The Open Heaven 21 October 2026 devotional for today is SHIELD OTHER CHILDREN.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 21 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: SHIELD OTHER CHILDREN
MEMORISE:
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
Psalm 79:11
READ: Acts 12:1-19
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 21 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
In 1982, the year after I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, my wife, who was teaching at the small school we had started at the church’s headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos State, asked if I could assist her in the school. She felt that since I had become a full-time pastor, my help would go a long way. In that school, nobody was paying any fees. Those who attended the school were children of church members who wanted a secure place for their children to stay while they were away at work. We had a small bus at that time to transport those children from their various homes to school every morning.
One morning, the bus had gone to pick up the children and was returning to the school when it was caught in the midst of an armed robbery operation in Oyingbo, a community in Ebute Metta. Gunshots were fired, and a stray bullet hit one of the pupils inside the bus. The bullet passed through the child’s body and brought out his intestines as it created an exit wound. To cut a long story short, the driver turned back and started heading towards the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). There was heavy traffic on the road, so it took them approximately two hours to reach LUTH.
When they got to the hospital, the doctors looked at the boy, saw the amount of blood he had lost, and concluded that there was no need to waste time on him. They were certain that there was nothing that could be done to save the boy, so they didn’t bother to attend to him. However, the school helpers, who were also on the school bus, and other people with them did not stop praying for the boy.
One hour later, a doctor said, “This boy is still breathing. Let us do something, even if all we have to do is stitch him up.” So, they took him into the theatre, removed the bullet, stitched him up, and waited for him to die. To the glory of God, that child has now become an adult, and he is still alive today!
Beloved, make it a duty to pray for other people’s children. Let God use you to save someone’s child through prayer. Rather than complain about the bad character of some of the children around you, get on your knees and pray for them to be well-behaved and God-fearing.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please use me to be a blessing to the children around me. I commit them into Your loving hands, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Luke 1-2
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 21 OCTOBER 2026 COMMENTARY
Today’s devotional, “Shield Other Children,” expands our responsibility beyond our own children. Daddy says: make it a duty to pray for other people’s children. Rather than complain about the bad character of children around you, get on your knees and pray for them.
He shares a powerful testimony from 1982 — a school bus caught in an armed robbery, a child shot, and a miraculous survival through prayer. That child is alive today because people prayed.
Your prayers can shield someone else’s child.
1. A Testimony of a Child Saved by Prayer
In 1982, a school bus returning with children got caught in an armed robbery operation. Gunshots were fired, and a stray bullet hit one of the pupils. The bullet passed through his body and brought out his intestines.
The driver rushed him to LUTH, but traffic delayed them for two hours. When they arrived, the doctors saw how much blood he had lost and concluded there was nothing they could do. They didn’t even attend to him.
But the school helpers and others with them did not stop praying. One hour later, a doctor said, “This boy is still breathing. Let us do something.” They removed the bullet, stitched him up, and waited for him to die. But to the glory of God, that child is alive today — now an adult.
Prayer kept that boy alive. The doctors had given up, but the prayers had not. Never underestimate what your intercession can do for a child — even one you barely know.
2. Pray for Other People’s Children
Make it a duty to pray for other people’s children. Let God use you to save someone’s child through prayer.
In Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned, and the church prayed without ceasing for him. God sent an angel, and Peter was delivered. The prayers of others shielded him. In the same way, your prayers can shield someone else’s child from destruction.
Look around you. There are children who may be rebellious, sick, or in danger. Instead of criticising them or their parents, pray for them. Your prayer could be the difference between life and death.
3. Instead of Complaining, Pray
Rather than complain about the bad character of some of the children around you, get on your knees and pray for them to be well-behaved and God-fearing.
It is easy to complain about children who are rude, disobedient, or wayward. But complaint does not change them — prayer does. When you pray, you invite God into their situation. You become a shield around their lives. Stop complaining. Start praying.
Relating This to Your Everyday Life
You may not be a parent. But you can still be a shield for a child. You can pray for your nieces and nephews, the children in your church, the children in your neighbourhood, and even children you have never met.
Their battles are real. The enemy targets children because he knows their destiny is great. But your prayers can protect them. Your intercession can keep them alive. Your prayers can turn their story around.
So today, commit to praying for other children. Don’t just complain about the state of the next generation — pray for them.
Action Steps
1. Pray for the Children Around You — Identify at least three children in your life — family members, neighbours, or church children. Commit to praying for them regularly.
2. Pray Instead of Complaining — When you see a child behaving badly, instead of criticising, pray. Ask God to touch their heart and turn their life around.
3. Teach Others to Pray — Encourage other believers to join you in praying for children. Prayer is more powerful when we pray together.
Prayer Points
- Father, I thank You for the testimony of the child who was saved by prayer. Thank You for showing me that my prayers can shield someone else’s child, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, forgive me for the times I have complained about children instead of praying for them. Forgive me for criticising rather than interceding, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, I commit every child around me into Your hands. Shield them from harm, from sickness, from evil influences, and from the attacks of the enemy, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, let Your power preserve every child who is appointed to die. Let every plan of the enemy against them be scattered and brought to nothing, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, use me as a shield for other people’s children. Let my prayers make a difference in their lives and destinies, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, I pray for the children in my community, my church, and my family. Draw them to Yourself. Let them grow in wisdom and favour with You and with man, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, I decree that the children I am praying for shall live and not die. They shall fulfil their purpose and become testimonies of Your grace, in Jesus’ name.
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