Prayer of Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:10, "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."

The power of prayer. Is there any power there? We have been in some very hard times, for some time now. Business is struggling, for who is able to buy right now. In the midst of such pain and suffering, we find Jabez. The prayer of Jabez, in a long list of family genealogy, this is where we find him. He was a man born in pain and suffering. Yet, in the midst of pain and suffering, this is where he cried out to God, and this is where we see his prayer answered. This is where we cry out to God:

"Our Father, our Lord,
Hear our prayer. See our cry. We need You Father. We need You to answer us, for there is nowhere else for us to turn. Oh, that You would bless us and secure our business! Let Your hand be with us, and keep us from harm so that we will be free from pain. We have been open and honest in our dealings. We have honored You with our lives. Be with us Father, for we need You. Please do not hold us accountable for what others have done. We have turned every stone. If there is a stone left unturned, please show us so that we can deal with it."

Oswald Chambers, "Matthew 7:9, 'Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?' The illustration of prayer that our Lord used here is one of a good child who is asking for something good. We talk about prayer as if God hears us regardless of what our relationship is to Him (see Matthew 5:45). Never say that it is not God’s will to give you what you ask. Don’t faint and give up, but find out the reason you have not received; increase the intensity of your search and examine the evidence. Is your relationship right with your spouse, your children, and your fellow students? Are you a 'good child' in those relationships? Do you have to say to the Lord, 'I have been irritable and cross, but I still want spiritual blessings'? You cannot receive and will have to do without them until you have the attitude of a 'good child.' ...I am a child of God only by being born again, and as His child I am good only as I 'walk in the light' (1 John 1:7). For most of us, prayer simply becomes some trivial religious expression, a matter of mystical and emotional fellowship with God. We are all good at producing spiritual fog that blinds our sight. But if we will search out and examine the evidence, we will see very clearly what is wrong— a friendship, an unpaid debt, or an improper attitude. There is no use praying unless we are living as children of God. Then Jesus says, regarding His children, 'Everyone who asks receives...' (Matthew 7:8)."

"We are not living blind, my Lord. We have done everything that we can do, please hear our cry. '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.' Please Father, help us. 'Everyone who asks receives...'"