly, he sought God's power and presence, "and that thine hand might be with me." Thirdly, he sought God's protection, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me."
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And fourthly, we see the answer. "And God granted him that which he requested."
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Now let's go back and look at these things one at a time. First of all, he sought God's blessings. Look what he said in verse 10, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast." It is one thing to desire and seek God's blessings, and it is quite another thing to understand the implications of seeking those blessings. Spiritual blessings are indeed the best blessings. And those who are blessed with spiritual blessings are blessed indeed. God's blessings are real. They are genuine.
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They produce positive effects in our lives. And the truth of the matter is this, you and I can only desire them and pray for them and ask for them, but in order to have them, God must actually grant them, God must actually give them to us. No one is ever blessed apart from God. You know, each morning when I wake up, I pray before I get out of bed and one of the first things I do in prayer is, Lord, thank you for letting me live through the night and for giving me this day.
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I have a very good friend that I grew up with just this past week. Went to bed at night and never woke up in the morning. He died in his sleep. I don't need to quote this verse, I don't think, but I shall. Lamentations 3 verse 22-23, "It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." Just stop and think.
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It is God who commands the blessings. It is God who commands the sun to rise upon the just and the unjust alike. It is God who gives us life. It is God who gives us rest. It is God who gives us sleep. It is God who protects us 24 hours a day. Without Him, without His blessings, we're nothing.
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Now let me show you this prayer request of Jabez in light of Jacob's prayer. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 4 and turn back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. Genesis 22. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Genesis 22 and verse 16. Well, let's see. I said Genesis 22, but I don't think that's the passage I want. Let me go a little further over. Okay. It would be Genesis, I think, 32. Let's see. All right. No, I'm in between. I've got the wrong passage.
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Wait until I get there. Okay, here it is. Genesis 28. Genesis 28. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. You know, remember the story. Jacob is being sent into Paddan Aram, which is Syria, to get a wife for himself. He's going in obedience to his father. And of course, as he rests that night, God comes to him, and notice, if you would, in Genesis 28 and verse 16, "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God."
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"This is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillar, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel, that is, the house of God. But the name of the city was called Luz at first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Now note if you would, verse 20 tells us that Jacob vowed a vow saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on and that I come again to my father's house, then God's going to
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be my God and I'm going to give him a tenth of all." Now here's what Jacob did basically. Jacob is saying, "God, I'm asking you, I'm asking you for a blessing and that blessing is your protection and your provision that you give me enable me to return again to my Father's house, and Lord, I will serve you, you will be my God, I will recognize that by giving you the tenth
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of everything that I made." Now, Jacob's vow, Jacob's prayer had reciprocity in view. Simply stated, if God would provide for Jacob and protect him, then Jacob is saying, I will worship none other than the one true and the living God who has revealed himself. Jabez prayed something similar. So if you look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast."
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Now, what is not written is implied. What Jabez was saying is this, "Lord, if you will bless me, I will worship you and serve you only." Jabez did not express his promise, but he left it to be understood. Maybe he did not express it because he did not want to promise in his own strength, but he still resolved to totally devote himself to God. Basically, here's what Jabez did when he said, "O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts." What is implied is this, "God, if you will bless me, if you will help me, I'll give you a blank check. You just write whatever you want me to be and whatever you want me to do, and that's what I'm going to do." He wanted the blessings of God. He is saying, "Lord, I want your blessings. If you will bless me indeed, I will be at your disposal forever."
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His prayer is the most ardent, an affectionate expression of desire. Literally it is this, "O that thou wouldst bless me." He was beseeching, he was hungering, he was thirsting for a blessing. "O that thou wouldst bless me and bless me greatly with manifold and abundant blessings." It was the same as if Jabez was saying, "O God, give me the blessings of Abraham. Give me the blessings of David."
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I want everything that you have for me. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 4 and turn over your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 1. Let me show you. Ephesians chapter 1. And here is a very important truth. Ephesians chapter 1 and look if you would please at verse 3. Ephesians 1 and verse 3. Look what the scripture says. The Apostle Paul is giving this great hymn of adoration, this great doxology in Ephesians 1, 1-14, but he says this in verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," now watch carefully, "who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Now look carefully at that. "Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." How many spiritual blessings has God given us? All of them. Where are they? They're located in Jesus Christ. Now here's my question.
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I know that we pray that God will supply our need, help us to make the money we need to live to pay our bills, I know we ask God for His blessing upon our bodies for health. I know that we ask God for strength to do what we need to do. But how many of us have ever really sought Him for spiritual blessings? Most of the blessings that we ask God for are physical or material. We don't usually ask God for spiritual blessings.
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Jabez, when he said, "O that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast," he was basically saying this, "Lord, I want everything that you have for me. I want everything." Have you ever prayed to be more holy, to be more godly, to be more spiritual? Have you ever prayed to be more heavenly minded? Have you ever prayed for the fullness of God's power in your life? Have you ever prayed that God would enable you to submit yourself entirely, completely, and totally to Him? Have you ever prayed, "Lord renew my mind, give me the mind of Christ constantly, consistently"? Have you ever prayed that God would enable you to bring your body into conformity to His Word? Your body, your mind, yes? Have you ever prayed that God would transform you by the renewing of your mind? Have you ever prayed that God would mortify your members which are upon this earth? Subdue your iniquities? Have you ever prayed that God would give you the much more of the Holy Spirit?
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What did He say in the book of Luke? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" I'm just simply pointing out the fact here are all spiritual blessings and most of us cry out for physical and material blessings and we totally neglect everything that God has for us in Christ. God is more interested in our being holy and our being obedient than He is in us having a million dollars. I had a friend, he's still a friend, but I remember years ago, 40 years ago, his biggest prayer was that God would make him a millionaire so he could travel around and tell people how gracious and how good God was.
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I got news for you folks. You don't need to be a millionaire to tell people how good and how gracious God is. And you don't need to travel anywhere. If you can't worship Him, if you can't do what you're supposed to do, where you are, why in the world would God give you a million bucks to do something just because you wanted a million bucks? I'm just simply pointing out, he said, "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed." He wanted everything that God had for him.
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And then he added, "and enlarge my coast." Well now you say, "Brother Weaver, that's got to be physical." Well it might be. It could be. He could be asking God to enlarge his coast by expelling the Canaanites that dwelled in the land. He could be asking God to enlarge his coast by giving him the worldly substance that was necessary that he might use it for good ends and good purposes. But it could also be translated in one sense of the word or interpreted in another sense of the word, that he could be asking God for a spiritual enlargement in his own life, particularly in light of knowledge and understanding.
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For instance, look right back in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 4. 1 Kings chapter 4. You remember Solomon was praying, 1 Kings chapter 4, and God asked, said, "What do you want Solomon?" And Solomon said, "Lord, I don't have sense enough to come out of the rain, much less to lead your people. Lord, what I need is some wisdom and discernment that I might lead your people." Look what happens in 1 Kings 4 verse 29, "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seacoast." What did God do? God enlarged His coast.
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But it was a spiritual enlargement. God gave him a mind that understood and discerned. God gave him a mind of wisdom.
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Now, if you want to interpret Jabez's prayer as physical, "Lord, enlarge my coast." Then what Jabez is doing is this. He is asking God to give him the ability to drive out the enemies of God that God had already commanded him to drive out. He's still beseeching God for God's blessings. He's saying, "Lord, You told me to root out these people and I want to root them out, but I need You. I need Your power and I need Your blessing."
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And if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12, again you can see how the enlargement of the coast, not only in 1 Kings 4 and verse 29, but here it could also be very clearly stated in Hebrews chapter 12. Notice if you would, beginning there with verse 22. Look what the Bible says, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 22, "But you are come unto Mount Zion, and into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of
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all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." Notice, there is indeed the heavenly city. There is indeed a heavenly coast. And so when Jabez prayed, "Lord that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast," he could have far greater meaning than just simply a physical coast or physical extension of property. What he was asking was the same thing that Solomon asked for, an enlargement of heart and wisdom and understanding. And I want to submit to you folks, one of the greatest needs that you and I have today is for wisdom and understanding and discernment.
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We need to know how to live as sheep among wolves. We need to know how to stay away from the wolves. And not just Ed and Kerry. I'm talking about the four-legged kind. And the kind that are devouring us. Certainly not Ed and Kerry. I'm just teasing when I said that. But you understand what I'm saying? We need wisdom. We need discernment. We need to know how to help people. We need to know how to fight injustice. We need to know how to stand up against wickedness.
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And how did it begin? Jabez said, "Lord, that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and that Thou wouldst enlarge my coast."
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Secondly, I want you to look in 1 Chronicles 4 and verse 10. Jabez sought God's power and presence. He said, "O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me." "And that thy hand might be with me."
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Now let me show you how important this is. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 33. Exodus 33. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Exodus 33 and verse 12. I want you to notice what Moses said. This is exactly what Jabez is praying in one sense of the word when he said, "Oh, that thy hand mightest be with me." Exodus chapter 33 and verse 12. "And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, and that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people." And look, look what God said to Moses. "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."
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Ah, now look what Moses said to God. "And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Isn't that amazing? God told Moses, "My presence will be with you." And Moses said, "If your presence is not with us, I don't want to go. I don't want to go anywhere you don't want me to go. I don't want to take this people anywhere you don't want me to take them. I want your hand to be upon me."
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You know what most of us have never ever learned? We have never ever learned two simple truths. The first one our Lord made exceedingly plain in John 15 in verse 5, help me out now, He said, "Without Me you can do nothing." Is prayer something? Can we do it without Christ? No. Is obedience something? Can we do it without Christ? Is fighting wickedness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? Is standing for righteousness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? No. Without me, you can do absolutely nothing. We have to come to the realization, folks, that we're totally, absolutely helpless and hopeless and powerless in and of ourselves. Without Christ, we are nothing. Without Christ, we can do nothing.
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And whatever we do in our own strength and power, we usually fail and fall flat on our faces. It's worthless. The second truth that most of us have never learned, the Apostle Paul gave it to us in Philippians 4 and verse 13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me." There is nothing we cannot do with Christ. Nothing. I don't care if it's arguing with the wicked. I don't care if it's standing in a court of law. I don't care if it's confronting an atheist. I don't care. Whatever it is, Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." We've forgotten, number one, that we're nothing in ourselves, and we can do nothing without Christ, but with Him, we can do all things.
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Now, I want you to note what Jabez prayed. He said, "O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast," and here's the part I'm dealing with, "and that thy hand might be with me." In other words, I want your presence. I want your power.
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Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 44. Psalm 44. I love this passage. Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist said this, "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them. How thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out."
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He's talking about the wicked. "For they, that is Israel, got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them."
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Now let me ask you a question. Did not Israel fight when they went into the land? Yes. Did they not use their swords, and spears, and shields, and bows, and arrows? Yes. But they did not get the land in their own strength and by their own power. They got it by the power of God. It was God's hand who gave it to them. Go back in your Bibles, hold Psalms. We'll come back to Psalms. But go back in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 15.
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Let me just show you this. What is he praying? "That thy hand mightest be with me." Notice if you would, in Exodus chapter 15, you remember Israel has come out of the land. Pharaoh has chased them to the Red Sea. Israel gets across on dry land. Pharaoh and his chariots pursue them. The waters come back together and drown Pharaoh and his armies.
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Now let's begin with verse 1. Exodus 15 verse 1. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. And spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation, my Father's God, and I will exalt him." Are you looking? "The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea."
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"The depths have covered them. They sank into the bottom as a stone." Here it is. "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed into pieces the enemy." What did He say? "That thy hand might be with me." I want your presence, yes, but I want your power in my life. And if you'll look in Psalm 98 and verse 1, you will see basically the same truth taught again. Notice Psalm 98 and verse 1. The Bible says, "O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath done marvelous things. His right hand and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory." I want you to pray that thy hand might be with me. When we are with the Lord, and the Lord is with us, victory is absolutely assured.
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And that's what Jabez wanted. Jabez wanted God's presence and God's power. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 7, let me just quote it. "And this is the blessing of Judah. And he said, Hear Lord the voice of Judah, and bring him into his people. Let His hands be sufficient for Him, and be thou a help to Him from His enemies." Let His hands be sufficient for Him. In other words, Lord, You uphold Him.
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Yes, He has to work. Yes, He has to fight. Yes, He has to protect. But Lord, You must make it effectual. You must have Your presence and Your power there for His hands to be sufficient. So Jabez was more honorable than his brethren because he sought the Lord. And he not only sought the Lord, he wanted God's presence and God's power in his life.
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You know, it's interesting.
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Even when it comes to preaching. If you're preaching in the power of God, when you get through, you're not nearly as exhausted as if when you're preaching in the flesh.
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Now stop and think about that. What did Elijah do? When God fed Elijah and God gave him water, the Bible says that he went in the strength of that meat and drink 40 days and 40 nights, running across the desert. And do you remember when God sent rain from Mount Carmel after He chopped off the heads of all those prophets of Baal? Elijah told King Ahab to gird himself and get in his chariot and get back to the city for there was a sound of abundance of rain. You remember that? And Ahab got in his chariot and started driving back to the city and the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab and beat him back to the city. How can a man outrun a chariot and horses? The answer is the power of God.
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I'm just simply pointing out, folks, it's nothing less than pride, arrogance, and blasphemy to think that we can accomplish anything without God's power and God's presence. Jabez understood that. He said, "Oh, that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand would be with me."
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Thirdly, I want you to look back in 1 Chronicles chapter 4 verse 9. Jabez also sought God's protection. Look what he said. This is very important. "O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." Wow. How instructive and informative this request should be to each of us.
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Let me say that again. How instructive and informative this request should be to each of us. When Jabez prayed, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me," Jabez desired to be delivered from evil. He desired to be delivered from the evil of sin, wickedness and iniquity. Because he understood that those things only led to grief. His request is that God would keep him from evil, from the evil of sin, from the evil of trouble, from the evil of all of his enemies, that they might not hurt him, that they might not trouble him, that they might not make him a Jabez.
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There's a play on his name. Because he is indeed a man of sorrows. And what he is saying is, "Lord, deliver me that it might not grieve me, that I might not be the man of sorrow."
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Now the Hebrew word for evil here is ra‘ah, which is translated in our Bibles as evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, affliction, adversity, harm, and trouble. The word speaks of everything that is bad, evil, malignant, disagreeable, displeasing, hurtful, harmful, and injurious. So He said, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." You remember earlier I talked about all those blessings that we have in Christ Jesus in heavenly places.
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How often have you prayed this prayer? You're familiar with it, are you listening? "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Our Lord taught us to pray that. This is exactly what Jabez is praying. "Lord, that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." How desperate are we to be kept from evil? How desperate are we to be delivered from evil? The problem is most of us seek out temptation. We don't want to be delivered from it, we want to run to it.
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I remember the story that I've told in times past about the father who told his young son not to go swimming in the canal. The father came home early and he saw the son coming out of the canal with a pair of wet swimming trunks. And he stopped and he said, "Son, I thought I told you not to go swimming in that canal." He said, "Yes, father, you did."
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He said, "But I was tempted." He said, "Well, son, why did you bring your swimming trunks with you?" He said, "In case I got tempted." You know, the Bible says, "Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof." Most of us run to it instead of running away from it. Do we purposely shun evil and wickedness? If you and I really genuinely want to be delivered from the grief of sin and the grief of wickedness, we need to learn to pray "and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." And then we also need to learn to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." Which means, "Thy will be done in my heart." How many of us really, genuinely want to be His instruments, His vessels? Let me show you.
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Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 2. Turn to 2 Timothy 2. And notice if you would please, what Paul tells Timothy. 2 Timothy 2. And verse 20, 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 20, "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these," that is from those to dishonor, "he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work." Now, you remember before modern day conventions and inventions, every house had a vessel of dishonor. They had the honeypot. You know what a honeypot is, don't you?
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In South Georgia, they're slop jars. They're kept under the bed at night. Today, we just have modern-day toilets. How many of you really enjoy cleaning a toilet? Nobody. Except Lacey. If I have to help her. That's a story in itself. But the point I'm trying to make is this. There are vessels of honor, there are vessels of dishonor. There are things in our lives that are dishonorable. There are things in our lives that are wicked and wrong.
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Every one of us have them. Some more than others, some less than others, but every one of us have them. And here's what Paul is telling Timothy. Here's what Jabez is praying. Paul is telling Timothy, "If you will purge yourself from these vessels of dishonor, if you will get rid of that stuff in your life that is wicked and wrong, then you will be a vessel of honor fit for the Master's use." And so Jabez is praying, that his hand would be with him. Why?
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That he might deliver him from evil, that it might not grieve him. In other words, Jabez did not want to be pained, grieved, hurt, vexed, tortured, or made sorrowful by sin. John Gill said this concerning Jabez's prayer, and I'm quoting, "that thou wouldest keep me from evil, from the evil of affliction, and especially from the evil of sin, and from the evil of one Satan, and from all evil men and all evil company, and make me companions such as I am, that it might not grieve me." Alluding to his name Jabez, which he had from the sorrow and grief of his mother. And nothing is more grieving to a good man than the evil of sin.
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So, contrary to the nature and will of God, being committed against a God of infinite love, grace, and mercy, whereby the name, ways, and truths of Christ are dishonored, and the Spirit of God grieved, and the saints are bereaved of much comfort, and therefore desire to be kept from it, knowing they cannot keep themselves, but the Lord can and will, at least from the tyranny of it and destruction of it." So he's praying, "Lord, keep me from this evil, that it might not grieve me." In other words, there's a marginal reading that says this, "...grant that the grief implied in my name may not come upon me."
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You know, we could pray that prayer because each of us are sinners. We could pray, "...grant that my nature that I have might not come upon me." In that sense of the word, because we are indeed sinners. Jabez, earnestly, sincerely and genuinely sought to be delivered from evil, and there's a stated reason that it might not grieve me. He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results. Always. No one escapes it. No one escapes it. If you sin, you suffer. Now, although wanting to avoid the evil and the grief of sin is a lawful and legitimate reason to pray to be delivered from it. And by the way, I could point out that, you know, a lot of people want to sow their wild oats, but they just don't want to reap the harvest. But if you sow the oats, you reap the harvest. Some people like to work for sin, but when it comes to collecting wages, they don't want to collect. But I got news for you, if you work for sin, you end up collecting the wages.
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Now, it is a lawful and legitimate reason to pray, to be delivered from sin, that it might not grieve us because we know that if we sin, we suffer. But let me show you a better reason to pray to be delivered from sin. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39. I'm sure that you are familiar with this story. Genesis 39.
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You'll remember how Joseph has been released from prison, or at least not released from prison, he's been sold into slavery, and he becomes a slave of Potiphar. And you'll remember that he was the head of the house. Potiphar didn't know what was in his house, didn't even know what was in his possession. Joseph had control of everything. Until Potiphar's wife made advances toward Joseph. Now I want you to look at what Joseph said to her, Genesis 39 and verse 7. "It came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath into my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife."
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Now watch, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Joseph didn't say, "How can I do this great wickedness and not be grieved, not be hurt?" "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" You see, the real wickedness of sin is not that it just grieves us, but it grieves God. That's why God said in Jeremiah 44 and verse 4, "O do not that abominable thing which I hate." Sin is not only against us, it's against God. We should learn to pray like Jabez, that God would keep us from evil that it might not grieve us. Yes, but we should even learn to pray more that God would keep us from evil that we might not grieve Him. If you look back in 1 Chronicles chapter 4, here to me is the most amazing thing. Look in verse 10. Here you have the answer to Jabez's prayer. Read verse 10 with me. "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me."
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"And God granted him that which he requested." Wow. Do you realize that God is always willing and ready to hear and answer prayers that are prayed in accordance with his word and his will? I want you to think about this. What did God command us? "Be holy as I am holy." Would not God answer your prayer if you wanted more holiness in your life? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be holy. Would He not answer your prayer if you wanted more obedience in your life and greater obedience? Well, sure He would, because He has commanded you to be obedient. Would He not give you greater wisdom if you asked for it? The Scripture said, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given unto him." Well, sure he would. He wants you to have wisdom. The prayer of Jabez was successful. God granted him that which he requested.
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God prospered him remarkably, and gave him success in his undertakings, in his studies, in his worldly business, in his conflicts with the Canaanites. He became more honorable than all of His brethren. I want you to turn in your Bibles to one last passage. That's 1 John 5. 1 John 5. I want you to look at this passage. May I remind you that God's hand is not shortened.
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"And His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear." And of course, you know the rest of that verse. It's our sins that have separated between us and our God. But if we repent of those sins and turn from those sins and seek Him, He has promised to be found of us. And I want you to notice what He said in light of prayer. Look in 1 John 5, verse 13. John wrote, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God."
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Now watch, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us." Whoa, stop right there. What did the Scripture just say? If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. So we know if we ask to be made more holy, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be made more righteous, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be more obedient, He hears us. We know that if we ask to be conformed more greatly to His Word, He hears us. He just said, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. His will is revealed in His Word. We know what His will is.
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Now, look at the next verse. "And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him." I want you to think, folks. He said if we ask anything according to His will, we know that He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we also know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.
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Whenever we want to be holy, and to do what's right, and to be godly, and to be brought in greater conformity to His Word, and have wisdom to serve Him and to honor Him, He said that He will hear our prayer. And if He hears us, we know that we have those petitions that we ask of Him. What does that mean? That means that our lives should be constantly and continually changing, and we should be constantly and continually growing into greater holiness, greater obedience, greater godliness, greater wisdom, greater understanding.
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Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. Remember that the name Jabez means sorrow or sorrowful. Those that were born in trouble and sorrow do not have to continue in that course. Repentance, faith, and obedience are the paths to change. The problem with most people is when they are in sorrow and swallowed up by it, they don't want to repent. They don't want to change. They want somehow to be delivered out of their problems and still be allowed to keep doing whatever they did that got them in their problems to begin with. No.
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It doesn't work like that. We may be sorrowful and we may be sorry, but there's repentance and faith and obedience. And those are the only roads to change and deliverance. The second application is this. We must learn to pray the prayer of Jabez with a present day application. Listen folks, evil is evil no matter where we are and where we live. You just stop and think of all the evil in this life. Yes, there's the evil of sin. There's the evil of tyranny. There's the evil of injustice. There are so multitudinous kinds of evil. We need to learn to pray that He would indeed lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Sometimes you can spell evil with just three letters, can't you? The alphabet agencies? Of course.
#82 | 1:01:57 to 1:03:14 | cleaned
We want to be delivered. We need to learn to pray. The third application is this. We need never despair. Why? Because we serve a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God. I never will forget a preacher that I met probably 40 years ago. He was one of these fellows who was... I guess had a pretty good sense of humor. But he liked little quips. And he'd always ask people, "Do you know God's telephone number?"
#83 | 1:03:17 to 1:03:59 | cleaned
He said, "If you don't, I'll give it to you. It's Jeremiah 33:3. 'Call upon Me and I'll answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.'" That's what God said. "Call upon Me. Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." We need never despair when we serve such a glorious, sovereign, majestic God, and when we understand, according to Proverbs 21 in verse 1, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he willeth." God is in control, and we need to cry out to Him and worship and serve Him. Father, we bow to Thee this day.
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We thank You for Jesus Christ. We thank You, Father, for this prayer. And I pray, Father, You would teach us to pray the prayer of Jabez. Help us, Lord, to pray and seek Thee, and say to Thee, "O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand would be with me, and Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me." And Lord, I pray that You will answer our prayers as Thou didst answer Jabez's prayer by granting us that which we ask. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your goodness and kindness. We ask your blessing upon your people, in Christ's holy and blessed name. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:13:44Z

Jabez and his Prayer

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver examines the brief account of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, highlighting his honorable character and his prayer for blessing, enlarged coast, God's hand, and protection from evil. The sermon emphasizes that Jabez sought spiritual blessings, God's presence and power, and deliverance from sin, and that God granted his request. Applications include the need for repentance, faith, and obedience to change a sorrowful course, praying for deliverance from evil, and trusting in a prayer-hearing God.

Introduction to Jabez

Jabez is introduced as an honorable man known only from this passage, with a name meaning sorrow, and his prayer is the focus.

1 Chronicles 4, verses 9 and 10. The title of the message today is just simply, Jabez and his prayer. Look in 1 Chronicles 4, verse 9. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

"And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested."

There have been books that have been written about Jabez. In fact, there is one book, I just think, that is entitled, Jabez and His Prayer.

The Meaning of Jabez's Name

Jabez's mother named him 'sorrowful' due to difficult circumstances, possibly a hard birth or family tragedy, and the name serves as a memorial or reminder of life's sorrows.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Notice,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children."

Jabez's Honor

Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, likely due to his godliness, prayerfulness, and devotion to God, similar to Samuel.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 9:6

"And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man." "All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither, for peradventure he can show us our way that we should go."

The Prayer of Jabez: Seeking God's Blessing

Jabez prayed for God's blessing indeed and enlargement of his coast, implying a desire for spiritual blessings and a blank-check commitment to God, similar to Jacob's vow.

Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."

Just stop and think.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 28:16-22

"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God."

Seeking God's Power and Presence

Jabez asked that God's hand be with him, recognizing the need for divine power and presence, as Moses did, and that without Christ we can do nothing.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 33:12-15

"And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, and that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people."

And look, look what God said to Moses.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 33:12-15

"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."

Scripture Reading — John 15:5

Ah, now look what Moses said to God. "And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Isn't that amazing? God told Moses, "My presence will be with you." And Moses said, "If your presence is not with us, I don't want to go. I don't want to go anywhere you don't want me to go. I don't want to take this people anywhere you don't want me to take them. I want your hand to be upon me." You know what most of us have never ever learned? We have never ever learned two simple truths. The first one our Lord made exceedingly plain in John 15 in verse 5, help me out now, He said, "Without Me you can do nothing." Is prayer something? Can we do it without Christ? No. Is obedience something? Can we do it without Christ? Is fighting wickedness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? Is standing for righteousness something? Yes. Can we do it without Christ? No. Without me, you can do absolutely nothing. We have to come to the realization, folks, that we're totally, absolutely helpless and hopeless and powerless in and of ourselves. Without Christ, we are nothing. Without Christ, we can do nothing.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me."

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

We've forgotten, number one, that we're nothing in ourselves, and we can do nothing without Christ, but with Him, we can do all things.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 44:1-3

"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them. How thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out."

Now let's begin with verse 1. Exodus 15 verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:1-6

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord. And spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation, my Father's God, and I will exalt him."

Are you looking?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:1-6

"The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea."

You know, it's interesting.

Seeking God's Protection from Evil

Jabez prayed to be kept from evil that it might not grieve him, desiring deliverance from sin and its harmful consequences, echoing the Lord's Prayer.

Look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 2. Turn to 2 Timothy 2. And notice if you would please, what Paul tells Timothy. 2 Timothy 2. And verse 20, 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 20,

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 2:20-21

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these,"

that is from those to dishonor,

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 2:20-21

"he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

Now, you remember before modern day conventions and inventions, every house had a vessel of dishonor. They had the honeypot. You know what a honeypot is, don't you?

The Answer to Jabez's Prayer

God granted Jabez his request, demonstrating that God hears and answers prayers according to His will, especially for holiness and obedience.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:13-15

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Applications for Today

Believers should repent and obey to change a sorrowful course, pray for deliverance from evil, and never despair because God hears and answers prayer.

Jabez and his Prayer

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	5jl1yxm6y3E
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	85

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to Jabez: Jabez is introduced as an honorable man known only from this passage, with a name meaning sorrow, and his prayer is the focus.
The Meaning of Jabez's Name: Jabez's mother named him 'sorrowful' due to difficult circumstances, possibly a hard birth or family tragedy, and the name serves as a memorial or reminder of life's sorrows.
Jabez's Honor: Jabez was more honorable than his brethren, likely due to his godliness, prayerfulness, and devotion to God, similar to Samuel.
The Prayer of Jabez: Seeking God's Blessing: Jabez prayed for God's blessing indeed and enlargement of his coast, implying a desire for spiritual blessings and a blank-check commitment to God, similar to Jacob's vow.
Seeking God's Power and Presence: Jabez asked that God's hand be with him, recognizing the need for divine power and presence, as Moses did, and that without Christ we can do nothing.
Seeking God's Protection from Evil: Jabez prayed to be kept from evil that it might not grieve him, desiring deliverance from sin and its harmful consequences, echoing the Lord's Prayer.
The Answer to Jabez's Prayer: God granted Jabez his request, demonstrating that God hears and answers prayers according to His will, especially for holiness and obedience.
Applications for Today: Believers should repent and obey to change a sorrowful course, pray for deliverance from evil, and never despair because God hears and answers prayer.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Jabez's honor stemmed from his godliness and prayer life.

The word 'honorable' likely refers to Jabez's spiritual devotion, not just wealth or position, as seen in his prayer.

In all probability, I would say this. The word honorable then refers to his inclination to prayer, his inclination to godliness and worship and truth and his obedience in spiritual things.

Jabez's prayer for blessing implied a total commitment to God.

By asking for blessing, Jabez was essentially giving God a blank check for his life, similar to Jacob's vow.

What is implied is this, 'God, if you will bless me, if you will help me, I'll give you a blank check. You just write whatever you want me to be and whatever you want me to do, and that's what I'm going to do.'

Spiritual blessings are superior to material blessings.

God has given all spiritual blessings in Christ, and we should seek those rather than primarily physical or material things.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ... Most of the blessings that we ask God for are physical or material.

We are powerless without God's hand.

Like Moses, we must recognize that without God's presence and power, we cannot succeed or even want to proceed.

If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence... Without Me you can do nothing.

Sin always produces grief.

Jabez prayed to be kept from evil because he understood that sin leads to sorrow and harm.

He understood that sin and wickedness and disobedience and rebellion would always produce harmful results. Always. No one escapes it.

God answers prayers for holiness and obedience.

Because God commands holiness, He will answer prayers that seek it, as seen in 1 John 5:14-15.

If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us... We know that if we ask to be made more holy, He hears us.

Scripture References

1 Chronicles 4:9-10: The primary text introducing Jabez and his prayer.
Genesis 35:16-20: Rachel's death in childbirth, illustrating a possible reason for Jabez's name.
Genesis 3:16: God's declaration that women will bring forth children in sorrow.
Job 14:1: Man is of few days and full of trouble, relating to the sorrowful nature of life.
1 Samuel 9:6: Samuel called an honorable man, paralleling Jabez's honor.
Lamentations 3:22-23: God's mercies are new every morning, illustrating daily blessings.
Genesis 28:16-22: Jacob's vow at Bethel, similar to Jabez's implied commitment.
Ephesians 1:3: God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ.
Luke 11:13: The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask, emphasizing spiritual gifts.
1 Kings 4:29: God gave Solomon largeness of heart, an enlargement of coast spiritually.
Hebrews 12:22-23: The heavenly Jerusalem, suggesting a spiritual enlargement of coast.
Exodus 33:12-15: Moses insisted on God's presence, paralleling Jabez's request for God's hand.
John 15:5: Without Christ we can do nothing.
Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Psalm 44:1-3: Israel's victories came by God's right hand, not their own strength.
Exodus 15:1-6: God's right hand is glorious in power, dashing the enemy.
Psalm 98:1: His right hand and holy arm have gotten Him the victory.
2 Timothy 2:20-21: Vessels of honor and dishonor; purging oneself leads to being fit for the Master's use.
Genesis 39:7-9: Joseph refused sin because it was against God, a higher motive than avoiding grief.
1 John 5:13-15: Confidence that if we ask according to His will, He hears us and we have the petitions.

Historical References

Rachel's death in childbirth (Genesis 35): Used as an example of a mother naming a child out of sorrow, possibly similar to Jabez's mother.
Samuel as an honorable man (1 Samuel 9): Samuel is called honorable, illustrating that honor is tied to godliness, like Jabez.
Jacob's vow at Bethel (Genesis 28): Jacob's conditional vow parallels Jabez's implied commitment to God if blessed.
Solomon's request for wisdom (1 Kings 4): Solomon's largeness of heart is an example of spiritual enlargement of coast.
Moses' insistence on God's presence (Exodus 33): Moses refused to go without God's presence, similar to Jabez's request for God's hand.
Elijah's supernatural strength (1 Kings 18-19): Elijah outran Ahab's chariot by God's power, illustrating the hand of the Lord.
Joseph's resistance to Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39): Joseph's motive was to not sin against God, a higher reason to avoid evil.

Important Quotes

And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bear him with sorrow.

Introduces Jabez's character and the meaning of his name, setting the stage for the sermon.

O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me.

The complete prayer of Jabez, which is the central focus of the message.

The way to be great is to be godly? And the way to be honored is to be humbled.

Summarizes the sermon's teaching on true honor coming from godliness and humility.

Without Me you can do nothing.

Key verse emphasizing total dependence on Christ, central to the argument for seeking God's hand.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.

Complements the previous quote, showing the power available with Christ.

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Joseph's higher motive for avoiding sin, used to teach that sin grieves God, not just us.

If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.

Foundation for confidence in prayer, especially for spiritual blessings.

Call upon Me and I'll answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.

Encouragement to pray, quoting Jeremiah 33:3, emphasizing God's readiness to answer.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to be 'more honorable' in a biblical sense, and how can we pursue that kind of honor?

[Context]

The sermon defines honor as godliness and devotion to God, not worldly status.

[Question]

Why do we tend to pray for physical and material blessings more than spiritual ones, and how can we shift our focus?

[Context]

Pastor Weaver notes that most blessings we ask for are physical, while God offers all spiritual blessings in Christ.

[Question]

In what areas of life are you most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than God's hand?

[Context]

The message stresses that without Christ we can do nothing, and Jabez sought God's power.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a genuine desire to be kept from evil, not just to avoid consequences but to honor God?

[Context]

Jabez prayed to be kept from evil that it might not grieve him, but Joseph's example shows a higher motive of not sinning against God.

[Question]

What does it mean to give God a 'blank check' with our lives, and what holds us back from doing so?

[Context]

Jabez's prayer implied total commitment to God if blessed, similar to Jacob's vow.

[Question]

How does knowing that God answers prayers according to His will change the way you pray?

[Context]

1 John 5:14-15 is used to show confidence in prayer for holiness and obedience.

[Question]

In what ways can sorrow or difficult circumstances become a catalyst for spiritual growth rather than despair?

[Context]

The name Jabez means sorrow, but the sermon teaches that repentance, faith, and obedience can change one's course.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:51:37Z