“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”  The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20)

“This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small,
large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force;
never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” (Winston Churchill)

“Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us.” All the victories over Satan are obtained by the power of Jesus Christ extended to us through the Holy Spirit. But let us beware of spiritual pride, meaning it is through the power of Jesus, not our own power that we defeat evil. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of spreading his message to the ends of the earth, but he warned the disciples to be humble and to count their blessings in heaven.

Simply put, we are dependent on the teaching, help, and blessing of Jesus Christ, even when we are successful – successful to the point of rebuking evil spirits. All of our victories, all of our joys in ministry are victories only won through the Risen One – who sends us out to bring in the harvest, to cast out demons, and to heal the sick.

Pastor Dave

“The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. Koz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum. Jabez was honored more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked.” (I Chronicles 4:7-10)

“Ask,” promised Jesus, “and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). “You do not have because you do not ask,” said James (James 4:2). Even though there is no limit to God’s goodness, if you didn’t ask Him for a blessing yesterday, you didn’t get all that you were supposed to have.” (Bruce H. Wilkinson, The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life)

It is from an obscure text in the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 4 verses 9 – 10, within the descendants of Judah, that we have the prayer of Jabez. This prayer just four or five years ago or more sparked a tremendous renewing of prayer life and stirred the interest in prayer for many Christians. The prayer is short – but the books that it sparked were long and quite profitable for its author. It is a short prayer that can be memorized – and could be incorporated into one’s prayer life. The only thing that disturbs me about this prayer is the single mindedness of the prayer. 

Lord, bless ME and enlarge MY border, that your hand might be with ME, and that you would keep ME from hurt and harm.   

Look, if we compare this prayer with the Lord’s Prayer, we find a startling difference. The “Our Father” does not begin with MY Father, but Our Father, the Lord of all, whose name is hallowed. Continue to look at this prayer and see how the Lord’s Prayer focuses on the community of believers. “Give us this day our daily bread…and forgive us…”

Which prayer should we, as members of the body of Christ, memorize and utilize in our prayer lives? It could be both – I believe all time spent in prayer is good time spent. Both kinds of prayers should be prayed since our faith is not an individual thing but will always be part of the body of believers.

Pastor Dave