In First Chronicles, chapter four, verse ten, the righteous example of Jabez stresses the truth that God blesses those who faithfully call upon Him. Jabez was “more honorable than his brethren” in verse nine. Jabez’s life and prayer demonstrate how God delights to bless those who call upon Him in faith and earnestly seek His favor. The Chronicler’s point of view is well expressed in Second Chronicle twenty, verse twenty, “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established.” Jabez’s four-part prayer is a model for all believers.
Jabez earnestly desired God’s favor and blessing. He petitioned God to enlarge his territory and asked His hand (His presence and power) to be with him in all spheres of his life. Jabez asked God to keep him from evil or harm and not be a cause of pain to God, himself, or others. God heard Jabez’s prayer and “granted him that which he requested. We can assure you that this is a prayer that God delights to answer.
When Jabez grew to manhood, he learned to estimate the value of God’s blessing. He invokes it and depends upon it. Jabez’s language implies confidence in the reality of providential blessing. The living and true God, who alone can hear and answer prayer: and in prayer, he had an eye to him as the God of Israel, a God in covenant with his people. He did not say in what respect he desired God to bless him but left that to God, giving him, as it were, a blank paper that might write what he pleased. Spiritual blessings are the best blessings, and those who are blessed indeed are blessed with them. God’s blessings are real things and produce real effects.
The approach of Jabez to God in prayer was not for physical things but spiritual. He did ask for earthly possessions. Jabez was more concerned with pleasing God, helping others in a godly way, and being righteous at the same time. The truth is with this approach, God will equip those with both spiritual and physical blessings. Like Solomon, he initially asked God for wisdom, and the Lord gave him his desire and earthly blessings.