OPEN HEAVENS 9 MAY 2026

DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

TOPIC: SECRETS TO LONGEVITY VI

MEMORISE:

So the people rested on the seventh day. – Exodus 16:30

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READ: GENESIS 2:1-3

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

MESSAGE:

When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, I was so concerned about the church’s growth that I was always fasting, praying, and preaching to the extent that I gave myself no rest or holidays.

I did that for years, until suddenly, I discovered that while preaching, I would lose my voice completely after about 15 minutes. Even though I followed all kinds of recommendations to combat the issue, one of which was drinking tea with honey, it persisted.

One day, an elderly woman who had noticed what was going on approached me and said, “Sir, you are suffering from Teacher’s disease.” I told her that I had never heard of that, and she replied, “You keep teaching, and you aren’t resting your voice. Now, it is in rebellion.” I asked her how to cure it, and she responded, “Rest your voice for 15 days.” “How will I do that?” I asked, and she said, “You can still teach without losing your voice for 15 minutes; when you can’t last 5 minutes, you will do what l’ve said.”

Therefore, for the first time after becoming General Overseer, I went on holiday. I travelled to Germany and stayed in a house that had a sauna. My host told me that it warms the body from the inside out, and when I enter, I must exit after 15 minutes at most because I would have been sweating profusely. I went into the sauna, and 5 minutes later, there was no sweat. After 10 minutes, there was still no sweat. It wasn’t until after 15 minutes that I noticed a little sweat. I was in that sauna for 45 minutes before any real sweat came out.

I had stressed my body so much that it wasn’t functioning as it should anymore. Since then, I discovered that if I am to last long in the assignment that God has given to me, I must rest every now and then.

Beloved, if you want to last long, you must always take time to rest. Today’s Bible reading tells us that God rested after He finished the work of creation, and that is a pattern that every Christian must emulate. It is very dangerous to keep working hard and not take time to rest because exhaustion can kill.

Don’t sabotage yourself when it comes to fulfilling your God-given purpose on the earth. Take regular scheduled rests, and you will keep yourself in optimal physical condition, so you will be able to keep running your race.

HYMN: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH! (Hymn 33)

Verse 1:
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Verse 2:
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Verse 3:
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

2 Chronicles 5-7

KEY POINT:

Knowing when to rest and relax your body is key to longevity.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, forgive me for neglecting the body You gave me. Help me to find the balance between spiritual zeal and physical wisdom. Teach me to rest when I am weary, to eat when I am hungry, and to care for the temple of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This daily devotional is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

COMMENTARY ON OPEN HEAVENS 9 MAY 2026

On the Memorise (Exodus 16:30):

This verse records Israel’s first formal observance of the Sabbath rest. After centuries of slavery in Egypt where they had no control over their work schedule, God taught His freed people a new rhythm: six days of work, one day of rest. The rest was not optional – it was commanded. And it was not laziness – it was trust. By resting, Israel declared that God was their provider, not their own endless labor.

On the Bible Reading (Genesis 2:1-3):

This passage records the very first Sabbath. God – the Almighty, the One who never grows weary – chose to rest. He did not need rest for Himself. He rested as a pattern for humanity. He then blessed and sanctified (set apart) the seventh day. Rest is not a suggestion; it is built into the fabric of creation. To ignore rest is to ignore the Creator’s design.

On the Message:

Today’s devotional continues the series on longevity and finishing well. We have covered hiding, fighting, running, spiritual refueling, and physical refueling through eating. Today we address a specific form of physical refueling: taking regular rest. Pastor Adeboye’s personal testimony is a powerful warning to every believer who thinks that non-stop work is a sign of faithfulness.

Daddy Adeboye’s Personal Wake-Up Call

The devotional opens with a candid confession. When he became General Overseer of RCCG, he was consumed with concern for the church’s growth. He fasted constantly, prayed incessantly, and preached tirelessly. He gave himself no rest and took no holidays. He did this for years. Then something alarming happened. While preaching, he would lose his voice completely after about 15 minutes. He tried every remedy – tea with honey, various recommendations – but the problem persisted.

Then an elderly woman approached him with a diagnosis: “Sir, you are suffering from Teacher’s disease.” She explained: “You keep teaching, and you aren’t resting your voice. Now, it is in rebellion.” Her prescription was simple but difficult: rest his voice for 15 days. Daddy Adeboye protested. How could he stop teaching? She warned him that if he ignored the problem, he would soon lose his voice after 5 minutes, and then he would have no choice. For the first time since becoming General Overseer, he went on holiday – to Germany.

The Sauna That Revealed the Damage

While in Germany, his host took him to a sauna. The host explained that the sauna warms the body from the inside out and that he should exit after 15 minutes because he would be sweating profusely. But after 5 minutes, no sweat. After 10 minutes, still no sweat. After 15 minutes, only a little sweat. It took 45 minutes in the sauna before real sweat came out.

Daddy Adeboye’s realization was devastating: “I had stressed my body so much that it wasn’t functioning as it should anymore.” His body had been pushed beyond its limits for so long that it had stopped responding normally. The natural mechanisms God built into the body – sweating to cool down, rest to recover – had been suppressed by chronic overwork. This was a wake-up call. He discovered that if he was going to last long in the assignment God had given him, he must rest every now and then.

The Divine Pattern of Rest

The Bible reading takes us back to the very beginning. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day. The Almighty God – who cannot tire, who needs no sleep, who holds the universe in His hands – stopped working and rested. Why? Not because He was tired. But to establish a pattern for humanity.

• God worked, then rested.

• God blessed the rest day.

• God sanctified (set apart) the rest day.

This means: Rest is not a suggestion. It is not optional. It is part of the created order, like gravity or the seasons. When you ignore rest, you are not being more spiritual – you are being more foolish. You are violating the rhythm God built into your body.

The Danger of Exhaustion

The devotional warns plainly: “It is very dangerous to keep working hard and not take time to rest because exhaustion can kill.” Exhaustion does not just make you tired – it makes you vulnerable.

• Your judgment fails: Exhausted people make decisions they would never make when rested.

• Your immunity drops: Chronic fatigue leads to sickness.

• Your emotions become unstable: Small problems feel like catastrophes.

• Your relationships suffer: Exhausted people are irritable, short-tempered, and withdrawn.

• Your spiritual sensitivity dulls: You cannot hear God clearly when your body is screaming for rest.

Exhaustion can kill. It can kill your ministry, your marriage, your health, and eventually you.

Why Rest Is Hard for Committed Believers

Many committed Christians struggle with rest because they believe:

• “God’s work is urgent.” Yes, but God is not desperate. He created rest. He commands rest. He honors rest.

• “If I don’t do it, no one will.” That is pride disguised as responsibility. If God’s work truly depends on you alone, then God is not God.

• “I’ll rest when the work is done.” The work is never done. There will always be another sermon, another meeting, another need.

• “Rest is laziness.” No, rest is obedience. Laziness is avoiding work. Rest is stopping work to honor God’s design.

How to Practice Regular Rest

First, schedule rest like you schedule work. Daddy Adeboye had to learn to take holidays. You may need to schedule them into your calendar. Not “I’ll rest when I have time” – because you never will. Put rest on your calendar and protect it.

Second, observe a weekly Sabbath. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day. Find one day each week to stop your normal work. Not to catch up on chores, not to answer emails, but to rest, worship, and be refreshed.

Third, rest before you are exhausted. Daddy Adeboye waited until his voice was rebelling before he rested. Do not wait for your body to break down. Rest while you still have strength. Prevention is better than cure.

Fourth, rest your voice, your mind, and your body. Different types of rest are needed:

• Physical rest: Sleep, sitting, lying down

• Mental rest: Stop planning, calculating, and worrying

• Emotional rest: Step away from draining relationships and situations

• Spiritual rest: Cease striving and trust God to work

Fifth, take short breaks during the day. Not all rest requires a holiday. Take 10-15 minutes several times a day to step away, breathe, and reset. Even a short pause can prevent burnout.

What Happens When You Rest

When you honor God’s design for rest, your body recovers – muscles repair, hormones balance, energy returns. Your mind clears – creativity flows, problems find solutions, perspective returns. Your emotions stabilize – patience increases, irritability decreases. Your spirit reconnects – you hear God more clearly, worship more deeply, love more freely. And you last longer – your race is a marathon, not a sprint. Rest ensures you finish.

The Example of Jesus

Jesus, the Son of God, with a three-year ministry and the weight of the world’s salvation on His shoulders, still rested. He slept in the boat during a storm. He withdrew to lonely places to pray. He took time away from the crowds. If Jesus needed rest, you need rest.

Conclusion: Rest Is Not Optional

Daddy Adeboye learned the hard way. His voice rebelled. His body stopped sweating normally. He had stressed himself to the point of dysfunction. Do not wait for your body to scream before you listen. God rested on the seventh day. He blessed that day and set it apart. That pattern is for you. It is not weakness. It is wisdom. It is not laziness. It is obedience. Take regular scheduled rests. Keep yourself in optimal physical condition. And you will be able to keep running your race – all the way to the finish line.

Action Steps for Today:

1. Schedule a holiday: If you have not taken time off in months, put it on the calendar now.

2. Observe a weekly rest day: Choose one day this week to stop normal work. No emails, no errands, no catching up. Just rest and worship.

3. Take daily pauses: Set a timer for every 90 minutes to take a 5-10 minute break. Step away from your desk, your phone, your screen.

4. Listen to your body: Are you experiencing chronic fatigue, voice loss, headaches, or irritability? These may be signs your body is rebelling. Listen before it gets worse.

5. Trust God with the work: Rest is an act of faith. It says, “God, You are in control even when I am not working.” Practice that faith this week.