OPEN HEAVENS FOR 25TH MAY 2026
TOPIC: STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH I
MEMORISE:
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. — Jeremiah 17:5
READ: Matthew 26:31-35, 74-75 (KJV)
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
MESSAGE:
In Luke 5:1-10, Peter did not fail because he wasn’t diligent, hardworking, or skilful. He had those characteristics, yet he failed. However, when help came from God, he succeeded. Your strength, skills, connections, and diligence are good, but if the Lord is not supporting you, they cannot make you successful.
Psalm 127:1 says:
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Except the Lord guides and directs a fellow in his or her decisions, his or her labour will be in vain. Without God’s support, a person will look like a fool who doesn’t know how to get to the city (Ecclesiastes 10:15).
Some young people try to do many things because they think they have the strength to do them. However, the Bible makes us understand that although the glory of the youth is their strength (Proverbs 20:29), they will faint and be weary and utterly fall (Isaiah 40:30). This means that while the strength of the youths can help them achieve some things, it is not enough. It can fail them at some point, but if they wait on the Almighty God, they will be able to soar like eagles.
In today’s Bible reading, Peter felt he was strong enough to withstand temptations, yet he failed. His physical strength was not sufficient to sustain him in the day of adversity. His overconfidence in himself showed when he was sleeping instead of praying (Matthew 26:40-43). Believers who rely on their strength in the face of temptation will fail.
Many have fallen because they felt they were too prayerful to fall into sin. They believed they were too wise and strong to fall into temptation, but eventually, they let their guard down.
1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us never to think that we can stand without God’s help. People who think in such a manner eventually fall.
Today’s memory verse tells us that a person who puts his confidence in flesh is cursed. Samson didn’t fall the day Delilah called a man to cut off his hair; rather, he started falling the moment he began to trust in his strength. The day a person stops trusting in God is the day his or her downfall begins.
I pray that you will never come to a point where you feel you are strong enough to do without God, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT:
Put all your trust in God alone.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 1-5
HYMN 8: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Chorus:
I need Thee, O I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
About RCCG and Open Heavens
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a global Pentecostal denomination founded in 1952 by Reverend Josiah Akindayomi and now led by Pastor E. A. Adeboye as General Overseer. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, RCCG has spread to over 200 countries with millions of worshippers worldwide.
Open Heavens is the daily devotional of RCCG, written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye. First published in 2003, it has become one of the most widely read daily devotionals in the world. Each edition includes a memory verse, Bible reading, message, prayer point, and hymn. The devotional is known for its practical, Bible-based teachings that address everyday Christian living, spiritual warfare, and faith.
The devotional for 25th May 2026 is the first part of a new series on the dangers of self-confidence and the necessity of trusting in God alone.
BRIEF COMMENTARY
Based on Open Heavens 25th May 2026 – “Strength Is Not Enough I”
The Curse of Self-Confidence
In today’s devotional, Pastor Adeboye addresses a subtle but deadly danger: trusting in your own strength. Your skills, connections, diligence, and experience are good gifts from God. But when you begin to rely on them instead of Him, you are walking under a curse. The moment you stop trusting in God is the moment your downfall begins.
The memory verse, Jeremiah 17:5, is a strong warning: “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.” To “make flesh your arm” means to rely on your own strength as if it were sufficient. The tragedy is not that you use your strength, but that you trust in it instead of God.
Peter: The Overconfident Disciple
The Bible reading gives the classic example of self-confidence leading to failure. Peter was not lazy, unskilled, or cowardly. He was a hardworking fisherman, a natural leader, and the most outspoken disciple. He genuinely loved Jesus.
But he trusted in his own strength. When Jesus warned that all the disciples would fall away, Peter protested: “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” He compared himself to others and found himself superior.
Jesus gave a specific warning: “Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” Peter insisted: “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.”
Hours later, Peter denied Jesus three times—with oaths and curses. His strength failed him. His courage evaporated. He who had drawn a sword in the garden now cowered before a servant girl. Peter did not fall because he was weak. He fell because he thought he was strong.
The Folly of Fleshly Confidence
The devotional makes several observations about trusting in human strength:
Your strength is not enough. Isaiah 40:30 says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.” Youth is the time of greatest physical strength, but even that has limits.
Your skills cannot replace God’s support. Peter was a skilled fisherman, but he fished all night and caught nothing. When Jesus got into his boat, the nets broke.
Your diligence cannot guarantee success. Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” You can work hard, but if the Lord is not building, your labor is in vain.
Your wisdom can make you look foolish. Ecclesiastes 10:15 says, “The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” Without God’s guidance, you can exhaust yourself trying to reach a destination you cannot find.
The Curse of Trusting in Flesh
The memory verse is severe: “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.” This does not mean you cannot use your strength. It means you cannot trust your strength. The problem is not the arm—it is where you place your confidence.
Samson is the classic example. He did not fall the day Delilah called a man to cut his hair. He started falling the moment he began to trust in his strength. He played with sin because he thought, “I am strong enough. I can handle this.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.
How Self-Confidence Leads to Downfall
The devotional traces the progression:
Overconfidence leads to carelessness. Peter felt so strong that he slept instead of praying in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-43). He didn’t need to pray. He was ready.
Carelessness leads to vulnerability. While Peter slept, the enemy was preparing. By the time the test came, he was caught off guard.
Vulnerability leads to failure. When the test came, Peter failed. Not because he was weak, but because he thought he was strong.
The Warning for Believers
The devotional quotes 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
The ones who think they are too prayerful to fall—fall. The ones who think they are too wise to fall—fall. The ones who think they are too strong to fall—fall. Because thinking you stand is not the same as standing. Confidence in yourself is not the same as confidence in God. And the moment you shift your trust from Him to yourself, your downfall has already begun.
How to Avoid the Curse of Self-Confidence
Acknowledge your weakness. Paul said, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). When you admit your weakness, God’s strength can flow.
Pray like you depend on God—because you do. Peter slept while Jesus prayed. The result? Peter fell. Jesus stood. The difference was prayer.
Never compare yourself to others. Peter said, “Though all men fall away, I will not.” Comparison breeds overconfidence.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). Not part of your heart—all your heart. Not leaning on your own understanding—acknowledging Him in every way.
Wait on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 promises that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.
The Blessing of Trusting in God
The opposite of the curse in Jeremiah 17 is the blessing in Jeremiah 17:7-8: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters.” His roots go deep. He does not fear when heat comes. He never ceases to bear fruit.
Conclusion
The devotional concludes: “The day a person stops trusting in God is the day his or her downfall begins.” Not the day they sin publicly. Not the day they fall openly. The day they stop trusting. The fall may come later, but the process starts when confidence shifts from God to self.
Do not let your gifts become your god. Do not let your strength become your trust. Do not let your past victories make you careless. Pray like you depend on God—because you do. Trust like your life depends on it—because it does.
Key Point from the Devotional:
Put all your trust in God alone.
Prayer Point from the Devotional (implied):
Father, please help me never to trust in my own strength or become overconfident. Keep me dependent on You alone.
Action Steps:
Identify areas where you have been self-confident – where have you stopped praying because you think you have it handled? Write them down.
Practice dependency prayers – instead of “I need to do this,” pray “Lord, I cannot do this without You.”
Examine your prayer life – do you pray more when you are in trouble and less when things are going well? If so, you are treating prayer as an emergency tool, not a dependency lifeline.
Remember Peter – when you feel like saying, “I will never fall,” stop and say instead, “Lord, keep me from falling.”
Wait before you act – before making any decision this week, pause and wait on God. Build the rhythm of dependency.
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