BIBLE STUDY WEEK 4 (11/5/13)

 

BIBLE STUDY

"The Prayer of Jabez" BIBLE STUDY

(By Bruce Wilkinson)

WEEK 4

(11/5/13)

 

Subject:                   It was a Prayer for PROTECTION

                                                "And that thou wouldest keep me from evil."

 

Scripture:                           I Chronicles 4:10 (ASV)

                                                "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested."

This week we'll Discover:

What keep me from evil means

Why you should pray to be kept from evil

Where temptation comes from

What the Bible has to day about God's powerful resources for Christians under attack

How you can escape temptation when it hits and protect God's blessings in your life.

 

Keys:

Security Measures:

After three border-busting requests, the last request in the Jabez prayer reaches for safety, protection, and long-term security—"Oh, Lord, keep me from evil."

 

The request makes a lot of sense. When you're hugely blessed by God, you have a lot to lose.  Besides, when you're taking territory for God by His power, you are taking it from someone else.  And the evil one doesn't like it.  With God's hand using you in mighty ways for Him, you will become a larger target for the enemy. 

 

That's why Jabez's prayer to be kept from evil is so important. 

 

Temptation can be described as the pull we all feel to please ourselves at the expense of pleasing God.  Think of temptation as a three-front war that all believers must face until they reach heaven's gate: temptations from the world, from our own wrong desires, and from the devil.

 

The flesh is the Bible's term for the sinful appetites that originate in our sin nature and physical desires. Even after salvation, these desires make us vulnerable to temptation.  

 

Case Study # 1

Joseph: young man, big future, target of temptation (Read Genesis 39; 41:37-45)

 

Joseph's story continues the chronicle of God's promised blessing to Abraham and his descendants (Joseph was Abraham's great-grandson).  Joseph's older brothers resented him for being his father's favorite.  Presented with an opportunity, they sold him into slavery in Egypt (37:18-36).  Joseph quickly gained favor only to be betrayed again-this time by his master's wife.

            In Joseph's story, we see a remarkable example of how our experiences often follow the sequence of the four parts of the prayer of Jabez. Describe the evidence you find.

 

a.      Blessings (39:3, 5, 21, 23)

b.      Territory (39:2-3, 5, 21, 23, 41:40-45)

c.       Power (39:3-6, 21-23; 41:38-40)

d.      Protection (39:7-12)

 

Do you think Joseph was tempted by the world, the flesh, or the devil-or all three?

What steps could you take in your life to avoid major temptation? (for insight see 39:8, 10, 12.)

 

Cast Study # 2

Samson:  strong man, big future, fool for temptation (Read Judges 16)

 

Israel's most famous strongman, Samson, may have lived during or near the time as Jabez.  Yet their stories could hardly be more different. Even before Samson was born, God promised his parents that their son would be special, set apart for God from birth to take territory for God-"and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5).  But after a twenty-year career, Samson fell to temptation and not only experienced pain, but also brought great pain to the nation he was to deliver.  What a negative illustration of the last part of the prayer of Jabez!

 

1.      Samson started his downfall by repeating the same sin twice (Judges 16:1,4). Why does adultery bring with it so many other sins and temptations?

2.      Judges 16:5 reveals Delilah's motive for destroying the man who loved her.  How does the love of money tempt us to compromise? Read I Timothy 6:9-10 and list the consequences of the love of money. Have you seen this happen in real life?

3.      When a person commits a major sin, it greatly affects others in its wake (see II Samuel 12:9-12). Share a time when someone else's greatly affected you.  If you chose to follow in the footsteps of Samson, who would experience traumatic pain?

 

Talk Points:

If Satan decided to custom-make a temptation to stop you dead in your tracks, what would it be?

 

Even though Jesus taught that we should ask God to lead us from temptation, why do you think most people rarely pray this way except in church?

 

Extra:

Daniel Didn't Quit:

When I read that Daniel prayed for twenty-one days but the answer was hindered by Satan. The Lord showed me that I pray and then quit, pray and then quit again.  So I made a list of nine burdens and committed to pray for God's will in them each day. I have done so for fifty-three days now, and God has changed my heart. He has drawn a hedge around my family and on two occasions protected our home from fire.  To God be the glory!  There's nothing magical about praying certain things a certain number of times, but God honors our commitment. (from the study book of the Prayer of Jabez) (p58).

 

Prayer:

"Oh,  that thou wouldest keep me from evil."

 

Quotes:

"Better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare."  (By John Dryden)

 

Scripture:     (Jude 1:24-25)

" Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,   to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

 

Statement:

My new start in experiencing God's protection from evil

      To close this week study on God's protection from evil, pray the following prayer aloud, and then pray it every day in the coming week.

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the priceless gift of knowing and serving the Lord Jesus. Forgive me for my frivolous attitude about sin and my insensitivity to the things that grieve Your heart. How deeply I desire to live a life of holiness and to please You in every way. Today I echo the words of Jesus when I plead, "Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil, that I may not cause pain to You, or others, or myself. Instead, may I bring delight to you and may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, beginning here with me. Amen.

 

 

Questions:

What is temptation, and how does it work?

What Bible stories show me how to avoid temptation?

So how do I win against temptation?

How could my life change if I asked God to keep me from evil?

What keeps me from enjoying God's protection?