Put Your Hand On Me!
-William Temple
Quotes:
"I'm caught in a power struggle. God has the power, and I have the struggle." -Anonymous
"When I pray, coincidences happen. When I don't, they don't."
"God has called us to live a life we cannot live, so that we must depend on Him for supernatural ability. We are called to do the impossible, to live beyond our natural ability." - Erwin W. Lutzer
Introduction to the Jabez Prayer
10 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
A. The Description of the Jabez "Hand of God"
1. "Hand of God" carries the meaning of God's POWER
2. "Would be with me" asks God to act on His BEHALF
B. The Distinctives of the Jabez "Hand of God"
Imagine that you're climing a mountain for the first time, and you've stopped on a dangerous ledge. Your hands and legs begin to tremble uncontrollably. You can't move forward or backward, and you don't know what to do. Then your guide (an older, much more experienced mountaineer) reaches out and grips your hand. He looks you in the eyes and says, "It's okay. I've got you. Just move forward... slowly... move one food... now the other." Clinging to his hand, you inch your way across the ledge until you finally read solid ground. Without his help, you never would have made it. It's like that with God's helping hand.
-The Prayer of Jabez for Kids, pages 53-54
- The "Hand of God" is not merely God's power but God's PERSON
- The "Hand of God" is not human ingenuity but divine INTERVENTION
- The "Hand of God" is not natural but SUPERNATURAL
- The "Hand of God" is not for my wishes but His WILL
- The "Hand of God" is not subjective feelings but objective ACTIONS
Misconception #1: Only people in the Bible experienced the "Hand of God."
The "Hand of God" is available anytime to ANYONE
13 Gideon answered, “Please don’t take this wrong, but if the Lord is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We’ve heard how the Lord performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the Lord has abandoned us to the Midianites.”
*Judges 6:13
That means God can use ME!
Misconception #2: You must surrender control to see the "Hand of God."
The "Hand of God" requires you to control your body and MIND
22 God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.
*Galatians 5:22-23a
5 and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people’s thoughts and make them obey Christ.
*2 Corinthians 10:5b
This means God wants me to be able to control my BODY and MIND!
Misconception #3 You gain spiritual power the more God uses you.
The "Hand of God" nor your godliness gives you personal POWER
12 Peter saw that a crowd had gathered, and he said:
Friends,
why are you surprised at what has happened? Why are you staring at us?
Do you think we have some power of our own? Do you think we were able to
make this man walk because we are so religious?
16 You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.
*Acts 3:12,16
12 Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles.
*Acts 15:12
This means I do not gain POWER when God uses me!
3.) The Principles of the Jabez "Hand of God"
A. The "Hand of God" is the requirement of God for the work of GOD
49 I will send you the one my Father has promised, but you must stay in the city until you are given power from heaven.
*Luke 24:49
8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.”
*Acts 1:8
21 The Lord’s power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him.
*Acts 11:21
This means God requires me to receive His power to work for HIM.
B. The "Hand of God" is hindered by the sin of UNBELIEF
57 So the people were very unhappy because of what he was doing.
But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family.” 58 And because the people did not have any faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.
*Matthew 13:57-58
19 Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn’t we force out the demon?”
20-21 Jesus replied:
It is because you don’t have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.
16 You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.
*Acts 3:12,16
12 Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles.
*Acts 15:12
This means I do not gain POWER when God uses me!
3.) The Principles of the Jabez "Hand of God"
A. The "Hand of God" is the requirement of God for the work of GOD
49 I will send you the one my Father has promised, but you must stay in the city until you are given power from heaven.
*Luke 24:49
8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.”
*Acts 1:8
21 The Lord’s power was with them, and many people turned to the Lord and put their faith in him.
*Acts 11:21
This means God requires me to receive His power to work for HIM.
B. The "Hand of God" is hindered by the sin of UNBELIEF
57 So the people were very unhappy because of what he was doing.
But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family.” 58 And because the people did not have any faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.
*Matthew 13:57-58
19 Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn’t we force out the demon?”
20-21 Jesus replied:
It is because you don’t have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you.
*Matthew 17:19-20
This means that I need to BELIEVE that JESUS is TRULY POWERFUL!
C. The "Hand of God" should be experienced in your MINISTRY
28 We announce the message about Christ, and we use all our wisdom to warn and teach everyone, so that all of Christ’s followers will grow and become mature. 29 That’s why I work so hard and use the mighty power He gives me.
This means I NEED God's power to represent Christ everywhere I go!
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
*2 Chronicles 16:9a
This means I need to be LOYAL to GOD!
This means that I need to BELIEVE that JESUS is TRULY POWERFUL!
C. The "Hand of God" should be experienced in your MINISTRY
28 We announce the message about Christ, and we use all our wisdom to warn and teach everyone, so that all of Christ’s followers will grow and become mature. 29 That’s why I work so hard and use the mighty power He gives me.
This means I NEED God's power to represent Christ everywhere I go!
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
*2 Chronicles 16:9a
This means I need to be LOYAL to GOD!
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