The Open Heavens 11 July 2026 devotional for today is NEVER OUTGROW PRAISE.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 11 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: NEVER OUTGROW PRAISE
MEMORISE:
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:15
READ: Psalm 63:3-5
3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 11 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
One way the enemy cheats many believers is by making them look down on the praise and worship sessions in their churches. Such believers either do not participate in the sessions or wait until they are over before they enter their churches. They think that praising God and dancing before Him is childish, or that they are too spiritually mature to dance and praise Him. In God’s sight, however, we are all children because a thousand years is as a day before Him (2 Peter 3:8). This means that in God’s eyes, nobody on earth today is up to a day old.
Praise is one of the most potent weapons Christians have. Psalm 22:3 says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” This means that your praise attracts God’s presence, and when God visits a place, He does not come empty-handed. He comes bearing gifts, healings, and blessings. When Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah used praise as their weapon, their enemies turned against one another and killed themselves until they were utterly destroyed (2 Chronicles 20:22-24). Some battles can only be conquered when you praise and dance recklessly before God.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Acts 16:25-26
In the Scripture above, Paul and Silas offered a sacrifice of praise to God in prison. God responded by causing a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opened all its doors, and loosed every prisoner’s chains. No one can praise God wholeheartedly and remain bound. When you praise God with your whole heart, He will arise in His might to help you and bless you.
Beloved, you must never allow yourself to get to a point where you think you have outgrown praise.
Michal thought that praising God was beneath her royal status; as a result, she remained childless throughout her life (2 Samuel 6:16-23). Always come before your Father as a child and praise Him with all your heart. In Psalm 50:23, He said that whoever offers praise to Him glorifies Him, and when God is gloritied in your lite, His beauty will radiate through you and everything that concerns you. I pray that as you praise God, His glory will keep manifesting in your life, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Never outgrow praise because it is dear to God’s heart.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ecclesiastes 5-8
Open Heavens HYMN 17: PRAISE MY SOUL THE KING OF HEAVEN
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 11 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Hebrews 13:15
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
This verse establishes praise as a sacrifice, not merely a feeling. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it reveals that genuine praise often costs something. A sacrifice is not convenient, comfortable, or cheap. The “fruit of our lips” means praise is not silent—it is verbal, audible, expressed. And it is to be offered continually, not only when circumstances are favorable. When you praise in the midst of pain, in the darkness of prison, in the face of enemies—that is a sacrifice. And God inhabits the praises of His people.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 63:3-5
“Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.”
David wrote this psalm while fleeing from Saul in the wilderness of Judah. He was thirsty, exhausted, and hunted. Yet he did not complain; he praised. He declared that God’s lovingkindness is better than life itself. He promised to praise while he lived, to lift his hands, and to praise with joyful lips. The result? His soul was satisfied—even in the wilderness. Daddy Adeboye uses this to show that praise is not dependent on circumstances. David praised in the wilderness, and his soul was satisfied. You can praise in your wilderness, and your soul will be satisfied too.
The Enemy’s Cheat: Making You Despise Praise
1. Looking Down on Praise and Worship
“One way the enemy cheats many believers is by making them look down on the praise and worship sessions in their churches. Such believers either do not participate in the sessions or wait until they are over before they enter their churches.”
Consider the tactics of the enemy:
| The Enemy’s Lie | The Reality |
|---|---|
| “Praise is just singing; it’s not deep” | Praise attracts the presence of God |
| “I’m too mature for dancing” | In God’s eyes, you are not even a day old |
| “I’ll come in after the worship is over” | You miss the blessing of entering His gates with thanksgiving |
| “Praise is emotionalism, not spirituality” | Praise is a weapon of spiritual warfare |
“They think that praising God and dancing before Him is childish, or that they are too spiritually mature to dance and praise Him.”
| The Prideful Mindset | The Truth |
|---|---|
| “I have outgrown praise” | Jesus said, “Unless you become as little children, you cannot enter the kingdom” (Matthew 18:3) |
| “Dancing is undignified” | David danced before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14) |
| “I worship in silence” | The fruit of our lips is praise—audible, expressive |
“In God’s sight, however, we are all children because a thousand years is as a day before Him (2 Peter 3:8). This means that in God’s eyes, nobody on earth today is up to a day old.”
| Human Age | God’s Perspective |
|---|---|
| 100 years | Just over 2 hours (100 ÷ 1000 = 0.1 of a day) |
| 80 years | Less than 2 hours |
| 50 years | Just over 1 hour |
| 30 years | Less than 1 hour |
| 10 years | Less than 15 minutes |
If the oldest human is less than a day old in God’s sight, what ground do you have for pride? You are a child. Come to your Father as a child. Dance. Sing. Shout. Do not despise the praise session as beneath you.
Praise as a Weapon: What Praise Accomplishes
1. Praise Attracts God’s Presence (Psalm 22:3)
“Psalm 22:3 says, ‘But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.’ This means that your praise attracts God’s presence, and when God visits a place, He does not come empty-handed. He comes bearing gifts, healings, and blessings.”
| What Praise Does | What Happens When God Inhabits Your Praise |
|---|---|
| Attracts God’s presence | He brings gifts—healing, deliverance, joy |
| Creates a habitation for God | He manifests His glory |
| Opens heaven | Blessings are released |
Psalm 22:3 (Alternate translation) – “God sits enthroned on the praises of His people.” When you praise, you are not just making noise. You are building a throne. And the King sits on that throne. When He sits, He rules. When He rules, enemies scatter, chains break, and blessings flow.
2. Praise Defeats Enemies (2 Chronicles 20:22-24)
“When Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah used praise as their weapon, their enemies turned against one another and killed themselves until they were utterly destroyed.”
The context: A vast army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites came against Jehoshaphat. He was afraid. But he sought the Lord. God told him: “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” Then Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army, praising the beauty of holiness. As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the enemies, and they destroyed one another completely.
| Without Praise | With Praise as a Weapon |
|---|---|
| Jehoshaphat trembled before the enemy | The enemy destroyed themselves |
| The army prepared for battle | The singers went first |
| Victory depended on human strength | Victory depended on praise |
| The outcome was uncertain | The outcome was total destruction |
“Some battles can only be conquered when you praise and dance recklessly before God.”
| Reckless Praise | Calculated, Dignified Silence |
|---|---|
| Lets go of self-consciousness | Holds back out of pride |
| Dances without worrying who is watching | Stands still to preserve image |
| Shouts, sings, lifts hands | Remains silent, “worships in spirit only” |
| Invades enemy territory with praise | Lets the enemy dictate the terms |
“Reckless” does not mean foolish. It means uncalculated, unguarded, unashamed. Like David dancing before the Lord with all his might, even when Michal was watching from the window.
3. Praise Opens Prison Doors (Acts 16:25-26)
“In the Scripture above, Paul and Silas offered a sacrifice of praise to God in prison. God responded by causing a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opened all its doors, and loosed every prisoner’s chains.”
Consider Paul and Silas’s situation:
| Their Circumstances | Their Response |
|---|---|
| Beaten with rods | Prayed |
| Thrown into the inner prison | Sang praises |
| Feet fastened in stocks | Praised at midnight (the darkest hour) |
| No human hope of escape | Praised as if already free |
“No one can praise God wholeheartedly and remain bound.”
| What Praise Unlocks | Why |
|---|---|
| Prison doors | God’s presence shakes foundations |
| Chains and bands | Praise breaks spiritual strongholds |
| The jailer’s heart | Praise opens the door for salvation |
The earthquake did not come because Paul and Silas complained. It did not come because they demanded their rights. It came because they praised. When you praise in your prison, the foundations of that prison begin to shake.
The Warning of Michal: The Cost of Despising Praise
“Michal thought that praising God was beneath her royal status; as a result, she remained childless throughout her life (2 Samuel 6:16-23).”
The context: David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. He danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen ephod. He leaped and whirled, uncovering himself (in the sense of laying aside his royal robes for simple priestly garments). Michal, his wife and the daughter of Saul, watched from a window. She despised him in her heart. When David returned to bless his household, Michal came out to meet him with sarcasm: “How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!”
| Michal’s Attitude | The Consequence |
|---|---|
| She despised David’s praise | She despised what God honored |
| She thought praise was beneath her royal status | Her royal status did not prevent her barrenness |
| She valued dignity over devotion | She remained childless all her days |
| She watched from the window (detached, judgmental) | She never participated in the joy of the Lord |
“Always come before your Father as a child and praise Him with all your heart.”
| The Childlike Praiser | The “Mature” Critic |
|---|---|
| Dances without self-consciousness | Stands still, arms crossed |
| Shouts for joy | Whispers politely |
| Does not care who is watching | Worries about reputation |
| God inhabits their praise | God inhabits nothing |
| Their soul is satisfied | Their soul is barren (like Michal) |
Do not be a Michal. Do not watch from the window while others praise. Do not despise the worship session as beneath you. Do not let pride rob you of the blessing that praise releases.
The Sacrifice of Praise: Praising When It Costs
“Paul and Silas offered a sacrifice of praise to God in prison.”
| A Sacrifice of Praise | Praise When It Is Easy |
|---|---|
| Offered when you are hurting | Offered when you are happy |
| Costs you something (comfort, pride, energy) | Costs you nothing |
| Requires faith, not feeling | Flows naturally from good circumstances |
| Brings the greatest breakthrough | Brings blessing, but not the same level of deliverance |
When you praise with open wounds, God notices. When you lift your hands while in chains, heaven responds. When you sing in the midnight of your crisis, the earthquake is coming.
How to Offer the Sacrifice of Praise (Practical Steps)
Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to make praise a lifestyle and a weapon:
1. Come as a Child, Not as a Critic
Leave your dignity at the door. Leave your reputation outside. Leave your self-consciousness in the parking lot. Come before your Father as a child—unashamed, uninhibited, ready to dance and shout if the Spirit moves.
2. Do Not Skip the Praise Session
If your church has a praise and worship segment, do not arrive late to avoid it. Do not stand silent during it. Participate. Sing. Clap. Lift your hands. The praise session is not a warm-up for the sermon; it is the gateway to God’s presence.
3. Praise at Midnight (Even When You Are Not in Church)
You do not need a band or a building to praise. In your darkest moment—when you feel most trapped, most hopeless—open your mouth and praise. Sing a hymn. Declare God’s goodness. Shake the foundations of your prison.
4. Make Praise Your First Response, Not Your Last Resort
| Instead of… | Do This… |
|---|---|
| Complaining first | Praising first |
| Worrying first | Worshipping first |
| Calling a friend first | Lifting your hands first |
| Checking your bank account first | Singing to the Lord first |
5. Praise Until Something Happens
Jehoshaphat did not praise once and wait. The singers went before the army, praising as they marched. Paul and Silas did not pray and stop; they sang hymns until the earthquake came. Do not give up after five minutes. Praise until the chains loosen. Praise until the door opens. Praise until the enemy is confused.
Warning: Do Not Let Pride Rob Your Praise
Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent warning: pride is the enemy of praise.
| Pride Says | Humility Says |
|---|---|
| “I don’t dance in church” | “If David danced, I can dance” |
| “I worship in my own way” | “I will join the corporate praise” |
| “This style of music is not for me” | “I will praise no matter the style” |
| “People will think I’m a fanatic” | “I care more about what God thinks” |
Michal despised David’s praise. She watched from the window, judged, and remained barren. Do not be a window-watcher. Get down from the window. Join the praise. Dance if you can. Shout if you can. Clap if you can. And if you cannot do any of those, at least open your mouth and say, “Lord, I praise You with the fruit of my lips.”
Conclusion: Your Prayer for a Lifestyle of Praise
Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that as you praise God, His glory will keep manifesting in your life. Do not despise praise. Do not outgrow it. You are never too old, too mature, or too dignified to praise your Maker.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I have looked down on praise and worship. Forgive me for arriving late to avoid the praise session. Forgive me for standing silent when I should have sung. Forgive me for thinking I am too mature to dance before You. Today, I come as a child. I will not despise the praise session. I will not watch from the window like Michal. I will praise You with all my heart—with singing, with shouting, with lifted hands, with dancing if You so move me. I receive the sacrifice of praise. Even in my midnight, even in my prison, I will praise. And as I praise, let Your presence inhabit me. Let my enemies be scattered. Let my chains be loosed. Let my prison doors open. I will not be barren like Michal. I will be fruitful because I praise. In Jesus’ mighty name.”
Action Steps:
- The Praise Audit: The next time you attend church, notice your posture during praise and worship. Do you participate? Do you sing? Do you lift your hands? If not, ask God to remove the pride or self-consciousness that holds you back.
- The Midnight Praise Challenge: This week, set an alarm for midnight one night (or whatever is “midnight” for you—the darkest time of your situation). Spend 15 minutes praising God. Sing. Declare. Do not ask for anything. Just praise. Watch what God does.
- The Michal Check: Ask yourself: Have I been watching from the window? Have I criticized the way others praise? Have I felt that praise is beneath me? Repent. Then join the praise with abandon.
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