The Secret of Jabez’s Blessing
When a new life is born into a family, regardless of wealth, the parents would want to give their child the best and one of those gifts is a good name. Although some people choose simply pretty names, many aim to give a name that will bring blessings into their child’s life.
In Korea, there are places called naming centres, similar to fortune-telling shops. Even today, many who do not believe in God still go to such places to choose names for their children.
From a Christian’s perspective, there is a word that should never be included in a name ie. “dragon”. While the world sees the dragon as a mighty, fearless creature that soars through the skies, it is a symbol of Satan, the devil, according to the Bible (Rev 12:9).
In today’s passage, there is a man whose mother named him Jabez, meaning “I gave birth to him in pain.” It seems his mother went through suffering and hardship during pregnancy and childbirth which means naming a child “Jabez” that means sorrow, pain, or distress- is not a wise choice. If you go to a fortune-teller, they might say the name would bring misfortune and insist you change it immediately. But what happened to Jabez? Did he live a sorrowful and painful life because of his name? The Bible records that Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. The Hebrew word for ‘honourable’ is “kabod.” Its first meaning is a negative one: “heavy.” However, “kabod” also has a second, positive meaning: “weighty” as in significance or value. Jabez was more knowledgeable, faithful, and blessed than his brothers, and his life was filled with abundant blessings.
What was his secret?
Verse 10 reveals that his secret was prayer. He clung to God and prayed. Do you wish to break free from the limitations of your name and live a new and blessed life? Then, instead of going to a naming centre to change your name, pray to God. I believe that when we pray, great blessings like those of Jabez will also be given to us.
1. He prayed for blessings upon blessings (1 Chro 4:10)
The original text of “bless me indeed” uses the word “barak” (bless) twice, indicating “give me blessing upon blessing.”
- It signifies blessings ranging from small to great (Luke 16:10). Through God’s grace, you might gain a small profit, say 10 ringgit. That’s a blessing. But what about 100, 1,000 or 10,000 ringgit? All of it is a blessing. Jabez’s prayer for “blessings upon blessings” was a heartfelt cry for both small and great blessings. I urge our congregation to cry out to God sincerely. While a gentle faith that trusts the Father to provide is good, sometimes we must cry out urgently for help.
- It signifies blessings from the physical to the spiritual (3 Jhn 1:2)
The Bible clearly states that blessings include both spiritual well-being and physical prosperity. Therefore, “blessings upon blessings” encompass both earthly and spiritual blessings. It is not a sin to prosper in this world. It is not wrong for your business to succeed. Thus, we should pray for success in our endeavours. However, the Bible emphasizes the order of blessings: when our souls prosper, our physical prosperity will follow. So, when you seek physical blessings, first pray for your spiritual prosperity.
- It signifies continuous, uninterrupted blessings
Imagine God pours out a blessing, and before it even arrives, another blessing is already on its way. You would be overwhelmed with blessings with no empty spaces left. That is the essence of “blessings upon blessings” continuous, overflowing blessings. In times of hardships, we cry out to God, seeking help and blessings. But when things get easier, we often start relying on our own wisdom rather than on God. That is not the flow of continuous blessings but broken blessings (1 Thess 5:17).
2. He prayed for his territory to be enlarged (1 Chro 4:10)
What does it mean to pray for enlarged territory?
- It means praying for an enlarged heart
In the Bible, the heart is not only the place where God dwells but also the seat of judgment (Deu 6:5; Lev 19:17). Having a broader heart means being able to accept others and enjoy blessings.
In 2025, we are preparing for the Hora Asia Youth Conference. This cannot be done by a few capable people alone. We are not just organizing an event: we are praying for God’s grace to hold us together through it. This spiritual work can only happen when we all unite and come together as one in heart (Phil 2:5). I encourage you to become believers with broad hearts that can embrace everyone, just like Jesus.
- It means praying to enlarge the place of your tent (Isa 54:2)
Enlarging our tent’s place is God’s will. Jabez prayed for his boundaries to expand so that he and his descendants could live and thrive for generations. The Word directs us in two ways: outward to the world and downward to future generations (Deu 5:10).
- It means to pray for the blessing of prosperity
Enlarging one’s territory implies a lack of obstacles or adversaries, symbolizing the blessing of all-around prosperity (2 Thess 3:16).
3. He prayed to be protected from harm and pain (1 Chro 4:10)
Jabez prayed to be protected from harm and pain, asking for God’s hand to help him. This is a powerful declaration and confession of faith, recognizing that all blessings, success and prosperity come from God.
Beloved believers, even though our names might not contain words like “dragon,” “pain,” or “sorrow,” many of our parents named us with the hope that we would do well in the world. In this sense, we are all spiritual Jabez(es) today. However, when we pray to God, we can transform from sorrowful Jabez(es) into honoured ones (Jhn 15:7; Matt 7:7-8; Jhn 14:13; Jhn 15:7).
Believe in God’s Word. Pray according to His promises. May the transformative blessing, miracle, and victory that turns all sorrow and worry into honour be with you in your life, in the name of the Lord I pray, Amen.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 