Open Heaven 25 May 2026: Strength is Not Enough 1
MEMORISE: Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. Jeremiah 17:5
READ: Matthew 26:31-35, 74-75
31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
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In Luke 5:1-10, Peter did not fail because he wasn’t diligent, hardworking, or skilful. He had those characteristics, yet he failed. However, when help came from God, he succeeded. Your strength, skills, connections, and diligence are good, but if the Lord is not supporting you, they cannot make you successful.
Psalm 127:1 says:
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Except the Lord guides and directs a fellow in his or her decisions, his or her labour will be in vain. Without God’s support, a person will look like a fool who doesn’t know how to get to the city (Ecclesiastes 10:15).
Some young people try to do many things because they think they have the strength to do them. However, the Bible makes us understand that although the glory of the youth is their strength (Proverbs 20:29), they will faint and be weary and utterly fall (Isaiah 40:30). This means that while the strength of the youths can help them achieve some things, it is not enough. It can fail them at some point, but if they wait on the Almighty God, they will be able to soar like eagles.
In today’s Bible reading, Peter felt he was strong enough to withstand temptations, yet he failed. His physical strength was not sufficient to sustain him in the day of adversity. His overconfidence in himself showed when he was sleeping instead of praying (Matthew 26:40-43). Believers who rely on their strength in the face of temptation will fail.
Many have fallen because they felt they were too prayerful to fall into sin. They believed they were too wise and strong to fall into temptation, but eventually, they let their guard down.
1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us never to think that we can stand without God’s help. People who think in such a manner eventually fall.
Today’s memory verse tells us that a person who puts his confidence in flesh is cursed. Samson didn’t fall the day Delilah called a man to cut off his hair; rather, he started falling the moment he began to trust in his strength. The day a person stops trusting in God is the day his or her downfall begins.
I pray that you will never come to a point where you feel you are strong enough to do without God, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Put all your trust in God alone.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Open Heaven 25 May 2026
