FIRST FRUIT FASTING FELLOWSHIP 2025 (PREMIUM EDITION) Day 13
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Theme: RIDING ON THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH
Texts: Isa.8:18, 49:5, 58:8-11,14
Topic: JUBILEE FOR JABEZ
Subtexts: 1Chro.4:9-10; Ps.46:1-3,7-11
As we approach the terminus of the middle-third of our exercise, we shall be looking at a young man who refused to accept a life not bargained for, who took his destiny in his hands and did the needful; and got a jubilee result. He understood God as our Refuge and a Very Present Help in trouble. He would not be deterred by what he saw or heard because he knew that God makes wars (of life) cease by destroying the weapons of war.
We shall bring the message under the following:
- The Great Challenge of the Helpless
- The Glorious Course of the Hopeful
- The Grand Commendation of the Most High
- THE GREAT CHALLENGE OF THE HELPLESS
As a helpless neonate, a baby was given a name that could mar his future; a name that commanded sorrow and capable of making him miserable all the days of his life.
“Jabez” was given to him because his mother passed through a lot of sorrow to deliver him (cons.Gen.3:16). Jabez means
‘sorrowful’, ‘born in pain’, ‘he makes sorrowful’; ‘he will cause pain’.
In Bible narratives, names often hold profound significance, reflecting character, destiny and divine calling of individuals.
The practice underscores that names are not merely labels, but encapsulated the essence and purpose of a person as ordained by God.
Noah means rest or consolation and was instrumental in bringing rest to the violent world.
Enoch means discipline or dedicated and dedicatedly walked with God until he was taken. (Gen. 5:22-26).
Jacob means heel-catcher of supplanter (one that supersedes and replaces carrying a sense of deceiving and defrauding) and manifested it to Esau and to in-laws (Gen. 25:26-34, 27:21-35).
Joseph means God shall add; and the name played out towards his erstwhile barren mother.
Moses (Heb Mashah) means „to draw out‟ following his rescue from Nile, and he went forward to draw Israel out of Egypt (Exo.2:10).
Joshua means Yahweh saves and it reflected in his life, as he was used to give rest to the “floating” Israelites etc.
So Jabez would not accept a miserable life generated by the negative name received from his mother. He confronted the matter head-on with hope.
(B) THE GLORIOUS COURSE OF THE HOPEFUL
Jabez had a good relationship with God hence his choice of confrontation (Jer.32:27; Isa. 1:18). He chose the path of fervent prayers knowing that he was handicapped, he acknowledged his weakness and limitation and asked God to be his strength (Ps. 50:15; Jas.5:16).He was not lazy so as to make vague prayers, but rather diligent, making specific requests in supplication:
That God will bless ………… asking for
favour
That God will enlarge his territory …. Prayer of
influence
That God‟s hand might be on him … Prayer of
anointing That God would keep him from evil … Prayer of
protection.
It was prayer borne out of a burdened heart and not a quick-fix chant.
God is a Rewarder of sacrifices and of true seekers, and so responded promptly.
(C) THE GRAND COMMENDATION OF THE MOST HIGH.
All Scriptures were written by God‟s inspiration (2Tim.3:16). So it was the Spirit of God that described him as honourable. The Hebrew word
kabad (
kaw-bade) translated honourable means
to be heavy, rich, make weighty, honourable.
The Lord commended his humble disposition and faith in God by changing his future and defying the meaning and effect of his negative name (Eccl.
8:4; Isa.43:13; Dan.4:35).
He was made to surpass his brethren with good names. The Lord did not follow the strategy of name change but rather directly intervened overriding the effect of the bad name, attending to his prayer points (Matt.7:7,8). When favour is operational, protocols are broken.
We have a hand in our destiny, our destiny involves us.
Destiny refers to the events that will necessarily happen to a person in the future; the course of events that will take place in the person‟s life.
There are people that make wrong turns in their lives and deny themselves the excellent package of God.
Now, if the Lord could intervene in Jabez‟s serious case, why can’t He do the same in your case, where by you made some mistakes in life?
Employ Jabez strategy of humility, faith, and prayer, and honour will naturally follow. Use these last seven days of the exercise to beseech God and you will join in the joy of Jubilee.
