“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10.

What is it that you are praying God to expand? Maybe you are in search of real tangible land or maybe you are desiring for an expansion of your ministry. Whatever it is, I would encourage you to apply the above verse to your daily prayer and truly lean into the impact of taking new territory. If you study this short passage, you will find that the Hebrew meaning of “Jabez” means “pain or sorrow” because his mother bore him in physical and emotional agony. We don’t know what the struggle was but we do see that Jabez entered the world with a negative connotation attached to his generation. Jabez refused to play the victim and in verse 9 it states that “ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers…”.

How many times have we fallen victim to past sins, wrongdoings, anger, hurt and pain? It is very easy to live with a victim mentality due to others impact on your life, but I can assure you that you will never gain true territory within the Kingdom until you have repented and cleansed yourself from inequities. Let’s take a look at Jabez’s prayer – I would encourage you to write it down on a sticky note and post it where you can see it every day.

“ Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed..”

When I read this sentence, I am reminded of how bold and confident Jabez is in his faith. He does not question where his blessings will come but simply puts his trust in God – the source.

“ and enlarge my coast…” When praying this in my own life I was not seeking a shoreline off the coast of the Gulf but for God to expand my territory of influence and impact. Jabez was asking God to stretch his boundaries farther than he was currently to fully walk in his inheritance and do more for the Kingdom.

“and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!” I have learned in my personal walk with Christ that if it is not His will, I don’t want it. This part of the prayer is significant because it is proof that with new territory and expansion, you will face warfare. Get ready knowing His hand is upon you.

The prayer ends with a beautiful sentence which is a wonderful display of God’s love to those who humbly and boldly seek His will for their lives. Not everyone is seeking to expand their impact on the Kingdom (we can see that very clearly) so it is my prayer that you confidently push forward with an aligned heart positioned to take new territory through petition, fasting and prayer.

“And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10

Blessings, Kayla