Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: TUESDAY JULY 15TH 2025

TOPIC: THE FRAGRANCE OF FAVOUR

MEMORIZE:

“In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.” Proverbs 16:15 (KJV)

BIBLE READING: PSALM 44:1-3 

1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

MESSAGE:

In Numbers 6:22-27, God commanded the priests to bless the Israelites and declare that His face will shine upon them. When God's face shines on you, you will receive a fragrance of His favour that will ensure that everywhere you go, people will find themselves showing you favour without knowing why.

In 1976, while I was a young lecturer, I attended a global conference of Applied Mathematicians in Canada as one of two delegates from Nigeria. At that time, I had only written 12 academic papers. In contrast, the man who gave the opening speech at the conference had published 150 papers! He spoke about the mathematics of the rain - I had never heard anything like that before. I looked around and asked, "God, what am I doing here?" I was supposed to present my paper the next day, so I prayed to God all night that He should glorify His name in my life during my presentation. I also prayed that the man wouldn't attend my presentation because he was probably going to think to himself, "Who brought this idiot here?” The time for my presentation came, and behold, the man was sitting right in front of me! However, when I finished presenting my paper, he stood up and began to clap. When everybody saw him clapping, they got up and began to clap too. My paper was not as special as the other papers that had been presented, but God had put His fragrance of favour on me.

When God puts His favour upon you, things will work effortlessly in your favour. When He put His favour on the Israelites, the Egyptians, who had tormented and tortured them for four hundred and thirty years, gave them everything they asked for.

And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:36)

God's favour on a man will make even those who hate him to do everything to bless him. They will not understand why they are going the extra mile to give him all he needs. God's favour on Esther made everyone who looked at her to accept her immediately. It also made the king choose her out of the many other damsels (Esther 2:15-17). When God lifts His countenance upon a fellow, that person becomes attractive to everyone who looks at him or her. I pray that God will lift His countenance upon you, in Jesus' name. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let the fragrance of Your favour rest on me and my family always, in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 1 - 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 8 - I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I need thee every hour most gracious Lord; no tender voice like thine can peace afford.

CHORUS

I need thee, oh, I need thee; every hour I need thee! Oh, bless me now my saviour; I come to thee!

2. I need thee every hour, stay thou near by; temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.

3. I need thee every hour in joy or pain; come quickly and abide or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour 

Teach me Thy will; And Thy rich promises In me fulfill. 

5. I need Thee every hour, 

Most Holy one; Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son!

21 Days to Go! The race to The Overcomers Convention is still on The track is fired up, the spirit is stirred, and the countdown is in motion.

Are you ready to accelerate into divine encounters? Join us from the 4th–10th August, 2025

Venue: Redemption City, KM 46, Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State

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Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS 

MONDAY 14TH JULY, 2025

HELPMEET INDEED 2

Special Note.

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his, disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional  authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, thank You for the gift of marriage; help me to be a true helpmeet and not a burden in my home.

2. Lord, please strengthen my marriage and let unity, love, and purpose abound between my spouse and I, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, grant me the grace to support my spouse in hard times, with patience and faith, in Jesus’ name.

4. Almighty God, help me never to withdraw my commitment when things get tough, but to press in with prayer and love.

5. Lord Jesus, may my presence in my spouse’s life bring encouragement, strength, and divine favour, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, help me to be humble, never to remind my spouse of my sacrifices, but to serve in love and grace, in Jesus’ name.

7. O Lord, build in me the spirit of endurance, so I can walk faithfully with my spouse through all seasons, in Jesus’ name.

8. Heavenly Father, reward every wife who stands with her husband in trials, let their harvest come speedily!

9. Lord, raise in this generation wives who will be true helpmeets, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, let my marriage reflect Your glory and be a testimony of Your unfailing love and help, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, send help to Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in all areas of his life.

12. Enlarge his capacity to fulfill Your purpose for his life in all areas; bless his home, and family (biological and spiritual), and help them to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name.

13. Father, bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus name.

14. Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.

15. Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

16. In Jesus name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's, books ministry.

Note:

You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points.

 The Holy Spirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His glory with Him in the process.

Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS

SUNDAY 13TH JULY, 2025

HELPMEET INDEED

Special Note.

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his, disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional  authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, I thank You for the divine institution of marriage and for the revelation of a true helpmeet as described in Your Word, in Jesus' name.

2. Lord, I repent of any competitive spirit, pride, or self-centeredness that hinders wives from being true helpmeets to their husbands and husbands from cherishing their wives, in Jesus' name.

3. Father, I pray for all wives, that You will empower them with the spirit of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, enabling them to complement and support their husbands in fulfilling Your purpose, in Jesus' name.

4. I pray for grace for wives to be diligent, resourceful, and wise in managing their households, caring for their families, and contributing to their husband's success, just like the virtuous woman, in Jesus' name.

5. Lord, help husbands to safely trust their wives, recognizing their invaluable contribution and cherishing them as priceless gems, just as Pastor E.A. Adeboye cherishes his wife, in Jesus' name.

6. Father, remove every spirit of idleness, envy, or disunity that tries to creep into marriages. Let marriages be strong, united teams working towards shared goals, in Jesus' name.

7. I pray for humility for highly successful women, that they will continue to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, knowing that this is Your divine order for a blessed marriage, in Jesus' name.

8. Lord, strengthen the hands of all wives to be supportive, to stand by their husbands through thick and thin, and to be their number one cheerleaders, in Jesus' name.

9. Father, I pray for all men to nourish and cherish their wives, protecting them and making them comfortable and happy, just as You desire, in Jesus' name.

10. Father, on this special day, the birthday of Your daughter, Pastor (Mrs.) Foluke Adeboye, we thank You for her life and for her exemplary role as a helpmeet indeed.

11. Lord, we pray that You will continue to strengthen and uphold her in every area of her life – spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally, in Jesus' name.

12. We ask, Father, that You grant her many more years in health and divine vitality, enabling her to continue to be a pillar of support and an inspiration to many, in Jesus' name.

13. May her anointing increase, and may she continue to be a blessing to the body of Christ and to her family, in Jesus' name.

14. My personal prayer point: (Add your specific prayer regarding being a helpmeet, cherishing your spouse, or for specific marriages, e.g., "Father, help me to be a more supportive and understanding wife to my husband, always seeking his good, in Jesus' name." or "Lord, strengthen my husband to be a loving and protecting head of our home, in Jesus' name." )

15. Thank You, Father, for the beautiful blueprint of marriage and for the grace You provide to fulfill our roles. We receive the grace to build marriages that honor You and demonstrate Your love to the world, in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

16. Father, send help to Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in all areas of his life.

17. Enlarge his capacity to fulfill Your purpose for his life in all areas; bless his home, and family (biological and spiritual), and help them to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name.

18. Father, bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus name.

19. Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.

20. Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

21. . In Jesus name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's, books ministry.

Note:

You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points.

 The Holy Spirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His glory with Him in the process.

Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: MONDAY, JULY 14, 2025.

TOPIC: HELPMEET INDEED 2

MEMORISE

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” - (Genesis 2:18)

READ: Proverbs 19:13-14 (KJV)

13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.

MESSAGE

A true helpmeet stays with her husband through thick and thin; she doesn’t shy away when things are tough. I have been married for 57 years, and sometimes, it feels like my wife and I are still on honeymoon. I was the poorest among those wooing her before we got married, but I told her that if she married me, everything I would ever have and become would be hers. When we first got married, during our meals, we would playfully struggle over one piece of ponmo, but today, even if we want to eat a whole cow, we can do so because God has truly blessed us.

When things are tough, a true helpmeet encourages her husband; she supports him without making him feel less about himself. She does not help him and then turn around to say, “You see what I did for you? Now you owe me so and so." It is a thing of joy for a true helpmeet to see opportunities to help her husband and then go ahead to help.

A helpmeet indeed is known during times when her husband is going through challenges. Years ago, I decided to fast because I was facing some serious challenges. I fasted for 40 days and nights, and because my wife knew that it wouldn't be easy for me to concentrate on my fast if she didn't join me, she fasted as well. After fasting and praying for 40 days and nights, the challenges remained, so I decided to go on another fast for 40 days and nights. Again, she joined in the fast. After the second round of fasting, the challenges remained, so I decided to go again. This time, I planned to fast until God answered me. I didn't want my wife to go all the way with me, so we agreed that if after 40 days, the challenge remained, I would continue fasting, and she would stop. After 40 days and nights elapsed, she refused to stop. When I saw that she wasn't going to stop, I told God, "I cannot bear to lose my wife. Whenever You want, You can solve this problem, but I have to stop fasting now." She only stopped fasting when I stopped, and of course, God proved Himself faithful.

If you are a married woman, try as much as God helps you to help your husband resolve his challenges. A true helpmeet is her husband's greatest ally, not his greatest headache in the midst of life's challenges. 

KEY POINT

A true helpmeet is her husband's greatest ally. She stands by him through thick and thin. 

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Song of Solomon 5 - 8

HYMN 29 - WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY 

1. When peace, like a river attendeth my way, 

When sorrows, like sea billows roll; 

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to know, 

It is well, it is well with my soul 

CHORUS

It is well, ... With my soul, ... 

It is well, it is well with my soul. 

2. Though Satan should buffet, 

Though trials should come, 

Let this blest assurance control, 

That Christ hath regarded my Helpless estate, 

And hath shed His own blood for my soul. 

3. My sin o, the bliss of this 

glorious thought, 

My sin not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to His cross; and I bear it no more: 

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul. 

4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live! 

If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. 

5. But the Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, 

The sky, not the grave, is our goal: 

Oh, triumph of the angel! oh, voice of the Lord! 

Blessed hope! Blessed rest of my soul.

22 Days to Go!

The prize isn’t for the passive, It’s for The Overcomers The crown has your name on it, will you show up to claim it?

This August, the gates of Redemption City open for a divine championship of faith, fire, and fulfillment. Your victory moment is calling.

Date: 4th–10th August, 2025

Venue: Redemption Camp, KM 46, Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Nigeria

Don’t miss your seat at the table of champions.

#TheOvercomers

#RCCGAnnualConvention2025

#73rdAnnualConvention

#RCCG

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: SUNDAY JULY 13TH 2025

TOPIC: HELPMEET INDEED 1

MEMORISE:

“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” - (Proverbs 31:11)

BIBLE READING: PROVERBS 31:10-31 (KJV)

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

MESSAGE:

A helpmeet is a wife who complements and supports her husband to fulfil God's purpose for their lives even when it is not convenient.

God ordained marriage as an institution where a wife helps her husband instead of competing with him, as the world paints it today. Just as the individuals in a team cannot compete against their teammates and expect to win, couples who compete against each other should not expect a successful marriage. A house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25). A husband and his wife are one and should work together as a team to achieve success in their marriage and in life (Mark 10:7-8)

Some highly successful women have allowed pride into their hearts such that they stop submitting to their husbands. Up until today, my wife cooks my meals. When the situation permits, she irons my clothes, and I iron hers too. When I was a teacher, and we were living in a remote location, she used to cut my hair. Just like the virtuous woman's husband in today's Bible reading, my heart safely trusts in her. She is never too busy to help me, and she upholds anything I uphold.

I remember when we were building the Mount Carmel Prayer Village. It was a massive project, but I went there only thrice - the day the foundation laying ceremony was done, the day I decided to take my grandchildren there, and the day the completed project was dedicated. Throughout the duration of the construction, my wife supervised the project diligently - that is a helpmeet indeed! She is always willing to go through the necessary rigours to see that I achieve my goal. She has stood by me through thick and thin, which is why she has full access to everything God blesses me with. When a responsible man has a true helpmeet as a wife, he'll go the extra mile to protect her and make her comfortable and happy. I often say that a fellow can slap me, and I'll turn the other cheek, but if anyone touches my wife, such a fellow will have my God, the Consuming Fire, to contend with.

As a wife, can your husband rely on you? You must be able to make up for his weaknesses, celebrate his successes, and be his number one cheerleader. If you are a man that has a helpmeet indeed by his side, you must nourish and cherish her. She is a priceless gem and must be treated as one. 

 PRAYER POINT:

Today is my wife's birthday, please join me to pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen and uphold her. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  SONG OF SOLOMON 1-4

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE 

HYMN: 24 - I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS 

1 I want to be like Jesus,

So lowly and so meek;

For no one marked an angry word

That ever heard him speak.

Refrain:

I want to be like Jesus,

God's well beloved Son;

I want to be like Jesus,

The pure and holy One.

2 I want to be like Jesus,

So frequently in prayer;

Alone upon the mountain top,

He met his Father there. 

3 I want to be like Jesus,

Engaged in doing good,

So that of me it may be said,

He hath done what he could. 

4 Alas! I'm not like Jesus,

As any one may see;

Thy gentle Spirit, Savior, send,

And make me like to thee.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS

DATE: SATURDAY JULY 12TH 2025

A SIMPLE PRAYER

Special Note.

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his, disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional  authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, I thank You for the revelation in Your word that simple prayers, birthed from intense fellowship with You in secret, can birth great miracles, in Jesus' name.

2. Lord, I repent of every neglect of the secret place of prayer and any belief that long, elaborate prayers are the only ones You answer, in Jesus' name.

3. Father, I pray for a fresh hunger and thirst for intimate fellowship with You in the secret place, just as Jesus exemplified, in Jesus' name.

4. I receive grace to dedicate ample time to private communion with You, knowing that this is the wellspring of power for impactful public prayers, in Jesus' name.

5. Lord, empower me to pray earnestly and fervently, even with simple words, that Your power may be made manifest through me, in Jesus' name.

6. Father, remove every doubt and unbelief concerning the efficacy of simple, Spirit-led prayers. Help me to believe that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think, in Jesus' name.

7. I pray for the anointing that makes simple prayers potent and effective, just like with Elijah and Your servant, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, in Jesus' name.

8. Lord, let my public ministrations and prayers be a direct result of profound secret sacrifices and intense labor in Your presence, in Jesus' name.

9. Father, grant me the wisdom to discern Your will and the courage to declare it with simple, powerful prayers, bringing forth Your desired results, in Jesus' name.

10. I pray for Pastor E. A. Adeboye, that You will continue to empower him with ever-increasing anointing for simple but powerful prayers, leading to countless testimonies and miracles, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, send help to Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in all areas of his life.

12. Enlarge his capacity to fulfill Your purpose for his life in all areas; bless his home, and family (biological and spiritual), and help them to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name.

13. Father, bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus name.

14. Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.

15. Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

16. In Jesus name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's, books ministry.

Note:

You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points.

 The Holy Spirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His glory with Him in the process.

Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E A ADEBOYE

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: SATURDAY 12TH JULY 2025

TOPIC: A SIMPLE PRAYER

MEMORIZE:

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35 (KJV)

BIBLE READING: JAMES 5:16-18

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

MESSAGE:

Some years ago, a man's wife ran mad, and she was taken to a herbalist for treatment. After being with the herbalist for so long, she didn't get any better; rather, she only grew worse. Somebody told me about the situation, and I decided to go and pray for the woman. When I got there, I said a simple prayer and left. After I left, some people contacted her husband and said, "This man came and prayed for only two minutes. Two minutes of prayer for this kind of problem?!" Since they didn't believe that the prayer worked, they decided to take her to a psychiatric hospital. When they got there, the specialist said, "Let us observe this woman for a while so we can know the type of medication to administer to her." After two weeks, the specialist sent for her husband and told him, "If you say there is something wrong with this woman, then there must be something wrong with you." With no medication and just a simple prayer, she was healed completely.

In (1 Kings 18:36-38), Elijah's prayer that brought down fire must have just been for a few minutes. When ministers of God say simple prayers and great miracles happen, it is because they have spent hours with God in secret. When Jesus walked on the earth, He only had to speak once for every miracle He performed to happen. However, the Bible records in many instances that He would retreat from His disciples and other people to go to a solitary place to pray, just as we see in today's memory verse. This is the secret to simple prayers that carry so much power.

Every time Elijah prayed in the Bible, his prayers were short and very effective. In (2 Kings 1:9-12), when he decreed that fire should fall from heaven and consume the two captains and the soldiers they were in charge of, it was with a few words, "If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty." Today's Bible reading tells us the secret behind those simple but powerful decrees - Elijah was a man like us who prayed earnestly and fervently, and God answered him (James 5:17). If you want to pray simple but powerful prayers in public, you must labour fervently and earnestly in prayers in the secret place. Profound public results are only birthed by intense secret sacrifices. 

KEY POINT:

The simple but powerful prayers that birth great miracles result from intense fellowship with God in secret. 

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:

ECCLESIASTES 9 - 12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

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 thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

2. 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 prayer.

3. Sweet hour of prayer! 

Sweet hour of prayer! 

May I'll from mount Pisgah's lofty height, 

I view my home and take my flight; this robe of flesh 

I'll drop, and rise to seize the ever lasting prize and shout while passing through the air, farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer.