The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life (Hardcover)

by Bruce H. Wilkinson (Author) "The little you're holding is about what happens when ordinary Christians decide to reach for an extraordinary life-which, as it turns out, is exactly the..." (more)
Key Phrases: more ministry, Holy Spirit, God of Israel, Long Island

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Even well-versed Biblical scholars might be perplexed if asked about Jabez, a little-known man listed in 1 Chronicles, chapter 4. Yet his simple petition is the cornerstone of The Prayer of Jabez and has become a call to live a more "blessed life" for countless readers.

The prayer is a simple one: "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."

In an era where many Christians shy away from anything that smacks of "name it and claim it," author Bruce Wilkinson alleviates misgivings by putting the prayer into perspective. Wilkinson, founder and president of Walk thru the Bible Ministries and a popular speaker for Promise Keepers, writes in a persuasive, conversational style that will woo even the most cynical reader. He has used the Jabez prayer for more than 30 years, and testifies enthusiastically to the changes it has wrought in his own life. Wilkinson challenges readers to recite the Jabez prayer every morning and keep a record of the changes that occur. The power, he emphasizes, is not in the prayer itself, but "rather, the power is in what you believe will happen as a result of the prayer, and the action you take." Wilkinson makes a convincing case. --Cindy Crosby

Review
"If you long to live your life the way it is meant to be lived in Christ, the The Prayer of Jabez is a must read. A small book, a life-changing message! Highly recommended!"

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 93 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Publishers; Crossings Book Club edition (April 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576737330
• ISBN-13: 978-1576737330
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (563 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,913 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Sacred Writings > Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) > Meditations
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  #6 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( W ) > Wilkinson, Bruce

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A small book with a big message, June 15, 2001

By	Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In his book, The Prayer of Jabez, Bruce Wilkinson challenges Christians to live life more fully by praying a prayer every day and then recording the results. Jabez is a rather obscure character in the Bible who appears in 1 Chronicle 4:9-10. He is described as "more honorable than his brothers", but what sets him apart is his powerful prayer. Wilkinson describes each part of the prayer and explains some of the consequences of praying it each day. Basically, the prayer asks for increased blessings from God which will lead the believer to a deeper and fuller Christian life which will be characterized by greater responsibility and service. Wilkinson throws down a challenge to his readers, gives them a method to revitalize their Christian walk and then leaves it squarely up to them as to whether they have the courage to pursue it.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Prayer of Jabez, January 23, 2001

By	Garry M. Spotts (Louisville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews

I heard about this book at a business conference this past weekend. While visiting a friend on Monday, he had two of the books stacked on his desk when I reached for it exclaiming that I just heard about this book, he remarked, "It's yours, I bought 20 to give as gifts." Little did I realize that this book would force me from my bed at 2:15 a.m. to begin my own personal pilgrimage with the Jabez Prayer. I feel compelled to write this review so that others may be so touched by the power of the Holy Spirit available to those who read the book with an open and hungry heart.

This is the kind of next level thinking, that is so greatly needed for the Church of Christ in this time of "next level living". Thanks to the author of the book, for being a true hammer in God's hand, because a mighty blow was struck with me. "Oh that God 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". All to His Glory, that I am even now experiencing the Victory.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Postive and Encouraging Book On Prayer and God's Character, March 22, 2001

By	Saint Dubricius "Alan" (Eastern Seaboard, USA) - See all my reviews

As a pastor, normally, I am very cynical about something that becomes popular with the Christian Church at large, but Bruce H. Wilkinson's new book, The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life is a superb work of Biblical interpretation, storytelling and encouragement. I read it through in two hours and immediately bought a copy for everybody on my church's Administrative Board.

Do read it critically, as the prayer is no substitute for reading the remainder of the Bible or having a relationship with God through the completed work of Christ, but I believe you will find an understanding of the premise behind the prayer of Jabez just as important as understanding and internalizing the Lord's Prayer.