OPEN HEAVENS FOR 26TH MAY 2026
TOPIC: STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH II
MEMORISE:
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. — Psalm 84:4
READ: Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV)
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we saw how Peter fell into temptation because he couldn’t keep watch in prayer (Matthew 26:40-43). Prayerlessness is one of the signs that a believer is relying on his or her own strength. Unlike Peter, however, David kept watch day and night in the place of prayer (Psalm 55:17). He often stayed awake at night, spending time with God and meditating on His word (Psalm 63:6, Psalm 119:148). He was so aware of the limitations of his strength that on many occasions in the Bible, he enquired of the Lord to know what He wanted him to do (1 Samuel 23:1-5, 1 Samuel 30:8-9).
However, in 2 Samuel 11, where he obviously didn’t enquire of the Lord but rather gave in to lust, he got into a predicament that negatively impacted his lineage (2 Samuel 12:9-12).
Daniel also knew the importance of prayer. He knew how much he needed God in the strange land of Babylon, and the Bible tells us that he prayed thrice daily (Daniel 6:10). Even when a decree was made that nobody should pray to anyone except the king, he was too aware of the limitations of his strength that his first reaction was to open his windows and pray as usual. His response to everything was prayer.
Prayer is so important that the Bible urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The moment you don’t feel like praying or see the need to pray is actually the time to pray more intently because prayerlessness can leave a believer in a weak state and cause such a believer to lose his or her spiritual vitality. Once the devil douses a believer’s spiritual fire, he can ruin him or her.
Praying puts us in a posture of humility before God, where we acknowledge that we cannot do anything without Him. It keeps our hearts tender and reminds us of the limitations of our physical strength. When we cultivate a lifestyle of waiting on God in prayer, we renew our strength daily (Isaiah 40:31) and are able to overcome the devil’s temptations (Matthew 26:41).
Beloved, how do you respond to life’s challenges? Do you always try to solve them with your wisdom and strength first? Do you only run to God when everything you’ve tried fails? Do not make God a spare wheel in your life; rather, He should always be your first resort.
Cultivate the habit of praying without ceasing, and you will live victoriously all the days of your life, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT:
When you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, you will tap into the Lord’s strength daily.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 6-10
HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Saviour shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
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 26th May 2026 is the second part of the series on strength, focusing on prayer as the antidote to self-confidence and the source of divine strength.
BRIEF COMMENTARY
Based on Open Heavens 26th May 2026 – “Strength Is Not Enough II”
The Danger of Prayerlessness
In today’s devotional, Pastor Adeboye continues from yesterday’s message about self-confidence. He identifies prayerlessness as one of the clearest signs that a believer is relying on his or her own strength. When you stop praying, you are not just busy—you are declaring that you don’t need God. And the moment you stop needing Him, you become vulnerable to the enemy.
The memory verse, Psalm 84:4, describes the blessing of those who dwell in God’s house—not occasional visitors, but permanent residents. The result is not occasional praise but a lifestyle of praise. Those who dwell in God’s presence are never far from His help.
David: The Man Who Enquired of the Lord
The devotional contrasts Peter’s failure with David’s practice. David kept watch day and night in the place of prayer (Psalm 55:17). He stayed awake at night to spend time with God (Psalm 63:6). He meditated on God’s word during the night watches (Psalm 119:148). He enquired of the Lord before every major decision (1 Samuel 23:1-5, 30:8-9).
The one time David did not pray: In 2 Samuel 11, he saw Bathsheba, gave in to lust, committed adultery, and arranged murder. He did not enquire of the Lord. The result was a predicament that negatively impacted his lineage for generations (2 Samuel 12:9-12).
David’s worst failure happened when he stopped praying. The same David who had slain giants fell to temptation when he neglected prayer.
Daniel: The Man Who Prayed Regardless
Daniel was in a strange land—Babylon—surrounded by enemies. He knew how much he needed God, so he prayed three times daily (Daniel 6:10). When a decree was issued that no one should pray to anyone except the king, Daniel’s response was not to hide or calculate. His first reaction was to open his windows and pray as usual—publicly, visibly, defiantly.
Why? Because Daniel was too aware of the limitations of his own strength. He knew that without prayer, he could not survive. His response to everything was prayer.
The Connection Between Prayerlessness and Self-Confidence
Prayerlessness is a sign that a believer is relying on his or her own strength.
When you stop praying before a decision, you are saying, “I’ve got this.”
When you stop praying before a temptation, you are saying, “I can handle this.”
When you stop praying before a battle, you are saying, “I am strong enough.”
This is exactly where Peter went wrong. He slept when Jesus told him to watch and pray. He was confident in his own loyalty and strength. And he fell.
What Happens When You Stop Praying
The devotional warns: “The moment you don’t feel like praying or see the need to pray is actually the time to pray more intently.”
When you stop praying:
You become weak. Prayer is your connection to God’s power. Cut the connection, and the power stops flowing.
You lose spiritual vitality. Your fire dims. Your passion cools.
The devil gains access. Once he douses your spiritual fire, he can ruin you.
Prayerlessness does not lead to strength—it leads to vulnerability.
The Posture of Humility
Praying puts us in a posture of humility before God, where we acknowledge that we cannot do anything without Him. Prayer is not informing God of your needs—He already knows. Prayer is not persuading God to act—He is already willing. Prayer is positioning yourself to receive, acknowledging your dependency.
When you pray, you are saying: “I am weak, but You are strong. I cannot, but You can.” This humility keeps your heart tender and keeps you from the curse of self-confidence.
The Promise of Renewed Strength
The Bible reading gives one of the greatest promises in Scripture: “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.”
Waiting is not passive. Waiting on the Lord is prayerful dependence—saying, “I will not move until You speak. I will not act until You direct.”
What waiting produces:
Renewed strength—fresh supply, not your original strength.
Eagle’s wings—soaring above problems that trap others.
Running without weariness—sustained pace for the long race.
Walking without fainting—steady endurance for the daily grind.
Those who do not wait on the Lord—even youths and young men—eventually faint and fall. But those who wait have an endless supply.
How to Cultivate a Lifestyle of Prayer
Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Maintain an attitude of prayer throughout the day—quick prayers, constant awareness of God’s presence.
Make God your first resort. Do not make God a spare wheel in your life; He should always be your first resort. Before you try your wisdom, pray. Before you make a call, pray.
Establish set prayer times. David prayed morning, noon, and evening. Daniel prayed three times daily. Set specific times for prayer.
Pray when you don’t feel like it. The moment you don’t feel like praying is the moment you need to pray most. Your feelings are not your guide.
Use night watches. David stayed awake at night to pray and meditate. There is special clarity in the night hours when distractions are minimal.
Enquire before every decision. Before you say yes, before you sign, before you move, before you commit—enquire of the Lord.
Conclusion: Pray or Fall
Peter fell because he did not pray. David fell the one time he did not enquire. Daniel survived because he prayed.
Prayerlessness leads to vulnerability. Vulnerability leads to temptation. Temptation leads to fall. Prayer leads to humility, dependence, renewed strength, and victory.
Do not wait until you are in crisis to pray. Pray now. Pray always. Make God your first resort, not your last hope.
Key Point from the Devotional:
When you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, you will tap into the Lord’s strength daily.
Prayer Point (implied from the message):
Father, help me to cultivate a lifestyle of prayer and never rely on my own strength.
Action Steps:
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. Change that this week.
Set prayer times – choose specific times each day—morning, noon, evening—and guard them. Do not let anything interrupt your appointment with God.
Pray before everything – before you check your phone, before you read email, before you make a call, before you leave the house—pray. Make it a habit.
Use the “first resort” test – when a problem arises, notice your first instinct. Do you call someone or try to figure it out yourself? Train yourself to pray first.
Wait before you act – before any significant decision this week, pause and wait on God for at least 10 minutes. Do not move until you have His peace.
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