ODM Daily Inspirational Devotional Messages Bible Verse and Prayers ODM
DCLM Daily Manna
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Humble Submission Has It
KEY VERSE
“And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight” (2 Kings 1:13).
Bible Reading:
2 Kings 1:13-18 (KJV)
13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
MESSAGE
Bishop Latimer, delivering a sermon before King Henry VIII, offended the King with his candidness. The king ordered Latimer to repeat the message the following Sunday and apologise publicly for his “offence”. Latimer approached the pulpit and began by reflecting on the gravity of his audience, acknowledging the King’s power to cut short his life. However, he recalled his obligation to God, whose message he preached and whom he knew had ultimate authority over his fate. With this conviction, he resolutely preached the same sermon with greater fervour, demonstrating that his reverence for God outweighed his fear of earthly power. It was an obeying-God-rather-than-men situation.
The captain of the third fifty soldiers sent by King Ahaziah to arrest Prophet Elijah seemed to be conscious of this principle when he adopted a reverential approach, unlike his predecessors. Ahaziah, the king of Israel, had been hurt by a fall. He sent messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to inquire whether he would recover. Elijah accosted the king’s messengers and sent them back with the message that the apostate Ahaziah would die. The infuriated king issued a warrant for Elijah’s arrest. The first band of 50 soldiers, led by a captain, arrogantly commanded Elijah, in the name of the king, to come down from the hill where he was. The prophet was moved to call down fire upon them, and they were consumed by it. Unfortunately, a second contingent behaved similarly and suffered the same fate.
The captain of the third contingent sent by Ahaziah was not only wiser but also God-fearing. He approached the man of God with utmost respect and pleaded for his life to be spared. It is no wonder that an angel of God instructed Elijah to go with the captain to King Ahaziah. By doing so, the captain demonstrated what it takes to do the will of God even within the context of an ungodly authority.
An attitude and action of humble submission to God, even at the risk of losing a job, fortune or opportunity, has always attracted divine favour. If you ever find yourself in a situation where pleasing men, no matter how powerful, means displeasing God, adopt the obeying-God-rather-than-men option. Those who do so always turn out to be the ultimate winners.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Virtue never loses a battle
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Luke 22
COMMENTARY
1. The Contrast Between Arrogance and Humility – The first two captains approached Elijah with arrogance, demanding he come down in the name of the king. They were consumed by fire. The third captain approached with humility, falling on his knees and pleading for mercy. He and his men were spared. Humility attracts divine favour; arrogance invites destruction.
2. Obeying God Rather Than Men – Bishop Latimer’s example and the third captain’s action demonstrate the principle of obeying God rather than men. When earthly authorities demand something contrary to God’s will, we must choose to honor God. This may cost us, but it always leads to ultimate victory.
3. The Power of Humble Submission – The third captain’s humble submission saved his life and the lives of his men. He acknowledged Elijah as a man of God and pleaded for mercy. Humility is not weakness; it is wisdom. It opens the door to divine intervention and favour.
4. The Call to Reverence God’s Servants – The third captain respected Elijah as God’s messenger. We must also reverence God’s servants, even when we are sent by earthly authorities. Our ultimate allegiance is to God, and we must honor those He has appointed.
5. The DCLM Ministry’s Call to Humble Obedience – The Deeper Christian Life Ministry emphasizes the importance of humility and obedience to God. Pastor Kumuyi teaches that believers must choose to obey God even when it is costly. The Daily Manna devotional calls readers to humble submission and reverence for God’s servants.
About DCLM and Daily Manna
The Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) was founded in 1973 by Pastor Dr. W.F. Kumuyi. From a small Bible study of 15 students in Lagos, it has grown into a global ministry with churches across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. The ministry emphasizes holiness, prayer, Bible study, and humble obedience to God.
DCLM Daily Manna is a daily devotional written by Pastor Kumuyi. Each edition provides Scripture reading, exposition, and practical application to guide believers in their daily walk with God. The devotional consistently calls readers to humble submission and obedience to God.
Prayer Reflection
Lord, teach me the wisdom of humble submission. Help me to obey You rather than men, even when it costs me. Give me reverence for Your servants and humility in my approach to others. May I always choose Your will over the approval of people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
