26/05/2026
OPEN HEAVENS 2026 DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUE, MAY 26, 2026
TOPIC: STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH 2
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)
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
HYMNAL:
HYMN 22 - SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER! SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER!
1. 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 want and wishes known;
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter's snare,
By the return, sweet hour of prayer.
2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joy 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 Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.
3. 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.
