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

~ 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

Product Description

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, president of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, takes readers to 1 Chronicles 4:10 to discover how they can release God's miraculous power and experience the blessings God longs to give each of us. The life of Jabez, one of the Bible's most overlooked heroes of the faith, bursts from unbroken pages of genealogies in an audacious, four-part prayer that brings him an extraordinary measure of divine favor, anointing, and protection. Readers who commit to offering the same prayer on a regular basis will find themselves extravagantly blessed by God, and agents of His miraculous power, in everyday life.

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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: 978-1576738108
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (564 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,071 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #23 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Sacred Writings > Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) > Meditations
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring...IF you place it in its proper perspective, April 10, 2001

By	Tom Hinkle (Tulsa, OK USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I don't necessarily buy Christian books because they are best-sellers. Much of what sells is just "Pop Religion", which I differentiate from true Christianity. But I took notice when I saw that this book was being listed on the "secular" best-seller list right behind that Cheese book, so I decided to take the plunge since the book is relatively inexpensive.

One thing I appreciate about "The Prayer of Jabez" is that it spotlights a scripture that 99 out of 100 Bible readers totally miss. I was a bit wary at first, because the prayer starts out as a "Bless Me" prayer, and could be contstrued as being rather selfish. But the author makes clear that asking for God's blessing in this case is not a thinly-veiled get-rich-quick idea. It's important to allow God to bless you the way HE wants to bless you. Of course, that is just the first point of the prayer, there are three more to follow. If nothing else, it will help you get over any guilt you may have about praying for yourself. HOWEVER...

Don't fall into the trap that this prayer is the be-all and end-all when it comes to praying. After all, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn't say "Well, let me tell you about a little prayer by a guy named Jabez..." It can certainly be incorporated into your daily time of prayer, but if the prayer of Jabez is ALL you ever pray, then yes, it becomes extremely selfish. There are many prayers in and outside the Bible that can be used as well, not to mention your own spontaneous prayers, for others as well as yourself. And this is not to be used as some kind of Christian mantra. In short, this is a pretty good little book, but keep it in perspective to the whole of your devotional life.

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.

160 of 182 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Danger Ahead!, May 1, 2001

By	The Professor (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

To Wilkinson the key is that Jabez stumbled upon the right formula for asking things of God. His emphasis is on Jabez finding the correct method, instead of on God and His Sovereignty. However, for Jabez the focus of Jabez's prayer was on God and His provision and protection. Jabez simply asked and God gave him what He requested - not because Jabez said the right thing or manipulated God into granting his request.

The danger is that Wilkinson's teaching leaves no room for God to say "NO" or "WAIT." It simply puts God in a box. However, the Bible clearly teaches that God has the absolute right to do whatever He pleases with us. And yes, that may mean that God says no to our prayer requests. This debunks Wilkinson's claim that sin in our lives is the only thing that will stop the repetition of Jabez's prayer from working. We must remember that God's purposes for us and our lives are far beyond what we're able to comprehend, and we can't know the mind of God and we can't coerce Him into blessing us. He can't and won't be controlled or manipulated. If He could, then He wouldn't be God, and He wouldn't be worthy of worship, honor, and praise.

To pull just two quotes from the book, Bruce's states "I want to teach you a prayer that God ALWAYS answers." and "I believe it (prayer of Jabez) contains the key to a life extraordinary favour with God."

Regarding the first point, where in scripture does it state that praying the prayer of Jabez will always get God's ear, and require Him to answer? According to the Bible I study and read, when Jesus taught us how to pray, he taught us "Our Father, which are in heaven . . .", not "Oh, that You would bless me indeed . . .".

Second, where in scripture does it teach us how to get extraordinary favour with God? Again, the Bible I study and read teaches that God is love. There is no height, nor depth, nor length to the love of God. Since God already gives us ALL love ALL the time, how can we get even more favour? We already are God's children and have as our inheritance ALL of God and ALL of what God offers.

Ponder this. There are no formulas to God. There is but one God and he can not be put in a box and be our personal genie. God has the absolute authority to do whatever He pleases with us, even if that means God says no to our requests. God's purposes for us and our lives are far beyond what we're able to ask for, or comprehend. God can't be coerce into blessing us. He can't and won't be controlled or manipulated. If so, God wouldn't be God.

Now, if Bruce instead taught about a deep, abiding, loving relationship with our Father who will sustain us through heartaches, failure, and success, then this would be a great book. Instead, Wilkinson's teaches a shallow "results-oriented" faith that is supposed to guarantee success, as opposed to a deep, abiding, loving relationship with our Father that will sustain us through heartaches, failure, and success.