Influence and Impact
“Jabez called upon 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 harm[a] so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:10
As we read the prayer of Jabez, there are elements we could apply to our own prayer life to live an above average life of faith doing great things for God.
Jabez prayed to do something significant with his life and asked God to bless him and enlarge his territory. Jabez left it up to God to decide what the blessings would be and where, when, and how Jabez would receive them. Jabez was not asking for more real estate, but instead, he wanted greater influence, more responsibility, and more opportunity to make a mark for God. He wanted to excel and expand, and he was not afraid to ask God for his blessing and success. He wanted to invest his life in God’s big dreams, and he could envision God providing.
Jabez also prayed for God presence, for His right hand to be with him. Jabez knew that to live large for God would take more than his own strength. It would require God’s power in his life to accomplish God’s bigger vision.
Finally, Jabez prayed for God’s protection over his life, to be kept from harm. As we seek to expand our influence, impact our community, and serve God, we become a threat to the devil. Jabez prayed to be kept safe; to not be prevented from making an impact.
We could easily miss opportunities to live an above average life of faith pursuing great things for God. It is easier to keep our dreams manageable and our expectations low, to focus on what we know and stay in our comfort zone. But we could pray like Jabez, confident in the power, presence, and protection of God, and boldly seek to expand our territory and influence for His glory- knowing “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
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Lord, I pray for your blessing in my life. Enlarge my influence for your glory. Show me the dreams you have for me and grant me the courage to step out of my comfort zone. Please be with me in all that I do and keep me safe. Amen.
ABOUT ROCKPOINTE CHURCH
RockPointe strives to provide a welcoming, family-friendly environment where people of all walks of life encounter the transforming power of a relationship with Jesus.
You will find RockPointe to be a place of imperfect, but genuine and authentic people seeking to glorify Jesus with their lives. Our hope is to point to the empowering grace of Jesus that transforms people to become impactful disciples for the kingdom of God.
The worship music is modern in style and highly gospel-centered in content. People are encouraged to passionately worship Jesus in “spirit and truth.” At RockPointe we value singing songs that are Christ-exalting and theologically rich.
We hold the Scriptures in high regard as the final authority in a person’s life. Messages at RockPointe are Christ-centered and will provide great insight as to what the Bible teaches about living your life for the glory of God. There is also a Family Room for parents to observe the services even while attending to their family needs.
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