The Open Heaven 3 September 2025 devotional for today is BANISH LAZINESS.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 3 SEPTEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: BANISH LAZINESS
MEMORISE:
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Proverbs 10:4
READ: Proverbs 6:6-11:
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 3 SEPTEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE
God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6); He does not reward the lazy. If you want to be successful, then you must be diligent. I and one of my friends got born again at a time when making positive confessions was becoming popular among Christians.
At that time, the popular teaching was, ‘All you need to do is to say what you want repeatedly, and it will be yours? This friend of mine was very diligent with making these positive confessions. He would wake up in the morning and say, “I have a brand new car, in the mighty name of Jesus.” Five years later, he was yet to own a car.
One day, he asked me, “What’s your secret? I’ve been making positive confessions without tangible results.” I replied, “You wake up at 10 am in the morning, and at that time, I would have already put in five hours of work.
Also, instead of working, you start making confessions. I’m sorry, but you will keep walking everywhere you go for a long time to come if you don’t change.”
Some people have become so attached to motivational speaking. They are usually the first to register for conferences; however, when it is time to put in the work, they are often nowhere to be found. No amount of confessions or unapplied knowledge can turn a lazy fellow into a high flyer. A fellow who doesn’t wake up every day to make positive confessions or listen to smooth-talking motivational speakers will still succeed if he or she knows how to work hard.
Although I’m in my 80s, I still go about doing God’s work diligently. When many other people are sleeping, I am walking about at night, praying. I don’t preach shallow sermons; if you listen to my sermons, you will notice that I make reference to many Bible passages.
These things don’t come by just loafing around. Success in life is not automatic; being born a prince or princess does not mean that a fellow will succeed in life. No matter how much wealth a fellow inherits, if he or she is lazy and refuses to put in the work to multiply the wealth, that fellow will eventually squander everything and begin to suffer. Proverbs 18:9 says that a lazy person is a brother to him who is a great waster.
Beloved, laziness will make you waste privileges. It will also make you unprepared to maximise opportunities. Do not give laziness a chance; banish it from every area of your life.
KEY POINT
Laziness will make you unprepared for opportunities and cause you to waste privileges.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 31-32
HYMN 32: TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 3 SEPTEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 10:4 (KJV)
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”
This verse establishes a direct, cause-and-effect relationship between action and outcome in both the spiritual and natural realms. A “slack hand” signifies negligence, laziness, and a lack of disciplined effort, which God’s word declares leads to poverty. Conversely, the “diligent hand”—characterized by careful, persistent, and hard work—is promised prosperity. This is not merely a suggestion; it is a divine principle.
BIBLE READING: Proverbs 6:6-11 (KJV)
This passage is a stark warning against slothfulness. The ant is presented as a model of self-motivated, foresighted, and relentless diligence. It works without needing an external overseer, understanding the seasons and preparing for the future. The sluggard, by contrast, is addicted to comfort and procrastination (“a little sleep…”). The consequence is not a gentle decline but a violent and unavoidable assault—poverty arrives like an armed robber, stripping everything of value.
Exposing the Deception of “Name It and Claim It” Theology
Daddy Adeboye tackles a prevalent error in modern Christianity: the separation of confession from action. He uses the personal anecdote of his friend to powerfully illustrate that positive confessions are not a magic incantation to replace hard work. They are meant to align our spirit and speech with God’s word to fuel our actions, not to substitute for them. His friend’s diligence was misapplied solely to speaking, neglecting the fundamental biblical principle that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). This is a crucial correction to a gospel of convenience that promises blessing without obedience and harvest without sowing.
Diligence: The Bridge Between Confession and Possession
The devotional draws a clear distinction between the profession of faith and the practice of faith. True, biblical success is portrayed as the product of two things working together:
- Spiritual Diligence: This is the “seeking Him” referenced in Hebrews 11:6. Daddy Adeboye exemplifies this through his personal prayer life (walking and praying at night) and his deep study of Scripture (ensuring his sermons are not shallow but richly referenced). This is hard work in the spirit realm—the diligent pursuit of God’s presence and understanding.
- Physical Diligence: This is the practical, tangible effort required in our daily lives. Waking up early, putting in hours of work, and developing skills are not unspiritual acts; they are the “hand of the diligent” in motion. God’s promise of prosperity is fulfilled as we partner with Him through obedient action.
The Inevitable End of Laziness
The message delivers a sobering truth: laziness is a destructive force that transcends privilege. It can cause someone to waste a divine inheritance, squander a godly legacy, and miss a divine destiny. Proverbs 18:9 is cited to show that a lazy person is not just inactive; they are actively destructive (“a great waster”). This means laziness doesn’t just lead to a lack of gain; it leads to the decay and loss of what one already has—be it talents, opportunities, resources, or spiritual gifts. An opportunity is worthless to someone who is unprepared to seize it and work it.
A Call to Holistic Diligence
The core interpretation is that God rewards holistic diligence—a fervent, active pursuit of Him coupled with a fervent, active pursuit of excellence in our earthly assignments. It is a rejection of a superstitious faith that expects God to override our choices and inactivity. The God who commanded Adam to “dress and keep” the garden (Genesis 2:15) is the same God who expects us to be faithful stewards and diligent workers in all He has entrusted to us.
Pray this:
“Father, uproot every seed of laziness and slothfulness from my heart. Forgive me for every time I have replaced diligent work with empty words or superstitious faith. Holy Spirit, ignite in me a spirit of diligence like the ant—self-motivated, foresighted, and relentless. Teach me to balance powerful confessions of Your word with disciplined action in my spiritual life and my daily work. Let my hands be diligent so that I may walk in the fullness of the prosperity You have ordained for me, in Jesus’ name.”
Action Steps:
- Conduct a Laziness Audit: Identify one area of your life (prayer, Bible study, career, health, finances) where you have been spiritually or physically slack.
- Emulate the Ant: Set one specific, actionable goal for that area this week (e.g., wake up 30 minutes earlier to pray, dedicate 2 hours to a skill upgrade, create a budget and stick to it).
- Pair Confession with Action: Choose a Scripture promise about your goal. Confess it daily, then immediately perform one tangible action that aligns with that promise.
- Study Diligence: Read Proverbs 10:4, 6:6-11, and 12:24 daily. Ask God to make the principle of diligence real in your heart.
Remember: God’s promises are yes and amen, but they are accessed through faith and patience—and patience is not passive waiting; it is diligent perseverance (Hebrews 6:12). Your destiny is not delivered to your doorstep; it is realized on the path of faithful obedience and hard work. Do not just speak your future into existence; work it into existence under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.
Follow on:
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