Pastor Adeboye Challenges Christians: “Stop Struggling Alone—Ask God For Help!” Declares “Heaven Helps Those Who Help Themselves” A Worldly Slogan, Warns Against Self-Reliance!
By Passman Akpos
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has urged Christians to depend on God for help in every area of their lives, warning against the belief that they can overcome every challenge through personal efforts alone.
Adeboye gave the admonition in the Sunday, October 25, 2026 edition of the Open Heavens Daily Devotional, titled “Always Seek His Help,” where he encouraged believers to acknowledge God in their daily activities and humbly seek His intervention rather than struggle independently.
The devotional is anchored on Proverbs 3:6, which states: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Drawing from his childhood experience, the cleric narrated how he once struggled unsuccessfully to retrieve a football that had landed on the thatched roof of his family home while his father sat nearby.
According to him, after several failed attempts to bring down the ball with a long stick, he eventually approached his father for assistance.
Adeboye explained that his father immediately retrieved the ball in one attempt, teaching him a lesson about the importance of seeking help rather than insisting on doing everything independently.
He recalled that his father questioned why he had struggled alone despite knowing that help was available.
Applying the experience to the Christian faith, the RCCG leader said believers should recognise God’s presence and involve Him in their affairs instead of relying exclusively on their abilities.
“God Does Not Force Himself On People”
In the devotional, Adeboye argued that God does not impose Himself on people but responds to those who genuinely recognise their need for His intervention and approach Him with humility.
He also challenged the popular saying that “heaven helps those who help themselves,” describing it as a worldly expression that does not adequately reflect the principle of seeking divine assistance.
According to the cleric, people who believe they can handle every situation without God risk struggling unnecessarily with challenges that could be addressed through faith and prayer.
He cited Psalm 34:6, which declares: “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”
Adeboye explained that the verse illustrates the importance of acknowledging one’s limitations and crying out to God for assistance.
He further referenced Revelation 3:14–17, where the church in Laodicea was rebuked for considering itself rich and self-sufficient despite its spiritual condition.
The cleric used the biblical account to warn Christians against false confidence and the assumption that material possessions, personal achievements or individual strength eliminate their need for God.
‘Open Your Arms Wide And Let God Carry You’
Emphasising his message, Adeboye urged believers to surrender every aspect of their lives to God and seek His direction in their decisions, relationships, work and personal challenges.
He compared the act of seeking divine assistance to a baby stretching out its arms to be carried, explaining that Christians must be willing to acknowledge their dependence on God.
“Beloved, open your arms wide today, and let God carry you,” the devotional states.
The message further encourages believers to involve God in everything they do to avoid unnecessary struggles and to experience His guidance in their daily lives.
Bible Reading Emphasises Trust In God
The devotional’s Bible reading is taken from Psalm 118:5–14, which highlights God’s faithfulness in times of distress and the importance of placing confidence in Him rather than in human beings or earthly authorities.
Verse 8 declares: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
The passage also describes God as a source of strength, deliverance and protection for those who call upon Him during difficult circumstances.
Adeboye’s message therefore calls on Christians to make prayer and dependence on God an integral part of their lives, particularly when confronted with situations beyond their control.
Prayer Point
The devotional concludes with a prayer asking God to take control of every area of life and grant believers ease in their endeavours.
The prayer reads: “Dear Lord, please take control of every area of my life and grant me ease in all that I do.”
The Bible-in-one-year reading for Sunday, October 25, is Luke 9–10, while the recommended hymn is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” which encourages Christians to take their troubles, fears and burdens to God in prayer.
Adeboye’s central message is that believers should not wait until their efforts have completely failed before seeking God’s intervention but should acknowledge Him from the beginning of every undertaking.
