What is your birth order?  Are you the first born? Middle child? The youngest? What season of life within your family did you come into this world?  What did your parents see fit to name you?

Jeremiah 1:4-5
The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Jabez (I Chronicles 4:9-10) was born causing pain to his mother, so she named him Jabez, which means “pain”. Although he was labeled by humans, God’s word says that He created each one of us, and He knew us EVEN BEFORE you were formed in the womb of your mother.  He promises to “set you apart”.

The beginning of that passage says that Jabez was “more honorable than his brothers”.  Do you think he was more honorable because he knew that no matter how man saw him, he knew the reality of his birth–conceived in the mind of God and set apart?”  Jabez was bold enough to ask God, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!”

We can pray for favor from God, or live a life playing out the words spoken over our lives.  The tongue is a masterful tool.  The tongue can bring life or death.

At the retreat, I stood within my story and shared words that were spoken over me as a growing child and youth that the enemy convinced me were true.  I knew enough about God’s Word as a young adolescent, but I was not rooted and grounded in His Word enough to fight off the enemies lies.  So the lies became a part of my life story until God said, “Enough! It’s time to re-frame using my Word!”

Lie: You were born an accident, or a mistake, an after thought.

Truth:  I am created by God.

Bible Verse: “Before I was formed in my mother’s womb, God knew me.  Before I was even born I was set apart!”

Jabez did not use his position as a time to blame others or live a life of, “Why me?”  Instead, he cried out to God and asked for favor so that he could bless others.  If the enemy can keep you in a lifetime of “self” and “hurt” and “your pain”, he can keep you from reaching your God potential to serve others and be filled with God’s joy!

God desires for us to prosper.  Did you know the word prosper means “to propel forward”.  God desires for you to accomplish great things in His Kingdom work so that you can be used by Him to share His love.

“Friend, I pray that you may prosper in all things” (3 John 2)

We can spend a lifetime lamenting our position, living out what others think our story should be, or live the old adage of self-fulfilling prophecy.  Why do we seek to honor man in this way?  God’s prophecy over our lives should spur us on to higher things, greater purpose, and healing.

God has so much more for you.

God’s word says that no weapon formed against you will ever prosper (propel you forward) when you decide to believe that God, no matter what your circumstances, conceived you in His mind before you were even born, and has set you apart.

When we humbly cry out to God to set us apart and bless us, He will show us the plans and the promises he has just for us.  Did you know He had plans just for you–long ago.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

Praise God for time in our room later that night at the retreat, in which, three generations could celebrate and talk about their birthday.  Praise God for my mom who reminded me of the joy I brought to the family. It was a sweet time of reflection and healing.  The joy and love a grandmother, a daughter, a grand-daughter could share was overwhelming.  We laid in bed sharing our hearts and discovering how to pray for each other.  At one point the roles disappeared, and we were sisters in the Lord praying for each other.

Later, on Saturday, a precious woman of about 80 something, came to me to share that God was asking her to do more for His Kingdom–she wanted to be used, set apart, for Him.  With tears in her eyes, she was deeply moved by the Spirit. She laughed with the delight at all the possibilities!  During communion, we happened to sit next to each other.  I saw the juice, Jesus’ blood, spill out of her mouth on to her chin.  Afterwards, she passionately shared with me that as the juice was running down her chin, God spoke to her heart–“Your cup runneth over”  She kept saying with joyful tears, “My cup runneth over!”  Praise God!  Yes!  Oh bless her father and expand her territory!

Our cup does run over.  We don’t serve a God of the “cup half empty”.  We serve a God who desires to bless you with His Word and power so you can be healed and serve.