Why The Prayer Of Jabez Is So Powerful
The Prayer of Jabez: A Simple, Powerful Prayer
Have you ever struggled with prayer, feeling like you don’t have the right words, or worry that you’re not praying the “right” way? Trust me, I get it. I’ve wrestled with my own prayer life, often losing my train of thought or feeling overwhelmed by my checklist of things to pray for. But recently, I’ve found hope and simplicity in one short yet powerful prayer—The Prayer of Jabez.
Jesus gave us a wonderful example of how to pray with The Lord’s Prayer. And I know He wants to hear from us as His children, not like a memorized speech.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
But I still struggle. I want to make sure I pray for others, for those who are sick, and I get so lost in my checklist for praying that I end up getting frustrated and feeling like a failure. I was recently reminded of a simple, short, and powerful prayer by a man named Jabez.
What Is the Prayer of Jabez?
Have you ever heard of the prayer of Jabez? It’s a short prayer found in the Bible in 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.
1 Chronicles is full of a list of descendants, and I’ve been guilty of glossing them over since they are names I have never heard of before. The list seems to go on forever, so if you’re like me, you might have missed two little verses tucked inside chapter 4.
Who Was Jabez?
These verses are the only time a man named Jabez is mentioned. There isn’t much information about him, but we know he was honorable and loved the Lord. Verse 9 mentions that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez because she gave birth to him in pain. His name, “Jabez,” actually means pain or sorrow, so every time his name was spoken, he would have been reminded that he had been marked.
Even though his mother marked him as pain and sorrow, Jabez seemed to know that the Lord knew him differently. Jabez’s prayer consists of four elements. He asks that the Lord bless him, enlarge his territory, let the Lord’s hand be with him, and keep him from harm and free of pain.
What Makes the Prayer of Jabez So Powerful?
Jabez’s prayer is simple but deeply powerful because it reflects a heart fully trusting in God’s goodness. His prayer can be broken down into four key elements:
- Bless me – Jabez asks for God’s blessing, not out of selfishness but because he knows that God’s blessings allow him to bless others.
- Enlarge my territory – Jabez seeks to expand his influence and reach. He wants to impact more people, serving and sharing God’s love in greater ways.
- Let your hand be with me – Jabez recognizes his need for God’s constant presence. He knows that without God’s guidance, his efforts will be in vain.
- Keep me from harm – Finally, Jabez asks for protection, acknowledging that while dangers and challenges are inevitable, God is the one who keeps him safe.
This simple prayer encompasses so much and is a great model for all of us. When we pray for God’s blessings, we shouldn’t just ask for more stuff or better circumstances for ourselves. We should also ask that God use us as a blessing to bless others.
It would be speculation on my part, but I think Jabez is asking God to expand his influence and reach, to give him opportunities to serve others and share God’s love. Jabez’s territory might have been small, but by expanding it, he could impact more people.
Jabez also asks for God’s protection. He recognized there were dangers in this world and that he needed God’s help to stay safe. It’s important to remember that God is always with us and that we can trust Him to protect us, no matter what comes our way.
Bible Verses to Remember God’s Promises
Here are some scripture verses that remind us of God’s goodness and His desire to bless us:
Psalm 20:4 NIV
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
Philippians 4:19 NIV
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
James 1:17 NIV
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Isaiah 58:11 NIV
11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
These verses, like the prayer of Jabez, remind us that God is a generous and loving God who desires to bless us and meet our needs.
Why the Prayer of Jabez Matters Today
Jabez’s prayer is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to rely on our own strength or wisdom. When we turn to God, He listens. He knows what we need, and He is more than willing to bless, guide, and protect us.
Jabez is often held up as an example of a person who lived a life of faith and trust in God despite his challenges and difficulties. His prayer reminds us that we can turn to God in prayer and ask for His blessings, protection, and guidance in our lives, no matter our circumstances.
My Reflection on the Prayer of Jabez
I used to get caught up in feeling like my prayers weren’t good enough or that I wasn’t saying the right things. But then I was reminded of Jabez’s simple prayer. He didn’t use fancy words or long speeches. He asked from the heart, and God answered.
Maybe, like me, you’ve been trying to keep a mental checklist of everything you should pray for. But God already knows what’s in your heart. Instead of striving for perfection, let’s come to Him with thanksgiving, trusting that He hears and understands us even when our words fall short.
To GOD Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
Let’s end with a prayer.
Lord, I come to you today, asking for your blessings in my life. Expand my opportunities to serve you and others, and guide me in every step I take. Protect me from harm and remind me that you are always by my side. Help me to trust you fully, knowing that you know my needs before I even speak them. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder!
My women’s book group is reading A Prayerful Life. This aligns perfectly with the book – I can’t wait to share it at the next get together!
I hope they enjoy the post.
Thanks for sharing, meant a lot! Our Lord is Awesome!!🙏
There’s not enough paper or time to write all the things we all have been thru but God knows all things. He truly loves us and all he really wants is a little of our time to spend with him . He is a jealous God that wants us to do for him and seek him .
Who on earth would go to a cross and be crucified and die for each and everyone of us. To me it is so amazing how much he truly does love us. Just imagine who Jesus really is….
Thank you for taking time for us and teaching us more about prayer.
This was so beautiful I just had to thank you. I always love your Sunday posts (even when I don’t get to them until Monday LOL.) This was so timely because I often feel that I fall short in the prayer department. thank you for this beautiful reminder that we don’t need it to be perfect or eloquent. God Bless.
Thank you for posting this simple prayer we need to pray daily. Amen
My husband and I prayed this every night for years after we got married. We still do. The version we use has the last line “and keep me from evil.”
Thank you for this post . I am struggling so much lately since my dad passed away. In some ways I guess I have just started shutting down in lieu of not anting to face this grief . I know it’s not healthy ,but I have really just been so overwhelmed with the terrible domino effect defect that has occurred since his death and I’ve had no time to really grieve bc this pain is pretty intense for me . I am a single mom btw ,my daughter and I have said our prayers together since she was 2 and could recite them back with me . She is 12 now and happens to be the only other person besides me present $& holding the opposite hand of his when he took his last breaths. This was a lot for us to sort through and for me I learned of some heavy financial situations that were going to be affecting our home in a matter of days all unbeknownst to him or myself while he was living due to dishonest financial handlers . So ,in this chaos somewhere prayer time began to suffer bc although I always reminded her to say her prayers , I just backed away from doing so together somehow . I’m not sure why ,I wasn’t angry at God but I couldn’t hardly pray with out crying and getting sidetracked with my present problems which was not something I felt to be very healthy in front of my daughter,she been thru enough upset ,ya know?!
When I read this blog post ,I knew this was everything I needed to hear . It spoke to my soul and felt real personal if u know what I mean! Tonight , for the first time in quite a while ,we prayed together. Tonight ,for the first time I am while ,I have peace again. We prayed The Prayer of Jabez along with our usual prayers .
Thank u for posting this. I didn’t cry during our prayers but I have a few happy tears now from the gratitude I feel . Thank u so much –
Hope, I shed a few tears reading this. I can’t imagine all that you and your daughter are going through, but I know the Lord knows it all. He understands grief and feels your pain. It made me so happy to hear that you found peace, and that happy tears have replaced desperation. You might continue on a roller coaster of emotions for some time, but you’ll always be able to fall back on the Lord. I’m praying for you and HE has you tucked safely under His arm.
I love that you are feeling a sense of peace again. God bless you and your family.
Thanks so much for your closing prayer! It is perfect!
I love the Prayer of Jabez. What a great reminder that God listens to ALL of our prayers.
A beautiful message today!
Love this message!!
Amen! I am finding out that many people, including me, struggle with prayer for many different reasons. Thanks for reminding us of this simple prayer that covers so much. God bless you.
Susan
Terrific message today! Thank you for sharing!
Your closing prayer was awesome! Thank you
Tania, Thank you for this. The Jabez prayer is one of my favorite prayers in The Bible.
Thank you. This was a good read.
Thank you! One of my favorites! So glad you posted it today!
Thank you, Tania, for your post today. Just what I needed to read again. Bless you & your family.
thank you. i have always struggled with this and everything growing up. i am 72 now. i do pray everyday and talk with him but in my own room by myself and in my heart and mind so nobody but him and me can hear. he has guided me and been with me every step of my life that is why i am still here and able to care for myself and others today just a little easier. bless him and everyone. thank you tania for giving me this opportunity to let him know how greatful i am.
Thank you so much! I love your blog it is such a blessing! I often end my prayer with. … ” and pray for those who are my duty to pray for “
Thank you I have been struggling with this
Amen ! 💕
Love this scripture and story. Thank you for sharing.🥰
Powerful! This has touched me and humbled me knowing am not alone in my christian prayer.I can relate it happens to me too.I know Jabez prayer but have not applied to my life thank you for this insight.I am encouraged in the lord! Be blessed.
I think a lot of us struggle, but think we are the only ones.
I love your prayers and faith messages. I am so glad that I came across your blog.
Blessings, Marian
I have struggled the same way with prayer. Nice to know I’m not alone. This is a very nice prayer. Thank you for sharing. Have a Blessed Sunday.
Just what I needed to hear. I, too, struggle with my prayer life, feeling that my prayers are not good enough because my mind wanders or get lazy to pray because I think they are not being heard. Thank you for the encouragement your post has given me.
I love this! I needed it and it such a blessing to me. Thank you
Thank you, Tania! I sure needed this!
Blessings to you & yours!
Lisa
Thank you Tania, for this much needed reminder. Have a Blessed Day! I hope that your mom is recovering ahead of schedule.
Todays post is very important to me. Thank you so much. Have a beautiful day. Debbie
Tania,
Thank you for this Sunday prayer!
Exactly what I needed on this wonderful day.
Thank you for this uplifting message. I needed that today. Have a blessed week!
I really enjoyed your blog on Jabez.
What a blessing to be able to share the Lord with all of your readers. Thank you for sharing
Blessings
A very needed post today. Thank you. God is good.
Thank you for this timely reminder! God knows our heart and asks us in His word to pray about EVERYTHING!! I appreciate these Sunday articles and you for all your hard work keeping us fashionable and enlightened!
Tania, you are such a blessing to ALL your readers! I also get lost with my “checklist” … I’m so comforted that God knows what is in my heart! Happy Sunday 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻
Nothing to say except – thank you. I needed to hear this today.
great prayer. just in time!
I believe He always knows our hearts even when we don’t have words. When my daughter went through cancer, somedays I could only bow my head or close my eyes, no words would come but he heard my heart and knew our pain.
Thank you Tania !! This was a blessing to me !! Always enjoy your Sunday posts !!
Thank you Tania. This is a wonderful reminder that God does need fancy words , just reach out to him and have faith is all he wants.
Have a great Sunday.
Beautiful prayer
Thank you for your Sunday lessons – they are so meaningful
Thank you!
Thank you for this. I never was aware of the prayer of Jabez, Thank you for the blessing. It has really helped me.
Thank you for the Sunday reflection. Appreciate you!
Since I left a religion of rituals, I have struggled on how to pray. I don’t have a problem in private but if I’m asked to pray for someone at Sunday school I don’t know what to say. Thanks for that verse. I’m going to mark it in my Bible. I love your prayer at the end. A friend of mine always ask that everything be done according to His will.
I can’t pray in public either, but my sister does it with ease. We are all different, and the Lord knows that.
Amen! I struggle with prayer also. The Holy Spirit guided you to a powerful message this week. Prayers for all those who were impacted by the hurricane this week.
Thank you for the reminder that prayer doesn’t need to be anything more than speaking from the heart. Have a blessed week!
Love this.
Thank you,
Barbara
I love this message today! It was so appropriately timed since I had literally just prayed that God would use me to share His word with someone I’ll be spending time with today who doesn’t have a close relationship with God. Talk about God’s perfect timing! Wow! And I, too, struggle when I pray and sometimes feel like I’m rambling on and that I sound silly. This post today was just what I needed to see. Thank you!
Thank you, Tania! Exactly the reminder I needed today. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Thank you for this more simple break down of the Prayer of Jabez. I think many are often intimidated by this prayer because of the part about expanding my territory, which often gets misinterpreted to mean expanding your influence to something or somewhere big, but it doesn’t have to be. I believe more than anything it means coming out of your comfort zone or having the confidence that you can be a blessing to others. Thank you for reinterpreting this beautiful and important prayer. And may we all be a blessing to anyone who needs us to be.
Great message Tania! I’ve been there myself. I’ve done many a Bible study on how to pray. I had become so focused on different methods of prayer that I lost the intimacy of just being in His presence.
Thank you for the reminder.
Amen! Thank you for your Sunday posts!
Good message Tania . I too struggle with praying the right way. I don’t ask for myself but ask for my children to be blessed . And have done so for years. I don’t see a good result and am discouraged . But I won’t stop asking.
Thank you, I like this a lot, nice prayers.
Beautiful! Such a great reminder.
I thank God for blessing us with you.
Blessings to you also!
Such a meaningful post. Thank you!
Thank you for the reminder of Jabezs prayer.
Thank you so much, Tania. I often get off the track too, as there is always so much and so many to pray for. Thank for sharing this!
A great reminder that God is good and faithful _all the time_! Thank you!
Loved your message today!! I to struggle with prayers. Thank you for this reminder. Have a Blessed Day!
Thank you for this reminder. Have a blessed week. 🩷🙏🏻
9/29/24… perfect biblical story on prayer this morning… thank you.
oh Tania! I absolutely Love the Prayer of Jabez and always have. Thank you so much.
Back in the day before I retired, I did some traveling for work. I always carried the little book of Jabez in my purse. before boarding every flight I’d reread the Prayer and then prepare myself for who God would have me meet! worked every time! The opportunities simply presented themselves to me to share my faith via everyday conversation. Thank you and God Bless you!
That is a wonderful memory. Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us.
I look forward to your Sunday posts! Thank you for this reminder!
I like this! Thank you for reminding me that my prayers don’t need to be elaborate.
Such a good reminder and this came at just the right time. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by my list and end up saying “Lord, you already know. Just take care of it”. He desires our attention and wants to give good gifts to His children! His mercies are new every morning and He is faithful! Thank you for your devotionals!! Have a blessed Sunday!
Very powerful, but simple, words and message. Thank you.
Such a great prayer, Amen!
Just what I needed to read this morning. I have list after list, worry after worry, and struggle after struggle. I am often overwhelmed. Thank you for reminding me about Jabez!
Love this prayer. Thank you for posting it again. It is a great reminder.
Beautiful! Thanks for the reminder.
Beautiful Tania! I love that you end your Sunday posts with a prayer. I feel like babble to the Lord. I often come back to your Sunday closing prayers & reread them before bed. Prayers for everyone affected by the flooding. 🛐
That’s a great idea to reread them before bed, that ends the day on the right note
God is amazing.
Last night as I was praying I struggled with my words. Wondering if I was saying the right thing. Were my words enough.
The first thing I read this morning was your post. As I was reading, I realized The Lord knew I needed to learn about Jabez and his prayer. He does know what’s in my heart and I don’t need to worry about my words.
Praise the Lord and have a blessed day.
Hello Tania, I am so happy you brought up the prayer of Jabez. When I retired from my position as an assistant principal in a junior high ( a system wrought with many diverse problems), I gave a book mark with the Prayer in Jabez to everyone who attended my retirement party. So thank you. His prayer does say it all. And your interpretation is most lovely too.
Thank you,
Nancy
Good morning, a special thank you for the reminder of our prayers, our heavenly Father knows our needs before we bring them to him. A blessed day for you and Joe
Thank you for the reminder to keep my prayers simple. God does know our hearts. He knows what we need.
Thank you for this! I heard Joyce Meyer say that she prays for a blanket of blessings and love over her whole family, which I like to say too!
Up early this morning getting ready for church and teaching children this Lords Day. What a sweet reminder that God knows our hearts and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when our human mouth is too burdened to make sentences. These are dark days in America. How we need revival and a return to the Lord….again prayer is our best weapon. Thank you sweet lady for your stand for Jesus.
I had forgotten about the Prayer of Jabez. Thank you for putting it up again. This was such a help to getting back to simplicity of prayer. It’s not about things it’s about feeling and knowing that once you place your true needs in the hands of God it will all be open to you (in time).
Thank you
Love your encouraging posts!
Thank you!!!!