OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2026

TOPIC: FERVENT PRAYERS

MEMORISE:

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. - Deuteronomy 4:29

READ: Matthew 15:22-28

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

MESSAGE

There are different kinds of prayers, but often, the way people pray reveals the depth of their longing and how urgently they desire God’s intervention.

Imagine a case where two critically injured people are in a hospital, and one says, “Oh, doctor, come and help me treat this wound,” and then brings out his or her phone to watch cartoons. Then, the other fellow screams out, “Doctor, I am in serious pain. Help me now!” Who do you think the doctor will attend to first? Definitely, the doctor will first attend to the one who screamed out loud for help.

Many people come to God’s presence casually, speaking ‘Queen’s English’, with ‘steeze’ and composure, as the youths would say. However, some other people pray to God with their whole heart and strength, and, like Jacob in Genesis 32:26, they say, “Lord, I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Sometimes, my friends abroad ask me why we experience so many miracles in Africa, while there are very few in the so-called civilised world. I tell them that it is simply because they believe that they have alternatives. When a person has no one else to talk to apart from God, he or she will know how to pray fervently. Also, if a fellow has an illness that has defied all forms of treatment, such a fellow will understand what it means to pray fervently.

James 5:16 says that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avail much. In today’s Bible reading, when the Canaanite woman asked Jesus to deliver her demon-possessed daughter, she cried unto Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David.” That woman was not casual about her prayers; she kept crying out to Jesus until she received a response. 

Likewise, in Mark 10:46-52, blind Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus with a loud voice, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” All attempts by people to shut him up proved unsuccessful, as he continued to call out to Jesus for help. Eventually, Jesus heard him, and he got his miracle.

Beloved, if anything is troubling you, cry unto God today with all your heart and soul, and He will hear you. Call upon Him with all your strength and humility, and He will grant your requests. He will, however, not listen to the prayers of a sinner who has refused to repent and forsake his or her sins (Isaiah 59:1-2).

PRAYER POINT

Father, please hear my cry and intervene in my situation as I pray fervently to You, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Luke 11-12

HYMN 48: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOUR

1. Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,

Hear My Humble Cry;

While On Others Thou Art Calling,

Do Not Pass Me By.

Refrain:

Savior, Savior,

Hear My Humble Cry;

While On Others Thou Art Calling,

Do Not Pass Me By.

2. Let Me, At Thy Throne Of Mercy

Find A Sweet Relief;

Kneeling There In Deep Contrition,

Help My Unbelief. [Refrain]

3. Trusting Only In Thy Merit,

Would I Seek Thy Face;

Heal My Wounded, Broken Spirit,

Save Me By Thy Grace. [Refrain]

4. Thou, The Spring Of All My Comfort,

More Than Life To Me,

Whom Have I On Earth Beside Thee?

Whom In Heaven But Thee? [Refrain]