COURAGE TO CHANGE YOUR DESTINY

• DAY 311
• FAITH FILE: JABEZ
• SCRIPTURES: I CHRONICLES 4:9-10

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 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.

Names are significant and revealing. If you hear the Name Ada, without meeting that person you know 2 things for sure, that person is Igbo and female. That person is also very likely the first or only daughter of her father. If you hear the name Taiwo, you automatically start looking for that person’s twin. Names tell a story. They not only tell a lot about a person or identify that person, but they are also a prophetic declaration over that person’s life.

For Jabez, his name told a story of his birth. It was clear by his name that he was born after much sorrow. However, every time he is called JABEZ the caller speaks “sorrow” into his life. What a sad existence. His mother had no idea that she had sealed his fate. We have to be careful not to name someone’s future because of a present pain. Jabez had to carry this burden of sorrow for most of his life. He was honorable but all he experienced and caused was pain. His honor didn’t have room to find expression.

A Prayer of Courage

But a day came when he was fed up of pain, he looked at his destiny and said, “I’m tired.” He knew a God that changed the name of Jacob to Isreal. He knew that the only one who could change what his mother said must have a higher authority. So he prayed (this is my paraphrase), “God, I don’t want to bring pain anymore. Don’t let me be around where evil is because every time evil happens around me, they make it my fault. Every time somebody dies, they say it’s because Jabez walked into the room. Every time somebody weeps, they say it’s because Jabez came. I don’t want that testimony anymore. God, I’m tired of it. I heard that when you bless no man or prophet, not even Balam can change it. So bless me. Please, change my name and my story. I don’t want to cause pain. Take pain away from me. Bless me.” And God granted him his request.

I don’t know what destiny you are living out, what prophecy you are fulfilling, that it was decreed a long time ago and it looks like your life has become a self-fulfilling prophecy of the word that was declared by somebody else. Today, you have an opportunity to open up your mouth and cry out to God to erase that stain upon your destiny by the blood of Jesus.

Decree right now, plead the blood of Jesus over those names that you’ve been called, and let it be erased. And God will grant you your request by His mercies in the name of Jesus.