21 Days of Consecration 2026 - Day 5 - 2/22/26 - "Prayer Breaks Excuses"

Author: Superintendent Demetrius K. Samu-el, Sr.

“Prayer Breaks Excuses”
Scripture: John 5:7–8

“The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man… while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

Devotion:
When Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made whole, the response was not faith—it was an excuse.

“Sir, I have no man…”

Thirty-eight years of disappointment had produced a rehearsed explanation. He blamed timing. He blamed people. He blamed opportunity. His condition had become his narrative.
But Jesus did not debate his excuse—He disrupted it.

“Rise.”

Prayer does the same thing in us. When we truly pray, we move from explanation to expectation. We stop telling God why we can’t and start trusting Him because He can. Prayer renews the mind by confronting the stories we’ve been telling ourselves.

Excuses sound logical, but they keep us limited. Prayer sounds humble, but it makes us bold.

Renewal happens when:

• We stop rehearsing what went wrong.
• We stop waiting for perfect conditions.
• We start responding to Christ’s command.

The man had to shift mentally before he ever stood physically. When Jesus spoke, he had a choice—cling to his excuse or cling to the Word.

Today, let prayer expose every “I can’t,” every “I would if,” every “it’s because.” Lay them down. Christ’s command is greater than your condition.

Excuses keep you by the pool. Obedience gets you walking.

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the excuses I have hidden behind. Renew my mind through prayer. Give me the courage to rise when You speak and the faith to move beyond limitation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.