Theme: "Change"
Bible Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NIV "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request."
Change means to make a difference, it can either be good or bad. From the Bible passage above we read about a man that thirst for change and called out to God of Israel (the living God). As we read that the name Jabez means born in pain also from research I found out that it means Nonsense in Hebrew. Imagine being referred to as Nonsense.
Jabez's case or story is ridiculously exceptional, reason is that the word of God says Jabez was "honourable" than his brother and his mother gave him the name Jabez ( born in pain). To be honorable I believe you must be someone that makes a positive difference not a negative one. Jabez was a man with a pitiful past and with zero hope for the future until he called on the God of Israel. He was desperate to be accepted by others. Above all he craved a relationship with God. That prayer Jabez made has inspired and impacted people from time past to this present time. It encourages people to call on God for change when situations seem unpleasant around them. The first thing Jabez did was having faith in God, although he desired change of situation but he knew that he cannot experience change except he experience or have an encounter with God.
There are some changes that can occur in the life of man through the help of a fellow man but some changes need an extraordinary power, a divine intervention for it to take place. Looking at the case of Naaman in 2Kings5, we understand that Naaman was an influential man, the commander of the army of the king of syria. Jabez on the other hand, was honourable because of the pain he was born in and that was where his name was derived from. Does it mean that his name rubbed off on all he did? My understanding about that isbyes it did. Back to Naaman even though he was honourable, he had a but that needed to be changed by God. Looking at it from a different perspective, if Naaman was not the commander of army in syria he would be in Isolation because he was a leper. His but needed to be changed.
Lo and behold in verse 3 of that passage, the slave in their captive told Naaman's wife about Elisha a prophet in Samaria. On getting to verse 9-10, Naaman visited Elisha but he was not so pleased with what Elisha told him. Naaman's ego nearly got in the way of his divine change. Until he obeyed in 2Kings5:14. Thesame thing applies to you and I this day in order to experience change, we must have a change of heart, get rid of ego/pride, humble ourself, thirst for God, have faith in God regardless of what we can feel, see, think, taste or touch. After this we need to cry to God.
In the case of Jabez, he cried out to God of Israel because he had faith in the God of Israel. Faith will change fate, but you must first have faith to experience any change in your fate. God is still in the business of causing the extraordinary to happen in the life of an ordinary person but to experience that you must acknowledge him for who he is and not because of what you want. Jabez experienced change because he acknowledged God for who he is(God of Israel the living God). Naaman experienced change because he obeyed the prophet of God and if you obey the prophet of God you are obeying God. In other words, you must acknowledge Him for who He is.
Let us pray.
Prayer Points;
Father I thank you for the revelation through your word today in Jesus name amen.
Lord I acknowledge you as God and I rededicate my life to you in Jesus name amen.
Father have mercy on me in any way I have allowed pride and sinful nature to hinder your presence in my life in Jesus name amen.
Father deliver me from the path of self destruction due to disobedience in Jesus name amen.
Lord I pray that you deliver me and my household today from all foundational curses attached to our destiny as you delivered Jabez in Jesus name amen.
Father every evil situations that stands as a title to my name, remove them today and give me the titlet that will glorify you in my life in Jesus name amen.
Oh Lord every buts in my life, take them away and put an end to their source in Jesus name amen.
Oh Lord in this situation (mention) let me experience your supernatural hand for change in Jesus mighty name amen.
Lord change my story around to what you want it to be in Jesus name amen.
Thank you Jesus for answered prayers in Jesus mighty name amen.
Reference: www.podiobook.com/jabez
