From the desk of Steve Shultz:
God hears our prayers... they aren't for naught. This latest word by Catherine Brown will show you that. This is a great prayer teaching and resource to use.
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Catherine Brown:
Enlarge My Territory
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:10 (NKJV)
Jabez' prayer requesting blessing and increase from the Lord might be described as:
1) A prayer of divine agitation, i.e. it breaks the spiritual status quo, passivity and inactivity in our lives.
2) A prayer of faith, hope and love in the goodness, power and authority of God.
3) A prayer that is a choice for God in overcoming personal circumstances, problems or a past trauma, and stepping into the new purposes and plans God has for each one of our lives.
When we pray for God to bless us and "enlarge our territory," we are praying from the perspective of a lifestyle that has experienced the investment of God with the expectation of a supernatural return that releases fruit which will last for all eternity. The result of us receiving God's blessing is (1) adoration to the Lord, and (2) equipping and empowerment for effective service for God. When we ask God to bless us, it releases His limitless power, goodness, love and favour. God's blessings release His Kingdom!
Is Asking God to Bless Us a Selfish Prayer?
It's NOT a selfish prayer because it is a prayer that glorifies God, because it is about asking God to enlarge our life so that we can make a greater impact for Him. This type of prayer will cause a paradigm shift in our thinking and appropriation of blessing as we walk with God. It is a prayer that is released from the heart that believes in the God of miracle-working power to bring transformation in the nations.
When we enter into the realm of increase and acceleration in our ministries by the grace of God, there are a few basic principles we need to understand:
1) Resource – Where our opportunities overtake our abilities. Our physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and financial resources are all stretched when we shift from the position of where we presently stand into the faith place of where we declare we hope to be. God is faithful to send us His Holy Spirit, angelic assistance, strength by grace and people and resource to enable us to fulfil the God-given assignment or mission before us. The prayer of Jabez for "enlargement" begins with acknowledging our need to decrease so that God might increase in us.
2) Relationships – Where God orchestrates divine opportunities, appointments and sovereignly-ordained destiny milestones. It is important to acknowledge that Jabez' prayer for spiritual enlargement encompasses the need for new and ongoing God-ordained relationships, strategic connections and Kingdom alliances as we interact with others both in the Body of Christ and in society. There are certain people in our lives whom God has entrusted with keys to unlock destiny.
3) Area of Influence – When God increases our "territory" for His glory, it is with the intention that we impact our sphere of influence for the Kingdom. We will experience increased responsibilities, but we can rest in the knowledge that with the gift of "call" comes the grace to walk in the call and all that it encompasses.
4) Surrender – Surrender teaches us to trust God in a deeper way. God will not lead us where He is not willing to sustain us. Surrender is a pre-cursor to sustenance, i.e. divine provision.
"Lord, Use Me!"
"Enlarge my territory" isn't a place where our training or past experience can take us, although they may serve as a foundation for a new Kingdom building work. It is only out of the abundance of being enlarged by God's grace that we gain the experience we did not have to fulfil the Kingdom task(s) before us. To ask God to enlarge your territory is another way of asking God, "Lord, use me – give me more ministry opportunities to bring glory to You!"
God teaches us how to manage the resource He has maximised in our hands. Stewardship is the gift of wisdom and compassion in management of God-given resource for the purpose for which God intended it to be used...to bless and be a blessing!
In His great grace,
Catherine Brown
Founder/Director Gatekeepers Global Ministries,
Co-Founder, Scottish Apostolic Networking Enterprise
Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
