OH LORD ENLARGE MY TERRITORY

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 CEB

Jabez was more honored than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez called on Israel’s God: “If only you would greatly bless me and increase my territory. May your power go with me to keep me from trouble, so as not to cause me pain.” And God granted his request.

The message bible puts it like this;

^9-10 Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, "A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!" Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: "Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don't let evil hurt me." God gave him what he asked.

Jabez was righteous and more honourable than all his brothers. But his name was standing against him and progress. His name means bitterness and sorrow. He did not know that his life’s problems lay with his name. A point came when Jabez became tired, he started praying and crying to God to effect a change in his life. The bible said he was persistent and persevering in his cry to God. He cried to the Lord to do something new in his life, for God to make a way for him and for God to expand his territory. He also prayed that the hand of the LORD would be with him in all his endeavours. God answered by turning stubborn situations into his favour.

This is a case of a man who understood what his problem in life was and took it to God. God responded by turning his situation and circumstance that was previously against him, to his favour. Your relationship with God is similar to the relationship Jabez had with God. God is willingly and desiring to turn events and happenings to your favour. His heart is full of love and kindness. It grieves His heart when we are suffering and unable to know what to do.

Take a look at Jabez and copy what he did to make a difference in his life. He probably experienced the same kind of hardship you are passing through now. He was a believer in the Almighty God, the Holy One of Israel like you are. He was following and serving God with his whole heart yet the challenges facing him were staggering. But none of these things affected his faith and belief in God. He refused to give up. He knew that there was more than meets the eye, in all the troubles and challenges before him. All he did was to search and look deeper to find the root cause of his life’s problems. Then he discovered that it all lay in his name. He took it to God and God addressed the issue instantly and Jabez started functioning according to God’s divine and original plan; as God created him and desired him to be.

God wants to do the same thing for you. Don’t give up serving God. Don’t give up worshiping Him. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you to look deeper, you will like Jabez see the base or the root of the problem of your life and destiny. Nothing you are going through now is insurmountable. No challenge is permanent, it is temporal. Child of God every challenge has an expiry date. So what are you waiting for? God is waiting for you to pray the right prayer with the right attitude and right manner. Pray the right prayer like Jabez and you will be free. You will be delivered.

Note: Exo2God welcomes prayer request from all over the world. We are ready to assist you battle your way through. Send in your prayer request through exo2god@gmail.com. God bless!