OPEN HEAVENS 25 APRIL 2026 DEVOTIONAL
ATTRACTING GOD’S HELP I
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye | General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)
MEMORISE
“But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.” – Psalm 70:5
READ: 2 Kings 6:1-7 (KJV)
1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
MESSAGE
It is very important for children of God to know the things they can do to attract God’s help. The Bible is filled with several accounts of how people attracted God’s help, and over the next few days, I will be discussing some of these accounts and things you can do to attract divine help.
In today’s Bible reading, the sons of the prophets were felling wood by River Jordan when the axe head of the axe that one of them was using fell into the river. The man cried to the man of God for help, and God stepped in to remedy the situation. God helps those who cry to Him for help.
In Psalm 3:4, David said, “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.” Also, in Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, and despite attempts by some people around him to shut him up, he refused to be silenced. As a result of his persistent cries for help, Jesus had mercy on him, and he received his sight.
Sometimes, when I see people praying nonchalantly, I wonder if they really want God’s help. If you really want to receive help from the only One who can truly come to your aid, you must shun pride and approach Him humbly for help. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
I remember when I just joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God. During a service, somebody on the altar said, “Praise the Lord,” and the fellow who was sitting beside me shouted ‘Hallelujah’ so loudly that I almost ran out of the church.
Beloved, don’t let anything prevent you from being fervent in the things of God. When it is time to praise Him, dance with all the strength within you. Also, when it is time to pray, let your focus be on Him alone. When you are in the presence of your Maker, nothing else should matter. Believe me, God is still in the business of performing miracles as He did in the days of old. If you humbly cry out to Him in prayers, He will indeed arise to help you.
ACTION POINT
Call on God fervently today, and ask Him to come to your aid in all areas where you need His help.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Kings 19-21
OPEN HEAVENS HYMN 48: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOUR
Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Chorus:
Saviour, Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?
COMMENTARY (Separate from the Devotional)
Introduction: The Cry That Attracts Heaven’s Attention
Pastor E.A. Adeboye begins a new series on the things that attract God’s help. The first and most fundamental principle is simple but profound: cry out to God. Not casual praying, not religious routine, but desperate, humble, persistent crying out to the only One who can truly help.
The memory verse from Psalm 70:5 captures the heart cry of someone who knows their desperate need for God. David doesn’t pretend to be self-sufficient. He openly declares his poverty and need. He doesn’t demand that God help him—he humbly asks. And he asks urgently: “make haste,” “make no tarrying.” This is not a casual prayer—it is the cry of someone who knows that without God’s intervention, they are lost. This is the kind of prayer that attracts divine help.
The Axe Head That Sank
The Bible reading gives us a simple but profound story. A group of prophets were cutting wood by the Jordan River. They were engaged in honest work, expanding their living space, serving God with their hands. But in the middle of their labor, disaster struck: an axe head flew off its handle and sank into the river.
This was not just an inconvenience. The man cried out, “Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.” The axe wasn’t his. He was responsible for returning it. Losing it would bring shame, debt, and difficulty. He was in trouble.
Notice what he did: he cried out. He didn’t try to dive in and find it himself. He didn’t pretend it didn’t matter. He didn’t hope the problem would go away. He went straight to the man of God and cried for help.
And God responded. Elisha threw a stick into the water, and the iron floated. The man reached out and took it. What was lost was found. What was sunk was raised.
The Cry That Cannot Be Ignored
The devotional gives other examples of people whose cries attracted God’s help:
David said in Psalm 3:4, “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.” David was a king, a warrior, a man after God’s own heart. But when trouble came, he didn’t rely on his status or his army. He cried out to God.
Bartimaeus was a blind beggar sitting by the road when Jesus passed by. When he heard it was Jesus, he began to cry out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” The crowd tried to silence him. They told him to be quiet. But he cried out even more. And Jesus stopped. He called for the man and gave him sight. His persistent cry overcame the crowd’s resistance and attracted the Master’s attention.
The Problem with Nonchalant Prayer
Daddy Adeboye makes a striking observation: “Sometimes, when I see people praying nonchalantly, I wonder if they really want God’s help.”
Nonchalant prayer is prayer without passion. It is going through the motions without engaging the heart. It is saying words without meaning them. It is asking God for things while mentally checking out.
God is not impressed by eloquent prayers or religious routines. He is moved by desperate hearts. When you truly need something from God, it shows in how you pray. There is an urgency, a fervency, a focus that cannot be faked.
The Humility That Opens Heaven
The devotional quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14, which outlines the conditions for God to hear from heaven:
Humble themselves – Acknowledge that you cannot help yourself
Pray – Actually talk to God about your need
Seek His face – Pursue His presence, not just His hand
Turn from wicked ways – Repent of anything that blocks His blessing
Humility is the foundation. You cannot cry out to God while maintaining pride. You cannot acknowledge your desperate need while pretending to be self-sufficient. The cry for help only comes from those who know they cannot make it alone.
The Fervency That Moves Mountains
The devotional ends with a personal memory from Daddy Adeboye’s early days in RCCG. During a service, someone on the altar said, “Praise the Lord,” and the person sitting beside him shouted “Hallelujah!” so loudly that he almost ran out of the church.
That kind of fervency might seem excessive to some. It might seem undignified. But God is not looking for dignified worship—He is looking for heartfelt worship. When you are in the presence of your Maker, nothing else should matter.
When it is time to praise, praise with all your strength.
When it is time to pray, pray with all your focus.
When it is time to cry out, cry out with all your heart.
How to Cry Out Effectively
1. Recognize Your Need
The man with the axe head knew he was in trouble. David admitted he was poor and needy. Bartimaeus knew he was blind. You cannot cry out for help if you don’t know you need it. Be honest about your situation.
2. Be Specific
The man told Elisha exactly what happened—the axe head fell in the river. Bartimaeus was specific—he wanted to receive his sight. Don’t give God vague prayers. Tell Him exactly what you need.
3. Be Persistent
Bartimaeus cried out even when the crowd told him to be quiet. The more they tried to silence him, the louder he cried. Don’t let opposition—whether from people, circumstances, or the enemy—stop your cry.
4. Be Humble
The man didn’t demand that Elisha help him. He cried, “Alas, my master!” He acknowledged his dependence. Approach God not as someone entitled to His help, but as someone desperate for His mercy.
5. Be Fervent
Nonchalant prayer doesn’t work. If you really want God’s help, let your prayer show it. Put your heart into it. Let your voice reflect your desperation.
What Kind of Help Do You Need?
The devotional applies to every kind of need:
Lost opportunities that need to be recovered like the axe head
Blindness that needs sight like Bartimaeus
Enemies that need deliverance like David
Borrowed things that need restoration
Impossible situations that need divine intervention
Whatever your need, the path is the same: cry out to God.
The God Who Hears Cries
The memory verse says, “Make haste unto me, O God.” David wasn’t afraid to ask God to hurry. He knew that God is not offended by urgent prayers. He is not bothered by desperate requests. He is moved by them.
The God who made iron float for a crying prophet is the same God today. The God who stopped for a crying beggar is the same God today. The God who heard David’s cry from the hill is the same God today.
He still hears. He still responds. He still helps.
DECLARATIONS BASED ON THE DEVOTIONAL
I DECLARE that I will not suffer in silence; I will cry out to God!
I DECLARE that my cry for help attracts heaven’s attention!
I DECLARE that God hears me when I call upon Him!
I DECLARE that I will not pray nonchalantly; my prayers will be fervent and focused!
I DECLARE that I humble myself before God, and He lifts me up!
I DECLARE that like the axe head, what I have lost is floating back to me!
I DECLARE that like Bartimaeus, I will not be silenced by opposition!
I DECLARE that like David, I know I am poor and needy without God!
I DECLARE that God makes haste to help me; He makes no tarrying!
I DECLARE that my cry is reaching the throne of grace right now!
PRAYER
Father, I come to You as someone poor and needy. I cannot help myself. I cannot fix my situation. I cry out to You for help.
Hear my cry, O God. Make haste to help me. Let nothing silence my prayer. I will cry out until You answer.
I thank You that You are the same God who made iron float for a crying prophet, who stopped for a crying beggar, who heard David’s cry from the hill. You still hear. You still respond. You still help.
I cry out to You now. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
#OpenHeavens #RCCG #DailyDevotional #AttractingGodsHelp #CryOut #Psalm70v5
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