Sermon Outline

Prepared by

Dr. Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Pastor/Teacher

July 1, 2001

Text:  1 Chronicles 4:10d) 

(4^th in series)

Subject:  “Protecting the blessing!”

Introduction:  After asking God to bless you indeed, and enlarge your territory, and place His hand upon you, do you really need to protect the blessing?

I.                   That You would keep me from evil

This is a plea for help from this honorable man.  (v.9) “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.”  He has asked God to:  (1) “Bless me indeed”; (2) “Enlarge my territory”; (3) “That Your hand would be with me”; (4) “And that You would keep me from evil”.

A.     Jabez believed that God was in the blessing business and if he walked by faith that God would bless him.

B.     Jabez asked God to give him a miracle.  He asked God to “enlarge his territory”, or to enlarge his ministry for the Lord.

C.     Jabez asked God to be present in his life, “That Your hand would be with me”.

Even though Jabez prayed this way we need to know that we can be robbed of our blessings, that we can loose the influence God has given us, and that the presence of God in our daily lives can be made less effective.  We need Divine power to keep us from evil. 

1.      Jesus in giving His disciples a model prayer (Matthew 6:13) says we should pray, But deliver us from the evil one.  There is an evil one who is the enemy of God and that evil one would do anything to rob you and me of our blessings.

2.      Peter in warning the elders said (I Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

3.      Jesus warned Peter, (Luke 22:31) Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 

Satan promotes evil and he wants you on his team.  Jabez prayed that God “would keep him from evil”.  You cannot beat Satan on your own you need supernatural power.  Your human influence is not strong enough to fight in the Spirit world.   St. Paul wrote (Ephesians 6:12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Sin is bold.  It is unafraid to come out in the open, and appear even in the brightness of daylight.  Sin, from every indication, is unashamed of…

It’s greedy hands; it’s filthy suggestions; it’s temptation; it’s jealous eyes; it’s vicious tongue; it’s deceitful manipulations; and sin is also unashamed of its persistent solicitations!    

Sin is evil and we cannot conquer it in and of ourselves, we need to ask God to keep us from evil.  And by the way when we don’t stay away from evil we cause pain.

II.                That I might not cause pain

Jabez’s mother (v.9) Called his name Jabez, saying Because I bore him in pain.

A.     When Jabez asked the Lord in (v.10d) That You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.   Jabez knew that he needed Divine protection from evil.  He asked God to keep him from sin.  He knew that any sin he committed would cause pain on his mother. 

B.     While his mother refers to labor pain, Jabez refers to hurt.  When our children sin it can be hurtful to the parents. 

1.      When grown children sin and parents confront them the first thing they do to retaliate is keep the grandchildren away from the grandparents, that is hurtful.

2.      When a parent instructs a child and the child will not listen or take heed, that is hurtful.

3.      The very people we have asked God to broaden our influence over can be hurt by the way we conduct our lives.

There is so much pain and hurt in the world today, we need to ask God to “keep us away from evil, that we may not cause hurt”.  Hurt especially to the people that love us most.  Not just in relationships of parents and children, but husband and wife.  Ex-husband and Ex-wife.  New husband or new wife that married into a relationship with children can be so hurtful with our behavior. 

Application:  God honored this man’s request.  (v.10e) “So God granted him what he requested.”  God is looking at your life and hears your request, and He wants to honor you by granting you all that you have requested.  But are we requesting things that honor God? 

(Ephesians 6:1-3) Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise:  that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

The key to receiving God’s protection from evil is to be filled with His Spirit, and put into practice the tools He has given us:  (Ephesians 6:10ff)…

[ Home ] [ Sermons ] [ Church Calender ] [ Newsletter ] [ About Us ] [ Contact Us ]