The Open Heaven 20 October 2026 devotional for today is SHIELD YOUR CHILDREN II.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 20 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: SHIELD YOUR CHILDREN II
MEMORISE:
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Psalm 50:15
READ: Matthew 17:14-18
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 20 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Yesterday, I mentioned that the Bible clearly admonishes parents to train up their children in the way they should go so that when they grow old, they won’t depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Training up a child involves what the child is taught and what is done for him or her. A well-trained child is an empowered child because such a child knows how to stand for what is right, even when he or she is alone.
If you are a parent, there are many things you can do with your children, but one of the most important things to do is to pray with them from a young age. Apart from showing them how to pray, you must also involve them in prayers and teach them how to reverence God. In addition to praying with them, it is also essential that you pray for them. As soon as I gave my life to Jesus Christ, my children and I became signs and wonders (Isaiah 8:18). However, I still had the responsibility of praying for them. There is a God who answers by fire, but one must pray first.
Many Christian parents are not deriving joy from their children because they don’t pray for them. Instead of praying, they complain, grumble, and nag at their children. Ephesians 6:4 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” When parents pray to God on behalf of their children, He hears and answers them.
In Matthew 15:22-28, a Canaanite woman approached Jesus and asked Him to deliver her daughter from the oppression of a demon, and He granted her request. Also, in today’s Bible reading, when a man whose son was tormented by a demon ran to Jesus, his request was granted, and his son became completely free from demonic oppression.
Jairus was another parent who approached Jesus concerning his child. In Mark 5:21-43, the Bible tells us that Jesus granted Jairus’ request and raised his daughter back to life. Indeed, the prayers of parents can shield and transform the lives of their children.
When parents shield their children in prayer, they acknowledge that God loves them even more than they do. When they pray, they entrust the future of their children into His capable hands, knowing that He is with them at every stage of their lives.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please shield my children from every evil influence
and grant them a glorious future, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Mark 15-16
HYMN: Rock of Ages
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 20 OCTOBER 2026 COMMENTARY
Today’s devotional, “Shield Your Children II,” continues the series on parenting — but this time, it shifts the focus from training to praying. Training is important, but prayer is essential. You can teach your children all the right things, but without prayer, those lessons have no shield around them.
Many Christian parents don’t take praying for their children seriously. Instead, they complain, grumble, and nag. But prayer is the shield that protects your children from the attacks of the enemy.
1. Pray With Your Children
Praying is one of the most important things you can do with your children from a young age. Apart from showing them how to pray, you must involve them in prayers and teach them how to reverence God.
Your children learn to pray by praying with you. They learn to reverence God by watching you reverence Him. Make prayer a normal part of your family’s daily life — not just a ritual before meals, but a genuine habit of talking to God together.
2. Pray For Your Children
In addition to praying with them, it is essential that you pray for them. As soon as he gave his life to Jesus, his children became signs and wonders (Isaiah 8:18). But he still had the responsibility of praying for them. There is a God who answers by fire — but one must pray first.
Your children face battles you cannot see. They face spiritual attacks, peer pressure, and demonic influences. Your prayers are their shield. When you pray for them, you are covering them in places you cannot be. You are entrusting them to the One who loves them even more than you do.
3. Biblical Examples of Parents Who Prayed
Daddy gives us three powerful examples:
- The Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-28) — she asked Jesus to deliver her daughter from demonic oppression, and He granted her request.
- The man with the lunatic son (Matthew 17:14-18) — he ran to Jesus, and his son was completely freed from demonic oppression.
- Jairus (Mark 5:21-43) — he approached Jesus concerning his daughter, and Jesus raised her back to life.
Indeed, the prayers of parents can shield and transform the lives of their children.
Don’t give up on your children. Keep bringing them before God.
Relating This to Your Everyday Life
If you are a parent, you know what it feels like to worry about your children. You worry about their health, their safety, their friendships, their future. But worry is not prayer. Complaining is not prayer. Nagging is not prayer.
When parents pray to God on behalf of their children, He hears and answers them. When you pray, you entrust your children’s future into His capable hands, knowing He is with them at every stage of their lives.
So stop complaining. Stop grumbling. Start praying. Your prayers are the shield your children need.
Action Steps
1. Pray With Your Children Daily — Make prayer a family habit. Pray together in the morning, before meals, and at bedtime. Let your children learn to talk to God by watching you.
2. Pray For Your Children Specifically — Don’t just pray generally. Pray for each child by name. Pray over their health, their friendships, their education, their future spouse, and their walk with God.
3. Never Stop Praying — Even when you don’t see immediate results, keep praying. The prayers of a righteous parent avail much. Keep bringing your children before the throne of grace.
Prayer Points
- Father, I thank You for my children and for the privilege of praying for them. Thank You for hearing me when I call and for answering my prayers, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, forgive me for the times I have complained about my children instead of praying for them. Forgive me for nagging rather than interceding, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, I commit my children into Your hands. Shield them from every attack of the enemy. Protect them from harm, from evil influences, and from demonic oppression, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, draw my children to Yourself. Let them know You and love You from their youth. Let them be signs and wonders in their generation, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, give me the grace to pray with my children and to teach them how to pray. Let prayer become a natural part of our family life, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, I pray for my children’s future. Guide their steps. Order their paths. Let them fulfil the purpose You created them for, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, I decree that my children shall be shielded, protected, and preserved. No weapon formed against them shall prosper, in Jesus’ name.
Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow
Download Open Heaven 20 October 2026 Devotional PDF
Leave a Reply