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1 Chronicles 4:10, 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.

Ezekiel was taken into water that was above his head and where he could not touch the bottom; he was totally dependent on the Lord to guide and protect him.  This the walk of faith.  It is the understanding that a person can accomplish for the Lord only when “His hand is with him”.

Jabez had asked to be blessed and for his territory to be enlarged.  He knew that asking for God’s supernatural power to be in him and to ask for God to work through him to touch others, he would need God’s hand to be upon him.  Living by faith means one must be dependent on God.  Jabez prayer was asking God to release His power to accomplish His will and bring Him glory through him.  Jabez was not asking God to make him great; he was surrendering to God and desired to be used in unlimited possibilities to serve Him.

Serving God in this way is surrender and worship.  It is not just words but action as God begins to give you opportunities to be used for His glory.  Right now, people need encouragement.  As times become more difficult, they might need hope that only Jesus Christ can give them.  Jabez did not limit God on who to help, how to help them, nor when He would send the opportunity.  Like Jabez, we must be ready when the Lord places someone in our way to help. 

Bruce Wilkinson, in his book The Prayer of Jabez, states, “If asking God’s blessing is our ultimate act of worship and asking God to do more is our utmost ambition, then asking God’s hand to be upon us is strategic to sustain and continue the great things He has done”.  2 Corinthians 3: 5,6 confirms this stating, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant”.

Let me finish this morning by quoting Wilkinson’s summary of this in his book.  “You and I are always only one plea away from inexplicable, Spirit-enabled exploits.  By His touch you can experience supernatural enthusiasm, boldness, and power.  It’s up to you.  Ask every day for the Father’s touch.  Because for the Christian, dependence is just another word for power.”

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