Category: Open Heaven Devotional

The Open Heaven 27 December 2025 devotional for today is LET GOD MAKE YOU II.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 26 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 27 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: LET GOD MAKE YOU II

MEMORISE:
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 4:19

READ: Isaiah 51:1-2:
1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 27 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Yesterday, I discussed the story of the prodigal son and how he returned home to his father when he realised he could not make himself.

Today, I will examine the lives of Jesus’ disciples and how He made all of them, except Judas Iscariot.

When Jesus called His disciples in today’s memory verse, He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” For example, by the time He was done with Peter, Peter became so famous and influential that today, over 2,000 years later, we are still talking about him. Those who allowed God to make them in the Scriptures have remained relevant up until now.

When God makes a fellow, He adorns the fellow with beauty and glory and gives him or her a purpose for living. Jesus told His disciples that by following Him, they would become fishers of men. He fulfilled this promise, and they all became great fishers of men (Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4), and He kept them all until the end, except the son of perdition (John 17:12). All these happened because they followed Jesus.

God cannot make you when you are not following Him consistently. Just because you followed Him yesterday doesn’t mean that you can live life by yourself today. Following Him is a daily decision. A famous songwriter once wrote, “l have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back, no turning back.”

When you truly follow Jesus, it will be evident in your words, actions, and lifestyle. After the disciples had followed Jesus for some time, the religious leaders observed them and noted that they had truly been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). If you truly follow Jesus, it will be evident for people to see.

When you leave raw meat on fire to cook, for example, no matter how tough it is, it will eventually become soft. Sadly, many believers attend church services and other Christian programmes frequently; however, there is no tangible change in their behaviour and attitude.

Beloved, it is time to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and allow Him to make you if you haven’t done so yet. It is time to let go of all forms of worldliness in your life; lay them aside, and follow Jesus.

Jesus makes only those who follow Him. He purifies and prunes only the branches that abide in Him (John 15:2). Don’t waste your life chasing meaningless things; follow Jesus and let Him make you who He has destined you to become.

PRAYER POINT

Lord Jesus, help me to follow You wholeheartedly without looking back, and please make me who You are

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Revelation 8-11

HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 27 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Matthew 4:19
“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
This call is both an invitation and a contract. “Follow me” is the continuous action of discipleship—a daily choice of submission, observation, and obedience. “I will make you” is the promise of transformative process by the Master Craftsman. The goal is not personal enrichment but purposeful redirection: from catchers of fish to gatherers of souls for the kingdom.

BIBLE READING: Isaiah 51:1-2
This passage roots the call in the faithfulness of God to His covenant process:
v.1: “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn…” The call is to remember your origin in God’s faithful work.
v.2: “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” Abraham is the prototype of one who followed God’s call (Genesis 12:1) and was made into a father of nations and faith. God’s making always leads to increase and blessing for His purpose.

The Continuous Choice That Activates the Making

Building on yesterday’s theme of God’s making, Pastor E.A. Adeboye now focuses on the human responsibility that activates the divine process: consistent, wholehearted following. The devotional contrasts the enduring legacy of the true disciples with the tragic end of the one who stopped following, and challenges believers to evidence a transformed life.

1. The Prototype of the “Made” Man: Peter

From Fisherman to Foundation:
Peter, a rough, impulsive fisherman, was utterly transformed by the process of following Jesus. He became the pillar of the early church, a powerful preacher at Pentecost (Acts 2), and his influence echoes “over 2,000 years later.” His story proves that God’s making results in eternal relevance.

The Promise Fulfilled (Acts 2:41, 4:4):
The proof that Jesus kept His promise (“I will make you fishers of men“) is seen in the harvest of souls at Pentecost (3,000) and afterwards (5,000 men). Their lives became nets for God’s kingdom.

2. The Non-Negotiable Condition: Follow Me

Following is a Daily Decision:
“Just because you followed Him yesterday doesn’t mean that you can live life by yourself today.”Discipleship is not a one-time altar call but a daily, moment-by-moment choice to renounce self-direction and walk in His steps. The hymn’s resolve—“no turning back”—captures the required permanence of this decision.

Following is Evident:
True discipleship is observable. The Pharisees “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Their speech, courage, and power bore the unmistakable mark of Christ’s influence. A life consistently following Jesus will inevitably show in purifying speech, loving actions, and a distinct, holy lifestyle.

3. The Cooking Pot Analogy: Evidence of Transformation

The Guarantee of the Fire:
Raw meat in a fire will become tender. The constant heat guarantees change. Similarly, a life consistently exposed to the fire of God’s Word, His presence, and His Spirit must soften—becoming more loving, patient, and Christlike.

The Tragedy of the Unchanged:
Many are in the fire (attending church, programmes) but remain tough, unchanged in “behaviour and attitude.” This indicates a fatal disconnect: they are near the heat but not in the pot. They are hearers, not followers. Attendance without transformation is spiritual waste.

4. The Exception That Proves the Rule: Judas Iscariot

The Son of Perdition:
Judas is the stark warning. He followed physically for a time but never surrendered his heart. He held onto worldliness (the love of money, John 12:6) and a secret agenda. Jesus kept all whom the Father gave Him “but the son of perdition” (John 17:12). Judas stopped truly following in his heart long before he left with the betrayer’s kiss. His life proves that proximity to Jesus without personal submission leads to destruction.

5. The Process of the Maker: Purity Through Abiding

The Vinedresser’s Work (John 15:2):
God the Father, as the gardener, “purges” (cleanses) and “prunes” the branches that are connected to the Vine (Christ). This painful but purposeful cutting away is only done to those who “abide in Him.” If you are not following/abiding, you are not in a position to be made. You are outside the process.

How to Move From Attendance to Authentic Following

1. Audit Your “Following”:
Ask: Is my life today consciously submitted to Christ’s lordship? Are my decisions, finances, and relationships guided by “Follow me”? Or am I just occasionally checking in?

2. Pursue Evident Change:
Invite trusted believers to speak into your life. Ask, “Can you see tangible growth in Christlikeness in me over the past year?” Be willing to confront areas of persistent worldliness.

3. Embrace the Pruning:
When God convicts you of sin or calls you to surrender something, recognize it as the Vinedresser’s loving cut. Do not resist; this is part of the “making.”

4. Define Your “Fishing”:
Ask God to make you a fisher of men in your specific context. Look for daily opportunities to cast the net of kindness, testimony, or prayer to draw others toward Christ.

Warning: The Peril of Cultural Christianity

A life of church activity without heart transformation is the path of Judas. It leads to being labeled “son of perdition”—a child of destruction. You can be in the band, teach Sunday school, and still be lost if you are not personally, daily following Jesus with a surrendered heart.

Conclusion: The Invitation to a Made Life

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I hear Your call anew: ‘Follow Me.’ I choose today to follow You wholeheartedly, with no turning back. I lay aside every weight and sin that hinders. I surrender to Your making process. Purge me, prune me, and transform me until my life bears undeniable evidence that I have been with You. Make me a true fisher of men, for the glory of Your name. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• The Daily Pledge: Each morning this week, begin your prayer with: “Lord Jesus, I choose to follow You today. Guide my steps, my words, and my decisions.”
• Study a Disciple’s Journey: Trace the transformation of one disciple (e.g., John from “Son of Thunder” to “Apostle of Love”). Note the key moments where following Jesus changed him.
• Identify One “Worldly” Thing to Lay Aside: Be specific (e.g., a toxic entertainment habit, a grudge, a dishonest practice). This week, in obedience, lay it aside as an act of following.

Remember: God is not making museum pieces; He is making active, world-changing fishers of men. Your relevance for eternity is secured not by what you know, but by who you follow and who you become in His hands.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). You are His project. Follow closely, and let the Master finish His work.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 27 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 26 December 2025 devotional for today is LET GOD MAKE YOU I.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 25 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 26 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: LET GOD MAKE YOU I

MEMORISE:
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Mark 1:17

READ: Luke 15:11-24:
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 26 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Today’s Bible reading tells us about a young man who was very comfortable in his father’s house and had nothing to worry about until he probably started listening to the wrong voices.

He became discontent and demanded his share of the inheritance from his father. When people begin to listen to the wrong voices, they often start making wrong decisions. You must always ensure that you listen to the right voice – God’s voice. To know how God speaks and the things He says, you must read and understand His word. Only those who constantly read and meditate on God’s word will escape the deception of these end times.

When the prodigal son was leaving his father’s house, he said, “Father, give me…” His request landed him far away from his father, and even though he seemed to enjoy himself for a while after that, his happiness did not last. He soon became poor, and since he was in a strange land, he suffered greatly.

Thankfully, the prodigal son came to his senses and realised that he could not make himself, meaning that he needed his father to succeed in life. He was in a haste to be made, but he needed to let his father take him through the right process. God is a God of process, and He always wants to make His children whom He desires them to be.

Whenever a chef is making a meal, the process is not usually as attractive as the end product. For instance, the heating process is usually unpleasant. However, the ingredients that endure the heat will become fit to grace a king’s table. Those that don’t go in the fire usually end up as trash or food for pests.

When God was making Moses, He made him stay in the desert for forty years, tending to his father-in-law’s flock (Exodus 3:1). It couldn’t have been a pleasant experience for a man who had lived in the palace all his life, but the process helped to shape him into a tough leader who could confront Pharaoh, a man considered as the most powerful king on earth at the time.

Jesus called His disciples to make them (Mark 1:17). When He was done making them, the Pharisees and religious leaders marvelled because even though they were unlearned, they had become a wonder (Acts 4:13).

Beloved, surrender yourself completely to God and let Him make you. When He is done, you will become a wonder to your family, friends, and the world at large.

REFLECTION

Are you fully surrendered to God’s process?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Revelation 4-7

HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 26 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Mark 1:17
“And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
This is the call to discipleship, framed as a transformative process. Jesus does not say, “Come, and you already are,” but “I will make you to become.” It is a promise of a journey from raw material to finished product, from a current identity to a destined purpose. The initiative (“Come”) and the power (“I will make”) are His; our role is to follow and submit to the making.

BIBLE READING: Luke 15:11-24
This is the quintessential parable of redemption and restoration through process:
v.11-13: The Rebellion – Driven by discontent and impatience, the son demands his inheritance (seeking the result without the relationship) and leaves.
v.14-16: The Ruin – The “enjoyment” is short-lived. He exhausts his resources and descends into abject poverty and humiliation.
v.17-19: The Repentance – “He came to himself.” True repentance begins with clarity of thought: recognizing his need, his father’s provision, and his unworthiness.
v.20-24: The Restoration – The father’s unconditional love receives him, but note: the restoration to sonship is immediate; the restoration to mature stewardship is a process implied by the robe, ring, and sandals—symbols of a new identity to grow into.

The Divine Process of Being Made

Pastor E.A. Adeboye delves into the often-difficult but purposeful journey God takes each believer through. Using the prodigal son and Moses as primary examples, he teaches that God is less interested in giving us quick, inherited blessings and more committed to making us into vessels fit for His purpose and glory. The shortcut leads to ruin; the process leads to wonder.

1. The Folly of the Shortcut: Demanding the Inheritance

Listening to the Wrong Voice:
The prodigal son’s downfall began with listening to voices (likely internal lusts and external temptations) that bred discontent with his father’s house. This highlights the critical need to filter every influence through God’s Word to avoid deception.

The “Give Me” Mentality:
His demand, “Father, give me…” represents a faith that wants the benefits of sonship without the submission, relationship, and process that mature a son. It is a consumer approach to God. This mentality always leads “far away” from the father’s presence, even if it initially feels like freedom.

The Illusion of Independence:
He wanted to “make himself.” His journey proved the lie of human self-sufficiency. His destination—feeding pigs, a picture of utter defilement and despair for a Jew—reveals the end of every path of independence from God.

2. The Necessity and Nature of God’s Process

The Chef’s Analogy: The Unpleasant Heat:
The cooking process, especially the fire, is not enjoyable for the ingredients, but it is essential to transform them from raw to refined, from ordinary to “fit to grace a king’s table.” The fire of trials, waiting, and humbling circumstances is not meant to destroy us, but to develop flavor, resilience, and usefulness in us. What refuses the fire remains trash.

The Moses Model: The Desert of Preparation:
Moses’ 40 years in the desert, shepherding another man’s flock, was the polar opposite of his first 40 years in Pharaoh’s palace. This was the “fire” that burned away his self-reliance, anger, and Egyptian identity, shaping him into a “tough leader” humble enough to be used by God. The desert was not a detour; it was the essential curriculum.

The Disciple’s Journey: From “Come” to “Become”:
Jesus called ordinary, unlearned men and spent years teaching, correcting, and modeling life for them. The process transformed them so utterly that the religious elite “marvelled” and recognized they “had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). The making produced wonders.

3. The Turning Point: Coming to Yourself

The Realization of Need:
The prodigal’s breakthrough came when he “realised that he could not make himself.” True spiritual progress begins with the death of the “self-made” delusion. It is the admission: “I need my Father to succeed in life.”

The Return to Process:
His decision to return was a decision to re-enter the father’s process—even if it meant starting as a servant. He surrendered his timeline and agenda. This is the posture God requires: complete surrender.

How to Submit to God’s Making

1. Identify and Reject the “Give Me” Spirit:
Audit your prayers. Are they dominated by demands for blessings, or by surrender to His shaping? Repent of impatience and a consumerist faith.

2. Embrace Your Current “Desert” or “Fire”:
Ask God to reveal the purpose in your current difficult season. Is it teaching you dependence? Burning away pride? Developing patience? Cooperate with Him in it. Don’t pray merely for escape, but for transformation.

3. Trust the Chef:
Believe that God, as the masterful Chef, knows the exact temperature and duration needed to make you a kingly dish. Your job is to stay in the pot.

4. Value the Making Over the Inheritance:
Desire the character, authority, and Christlikeness that come from the process more than the material or ministerial rewards. The “making” is the real inheritance.

Warning: The Trash Heap of the Unprocessed

The ingredients that jump out of the pot to avoid the heat end up as “trash or food for pests.” This is the fate of believers who abandon God’s process due to pain, boredom, or pride. They retain a raw, unrefined character, vulnerable to the enemy and unfit for the high calling of God.

Conclusion: Yielding to the Master’s Hands

Pray this:
“Father in heaven, forgive me for the times I have demanded my inheritance like a hireling instead of submitting as a son. I surrender completely to Your making process. I accept the desert and the fire as necessary for my transformation. Shape me, break me, and rebuild me into the vessel of wonder You have destined me to be. I trust Your timing and Your methods. Make me a fisher of men, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Journal the Process: Write down your current “desert” or “fire” circumstance. Beside it, write: “What is God wanting to ‘make’ in me through this?” Pray over it daily.
• Study a “Made” Life: Study Joseph’s process (Genesis 37-50). Note the pits, prisons, and delays, and how each equipped him for leadership.
• Express Surrender: Perform a tangible act of surrender this week (e.g., fast from something you cling to, serve in a hidden capacity). Accompany it with the prayer: “Lord, I yield to Your making.”

Remember: God is not just giving you things; He is making you into someone. The son who was welcomed back still had to learn how to wear the ring, walk in the sandals, and honor the robe. Your story is one of becoming.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). He will finish what He started. Let Him make you.

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Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 26 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 25 December 2025 devotional for today is THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 24 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 25 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR

MEMORISE:
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Revelation 22:16

READ: Matthew 2:1-12:
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 25 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

There are about one hundred billion stars in the galaxy, and God calls them all by their names (Psalm 147:4). The Bible even mentions Orion, a constellation of stars (Amos 5:8), and Wormwood (Revelation 8:11). Among all the stars, God gave a special assignment to one of them. We don’t know the star’s name, but God surely knows it, and He must have called that star by its name and commissioned it to lead the wise men to Jesus.

In today’s Bible reading, the wise men, who were probably astrologers, talked about a star that they saw in the sky and how they knew that it belonged to a king. They followed the star all the way from their country to Israel, and as long as they followed it, it led them on the right track. If they had stopped following the star, they would have surely lost their way and begun to wander in darkness and confusion.

People who celebrate Christmas without having Jesus can be said to be wandering in the dark. They can eat, drink, and be merry, but they will remain in darkness. You do not have to continue dwelling in darkness if you are like this. Jesus has come as the light of the world (John 8:12) to illuminate every place where there is darkness in your life.

As the world celebrates his birth today, this is the perfect time to give your life to Him.

As soon as the wise men left Jerusalem and resumed their search for the King, the star led them to where Jesus was (Matthew 2:9). That star fulfilled its mission of leading the wise men to the Bright and Morning Star, Jesus.

Every believer is like that star, called and commissioned to lead others to Jesus. As a believer, even as you celebrate the birth of Jesus today, do not forget that you are on a mission to lead others to Him.

That star is still being spoken of today because it fulfilled its mission to lead the wise men to Jesus. As long as you keep leading and influencing others to follow Jesus, you will remain relevant in God’s agenda. Our Lord Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star, and your life should lead others to Him.

Beloved, if you are yet to give your life to Jesus, do so today. He is waiting for you to come to Him because He wants to set you free from the tyranny of darkness and confusion. Merry Christmas!

ACTION POINT

Go into the streets, use your social media platforms and other avenues that you have, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Revelation 1-3

HYMN 17: PRAISE MY SOUL THE KING OF HEAVEN

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 25 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Revelation 22:16
“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”
This climactic self-revelation of Christ connects His divine sovereignty (“root of David”) with His human lineage (“offspring of David”) and proclaims His identity as the ultimate guiding light. The “morning star” heralds the end of night and the dawn of a new day. Jesus is the first, sure light that guides humanity out of spiritual darkness into the kingdom of God.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 2:1-12
This is the narrative of divine guidance and prophetic fulfillment:
v.1-2: The Seeking Gentiles – Wise men from the East arrive, guided by a star, seeking the “king of the Jews.” Their journey represents the human heart’s quest for truth.
v.3-8: The Troubled Establishment – Herod and Jerusalem are disturbed, representing the world’s hostile or manipulative response to Christ’s kingship.
v.9-10: The Faithful Guide – “The star… went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” The guidance was precise and culminated in joyous discovery.
v.11-12: The Worshipful Response – They offer gifts and worship, then depart in obedient wisdom, avoiding Herod.

The Believer’s Mandate: To Be a Guiding Star to Christ

On this Christmas Day, Pastor E.A. Adeboye presents a profound and mission-oriented perspective. He moves beyond the celebration of Christ’s birth to the purpose of our rebirth: we, like the Bethlehem star, are individually called and commissioned by name to lead seeking souls out of darkness to the “Bright and Morning Star,” Jesus Christ.

1. The Bethlehem Star: A Commissioned Creation

Chosen From Among Billions:
Among innumerable stars, one was selected for a sacred, temporary mission. This illustrates God’s purposeful sovereignty. He knows and calls each of His creations by name for specific assignments (Isaiah 43:1). The star’s glory was not in its intrinsic brightness, but in its obedience to point to a greater Light.

The Nature of Its Mission:

1. To Appear as a Sign: It signaled a divine event to those who were watching and wise.
2. To Guide Persistently: It led over a long, uncertain journey.
3. To Lead to Jesus: Its entire purpose was to bring seekers into the presence of the King and then fade from the narrative. Its success was measured by the worship it facilitated, not the attention it garnered.

2. The Wise Men: The Profile of a Seeker

They Were Watchful:
They studied the heavens, indicating a heart dissatisfied with earthly knowledge and hungry for transcendent truth. Spiritual guidance is given to those who are looking for it.

They Were Willing to Journey:
They left their comfort zone and embarked on a long, costly trip. Guidance requires movement. God guides moving feet, not stationary skeptics.

They Followed Despite Interruptions:
They lost sight of the star in Jerusalem (relying on human reasoning via Herod) but resumed following once they left. True seekers course-correct back to divine guidance, even after detours.

3. The Contrast: Christmas in Darkness vs. in The Light

The Darkness of a Christ-less Celebration:
Many celebrate with food, drinks, and merriment (“eat, drink, and be merry”) but remain in spiritual night—a state of confusion, purposelessness, and separation from God. This is the ultimate tragedy: to be at the party but miss the Guest of Honor.

The Invitation to The Light:
Jesus is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). His birth is the dawning of salvation’s day. The call is urgent: “this is the perfect time to give your life to Him.” Christmas is not just a memorial; it is an altar call.

4. The Believer’s Identity: You Are That Star

Called and Commissioned:
“Every believer is like that star.” Your salvation is your commissioning. You are called by name, placed in your specific “galaxy” (sphere of influence), and given the mission to reflect Christ’s light to guide others to Him (Matthew 5:14, Philippians 2:15).

The Measure of Relevance:
“As long as you keep leading and influencing others to follow Jesus, you will remain relevant in God’s agenda.” Your eternal significance is tied to your faithfulness in this mission. The Bethlehem star is remembered millennia later for one reason: it led men to Christ. Our legacy will be the same.

The Ultimate Goal: Lead to the Morning Star:
We are not the destination. Like John the Baptist, we must decrease so He may increase (John 3:30). Our lives, words, and love should consistently point people to Jesus, the “Bright and Morning Star.”

How to Fulfill Your Role as a Guiding Star

1. Be Consistently Visible:
Live a life of integrity and love that stands out in the cultural darkness, prompting questions about your hope (1 Peter 3:15).

2. Provide Persistent Guidance:
Be patient with spiritual seekers. Walk with them, answer questions, and consistently point the way through your testimony and God’s Word, just as the star led over a long journey.

3. Lead to Worship, Not to Yourself:
Ensure your influence culminates in people encountering Jesus for themselves, not becoming dependent on you. The wise men worshipped the Child, not the star.

4. Shine with Purpose:
Understand your specific mission field (your family, workplace, community). Ask God for divine appointments to guide seeking hearts.

Warning: The Irrelevance of a Hidden or Self-Glorifying Light

A believer who hides their light (through fear or compromise) or who draws attention to themselves instead of to Christ fails in their core mission. They become like a star that burned for itself, forgotten by history because it illuminated nothing but its own existence.

Conclusion: From Celebration to Commission

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, Bright and Morning Star, thank You for coming to save me from darkness. Today, I reaffirm my commitment to You. I accept my commissioning as Your guiding star. Use my life to persistently, clearly, and joyfully lead seeking hearts to Your glorious light. Let my greatest legacy be the souls who find You because I showed the way. Merry Christmas, my King! In Your name, I pray. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Identify Your “Wise Men”: Pray for one person in your life who is spiritually seeking. Commit to being a consistent, gracious “guide” for them in the coming year.
• Share the Christmas Story Anew: Today, share the true meaning of Christmas from Matthew 2 with someone, emphasizing the quest, the guidance, and the worship.
• Write Your Commission: On a card, write: “I am a commissioned star. My mission is to lead ______ to Jesus.” Fill in a name or a group (e.g., “my colleagues,” “my neighbors”).

Remember: The star didn’t preach a sermon; it shone. Your most powerful guidance is a life radiant with Christ’s love and truth. You are called by name to this.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Shine on, and lead them home. Merry Christmas!

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Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 25 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 24 December 2025 devotional for today is LET GOD BE YOUR FATHER.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 23 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 24 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: LET GOD BE YOUR FATHER

MEMORISE:
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:18

READ: Galatians 4:4-7:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 24 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

In Matthew 15:21-28, Jesus said, “I cannot give the children’s bread to dogs.” This means that a person is either God’s child or a dog. Children have fathers, while dogs have masters. Children can walk up to their fathers anytime to ask questions and make requests, but dogs cannot.

While a child can sit with his or her father on the dining table to eat, a dog usually sits under the table to eat crumbs. Such dogs will go hungry if there are no crumbs. If you have not yet surrendered your heart to Jesus, you are not yet God’s child, and now is the best time to turn to Him and allow Him to become your Father.

God has numerous names; He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), He is the Almighty (Job 23:16), and He is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last (Revelation 22:13). Despite all His names, when Jesus taught us to pray in Luke 11:1-2, He said that we should start by saying, “Our Father”.

The name God loves to be called the most is Father. As Father, God is our source and sustainer; He is our helper. No responsible father will see his children suffering and leave them to continue to suffer.

When I was a child, I often followed my father to his farm. We always had to cross a particular river on our way back, and occasionally, the river overflowed its banks. Whenever this happened, it would sweep the bridge that was built across the river away.

On one occasion that this happened, my father picked me up and carried me across the river on his shoulders because I was too small to walk on the riverbed and not be swept away by the currents. While he was walking through the river, I was playing with the water because I was on his shoulder. If an earthly father can do everything to protect his child, how much more our heavenly Father?

Beloved, if you are already a child of God and are experiencing challenges that are currently testing your faith, hold on to God; He is a loving Father, and He will surely see you through and bring you to an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you are, however, yet to surrender your life to Him and you want to experience His special love and care, then accept His invitation to become His child today, and you too will enjoy peace on all sides, in Jesus’ name.

REFLECTION

Is God really your Father? Have you surrendered your life to Him?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 John l; 3 John l; Jude 1

HYMN 13: Jesus loves me! This I know

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 24 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: 2 Corinthians 6:18
“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
This is the ultimate promise of the New Covenant. The Almighty God, the transcendent Creator, makes an intimate, relational pledge to those who separate themselves for Him. He does not merely promise to be a benefactor or king, but a Father. This adoption is the highest privilege of redemption, granting us the rights, intimacy, and inheritance of true children.

BIBLE READING: Galatians 4:4-7
This passage details the theological mechanics of our adoption:
v.4-5: The Action of Redemption – “God sent forth his Son… To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Christ’s work purchased our legal standing as sons.
v.6: The Evidence of Adoption – “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” The indwelling Holy Spirit is the seal and the inner witness, prompting our intimate cry to God.
v.7: The Result – “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Our identity shifts from slaves under law to sons under grace, with a guaranteed inheritance.

The Supreme Privilege of Sonship

Pastor E.A. Adeboye uses the poignant analogy from Matthew 15 to draw a stark, eternal line between two identities: child or dog. The devotional elevates the truth that of all God’s magnificent titles, “Father” is the one He cherishes most in relationship with us. It is a call to move from the outer courts of servitude to the inner chamber of family intimacy.

1. The Two Identities: Child vs. Dog

The Child’s Privilege:

• Access: A child can approach the father anytime with questions and requests. This speaks to unlimited prayer and fellowship (Hebrews 4:16).
• Position: A child sits at the table, partaking of the full meal—the “children’s bread.” This represents the full inheritance, promises, and provision of God.
• Relationship: Defined by love, communication, and shared life.

The Dog’s Limitation:

• No Access: A dog relates to a master, not a father. The relationship is distant, based on command and performance.
• Position: Under the table, dependent on crumbs—the leftovers of grace. This is a life of spiritual scarcity, surviving on occasional blessings without secure promise.
• Vulnerability: “Will go hungry if there are no crumbs.” Their sustenance is uncertain and conditional.

2. The Father-Heart of God

The Name Above All Names to Him:
Among His sovereign titles (Almighty, King of kings), Jesus taught us to lead with “Our Father”(Luke 11:2). This reveals God’s deepest desire—not to be feared from a distance as a potentate, but to be known intimately as a loving Parent. This is the heart of the gospel.

The Nature of a Responsible Father:

• Source and Sustainer: He is the origin of our life and its continual support.
• Helper in Suffering: “No responsible father will see his children suffering and leave them.” Our earthly struggles are not ignored; they activate His compassionate intervention (Psalm 103:13).
• Protector: The personal story of Pastor Adeboye’s father carrying him across the flooded river is a powerful earthly shadow of our heavenly Father’s care. In the dangerous currents of life (illness, lack, despair), He carries us on His shoulders. We can have peace and even “play” in the midst of turmoil because our security is in His strength, not our environment.

3. The Pathway and Proof of Sonship

The Invitation to Become a Child:
For the unbeliever, the call is to “surrender your heart to Jesus.” This is not about religion, but a relational transaction where you accept His sacrifice and are adopted into the family (John 1:12).

The Assurance for the Child in Crisis:
For the believer facing faith-testing challenges, the command is to “hold on to God.” The basis is not the circumstance, but His unchanging character as a “loving Father.” His promise is to bring you through to the “expected end” of Jeremiah 29:11—a future of hope and peace.

The Inner Witness:
As Galatians 4:6 explains, the proof is the Holy Spirit within, causing us to cry “Abba, Father.” This is the instinctual, trusting cry of a child to a beloved parent, especially in times of need.

How to Live in the Reality of Your Sonship

1. Address God Primarily as “Father”:
Reform your prayer life. Begin every prayer with this intimate address. Let it shape your expectations from fear-based pleading to confident communion.

2. Claim Your Place at the Table:
Reject a “crumb mentality.” In prayer, boldly ask for and expect the “children’s bread”—the full provision, healing, and wisdom God has for His kids. You are not begging for leftovers.

3. Trust the Carry in the Current:
When you are in overwhelming situations, visualize your Heavenly Father carrying you on His shoulders. Your prayer becomes, “Father, I cannot navigate this on my own. Carry me through.” This posture replaces panic with peace.

4. Share the Invitation:
Understand that those outside of Christ are not just “sinners” but spiritual orphans. Share the gospel as the good news of adoption into a loving family, not just escape from judgment.

Warning: The Peril of Rejecting Sonship

To remain outside of Christ is to choose the identity of a “dog”—spiritually homeless, without promise, living on the unpredictable scraps of life’s circumstances. It is to forfeit the inheritance, protection, and intimate love reserved for children. It is the ultimate poverty.

Conclusion: Coming Home to the Father’s Embrace

Pray this:
“Abba, Father, I come to You today. I reject the identity of a spiritual orphan. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and I embrace my adoption into Your family. Thank You for being my source, my sustainer, and my protector. When challenges come, remind my heart that I am Your child, seated at Your table and carried on Your shoulders. Let Your Fatherly love guide and keep me all the days of my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Meditate on the “Abba” Cry: Spend time in quiet prayer, letting the Holy Spirit stir within you the childlike cry of “Abba, Father.” Let it be a prayer without words, a posture of trust.
• Study the Father’s Love: Read and reflect on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Note the father’s character: watching, running, embracing, restoring.
• Write Your Adoption Certificate: On a card, write: “I am a son/daughter of the Almighty God (2 Corinthians 6:18). I have access. I have a place at the table. I am carried.” Place it where you will see it daily.

Remember: Your highest identity is not sinner, not servant, not sufferer—but son, daughter. The King of kings wants you to call Him Daddy. Live in that shocking, glorious intimacy today.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). You are called. Believe it, and live like it.

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Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 24 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 23 December 2025 devotional for today is CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING III.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 22 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 23 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING III

MEMORISE:
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Acts 19:11

READ: 2 Kings 2:19-22:
19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 23 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Yesterday, I mentioned that God needs your hands to be clean so that He can use it to do great things. Your hands should bring blessings to people, not the other way around.

In Exodus 15:22-25, the Israelites got to Marah, and they couldn’t drink the water there because it was bitter. God showed Moses a tree, and he cut a branch from it, threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. I believe that if it had been someone else who threw that branch in the water, nothing would have changed.

In 2 Kings 4:38-41, somebody unknowingly added a poisonous herb to the food that was being prepared for the sons of the prophets. Upon tasting it, they said, “There is death in the pot.” Elisha then said, “Bring me some flour.” He put the flour in the pot, and the poison was neutralised. The flour became a potent antidote because the anointing flowed through the hands that poured it into the pot.

Years ago, I travelled to Lokoja, a state capital in Central Nigeria, and I saw a huge tree on a major road within the city. The road was built around the tree, and when I asked why, I was told that the tree could not be uprooted because there were evil forces surrounding it.

Quietly, I stretched my hand towards the tree and prayed a simple prayer. That night, there was a violent storm, and by the next morning, the tree had been uprooted. I decree that any tree that God has not planted in your life, family, or city will be uprooted today, in Jesus’ name.

God performed special miracles by the hands of Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons were taken from his body to heal the sick and deliver those who were oppressed by demons (Acts 19:11-12).

Pieces of cloth that had come in contact with Paul’s hands and aprons that had come in contact with his body became healing vessels and demon chasers. In today’s Bible reading, the inhabitants of Jericho told Elisha that their city was pleasant, but the ground was barren, and the water was bad. He took some salt and poured it at the source of the water flowing into the city, and the waters became fit for use. It wasn’t the salt that performed the miracle; it was the hand of the anointed fellow that threw in the salt.

Beloved, I decree that as you raise your hands, any curse on your life, family, village, town, or country will be broken, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please perform special miracles through my hands, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 John 1-5

HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 23 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Acts 19:11
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.”
This verse succinctly captures the dynamic partnership between divine power and human agency. God (“God wrought“) is the sole source of the miracle, but He chooses to work “by the hands of” a consecrated individual. The hands are the designated, anointed instruments through which God’s supernatural power is administered to meet specific human needs.

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 2:19-22
This passage is the paradigm for the transformation of a curse into a blessing through anointed agency:
v.19: The Problem Presented – A pleasant city with a fatal flaw: “the water is naught, and the ground barren.” This represents a life or system with inherent poison that stifles fruitfulness.
v.20-21: The Prophetic Prescription – Elisha calls for a new cruse (a fresh, unused vessel) and salt. He goes to the spring of the waters (the source) and casts the salt in, declaring healing in the name of the Lord.
v.22: The Permanent Result – “So the waters were healed unto this day.” The miracle was complete and enduring, affecting the entire city’s future.

The Anointed Hand: God’s Instrument for Transformation

Pastor E.A. Adeboye continues his profound teaching on the ministry of the hands, moving from their required cleanliness to their supernatural potential. Today’s devotional reveals that the clean, anointed hand of a believer becomes the point of contact where God transmutes curses into blessings, poison into nourishment, and spiritual strongholds into vacant lots.

1. The Transmuting Touch: Changing the Nature of Things

The Branch at Marah (Exodus 15:25):
The bitter waters of Marah represent life’s disappointments and curses. Moses’ hand, acting on God’s specific instruction, used a ordinary tree branch as a conduit to release a sweetening miracle. The hand of the anointed leader changed the very molecular structure of the water, demonstrating that God’s power through a man can alter the nature of circumstances.

The Flour in the Pot (2 Kings 4:41):
Flour, a mundane cooking ingredient, became a universal antidote to poison when it passed through Elisha’s hands. This illustrates that the anointing sanctifies common elements for supernatural purposes. The miracle was not in the flour but in the hand that administered it.

The Salt at Jericho (2 Kings 2:21):
Salt, often a symbol of preservation and covenant, was used. But Elisha emphasized it was not about the salt: “Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters.” His anointed hand, obeying God’s word, was the instrument that released the healing decree into the source, resulting in permanent transformation.

2. The Authority to Uproot: Confronting Spiritual Strongholds

The Lokoja Tree Testimony:
The tree on the road was more than a botanical specimen; it was a physical monument to a spiritual stronghold that intimidated an entire city, even dictating urban planning. Pastor Adeboye’s quiet prayer with a stretched hand was not a public spectacle but a spiritual command issued from a position of authority. The violent storm was the earth’s response to the spiritual eviction notice served by an anointed hand. This demonstrates that the believer’s hand, in faith, can command natural elements to execute divine judgments against spiritual obstructions.

The Decree Over the Reader:
The personal decree—“any tree that God has not planted… will be uprooted”—transfers the principle to the reader. It activates faith that our hands, lifted in prayer and declaration, can sever unseen roots of familial, personal, or territorial curses.

3. The Transferable Anointing: Power in the Proximity

Paul’s Handkerchiefs (Acts 19:12):
This is a unique level of anointing where power resided so richly upon Paul’s person that it transferred to inanimate objects (“handkerchiefs or aprons”) that had contact with his skin or hands. These became points of contact for faith, carrying the “special miracles” to a distance. This proves the anointing is a tangible spiritual substance that flows through and even from an anointed life.

The Principle of Contact and Release:
Whether it is a branch, flour, salt, a handkerchief, or a prayer of faith, the common element is contact with the anointed hand or person. This contact acts as a conduit, transferring God’s power from the spirit realm to the material need.

4. The Mandate: Your Hands as Instruments of Blessing

Hands That Bless, Not Curse:
The opening line sets the mandate: “Your hands should bring blessings to people, not the other way around.” Our hands are to be known as sources of healing, deliverance, provision, and breakthrough, not instruments of harm, theft, or corruption.

The Decree of Breakthrough:
The closing prayer of decree is not a wish but an exercise of priestly authority. It commissions the reader’s hands as instruments to “break” curses over every sphere of their influence, in the name of Jesus.

How to Function as a Transmitting Hand of God

1. Obey Specific Instructions:
Like Moses at Marah, be sensitive to God’s unique direction for each situation. The miracle was in the specific obedience, not in a generic formula.

2. Use What is in Your Hand:
God uses available, ordinary things (a branch, flour, salt). Don’t despise the mundane tools God places in your reach. Consecrate them through prayer and use them in faith.

3. Command, Don’t Just Plead:
Move beyond begging God to act. From a position of clean hands and a pure heart, stretch your hand toward problems and issue decrees based on God’s Word, as Jesus taught (Mark 11:23).

4. Believe for Transferable Grace:
Live so consistently in God’s presence that your very belongings and touch carry a residue of faith and power for those who believe.

Warning: The Ineffective Hand

An unclean, disobedient, or faithless hand cannot transmit God’s power. It would be like Moses refusing to cut the branch, Elisha doubting the flour, or Paul hoarding the handkerchiefs. Inaction or impurity renders the instrument useless, leaving the bitter waters undrinkable and the poison in the pot.

Conclusion: Stretching Forth Your Hand for Miracle

Pray this:
“Almighty God, I present my hands to You afresh. Anoint them as instruments of Your power. Let Your miracle-working virtue flow through them to heal the bitter waters, neutralize every poison, and uproot every unauthorized tree in my life and the lives of those I touch. I decree that my hands will only bring blessings, and I receive the authority to transform curses into blessings today, in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Identify a ‘Marah’ or ‘Poisonous Pot’: Name one situation in your life or community that is “bitter” or “poisonous.” Stretch your hand toward it in prayer and speak a specific word of healing or neutralization from Scripture.
• Study the Miracle Workers: Meditate on the methods of Moses, Elisha, and Paul. Note their use of ordinary objects, their decisive commands, and their unwavering faith.
• Make a Faith Point of Contact: This week, pray over a simple object (a bottle of oil, a handkerchief) and give it to someone in need as a point of contact for their faith, instructing them to believe God for their miracle.

Remember: You are not just praying to God; you are partnering with God. Your clean, believing, obedient hand is His chosen instrument to administer heaven’s remedy to earth’s problems.
“And they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18). This is your commission. Stretch forth your hand.

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Download Open Heaven 23 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 22 December 2025 devotional for today is CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING 2.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 21 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 22 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING 2

MEMORISE:
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
Job 17:9

READ: Psalms 24:1-5:
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 22 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Yesterday, I mentioned that the hands are conductors of the anointing upon a believer’s head. What a believer does with his or her hands can determine how the Holy Spirit will operate.

In Exodus 17:8-13, when Moses lifted up his hands on a hilltop, Israel prevailed over their enemies; however, when he became tired and dropped his hands, Israel started losing. In Exodus 14:21- 28, Moses’ hands did something extraordinary; He stretched his hand over the sea, a strong east wind blew, and a way was created where there was none before. The east wind is another reference for the Holy Spirit in the Bible. This means that a believer’s hands can determine how the Holy Spirit moves.

In 1981, after I had just become the General Overseer of RCCG, I travelled to Ifewara, my hometown in South-West Nigeria. Then, there was no direct road linking Ife, a major city in the South-West region, to Ifewara. To get to Ifewara, one would have to take a route through llesha, a smaller city within the region, making it an extra 70-kilometre journey.

When I eventually got to my hometown, I told my people to make a request to God, and they asked for a motorable road linking Ifewara to Ife. I asked them where exactly they wanted the road to be built, and they pointed it out. I lifted my hand and said, “In the name of Jesus, let there be a road.”

Six months later, the government decided to build a road from Ife to Ifewara. There was no logical or political reason to do so, and they didn’t build it to get votes because it was during a military regime; they built it because God found a hand that He could use to create a way where there was none.

Beloved, God needs your hands to perform great miracles on the earth. Psalm 24:4 says that only those who have clean hands can ascend unto the Lord’s hill. Are your hands clean enough for God to use? Can He use them as channels to do His will on earth? You must not put your hands into anything that has an appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Don’t use your hands to give or collect bribes; it will grieve the Holy Spirit. Don’t use them to engage in fornication or doctor figures to illegally enrich yourself; that will also grieve the Holy Spirit. Make your hands available and usable to God so that He can do mighty works through them.

PRAYER POINT

Father, my hands are available for Your use now and always.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Peter 1-5; 2 Peter 1-3

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD.

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 22 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Job 17:9
“The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.”
This verse links moral purity with increasing spiritual strength and steadfastness. “Clean hands” symbolize a life free from guilt, corruption, and unethical action. This cleanliness is not a passive state but an active condition that empowers the believer to “hold on” and grow stronger—implying that purity is the conduit for enduring power and progress.

BIBLE READING: Psalms 24:1-5
This psalm establishes the qualifications for standing in God’s holy place and being a vessel of His blessing:
v.1-2: God’s Absolute Ownership – All the earth and its fulness belong to Him.
v.3: The Penetrating Question – “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?” Access to God’s presence and power is conditional.
v.4: The Non-Negotiable Conditions – “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” This defines holiness in terms of action (hands), intention (heart), worship (soul), and speech.
v.5: The Promise – “He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Clean hands and a pure heart are the channel for receiving and distributing divine blessing.

The Consecrated Conductor: Clean Hands for Divine Use

Building on yesterday’s teaching, Pastor E.A. Adeboye now focuses on the condition of the hands that conduct God’s anointing. The devotional powerfully argues that our hands are not neutral tools; they are moral instruments that either facilitate or frustrate the Holy Spirit’s operation. Clean hands become divine instruments for creating ways where there are none.

1. The Sovereignty of the Hands: How They Govern the Spirit’s Flow

The Moses Principle (Exodus 17:8-13):
Moses’ uplifted hands were not a magical gesture but a posture of intercession and dependence that determined the course of a national battle. His physical weariness directly affected the spiritual outcome. This shows that our physical acts of faith (prayer, praise, obedience) create the spiritual atmosphere for God’s intervention.

The Creative Authority (Exodus 14:21-28):
When Moses stretched his hand over the Red Sea, he was acting on God’s command. His obedient hand became the point of contact for the “strong east wind”—the Holy Spirit—to execute a creative miracle. The believer’s obedient hand can signal the Spirit to move in ways that defy natural laws, creating pathways through impossible situations.

2. The Testimony of the Created Way: A Road from Faith

The Natural Impossibility:
The lack of a direct road was a geographical and political obstacle, isolating the town. The request of the people aligned with God’s desire for connectivity and progress for His people.

The Prophetic Act:
Daddy Adeboye’s lifted hand and decree (“let there be a road”) was not a prayer begging God, but a command releasing the creative authority vested in a clean, obedient vessel. He acted as God’s vice-regent on earth, using his hand to “pull down” a heavenly blueprint.

The Sovereign Fulfillment:
The government’s unexplained action—without logical, political, or electoral motive—is a classic hallmark of divine intervention. God used the clean, anointed hands of His servant to orchestrate circumstances in the natural realm. The hand created a demand on heaven, and heaven moved earthly authorities to comply.

3. The Imperative of Clean Hands

The Access Requirement (Psalm 24:3-4):
You cannot ascend to God’s hill (place of intimacy and authority) or stand in His holy place (minister effectively) with defiled hands. Clean hands are a prerequisite for being a conduit of blessing (v.5).

What Defiles the Hands:
The devotional specifies:

1. Bribery (giving or receiving): Corruption that perverts justice and integrity.
2. Fornication: Sexual impurity that violates the temple of the Holy Spirit.
3. Fraud (“doctor figures”): Dishonest gain and deception.
   Such actions “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30), creating a spiritual short-circuit that halts the flow of anointing.

The Positive Charge (1 Thessalonians 5:22):
We are commanded to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” Clean hands avoid not only evil but anything that looks like it, maintaining a spotless testimony and an unobstructed connection to God.

4. The Outcome: Stronger and Stronger

The Promise of Increasing Strength (Job 17:9):
A life of clean hands is not a life of weakness, but of accumulating strength. Each act of integrity, each refusal to compromise, fortifies the believer’s spiritual authority and increases their capacity to be used for “greater works” (John 14:12).

Usable to God:
The ultimate goal is to have hands that God finds “available and usable.” This means hands ready for prayer, ready for service, ready to heal, ready to give, and ready to be lifted in prophetic authority.

How to Cultivate and Maintain Clean Hands

1. Daily Examination and Confession:
Use Psalm 139:23-24 as a daily prayer. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal any defilement in action or motive. Confess and repent immediately to keep short accounts with God (1 John 1:9).

2. Establish Boundaries of Integrity:
Set non-negotiable rules for yourself regarding money, sexuality, and speech. Decide in advance that your hands will not touch what is unclean, even if opportunity arises.

3. Use Your Hands Positively for God:
Counteract the potential for defilement by actively using your hands for holiness: lift them in worship, lay them on the sick in prayer, open them in generous giving, employ them in diligent work.

4. Seek Accountability:
Have a trusted spiritual friend or leader who can ask you the hard questions about your conduct in business, relationships, and private life. Transparency is a guardian of purity.

Warning: The Grieving of the Spirit

To use anointed hands for unclean purposes is a profound contradiction that saddens the Holy Spirit. It is like using a surgeon’s sterilized scalpel to handle garbage. The instrument becomes contaminated and unfit for its sacred purpose until cleansed. Continued defilement leads to a loss of power, a withdrawn anointing, and ineffectiveness in ministry.

Conclusion: Lifted Hands, Cleansed for His Use

Pray this:
“Holy God, whose eyes are too pure to behold iniquity, search my hands and my heart. Forgive me for every act that has defiled my hands. Wash me thoroughly, and create in me a clean heart. I consecrate my hands to You today—may they be instruments of righteousness, lifted in prayer, stretched out in faith, and used only for Your glory. Make them a channel through which Your Spirit moves to create ways where there are none. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Conduct a ‘Hands’ Audit: Write down the primary activities your hands are engaged in each week (work, hobbies, interactions). Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight any that compromise cleanness.
• Perform a Prophetic Act: Identify an “impossible” situation (a broken relationship, a financial dead-end, a health issue). Lift your clean hands over it and speak God’s word with authority, believing for a creative miracle.
• Study the Consequences: Read about the defiled hands of Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27) and the clean hands of Daniel (Daniel 6:10). Note the starkly different outcomes.

Remember: Your hands are your point of contact with the world. They can either transmit God’s creative power or spread the contamination of sin. Clean hands are not weak; they are the strong, authorized instruments of the Almighty.
“I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). Lift up holy hands. Let them be your offering, your weapon, and God’s tool on earth.

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Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 22 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 21 December 2025 devotional for today is CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 20 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 21 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: CONDUCTORS OF THE ANOINTING

MEMORISE:
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psalms 23:5

READ: John 4:34-38:
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

As we see in today’s memory verse, God places the anointing on a man’s head. However, a man’s hands are the conductors of that anointing.

In 1 Samuel 17:34-37, David smote the lion and the bear with his hands. With his hand also, he held the sling that brought Goliath down (1 Samuel 17:49). In Judges 14:5-6, Samson was going down to Timnath when a lion roared at him. The anointing came on him, and he tore the lion in half with his bare hands. In Judges 15:14-15, it was also Samson’s hands that grabbed the jawbone of an ass and turned it into a weapon of mass destruction

An anointed person’s head is like an electricity generator, and the fellow’s hands can be likened to wires that conduct electricity to where it is needed. The anointing on a person’s head determines the power the fellow carries in his or her hands.

One day, I was in a store abroad buying books, and as is my custom, I was singing choruses while picking the books off the shelves. After a while, a man came to me smiling, and he said, “It must be such a lovely day, seeing how happily you are singing.” I laughed and shook his hand because he had extended it for a handshake. As he turned to leave, he exclaimed, “What just happened? It is gone!” Apparently, he had been suffering a backache for years, but as he shook my hand, the pain disappeared. A casual handshake resulted in a miracle because my hands conducted the anointing upon my head into the needed vessel.

Beloved, you need God’s anointing upon your head if you want His power to flow through your hands. You must spend quality time in fellowship with God so that He will anoint you.

When God anoints you, you will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. As a believer, your hands must be actively doing God’s work. When you see sick people, lay hands on them.

Don’t withdraw your hands from doing God’s work because the anointing you carry will remain dormant if your hands are not taking it to where it is needed. The more you lay hands on the sick, the more demand you will place on the anointing upon your life, and the more it will grow.

As the anointing upon your life grows, God will trust you to handle bigger things because He knows that your hands will deliver the things that He wants to do.

REFLECTION

Are your hands actively doing God’s work?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

James 1-5

HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 21 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Psalms 23:5
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
In the shepherd’s psalm, the anointing is a divine act of favor, consecration, and empowerment in the midst of adversarial circumstances. It is not for private enjoyment alone; it is given in the “presence of mine enemies,” implying it equips for conflict and establishes dominance over opposition. The overflowing cup signifies abundant resource for both personal sustenance and service to others.

BIBLE READING: John 4:34-38
This passage reveals the spiritual mechanics behind the work of the anointed:
v.34: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” The anointing fuels obedience and completion of divine assignments.
v.35-36: The Urgency of Harvest – The fields are ready. The work involves reaping, and both sower and reaper rejoice together. The hands are for harvesting.
v.37-38: The Principle of Labor – “One soweth, and another reapeth… I sent you to reap…” God assigns the work to our hands; we enter into the labor of others. The anointing makes our hands effective in the collective harvest.

The Circuit of the Anointing: From Head to Hands

Pastor E.A. Adeboye provides a masterful and practical theology of the anointing. He explains it as divine voltage placed upon the believer (the head) that must be conducted through active, obedient labor (the hands) to bring power to the point of need. The anointing is dynamic, intended for transmission, and grows through use.

1. The Theology of the Anointed Person: Generator and Conductor

The Head as the Generator:
The anointing (chrisma) is the consecrating and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, bestowed by God upon the believer (1 John 2:20, 27). It is the source of spiritual power, wisdom, and authority. This is the “oil” God pours on the head.

The Hands as the Conducting Wires:
Hands represent our capacity for action, work, touch, and ministry. They are the means by which the anointing is translated from internal potential into external manifestation. Without the hands, the anointing remains contained, like electricity in a disconnected generator.

2. Biblical Proof: The Anointing in Action Through Hands

David’s Hands (1 Samuel 17):
His hands practiced with the sling (skill), fought the lion and bear (courage), and ultimately delivered the stone that felled Goliath (victory). The anointing for kingship was conducted through his skilled, courageous hands.

Samson’s Hands (Judges 14-15):
His hands ripped a lion apart, seized the jawbone of a donkey, and killed a thousand men. His unparalleled physical strength was the conduction of the Nazirite anointing upon his life. The power flowed through his grasp.

The Apostolic Pattern:
The early church laid hands on the sick (Mark 16:18), on new believers (Acts 8:17), and on ministers (Acts 13:3). The “laying on of hands” was the prescribed method for conducting spiritual grace and power.

3. The Personal Testimony: The Casual Conduit

The Unconscious Flow:
Pastor Adeboye’s testimony is profound. He was not in a “ministry mode”; he was shopping and singing. The anointing was so settled upon his life as a result of consistent fellowship that it flowed unconsciously through a casual handshake. The man’s back was healed not by a prayer, but by the touch of an anointed hand. This demonstrates that the anointing can operate through the personyou are, not just the prayers you pray.

The Anointing Addresses Need:
The power flowed to “the needed vessel”—the point of pain. The anointing is intelligent and targeted when released through a submitted life.

4. The Cultivation and Growth of the Anointing

Source: Quality Fellowship:
“You must spend quality time in fellowship with God so that He will anoint you.” The anointing is not a merit badge; it is the overflow of intimacy. It comes from abiding in Christ (the True Vine, John 15:5).

Activation: Active Hands:
“Don’t withdraw your hands from doing God’s work.” Obedience in service completes the circuit. Praying for the sick, serving the poor, teaching the word—these are the acts that “plug in” the wires and allow the power to flow.

Increase: Through Demand:
“The more you lay hands on the sick, the more demand you will place on the anointing… and the more it will grow.” This is a vital principle: the anointing expands under the tension of use. Like a muscle, it strengthens when exercised. Avoiding ministry leads to a dormant, atrophied anointing.

How to Become an Effective Conduit of God’s Anointing

1. Prioritize the Secret Place:
Your “generator” is fueled in prayer, worship, and the Word. Without this, there is no voltage to conduct. Make fellowship with the Holy Spirit non-negotiable.

2. See Your Daily Life as a Ministry Field:
Your hands are not just for Sunday service. Be ready to conduct God’s power at work, in the market, or at home—through a touch, a word of encouragement, or an act of service.

3. Step Out in Obedient Faith:
Begin to lay hands on the sick as Jesus commanded (Mark 16:18). Start with simple prayers. Do not let fear of “no result” keep your hands idle. The anointing grows in the attempt.

4. Guard the Purity of Your Conductors:
Your hands must be clean (Psalm 24:4). Unconfessed sin, malice, or corruption can “short-circuit” the flow of the anointing. Maintain personal holiness.

Warning: The Tragedy of a Disconnected Life

A believer can have an anointed head (a position in Christ) but have inactive, idle, or unclean hands. This results in a life that carries potential power but manifests no practical miracles. It is like having a power plant in your city while sitting in darkness. Such a life frustrates the purpose of the anointing and leaves a hurting world untouched.

Conclusion: Completing the Circuit for God’s Glory

Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, Anoint my head afresh with the oil of Your Holy Spirit. Forgive me for idle or unclean hands. Connect my conduct to Your consecration. Make me a willing and pure conductor of Your power. Let Your anointing flow through my hands to heal the sick, comfort the broken, and establish Your kingdom. I offer my hands to You today; use them as Your instruments, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Identify Your “Hands”: List three practical ways you can use your skills, time, or touch to minister to others this week (e.g., pray for a colleague, help a neighbor, volunteer).
• Study the Conduits: Meditate on the ministry of hands in the Bible: Jesus touching lepers (Matthew 8:3), Peter’s shadow (Acts 5:15), Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19:12).
• Practice the Flow: This week, intentionally lay hands on and pray for at least one person in need. Do it as an act of obedience, not based on feeling.

Remember: You are a walking power station. The Generator (the Holy Spirit) is upon you. Will you connect the wires through obedient action? The world is waiting for the current of heaven to flow through your hands.
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). The anointing is for going about and doing. Let your hands deliver what your head carries.

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Download Open Heaven 21 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 20 December 2025 devotional for today is IT IS SETTLED.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 19 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 20 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: IT IS SETTLED

MEMORISE:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16

READ: Psalms 33:8-9:
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 20 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Whenever God speaks, whatever He says is final (Psalm 119:89). Isaiah 55:10-11 makes it clear that when God sends His word on an errand, it will not return to Him until it has finished its assignment. This means that if God sends His word to a fellow and that fellow refuses to accept it, that word will go to someone else because God’s word can not, and will not, return to Him without accomplishing what it has been sent to do.

Now, if this same word dwells in your heart, you can use it to accomplish great and mighty things to the glory of God. You can tell sicknesses to disappear from your life and the lives of others, and they will disappear. You can command poverty to leave, and it will leave.

To settle negative issues with God’s word, however, you must allow His word to settle fully in your heart. When something settles somewhere, it has found a conducive resting place there. When Noah sent out a dove after the flood, the Bible says that the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned to the ark (Genesis 8:9). Until you make room for God’s word in your heart, it cannot settle in you. God’s word will settle difficult situations in your life and the lives of others if you let it dwell richly in your heart.

People are often called rich because they have lots of money. Those who have only a few thousands in their bank accounts cannot claim to be rich. Similarly, you cannot claim to be rich in God’s word when you know only a few verses in the Bible. You must immerse yourself in God’s word and allow it to fill every part of your being by reading and studying it daily.

Never be satisfied with yesterday’s revelation; seek to know God’s word anew daily. His word will dwell richly in you as you meditate on it.

When a cook wants a lump of meat to fully absorb some seasonings, he or she will soak the meat in the seasonings for hours to marinate it before cooking. This is what meditation does; it marinates your heart in God’s word and makes you rich in it.

Beloved, let God’s word dwell richly in you and honour it at all times by obeying it completely.

This way, whenever you speak it into any situation, God will surely back it up.

KEY POINT

You will accomplish great things with God’s word when you allow His word to dwell richly in you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 11-13

HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 20 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Colossians 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
This apostolic command reveals the word of God not as a static text, but as a dynamic, inhabiting reality. To “dwell richly” means to take up ample, luxurious residence, permeating every aspect of the inner man. The result is not private bliss, but corporate wisdom, edification, and worship that overflows to others.

BIBLE READING: Psalms 33:8-9
This psalm declares the creative and sovereign power of God’s spoken word:
v.8: “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.” The proper response to His word is reverent fear.
v.9: “For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” This is the foundational nature of God’s word: it is performative. Its very utterance is the cause of its own fulfillment. It creates reality.

The Settled Word and the Settling Word

Pastor E.A. Adeboye masterfully teaches on the dual nature of God’s word: it is an unstoppable force in the world, and it must become a settled resident in the believer. The devotional explains that the word only becomes a tool in our mouths for “settling” life’s issues after it has first “settled” as the ruling authority in our hearts.

1. The Unstoppable Nature of God’s Spoken Word

Final and Accomplishing (Isaiah 55:10-11):
God’s word is compared to rain and snow that water the earth and accomplish His purpose. It is sent on an errand with a mission. It cannot be recalled or neutralized. If one person rejects it, it moves to another willing vessel. God’s agenda will be fulfilled; the question is whether we will be the conduit or be bypassed.

The Performative Power (Psalms 33:9):
At the cosmic level, God’s word is creative and causative. “He spake, and it was done.” This same inherent power is packaged within the Scriptures. When spoken in faith by a heart where it dwells, it carries the same divine “DNA” to create, command, and change circumstances.

2. The Prerequisite: The Word Settled In You

The Dove Principle (Genesis 8:9):
The dove returned to the ark because it “found no rest for the sole of her foot.” For the word to “settle” in us, our heart must be a prepared, conducive, and welcoming resting place—an ark of safety for truth. A cluttered, hard, or worldly heart offers no rest for the word.

From Visitor to Resident:
Many believers have the word as an occasional visitor (during sermons or crises). God calls it to be a permanent resident. A resident has rights, access, and influence that a visitor does not. The word must transition from something you reference to the governor of your thoughts, emotions, and decisions.

3. The Wealth of the Word: Spiritual Riches

Beyond Pocket-Change Verses:
Knowing a few memory verses is like having a few dollars—useful, but not wealth. True richness (“dwell in you richly”) implies a vast, readily accessible treasury of Scripture. It is comprehensive knowledge that allows the Holy Spirit to bring forth the “right word in season” (Proverbs 15:23) for any situation.

The Marination of Meditation:
Meditation is the slow, soaking process that transfers the word from your mind to your spirit. Like marinating meat, it allows the flavor and essence of the Scripture to penetrate every fiber of your being. This is how the word becomes part of you, altering your spiritual composition.

4. The Outcome: The Settling Word Through You

Authority Over Circumstances:
When the word dwells richly, you can speak it with authority into sickness, poverty, and demonic oppression, and it will accomplish its errand. Your mouth becomes the delivery system for God’s unstoppable word. You are not begging God to act; you are releasing what He has already spoken into the situation.

God’s Backing is Guaranteed:
“Whenever you speak it into any situation, God will surely back it up.” Why? Because you are not speaking your opinion; you are re-uttering His already-sent word. You are aligning yourself with His will, and He is honor-bound to confirm His own word (Isaiah 44:26).

How to Let the Word Dwell Richly

1. Prioritize Depth Over Breadth:
Don’t just read chapters to check a box. Choose a portion (a verse, a paragraph) and marinate in it through the day. Ask: What does this say about God? About me? Is there a command to obey, a promise to claim?

2. Create a Conducive “Ark”:
Purify your heart through repentance. Remove the clutter of excessive media, worldly anxieties, and sin to make ample, clean room for the word to rest and rule.

3. Obedience is the Proof of Settlement:
A settled word produces immediate obedience. If you read “do not worry” but continue in anxiety, the word is a visitor. Let obedience be the act of nailing the word to the doorpost of your heart, declaring it the owner.

4. Speak it Systematically:
Don’t wait for a crisis. Develop the habit of speaking Scripture aloud in your prayers, declarations, and conversations. This reinforces its residence and exercises your spiritual authority.

Warning: The Futility of an Unsettled Word

A word that is known but not settled is like the dove over the waters—it has no place to land and produce life. Such a believer may be able to quote Scripture but remains powerless against life’s storms. They try to use the word as a magic formula in crisis, but it lacks the settled authority that comes from rich indwelling, and thus often seems ineffective.

Conclusion: Becoming a Living Ark of the Word

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, You are the Living Word. I invite Your word to come and settle richly in my heart. Forgive me for treating it as a visitor. Marinate my spirit in Your truth through meditation. Make my heart a resting place for Your voice, so that I may speak with Your authority and see Your promises stand fast in my life and in the lives of others, for Your glory. Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Launch a Marination Project: Choose one chapter (e.g., Psalm 91, Ephesians 1). Read it daily for two weeks. Each day, write down one fresh insight or application. Let it sink deep.
• Audit Your Spiritual Wealth: List the top 5 life situations you currently face. Now, list 5 specific scriptures that address each. If you struggle, you’ve identified an area for wealth-building.
• Practice the “Settling” Prayer: When you read a potent promise or command, pray: “Lord, settle this word in my heart. Let it find rest here and produce its full fruit.”

Remember: The same word that created the universe lives in you. Its power is not diminished, only contained by the limits of its dwelling place. Enlarge that place. Let it dwell richly. Then, you will speak, and it will be done.
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Let it be sent from His mouth to your heart, and from your heart to a waiting world.

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Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heaven 20 December 2025 Devotional PDF

The Open Heaven 19 December 2025 devotional for today is YOU CAN NOT CHEAT GOD

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 18 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 19 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: YOU CAN NOT CHEAT GOD

MEMORISE:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:7

READ: Proverbs 3:5-7:
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 19 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

Years ago, a man who was completely stiff was brought to the RCCG headquarters; he couldn’t move his hands or bend down. We asked him if he would give his life to Jesus, and he did. We prayed a simple prayer, and immediately, he was healed. He was able to kneel, raise his hands, clap, and move his body in ways he couldn’t do before.

For about two weeks, he was regular at church services, but after that, he stopped coming. We decided to follow him up, so we visited him at home and asked why he had not been coming to church.

He responded by asking us if it was the church that healed him. We told him, “Of course not; it was God, but He used the church.” Then He said, “What then is the problem? If you go to a hospital and you get well, won’t you go home? I came to your church, and I got healed. There is no need for me to keep coming back.”

We eventually left him alone, and some months later, as I was driving by, I saw him by the roadside in a worse condition than he was before his initial healing. This time, not only was his entire body stiff, his mouth was wide open, and saliva was dripping uncontrollably from it.

One thing about demons is that they don’t rest. When a demon’s host runs to God and gets delivered from the demon, after some time, it will return to see the state of the fellow. If it sees that the fellow, having received his or her miracle, has decided that he or she doesn’t need God again, it will invite seven more demons that are stronger than it to possess the fellow again. Eventually, the fellow who thought that he or she could use God just to get healed will realise that his or her case has become worse (Matthew 12:43-45).

Some men who are living wayward lives join churches because they want to get married to good Christian ladies. However, they often discover, after getting married, that they have been deceived into marrying someone like themselves who is not genuinely born-again, and also came to the church to look for a Christian husband.

Beloved, in my over 50 years of walking with God, I have discovered that people who think that they can use God and turn their backs on Him always regret it. Never be like such people!

KEY POINT

Those who try to use God deceitfully always end up regretting their actions.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 9-10

HYMN 34: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 19 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Galatians 6:7
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
This verse is the immutable law of spiritual consequences. It confronts self-deception head-on, declaring that God’s moral order cannot be tricked, manipulated, or treated with contempt. The harvest is infallibly tied to the seed. To attempt to use God for selfish gain is to mock His omniscience and holiness, guaranteeing a proportionate and often severe reaping.

BIBLE READING: Proverbs 3:5-7
This passage outlines the antithesis of using God—the posture of wholehearted trust and reverence:
v.5: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” This forbids the independent, utilitarian mindset that sees God as a tool.
v.6: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Continuous acknowledgment, not temporary exploitation, is the key to divine guidance.
v.7: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” The fear of the Lord—awe, reverence, and obedience—is the only wise posture. Self-cleverness is folly.

The Catastrophe of Attempting to Use God

Pastor E.A. Adeboye shares a chilling, firsthand account to illustrate a grave spiritual truth: God is a Person to be known and served, not a force to be exploited. The devotional starkly warns that those who approach God with a consumer mentality—seeking His benefits while rejecting His Lordship—invite a harvest of compounded spiritual ruin.

1. The Consumer Mentality: God as a “Hospital”

The Miraculous Encounter:
The man received a genuine, instantaneous, and powerful miracle—a total healing from debilitating stiffness. This demonstrated God’s limitless power and mercy.

The Fatal Misinterpretation:
The man’s reasoning—“If you go to a hospital and you get well, won’t you go home?”—revealed a profound error. He categorized the church (and by extension, God) as a service provider, and himself as a consumer who had received a product (healing). The transaction was complete. This reduced the Almighty to a celestial doctor’s office and salvation to a cured symptom.

The Rejection of Relationship:
His question, “What then is the problem?” exposed a heart that saw no need for ongoing fellowship, worship, or discipleship. He wanted the gift but spurned the Giver. This is the essence of “using God.”

2. The Spiritual Dynamics of Regression (Matthew 12:43-45)

The Vacuum Principle:
Deliverance creates a cleansed but empty “house.” If that house is not occupied by the Holy Spirit through a living relationship with Christ, it becomes vulnerable. Demons are relentless scouts; they return to assess the state of their former property.

The Law of Worse Condition:
If the “house” is found empty—devoid of the new occupant (the Holy Spirit) and the furnishings of faith (prayer, the Word, fellowship)—the returning demon initiates a hostile takeover with reinforced strength (“seven other spirits more wicked”). The final state is “worse than the first.” The man by the roadside, stiff with an open, drooling mouth, was a living portrait of this terrifying scripture.

3. The Deception of Ulterior Motives

The Case of the “Bridal Hunter”:
The example of men joining church to find a virtuous wife extends the principle beyond healing. It highlights using the church community and the guise of faith for a selfish social or personal agenda. The tragic irony—“deceived into marrying someone like themselves”—reveals that God is not fooled. The harvest of such deception is a marriage built on mutual pretense, not godly foundation.

The Principle of Sowing and Reaping:
In both cases, the individual sowed seeds of deceit, pretense, and utilitarian faith. They reaped a harvest of compounded bondage and relational disaster. They mocked God’s discernment and reaped the consequences.

4. The Wisdom of a 50-Year Walk: The Testimony of Truth

The Unfailing Verdict:
Pastor Adeboye’s authoritative conclusion from a lifetime of ministry is sobering and absolute: “people who think that they can use God and turn their backs on Him always regret it.” This is not a theory but an observed, spiritual law confirmed by countless testimonies of ruin.

The Exhortation:
“Never be like such people!” This is a direct, pastoral command. It calls for vigilant self-examination to root out any hidden, manipulative, or consumerist attitude in our approach to God.

How to Cultivate a Heart of Reverence, Not Exploitation

1. Examine Your Motives in Prayer:
Regularly ask: “Am I seeking God’s hand for what He can give, or His face for who He is?” (Psalm 27:8). Let your primary prayer be for deeper relationship, not just resolved needs.

2. Embrace Discipleship as the Goal of Salvation:
Understand that salvation is not a ticket to heaven but the beginning of a lifelong apprenticeship to Jesus. The miracle is the invitation into the Kingdom, not the end of the journey.

3. Fill the “House” Daily:
After any deliverance or blessing, be doubly diligent to fill your life with the Word, prayer, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. A blessed life must become a fortified life.

4. Serve Without Agenda:
Engage in church and ministry as a servant, not a schemer. Serve to give, not to get (position, spouse, connections). Let your service be an outflow of gratitude, not a strategy for gain.

Warning: You Cannot Mock the Discerner of Hearts

God sees the intent (Hebrews 4:13). To come to Him with a hidden, selfish agenda is the height of folly. It insults His intelligence and treats the blood of Christ as a mere transaction fee. Such deception is always uncovered, and the reaping is often public, painful, and irreversible in its earthly consequences.

Conclusion: Choosing Fear Over Flippancy

Pray this:
“Sovereign Lord, Discerner of all hearts, search me and reveal any way in which I have treated You as a means to my own ends. Forgive me for a consumerist faith. I renounce all deception and ulterior motives. I choose to fear You, to acknowledge You in all my ways, and to seek Your face above all Your gifts. Fill every chamber of my life with Your Holy Spirit, so that I may never be an empty house for the enemy. I receive You as my Lord, not just my Helper. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Conduct a Motive Audit: Before your next major prayer request, write it down. Then write your answer to: “Why do I want this? How will receiving this deepen my relationship with and dependence on God?”
• Study the Consequences: Read Matthew 12:43-45 and the story of King Saul (1 Samuel 15). Note the pattern of partial obedience/initial blessing followed by rejection and a worse state.
• Commit to “Abiding”: Memorize John 15:4-5. Let it be your daily reminder that your calling is to remain in vital, submissive connection to Christ, not to occasionally visit Him for supplies.

Remember: God is a loving Father, not a cosmic vending machine. He gives good gifts to His children, but He will not be manipulated by spiritual customers. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; the attempt to use Him is the beginning of destruction.
“The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). Seek Him, not just His works.

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The Open Heaven 18 December 2025 devotional for today is DON’T TAKE GOD FOR GRANTED.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heaven 17 December 2025 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVEN 18 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: DON’T TAKE GOD FOR GRANTED

MEMORISE:
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and l in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5

READ: Matthew 10:28-33:
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 18 DECEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE

When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, I decided that everyone who attends our annual conventions would be fed by God during the conventions.

I made the decision by faith as I was a pastor and did not have a secular job. I announced that everyone would be fed twice daily during conventions and I showed them 1 Kings 17:4-6 where God fed Elijah twice daily.

One of the young men in the church, a baker, volunteered to provide us with bread for breakfast during our conventions, and he did this consistently for some years.

One year, however, he decided that he would stop supplying bread because he didn’t like one of the sermons I had preached, but he didn’t inform me of his decision.

During one of the morning sessions that year, we sang and praised God until around 11 am as we waited for bread to arrive; however, no bread was supplied.

Around noon, I sent for him and asked, “What happened? Did the vehicles bringing the bread break down on the way here?” He said, “No”. Then, I asked him what the problem was, and he replied, “I am not bringing bread anymore.”

Immediately, I sent for my wife and asked her, “How much do we have for the evening meal?” We gathered the money together and bought bread for breakfast. Somehow, God helped us to overcome the situation.

Years later, I woke up one morning and saw the young baker in front of my house. I asked him, “What can I do for you? You are here very early.” He replied, “I could have come earlier, but l discovered that one of my car’s tyres was flat.” I asked him, “What about the spare tyre?” He said that he had none. This was a man who used to have at least 14 cars.

Beloved, don’t think that you can take God for granted because He is doing some great things through you now. Don’t think that He cannot do without you; in contrast, it is you who cannot do anything without Him and will be nothing without Him, as we see in today’s memory verse.

Only foolish people will take the people in power in their country for granted. Therefore, imagine taking the One who is in control of the entire universe (Colossians 1:16-17) for granted. God is way bigger than you, so if you have been taking Him for granted in any way or you have not been honouring Him as you should, repent now.

KEY POINT

Don’t ever take God for granted; you are nothing without Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 5-8

HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 18 DECEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: John 15:5
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
This is Christ’s definitive statement on the source of all spiritual life and productivity. It establishes an absolute dependency: the branch derives its entire life, sustenance, and capacity to bear fruit from the vine. To be severed from the Vine is to be rendered instantly fruitless and lifeless. “Nothing” means exactly that—no genuine spiritual impact, no lasting success, no divine favor.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 10:28-33
This passage frames the proper fear and value system of a disciple:
v.28: Fear God, not man – “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” This is the ultimate perspective on who holds real power.
v.29-31: God’s Detailed Care – Even sparrows are under His watch; you are of more value. This shows His sovereign power is matched by intimate care.
v.32-33: The Principle of Acknowledgment – “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father… But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny…” How we relate to Christ here determines how He relates to us before the ultimate throne.

The Folly of Presuming Upon God’s Grace

Pastor E.A. Adeboye shares a sobering, first-hand testimony to illustrate a critical spiritual law: God is not indebted to any human vessel. The devotional powerfully demonstrates that those used by God must never confuse their role as a channel with being the source. To take God for granted is to initiate a process of personal decline, for He will defend the honor of His name and His work.

1. The Divine Work and Human Partnership

The Step of Faith:
Daddy Adeboye’s decision to feed thousands by faith, based solely on God’s promise in 1 Kings 17, shows that the work’s origin was divine. The provision was always God’s responsibility. The baker was merely a divinely arranged channel for a season.

The Illusion of Indispensability:
The baker began to see himself as the source, not a conduit. His logic shifted from “God is using me” to “they need me.” This is the foundational error that leads to taking God for granted. He confused his temporary role with permanent, irreplaceable necessity.

2. The Anatomy of Taking God for Granted

Withdrawing Support Over a Personal Offense:
The baker’s reason for stopping was not divine leading, but personal grievance (“he didn’t like one of the sermons”). He used God’s provision as a weapon to express his displeasure with God’s servant, effectively holding God’s people hostage to his personal feelings. This treated a holy trust as a personal commodity.

The Silent Rebellion:
He did not communicate his decision. This showed a lack of reverence, accountability, and basic respect for the work of God. It was an act of silent defiance, presuming his absence would cripple the convention.

God’s Response: Immediate Substitution:
God’s work is never stalled by a man’s withdrawal. He immediately provided another means (the Adeboyes’ personal funds). The lesson is clear: God is never without a plan B when a man’s pride triggers plan A’s failure. The vine does not die when one branch becomes unfruitful; it draws life through another.

3. The Inevitable Harvest: From Provider to Petitioner

The Law of Reciprocity in Action:
Years later, the once-prosperous baker (owner of 14 cars) stood before the same man he slighted, without a spare tire, in need. His decline was symbolic: he who withdrew provision now lacked provision. He moved from being a solution to being a supplicant.

The “Flat Tire” Principle:
The flat tire with no spare is a metaphor for self-inflicted vulnerability. When you abandon your post in God’s system, you remove yourself from the flow of His sustaining grace and protection. You are left exposed to the ordinary setbacks of life, without a divine backup.

4. The Correct Posture: Fear, Honor, and Abiding

Fear the Right One (Matthew 10:28):
The devotional argues that if it is foolish to take an earthly leader for granted, how much more catastrophic to take the Sovereign Creator for granted? The proper posture is fear of the Lord—a reverential awe that acknowledges His absolute authority and our total dependence.

Honor as a Non-Negotiable:
To honor God is to reverence His word, His servants, and His work. It is to treat our role in His kingdom with humility and sacred diligence, knowing we are unworthy servants (Luke 17:10).

Abide or Nothing (John 15:5):
The only safe place is abiding—a conscious, continuous, dependent connection to Christ. Outside of that connection, we are capable of nothing of eternal value and are on a path to personal diminishment.

How to Guard Against Taking God for Granted

1. Regularly Acknowledge the Source:
Begin every day, every project, and every act of service with the declaration: “Without You, Lord, I can do nothing. This is Your work, and I am Your vessel.”

2. Serve with a Detached Heart:
Hold your ministry, career, and resources with an open hand. Be willing to be used, and be willing to be set aside, without your identity crumbling. Your calling is a stewardship, not a possession.

3. Heed Correction Humbly:
If a sermon or counsel from God’s word convicts you, receive it as from the Lord. Never let offense at the messenger cause you to withdraw from God’s work or people.

4. Repent of Any Presumption:
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area where you have begun to act as if God is lucky to have you on His team. Repent immediately of pride, silent rebellion, or a critical spirit toward His appointed leaders.

Warning: The Inevitable Downward Trajectory

The baker’s story is a warning. Taking God for granted starts in the heart (pride, offense) and manifests in actions (withdrawal, rebellion). The consequence is not always immediate, but it is certain: a gradual or sudden erosion of the very grace that made you useful and blessed. You exchange the joy of being a channel for the desperation of needing one.

Conclusion: Clinging to the Vine in Humble Fear

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, the True Vine, forgive me for every trace of pride, for every moment I have acted as if Your work depended on me. I renounce the spirit of presumption. I acknowledge that without You, I am and have nothing. I choose to abide in You today, with a heart of fear, honor, and total dependence. Use me as You will, and set me aside as You see fit. Let my life always bring honor to Your name, not grief to Your Spirit. In Your mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

• Audit Your Dependence: List three key areas where God is currently using you (e.g., a role at church, providing for your family, a ministry). Write beside each: “This is God’s work through me. I am replaceable. He is the source.”
• Study the Fall of the Presumptuous: Read about Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-21) and Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:28-33). Note how pride in their position led to being cut off from it.
• Practice Immediate Obedience: This week, if the Holy Spirit convicts you of something through a sermon or your Bible reading, act on it immediately. Let no offense take root.

Remember: You are a branch. Your health, fruitfulness, and very life are contingent on a continuous, humble, vital connection to the Vine. Guard that connection with holy fear, for apart from Him, you can do nothing—and you will have nothing.
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). All is grace. Handle it with reverence.

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