The Prayer of Jabez, 

1 Chronicles 4:10
“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.”

Who Was Jabez in the Bible?

Jabez is a very minor character in the Bible. He was only ever
mentioned a few times, all in the book of 1 Chronicle. In 1
Chronicles 4:9-10, it is said that “Jabez was more honorable than
his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave
birth to him in pain.'” In Hebrew, the equivalent for Jabez means
“he causes pain”. Also, in Jewish culture, it is common to give
symbolic names for one’s children. So, for the reason that her
mother took great pain in giving birth to her son – more pain than
the usual childbirth – she named him Jabez.
Also, in ancient Jewish customs, the name of a person somehow
foretells his future. By naming her son Jabez, the mother is
probably giving a vision of what is yet to come for her son. She
may have seen that her son would have a bleak future, with his life
full of pains and sorrows.
However, this was not so. Jabez defied all odds, including his
supposed destiny, and became a man of fervent prayer. He
believed so strongly in the power of God that he cried out to him
boldly.
Because of his good relationship with God, Jabez was described as
honorable; in fact, “more honorable than his brothers.” For the
author of the book of Chronicles to mention him, even briefly,
tells us of the extraordinary character that this man displayed
during his life. And the fact that he was named in the book means
he had a very important role to fulfill as well.
Let’s have a look at those lines carefully and analyze what they
mean.
1. Thevery first thing Scripture tells us about Jabez is that he cried
to the God of Israel. Jabez states God’s lordship and headship
over his life.  When you pray, begin by acknowledging who
God is!
2. “That you would bless me”: Jabez knew that the God he
believed in is the source of all blessings. For that reason, he asked
God to bless him. And these blessings are more than just material;
they can also be spiritual blessings, like good relationships, peace
of mind, a compassionate heart, and a gentle demeanor, among
other things. God blesses us with spiritual as well as material
blessings when we ask Him. So we should always be reminded
that asking God for a blessing is not a bad thing. 
3. “And enlarge my territory”: Territory here does not really
mean physical land. Jabez is more concerned about making an
impact for the Kingdom of God. It is not a literal land territory.
This may not be obvious at first glance, but when we look at the
spiritual meaning of this line, it’s different. Jabez prayed that God
would enlarge the territory of his heart, that it may overflow to
those around him. He wanted to reach others for the sake of
God’s Kingdom.
4. “Let your hand be with me”: Jabez recognized his limited,
feeble nature as a person. Because of that, he knew he needed
God’s help. He knew that God was all-powerful, so he asked God’s
hand to be with him – to guide him into the right path and to
hold him throughout his journey. In this line, Jabez recognizes
that blessings can only be good things when it comes to God’s
hand. Without God’s hand leading and guiding us, the blessings
would be a waste. They would not fulfill a good purpose. 
5. “Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain”: In this
line, Jabez makes a reference to his own name. Again, the Hebrew
word for Jabez means “he causes pain.” With this, he renounced
the awful meaning of his own name. He asked God to free him
from harm so that pain may not befall him. Perhaps Jabez
needed strength, and who better to look to than God Himself?

Meaning & Lessons of The Prayer of Jabez 

1. The very first thing Scripture tells us about Jabez is that he cried to the God of
Israel. Jabez states God’s lordship and headship over his life.  When you pray,
begin by acknowledging who God is!

2. “THAT YOU WOULD BLESS ME” Jabez not only recognizes God as the one
and only true God, he also acknowledges that blessings come from God alone.
Are you chasing broken promises and blessings that the world tries to entice you
with? Are you striving toward prosperity on your own strength? 

3. “That You Would Multiply My Territory” – Many think that Jabez is simply
referring to physical land when asking to multiply territory. However, if we look at
the lineage of Jabez we can understand that he is not merely speaking in terms of
wealth and prosperity but in terms of impacting the kingdom of God. He wanted
his spiritual territory to increase, to claim generations for the Lord of Israel.  Do
you need to claim or reclaim some of the land Satan has taken from you? 

4. “your hand be with me” – Jabez wanted God to be in every moment of his
day. He understood the power of God’s hand to protect and to lead in the right
direction. Blessings will become curses if it is not God's hand providing &
guiding.  

5. “keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain”  The name Jabez
literally means “born with pain”.  His own mother named him this because of the
pain she endured in labor! When Jabez prays, he speaks against the testimony of
his name and lets go of the shame it covered him in. When you pray, come to
God vulnerable and ready for Him to turn your weakness into His glory. 

When we learn to submit our will to God and pray like Jabez, we will begin to see
God move in mighty ways! What are you praying for today

How Can We Pray Like Jabez?

We see in the next part of the verse that “God granted what he
asked.” God was honored in the prayer of Jabez. He asked the
right things from God. He also had the right attitude when he
prayed. 
For us to pray as Jabez did, we must first recognize who God is in
our lives. Do we know that He alone is the source of all blessings?
Do we recognize that God can give us the appropriate blessings if
we ask Him for them? It is important to first evaluate what we
know about God so that we can approach Him with the right
heart and mind. Otherwise, we may pray for the wrong things and
become frustrated when God says no.
Once we know who God truly is, what He’s capable of, and His
role in our lives, we can then come to him with all confidence. Like
the boldness Jabez showed when he prayed for God to bless him
and enlarge his territory, we can ask God just as courageously for
big things. Once again, the right attitude here is important. Jabez
did not seek material wealth, so this prayer is not a gateway to the
so-called prosperity gospel. God may not grant you 1 million
dollars or a thousand-acre estate, but He is willing to grant you a
heart like that of Jesus. He also wants to give your heart a desire
to spread the Gospel to others. That’s an expansion of territory
that truly puts a smile on God’s face.
Once we receive His blessings, we must never forget the Source.
Often, we get so blinded by the good things God gives us that we
forget about God Himself. Jabez recognized this, and so he also
prayed that God will continue to take the lead and guide his way.
If we ask God’s hand to be with us at all times, we will surely take
the right paths. we can maximize our blessings along those right
paths.
Equally important is asking God for protection from evil. There are
many temptations and things in this world that may distract us
from the paths God leads us to. Because of these, we need His
constant covering over us. Remember that enjoying God’s
blessings can only happen when we allow God to lead us too. So,
we need to ask God to shield us from anything that may take the
lead instead of Him.

What We Can Learn from Jabez?

Not only did Jabez recognize who God truly is, and not only did
he have the right attitude when he prayed. Against all odds, Jabez
also defied his supposed destiny. He was a conqueror through
what God has done in him. He powered through the challenges
life threw at him, and he honored God by doing so.
We may be facing trials and discouragements ourselves. But like
Jabez, let us learn to look to the God we believe in. Ask that He
would do great things through us, and ask that He would be the
one to lead us every step of the way. With that kind of attitude,
certainly, God will answer our prayers positively.
“Despite his hard luck beginning, he was honored because of his relationship
with God. This is a valuable lesson for people struggling with their identity.”
Jabez lived in a time where God had promised destruction as a consequence
for rebellion. He had much to fear.

Jabez diligently studied and obeyed the law and prayerfully trusted God to
direct his life.

The enlargement of territory Jabez prayed for was deeply connected to the
landscape of his heart. He left many disciples behind, not possessions. The
territory of his heart expanded and overflowed to those around him.