Podcast Summary

Fresh Life Church Podcast
Host: Pastor Levi Lusko
Episode: The Prayer We Think We Shouldn't Pray
Date: October 20, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Pastor Levi Lusko (with significant teaching by Jennie Lusko) dives deep into “the prayer we think we shouldn’t pray” — Jabez’s request for God to “enlarge my territory” from 1 Chronicles 4. The message explores the spiritual implications of asking God for “more,” why it can feel awkward or selfish, and what a biblical desire for increase looks like. The speaker encourages believers to pray boldly for God’s expansion in their lives—not for self-interest, but for God’s glory and the good of others—while confronting the tension between contentment and desire.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unusual Prayer of Jabez (01:15)

• In the midst of genealogy lists, Jabez stands out for his short, bold prayer (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
• Jabez asks:
  • “[O]h, 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.”
• Jabez’s name means “pain,” showing he doesn’t want to remain defined by his past or his label.
• Quote:

  “We don’t have to be stuck with where we started.” — Jennie Lusko (42:07)

2. What Does 'Enlarge My Territory' Mean? (06:10)

• Breaking down the phrase in various translations (increase my borders, expand my territory, give me land/tracks of land).
• In Jabez’s cultural context, territory equaled legacy, family influence, and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (cf. Exodus 34:24).
• Jabez’s prayer is a request for God to “prosper us”:

  “I want more because I want what you want for me.” — Jennie Lusko (09:20)

3. The Tension of Asking for More (12:00)

• For many, asking for more from God feels selfish or unnecessary, especially in a culture of abundance.
• Referencing 1 Timothy 6:6-19, the biblical mandate is to pursue godliness with contentment, not love of riches.
• There’s a tension:
  • Contentment vs. the desire to maximize our impact by asking God for more.
• Illustrates how we “stay inside our hula hoop,” thinking our current limits are all there is or all we deserve.

4. God’s Perspective on Asking for More (21:00)

• God delights in blessing His children with abundance (John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20-21; Psalm 81:10).
• Quote:

  “‘Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.’ This is our God.” — Jennie Lusko (26:55)

• Desire for more is not about accumulation, but about availability for God's purposes.

5. Practical Prayers for Expansion (28:00)

Jennie offers six “give me more” prayers to personalize the Jabez prayer:

1. Increase my influence and impact in Your name.
2. Give me more so I can give more.
3. Expand my awe of You so I can inspire others.
4. Grow me in generosity for Your kingdom.
5. Extend my reach so Your love touches others.
6. Let me be, do, and attempt more for You according to Your will.

• Quote:

  “When you say, ‘God, increase my territory, give me more,’... there’s this sense of, ‘God, bless me, so that I can fund things that the church is doing. I can fund the kingdom. I can build your kingdom.’” — Jennie Lusko (59:00)

6. What Grows with More? (38:00)

• With expanded territory comes increased responsibility: more faith, surrender, humility, and prayer are required.
• The process is often messy and uncertain:

  “God's math is more my willingness + God's will and supernatural power = my expanding territory.” — Jennie Lusko (44:32)

• Letting go of control is key, as God often does not expand in the ways we expect.

7. Kingdom Expansion is a Group Effort (54:00)

• The concept of “territory” in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 10:13) relates to the sphere of influence for spreading the gospel.
• Giving, serving, generosity—Lydia, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene—examples of people whose “more” fueled ministry impact.

8. The Best of Both Worlds: Contentment & Expansion (01:04:00)

• Psalm 16:5-11: “The boundary lines have fallen to me in pleasant places... In your presence is fullness of joy... at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
• The invitation is to live gratefully in what God has given, yet to ask for “more” in alignment with His purposes, not as an act of selfishness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why it feels awkward to pray for more:

  “It seems selfish, it seems greedy, it seems self-seeking. Why would we ask God for more land, more territory?” — Jennie Lusko (10:15)

• On the source of increase:

  “We’re not called to love the riches, but to love and honor the God who gives and takes away.” — Jennie Lusko (15:13)

• On God’s abundance:

  “With God, there’s always more. There is overflowing. And this is the same God that we get to pray to and ask for from.” — Jennie Lusko (25:34)

• A warning about asking for more:

  “There’s gonna be more faith required. There’s gonna be more surrender required, more trust required… It most likely won’t look like what you think it will look like.” — Jennie Lusko (49:55)

• On the everyday risk of praying for more:

  “This starts in the small things. This starts in the everyday. God, enlarge my territory today. But it’s kind of a scary prayer because you’re saying, God, give me more today. But do I really want to know the answer of that?” — Jennie Lusko (53:40)

Important Timestamps

• 01:15 — Reading of Jabez’s prayer and initial reflection
• 06:10 — The meaning of “enlarge my territory”
• 12:00 — Scriptural perspective on contentment and desire for more (1 Timothy 6)
• 21:00 — God’s delight in abundance and giving good gifts
• 28:00 — Six “give me more” prayers
• 38:00 — The cost of expanded territory (more faith, surrender, work)
• 54:00 — Generosity and kingdom expansion (New Testament parallels)
• 01:04:00 — Psalm 16: Living the 'best of both worlds'—contentment and expansion

Final Thoughts

The episode challenges listeners to overcome the hesitation of praying for more—from fear of appearing greedy to a lack of faith in God’s goodness. True biblical boldness, says Jennie, is about asking for “more” for the sake of others, for God’s purposes, and with a heart of surrender—not just personal gain. The prayer Jabez prayed can be transformative if prayed daily with the right posture.

Key Takeaway:

“God, give me more. And I’m content. But I ask for more because I don’t want to stay stuck in what I think is good for me. I want to move forward in what you think is good for me… For your glory.” — Jennie Lusko (01:08:40)

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