BIBLE STUDY
"The Prayer of Jabez" BIBLE STUDY
(By Bruce Wilkinson)
WEEK 3
(10/29/13)
Subject: It was a Prayer for POWER or Strength.
"That thy hand might be with me."
Scripture: I Chronicles 4:10 (NASB)
"Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested."
This week we'll Discover:
What it means to have God's hand upon you.
Why feeling "in over your head" is normal-and what you should do about it.
What the Bible says about being filled with God's Spirit.
What might be keeping you from asking for God's hand upon you?
How you can experience God's power in your life today.
Keys:
1. He knew that on his own, he could not succeed. This prayer reveals to us the
humility of Jabez.
2. Whether it be the enlargement of his border, or a' struggle against the evil one,
Jabez knew that he needed the Lord with him.
3. The same principle applies to us. We must have the Lord with us in whatever
we do. (Song: "Be With Me Lord.") '
It's time to sink or swim
Have you ever taken on a big task only to discover too late that you've gotten in way over your head? When you ask God for more blessings and more territory, you'll have that experience. You'll feel like you set out to dog-paddle across your favorite pool only to end up in the middle of the English Channel.
Jabez knew that feeling. That's why in the third part of his prayer he cried out: "Oh that Your hand would be with me!"
Yet for the Christian, realizing our desperate need for supernatural power is a point of great promise. It's the threshold to the kind of living that changes lives and impacts the world for God. And that's exactly what God has in mind for you.
In the Bible, the "hand of God" usually represents the power and/or presence of God in a specific situation or upon a specific person. If God's hand was on someone, He wanted him or her to succeed at what he or she was doing, and He intervened to make it happen. Yes, He did! One thing is evident as you read through the Old and New Testament-God was personally involved in the lives of His children.
"You shall receive Power…"
Oh, I love this study, my soul is feeding well!
As you trace the "hand of God" from the Old Testament into the New, a dramatic shift is immediately noticeable. The power of God still intervenes on every page, but the description. "hand of God" changes to "Spirit of God." As Jesus prophesied (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27' 16:7-14), the Holy Spirit would abide in His disciples as the hand of God rested upon them. (In Acts 11:21 the "hand of God" is used interchangeably with the "Spirit of God.") That means that when a Christian prays "that Your hand would be with me," you are really asking for the power of the Spirit of God.
As with Gideon's example in the Old Testament, we see a similar pattern at work in the New Testament: God chooses ordinary people for an impossible mission.
God provides His resources and supernatural power.
With God's power, ordinary people accomplish the impossible (yet they remain ordinary people)
If you've received Christ as your personal Savior, then the Bible teaches that you have received the Holy Spirit. In fact, Romans 8:9 states that you cannot be a true Christian without the Holy Spirit. The Bible not only invites you to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, but also to be filled to a greater degree with the Holy Spirit. Why? To do extraordinary works for God, you need to be filled with more of His power.
Something Different Now:
According to the following passages, what supernatural resources are available to every believer through the Holy Spirit?
Acts 1:8……………………………… Supernatural power to be a ________ for Christ.
Acts 16:6-7…………………………. Supernatural power to _______.
Romans 8:13…………………… …Supernatural power to put_____________ .
Romans 8:16……………………....Supernatural confirmation that we are ___________.
Romans 8:26-27………………….Supernatural __________________.
I Corinthians 2:10-12……………Supernatural Understanding of the ______________.
I Corinthians 12:7-9……………. Supernatural _______________of ministry.
Galatians 5:22-23………………..Supernatural of the _________________ in our character.
PART I: What exactly is the filling of the Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a person, and at salvation, you receive Him completely, not partially. The book of Acts recounts the fact that the early Christians were filled repeatedly. When we are willing to let the Holy Spirit saturate us, He pervades our entire being with His presence and power. The filling is not having more of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit having all of us. WOW!
Spirit-Wise Quiz:
1. Whose responsibility is it that I am filled with the Spirit?
A] mind B] my pastor's C] a TV pastor's D] God's E] it just happens
2. Who actually does the filling?
A] me B] my pastor C] a TV pastor's D] God E] it just happens
3. Peter prayed again for filling in Acts 4:31 because:
A] the first time didn't work B] he needed to be filled again for another big task C] just a formality D] he needed to get saved again E] don't know
4. The main reason for being filled with the Holy Spirit is:
A] power to impress B] powerful feelings C] power to do tricks D] power to get what I want E] power to speak to others about God and His Word
5. If I were to pick one word that is used repeatedly to describe how the disciples spoke for God after being filled with the Spirit, I would say that they were:
A] cautious B] confused C] rude D] bold E] scared
PART II: How can I be filled with the Spirit?
Although the Bible doesn't give us specifics on how to be filled with the Spirit, many have found these five steps helpful.
Step 1: Recognize When You Need to Be Filled
In the book of Acts, the disciples repeatedly asked the Spirit to fill them. The reason? They lacked the power and boldness to do the ministry of God was giving them. Similarly, if you lack boldness or power to minister, it's time to ask for a new filling, Ephesians 5:18 commands us to keep on being filled.
Step 2: Confess Your Sins and Cleanse Yourself.
Believers can grieve and quench the Spirit through disobedience. Before asking God to fill you, confess your sins (I John 1:9; 2 Timothy 2:19-22). Get back into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Step 3: Ask the Spirit of God to Fill You for Service.
The Lord does the filling of the Spirit and you need to pray and ask Him (see Acts 4:31). The Spirit (re)fills believers in response to prayer. Acts 4:31 states, "When they had prayed….They were all filled"
Step 4: Identify What the Spirit Wants Done
The filling of the Spirit is not the same as the "fruit of the Spirit" or "Walking in the Spirit." Filling is specifically given so that you can do His work (Acts 4:29-31). Ask for clarity about what He wants done.
Step 5: Act in Faith in the Power of the Spirit:
Right after the disciples prayed, the Spirit filled them, and they "spoke the Word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31). Believe that God heard your prayer and that you are filled. Then step out immediately to do the work of ministry in His power.
Talk Points:
People today place a high value on being self-sufficient.
Do you sense that this attitude affects how you live out your faith?
If so, how?
Which of the above gifts have you experience most?
Which would you like to ask God to experience more of?
Read Judges 6:36-40. Is it okay to ask God for confirmation about what you think He's saying?
Are these times when it might be displeasing to God?
Have you ever been in a position where you already felt inadequate, then God asks you to become even more so?
What happen?
Has any of this teaching changed the way you think about the filling of the Holy Spirit? If so, how?
Which of the steps described here do you find the most challenging, and why?
Extra: Read Judges 6:12-40; 7:10-11
Courage for Cowards
Don't miss how God cared about Gideon's need for reassurances. Look for nine encouraging messages or actions. Write down what you think God wanted Gideon to understand in each.
The first one is done……..
Judges 6:12………………..With God I can be brave and strong.
Judges 6:14……………….
Judges 6:16……………….
Judges 6:18……………….
Judges 6:21……………….
Judges 6:23……………….
Judges 6:38……………….
Judges 6:40……………….
Judges 7:10-11…………..
Prayer:
"Oh, that Your hand would be with me?"
Quotes:
You never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided. (By Phillips Brooks)
Scripture: (Ephesians 3:17, 19-21 NIV)
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Statement: My New Start in Experiencing God's Power!
To close this week study on asking for God's power, pray the following prayer aloud, and then pray it every day in the coming week.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, when Your hand has moved my life I have seen a glimpse of heaven on earth. Forgive me for my independent attitude of believing that I have the power to do Your work. I beseech You to reach down from the heavens and put Your mighty hand upon me. I need and earnestly desire Your strength working in me, through me, and around me to do Your work. So I empty myself and ask You to lavishly fill me with the full power of Your Spirit and the glory of Your presence. By Your hand, I will walk boldly today, carrying Your light in this dark world. Amen.
Questions:
How much do I experience God's power?
What does God's "hand upon me" mean?
Who else in the Bible experienced God's hand upon them?
How would my life change if I asked for more of God's Spirit?
How do I experience the filling of the Spirit?
What is keeping me from experiencing God's hand?
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