The Open Heaven 13 September 2026 devotional for today is PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL I.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 13 SEPTEMBER 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL I
MEMORISE:
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Psalm 10:4
READ: Daniel 4:29-37
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 SEPTEMBER 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
God made Nebuchadnezzar a great king, but pride entered into his heart, and he began to parade himself as a self-made man. God admonished him to be careful and make his way right (Daniel 4:1-27), but he didn’t heed the counsel. He woke up one morning and began to boast, “Look at the empire I have built; see how far my wisdom and understanding have brought me.” God looked at him from heaven and said, “Alright, mighty king, I am removing you from your kingdom. Go and join the animals in the field for seven years. Eat with them, and look like them, then we will know who is really in charge.” Immediately, the king lost his senses and joined the animals in the field. After seven years, however, the merciful God restored his senses, and he praised the most High God.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
Daniel 4:34
As soon as he acknowledged the Most High as the One with all dominion and authority, the glory of his kingdom was restored to him.
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
Daniel 4:36
Romans 1:28 says that because some people chose not to retain God in their knowledge, He gave them over to a reprobate mind to do things which are not convenient. When people refuse to acknowledge God’s power, might, and authority over all of creation, they begin to act like animals or even worse. For example, in recent times, we have seen men who call themselves women and have even gone as far as surgically removing their private parts so that they can appear as women, and some women doing likewise. People who engage in such depraved behaviour have failed to retain God in their knowledge and have been giver over to reprobate minds.
Beloved, acknowledge God in all your ways and shun pride. Those who allow pride in any form into their hearts are only giving the devil a chance to destroy them.
KEY POINT
Pride debases people and makes them think and act like animals.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Daniel 9-12
Open Heavens HYMN 18: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 13 SEPTEMBER 2026 COMMENTARY
In this profound Open Heavens devotional, Pastor Adeboye addresses one of the most subtle yet destructive traps in the Christian walk: pride.
Using the dramatic fall and restoration of King Nebuchadnezzar, Daddy reveals that when we take credit for what God has done, we invite divine correction.
Understanding the Message: The Illusion of the “Self-Made” Man
1. The Danger of Silent Boasting
Pastor draws our attention to Daniel 4, where King Nebuchadnezzar walked through his palace, looked out at his empire, and boasted: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built… by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”.
- The Heart of Pride: Notice that Nebuchadnezzar did not just appreciate his success; he credited his own wisdom and strength. He completely forgot that it was God who placed him on the throne. As Daddy explains, the wicked, through pride, refuse to seek God or keep Him in their thoughts.
- The Divine Arrest: Before the words could even leave the king’s mouth, a voice spoke from heaven. In an instant, his kingdom departed, his sanity was taken, and he was driven into the fields to eat grass like an ox.
2. Pride and the Reprobate Mind
Daddy connects this ancient story to our modern world through Romans 1:28. He warns that when individuals or societies refuse to retain God in their knowledge, God gives them over to a reprobate mind.
- Acting Contrary to Nature: When we push God out, we lose our spiritual common sense and begin to act in ways that are debased. Pastor points to the rising trend of people surgically altering their bodies to change their gender as a direct consequence of a society that has rejected God’s authority and design.
3. The Path of Restoration
Thankfully, our God is merciful. At the end of seven years, Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes to heaven, blessed the Most High, and acknowledged that God rules in the affairs of men. The moment he humbled himself, his sanity returned, and his lords sought him out once more. God restored him with even greater majesty.
Relating This to Your Everyday Life
It is easy to look at Nebuchadnezzar and think, “I would never boast like that.” But pride is highly deceptive. It often creeps in when we start experiencing success:
- The Career Pride: When you get that promotion or seal that contract, do you secretly think, “It’s because of my high IQ and long hours”?
- The Spiritual Pride: When you look down on others who are struggling with a sin you have overcome, forgetting that it is only by God’s grace you stand.
To deepen our understanding of humility, let us look at two scriptures not mentioned in the devotional:
- 1 Corinthians 4:7: “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Everything we have—our breath, talent, and opportunities—is a gift from God.
- James 4:6: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Think about this: when you are proud, God doesn’t just ignore you; He actively resists you.
Life Example: Imagine a brilliant professional who gets headhunted for a top role. They begin to mock colleagues who are struggling, believing they are simply smarter and more driven. A sudden economic shift or health crisis makes them realize how fragile human strength is. Just like Nebuchadnezzar, they must lift their eyes to God and acknowledge that success is a privilege granted by His mercy, not a self-made right.
Action Steps
- Conduct a Pride Audit: Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart today. Are there areas (finances, family, intellect) where you are secretly taking the credit?
- Cultivate Thanksgiving: Build a habit of immediately pointing the glory back to God whenever someone praises your achievements. Say, “Thank God,” and mean it.
- Practice Conscious Humility: Actively seek to serve others, especially those who cannot do anything for you in return. Treat everyone with dignity, recognizing God’s image in them.
Prayer Points
- Father, search my heart today; let Your fire consume every root of pride, arrogance, and self-glory in my life, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, deliver me from the spirit of the “self-made” man; let me always remember that without You, I am absolutely nothing, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, guard my heart against the trap of a reprobate mind; help me to always retain You in my thoughts and acknowledge Your supremacy, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, whenever success and blessings come my way, give me the grace to immediately return all the glory to You, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, deliver me from any attitude that looks down on others; clothe me with the spirit of humility and Christ-like love, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, if there is any area where pride has already caused me to stumble, let Your mercy lift me up and restore my spiritual sight, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, let Your Holy Spirit guide my thoughts and actions daily, so that my life remains a vessel of honour, fully aligned with Your divine purpose, in Jesus’ name.
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