Ask AND Believe...That God Can Strengthen Your Prayers

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 - Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain."  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.

I read and studied this awesome prayer last night. It is one of the simplest…straight forward prayers…a request for blessing…an enlargement of his borders…that God would always be with him….and that he would keep him from harm. He must have prayed this in great faith…for God granted his request.

I prayed his prayer last night...but immediately felt my faith waver…knowing that this lack of faith might prevent me from growing into such a great promise.  I am like the father of that sick boy…who asked Jesus to heal his son…IF he could. Jesus told him in Mark 9:23-24… “And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." 

Any dream…any seed of great imaginings for our future…God can bring to our realization…we just hae to overcome our disbelief.  I have to overcome the fear that I am not good enough…qualified enough…and latch on to God’s great power to use me despite my weakness.  Allow me to condense and paraphrase some great words of Henry Blackaby.  God wants the world to come to know him. People know him when they see him at work in your life. He always gives people things to do that are outside of their capabilities …so he can demonstrate his power …his nature …his strength…his provision.

Father…thank you for the reminder that more powerful…far reaching prayers are just a belief away.  Forgive me for my unbelief…and help me to overcome the thoughts of insecurity that hold me back. Help me to claim instead the great words of Philippians 4:13 … “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Give me this strength…so you can give me the confidence to believe that you will also improve my ability to pray.  Amen.