Effective prayers have a lot to do with honour. Jabez’s prayer and honour were mentioned in the same breath. This trait was an essential part of his prayer life (v9,10). Honour is a crucial concept in the OT and the NT. It is sad day, “when what is vile is honoured by the human race.” (Ps 12:8)
It is the desire of God for us to honour Him with our hearts (Matt 15:8). On the lateral level, we should honour our parents (Exod 20:12) and give preference to one another (Rom 12:10).
Matthew 15:8
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
Is honour showing up in our private and public lives? Are we honourable? Do we perform acts of kindness in private and public? Perhaps a sacrificial or heroic act? Are our dealings fair? Are our work ethics beyond reproach? Do we believe in achieving success through hard work?
A person may not be perfect in this life, but should consistently honour God and His people, in public and in private. Those who have this godly vertical relationship and honourable horizontal relationships will pray rightly.
No surprise, Jabez’s prayer was granted by God.
We can learn to pray in this format and reap great benefits all round.
These are the elements of the Prayer of Jabez undergirded by his honour.
1) Jabez called on God. (And Jabez called on the God of Israel v10)
He cried for help and transferred the right to God to do as He wills. All prayer life should start like this. When was the last we surrender our rights and privileges? Without imposing on God, calling on Him will be a breeze.
2) He asked for blessings. (You would bless me indeed v10)
As the children of God, we have the privilege and encouraged to do so. We need to tap into the vast reservoir of God’s ready blessings.
God blesses His people all the time. If you have asked on behalf of others, how about asking for our family?
3) His territory be enlarged. (enlarge my territory v10)
Prayer draws us to pray for the agenda of God and His call on our lives. We pray for the enlargement and promotion of His people and purposes. On the flip side, we need to pray for the diminishment of the works and territories of the devil.
Have you asked for new and extra territories for God’s work, church, family and yourself?
The devil may claim based on to the last vestige of the first Adam’s defeat. We defeat and push back the claims of the devil by enforcing the resurrection power through the victory of the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
4) He asked for God’s hand to be with him. (Your hand would be with me, v10)
He wanted God’s righteousness, authority, blessings and salvation. His hands denote power and the establishment of what is right. How do we meet life’s challenges? Bring in God’s Hand of authority in our prayers.
5) He asked for protection from evil. (You would keep me from evil v10)
The devil may be defeated, but we need to pray that we would not fall or fail through our mischievousness, self-determination and the trials and temptations allowed by God. Evil is real and does happen in real-time. Is God up to it to protect us? A resounding “yes.” If we buy insurance to protect our property and assets, it is high time we invest time in prayer.
6) He prayed for wisdom in not offending and hurting others. (I may not cause pain! v10)
There is a need to continually remember to overcome our past that hinders growth and maturity. We should de-robe of the old nature that stumbles, offends and hurt others.
Offenses and bitterness can impede prayer life and the growth of the kingdom of God. We need wisdom in our interactions with people as we served and live as a community of faith. Have we harmed people before? Looking ahead, always asked God for help in our ministries and communications.
7) God granted his prayer. (So God granted him what he requested. v10)
If you have experienced answered prayers, why not share these with those who need it?
1 Chronicles 4:9,10 (NKJV)
9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.
