Over the last few months I’ve been praying the prayer of Jabez, which is essentially that God would bless me indeed, that His hand would be upon me, that He would enlarge my territory and that I would cause no pain and not be in pain either. (1 Chronicles 4:9-11)
The exciting thing is that God is honouring that little prayer. Take for instance the fact that in the last week two of our children have gotten jobs, my husband and two other children have had favour in their studies and careers, doors are opening, creative ideas are flowing and boldness to step out and do new things has been released.
Expecting God to bless and understanding that it is actually okay to ask for His hand of blessing upon our lives has lifted my faith and expectation. So much so that on the phone yesterday I said to one of our daughters, “okay it’s Monday and we have the whole week ahead of us so I’m going to go and find some good news”. Within minutes of declaring that I received two pieces of good news regarding her career and a new opportunity open up for her. Now some might say that is just a coincidence but today more good news occurred with both of our adult daughters.
God is listening when we pray and even though we may sometimes not see the answer straight away we can be sure that He hears, and if we are praying according to His Word He will be on set up and busy activating the answers and blessings to come our way. It may at times surprise us how creative He is with His answers, but since He is the Creator we really shouldn’t be surprised. Take for instance how He provided for the hungry by multiplying food, or making water turn into wine, healing blind eyes, restoring people’s health, causing livestock to increase at an incredible rate, and blessing people with children who were previously barren. He opened prison doors, turned people’s lives around, set the oppressed free and restored the years that the enemy had stolen. (Matt 14:13-21; John 2:1-11; John 9; Genesis 30; Genesis 11;30 1 Sam 1:5)
God is still in the business of answering prayer and performing miracles, so I encourage you to pray…ask for what you desire. God doesn’t want to hold any good thing back from us. He loves to bless and pour out His gifts upon us. As one of my friends says, “Shake the Christmas tree and watch all the gifts drop out.”
Ask for what’s burning in your heart. Ask that He would bless you indeed and that His hand would be upon your life. He’s not heavy handed but instead says that His yoke is easy and His burden light. His hand holds so much blessing in it and He just wants for us to be open and ready to receive from Him. Expect your influence and impact to be enlarged and that you would walk in peace rather than pain and be a blessing to others as you have been blessed.
God is a good God and He’s not only good towards us on Sunday’s when we might possibly show up in Church. He’s good all the time and He is constantly thinking up ways to bless and reveal His love to us. He actually is in a great mood!
Ask and then expect to receive some good news today.
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” ( Romans 8:32 NIV)
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NLT)
Prayer: Lord I thank you that you are in a great mood and that you love me so much. Thank you that you forgive my mistakes and that you desire good things for me. Today would you bless me indeed and enlarge my territory and that your hand would continually be upon me. Please keep me from evil and pain. I receive good news today. In Jesus name Amen.
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