Day 1: Thinking + Living

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 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 ‭4:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today we begin our journey on 21 Days of prayer and fasting and I’m so excited of what’s to come. The foundational theme for our fast is the same as the theme for the year, “Expansion.” It’s our goal to facilitate the expansion of Heaven’s territory to the earth and cultivate kingdom living. Each day of our fast, we will have a specific area of focus where we desire to experience expansion in our lives. Our focus for the first day of our 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting is “Thinking + Living”.

In today’s scripture we find a powerful prayer lifted up by a young man named Jabez. This is the only time he is mentioned in the entire bible so it’s easy to overlook the significance of this moment. However I find it to be so appropriate for the start of our fast. The scripture says that Jabez was an honorable man, meaning he was a man worthy of honor and his character stood above that of his brothers. Although honorable and esteemed, there was still something hanging over Jabez’s life that he needed God’s help with overcoming. This was found in the next part of the verse where it describes Jabez’s history, it says "His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” The name Jabez sounds a lot like pain in Hebrew. So because his mother’s experience in giving birth to him, she gave him a name that related to that experience (this was a normal custom in the Jewish culture).

So now we see Jabez with this label on his life that would always remind him of his history, a name that symbolized the pain he brought his mother. However, I want you to see that Jabez believed the circumstances he was born into did not have to dictate the course of his life. You see, his mother gave him a name that was associated with the pain she went through but Jabez understood that did not have to determine how his life would be or how it would be carried out. He had a mind to say, “I know what my mother said about how I arrived here, but that does not determine who I am!”

Jabez then prayed a Kingdom prayer, he prayed a prayer of expansion. He said "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” The word territory represents limitations, in other words this is the area where one has influence, authority and ability, yet He asked God to bless him. Understand that what God blesses, no effort or opinion of man can stop His blessing or what He has approved. Jabez said “…bless me and enlarge my territory!” In other words Jabez declared “Take the limits off of me! Take the limits off of my thinking, my living and ability! Take the limits off of my life!” Take a moment and declare on the first day of this fast “Lord, take the limits off!” Say it again with conviction! “Lord, take the limits off! Off of my mind and how I live!”

The scripture says this was a prayer that Jabez cried out to the God of Israel. This was the God that made a way for the children of Israel in the wilderness! The same God that parted the Red Sea! The same God that performed miracles, signs and wonders! And Jabez knew that if there was somebody that He was going to call on or cry out to, it would be the God of all creation! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! The God who was able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all he could ever ask or think! So he knew that when he asked God, there was nothing He wasn’t able to do.

My desire for you is that you would grow beyond your limitations in your thinking and your living. The way that we achieve this is by praying the same type of Kingdom prayer that Jabez prayed. He said “...enlarge my territory! Grow me beyond my limitations, beyond the limits in my thinking or my limited beliefs.” Because for some of us we cannot live beyond what we believe and I want to help you break free of your limited beliefs. I declare in the name of Jesus that you’re going to think greater! That God is going to break open was was limited! Break open what was hurt! Break open what was bound! He’s going to expand you beyond your limitations!

In praying this prayer, Jabez declared that his history would not hinder his destiny. Like Jabez, you must make up in your mind that your history, what you went through, how you grew up, what happened to you, what they said about you, that failure or loss, the time you spent simply existing or just barely making it, you’ve got to make up in your mind that “My history will not hinder my destiny! And from this point forward I’m going to walk in the expansion that God has for my life! I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to see my territory enlarged."

While sharing this, I’m reminded of Israel Houghton’s “No Limits” where he declares “No limits! No boundaries! I see increase all around me! Stretch forth, break forth!” I declare that we are breaking forth in this season! Yes, we are expanding beyond our limitations!

Prayer Focus: That we would experience expansion in our thinking and everyday living.

I'm praying for you and with you,
Pastor Enrique Brooks

Did you know that Thryve Church prays together 365 days a year? Join us Monday-Friday at 6:30am & Saturdays at 8am for "Prayer at the Altar" by dialing 339-207-7471 and then join us Sundays at 11am for Worship Service! Learn More