30 Days to Radically Shift Your Identity in Christ! |Day 1 Acceptance & Approval

Link to Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson: https://amzn.to/40RORao  (This is an affiliate link.)
YouTube Playlist: “30 Days to Radically Shift Your Identity in Christ”
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT6YqbJJJzQjsugD0bEYGgbvMDAMSFJZ_

00:00 Desires unfulfilled are as source of great pain in life.
02:17  What to Expect of this course: “30 Days to Radically Shift Your Identity in Christ”
03:52  The Story of Jabez
08:12  Action Step: Pray the Prayer of Jabez

You may be a woman who returns home to live with her parents with 4 kids, no money and a husband who took everything and fled,  a middle-aged executive who is overlooked for promotion despite years of hard work and dedication, a stay-at-home Mom who slaves morning till night to care for her family but is totally taken for granted, or a retired foreman whose life is now empty of the approval of his team and the performance awards you used to receive.

People fail to give us recognition and approval when we need it.
The need for acceptance and approval is real. We feel empty, incomplete without it. But we can’t rely on people to give us the acceptance and approval we need.
Let God fill that need.

The Story of Jabez
1 Chronicles lists hundreds of names in the genealogies of the 12 tribes of Israel. One name, gives us a powerful lesson about acceptance and approval.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NIV

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 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.
Jabez’ mother apparently had a difficult birth or for whatever reason, was in great pain (physical or emotional) when he was born. So she named him Jabez which means: pain or sorrow. His name literally could mean “one who causes pain.”
Every time someone called his name it would be a  curse – “one who would live in pain or cause pain.” It was a prophecy Jabez didn’t want to fulfill.
So he prayed:
10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would greatly bless me”
“To bless” in Hebrew culture at that time meant “to ask for or to impart supernatural favor.”
Jabez prayed for God to give him supernatural favor.

He continued: “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!”
Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory to increase his influence!
Jabez continued, “Let your hand be with me.”
The “hand of the Lord” refers to God’s supernatural power and authority over creation. It is used to invoke God’s blessing and favor, also His guidance and protection.

Jabez finished his prayer, asking God “and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.
And God granted his request.”

God gave Jabez supernatural favor. He increased Jabez’ influence. Jabez became the head of his clan. And God kept him from causing pain to others or living in pain himself. God changed his IDENTITY and his destiny.

God’s desire is to bless you – to give you supernatural favor and influence.
Psalm 90:17
Diligence Brings Favor
Proverbs 22:29
Psalm 5:12

ACTION STEP:  Let God give you His acceptance and approval. He may use people to do it, but he will be your source.

PRAY 1 Chronicles 4:10 with me:
“God, Oh, that you would bless me (give me supernatural favor)
and enlarge my territory (my influence)! 
Let your hand be with me, (Your supernatural power and authority, Your blessing and favor, and Your guidance and protection) 
and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. (that I will not cause pain or be in pain) 
God, as you did for Jabez, grant this request. May my life bring glory and honor to You!”