The Open Heavens 18 April 2026 devotional for today is REVERSING BONDAGE.
The author of this daily devotion is Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 18 APRIL 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: REVERSING BONDAGE
MEMORISE
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18
READ: Luke 13:10-16
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 18 APRIL 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Whenever God wants to reverse the irreversible, He usually follows a process, which typically starts with a divine appointment. What this means is that He will divinely arrange for people to meet one another.
There was once a 50-year-old man who had no wife simply because he couldn’t bring himself to ask a woman, “Will you marry me?” The enemy bound him so tightly that he couldn’t open his mouth to talk to any lady he was attracted to, even though he was highly educated. He knew he had a problem, but he didn’t know how to be free.
Fortunately for him, God instructed us to hold a programme in his town. During the programme, he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Not only did Jesus save his soul, but He destroyed the yoke in his life, and six months later, he got married. Nine months after he got married, his wife gave birth to a set of twins. Two years later, she gave birth to another set of twins. The man’s story is proof that no bondage is too strong for God to break. I pray for you today that any yoke that might be troubling you will be destroyed, in Jesus’ name.
In today’s Bible reading, Jesus went to the synagogue as was His custom. However, on this particular day, He met a woman who had been bound by the devil for 18 years. She was bent over in such a way that she couldn’t stand upright. For 18 long years, she was limited in every aspect of her life. Despite the terrible bondage the woman was in, she met with Jesus at the synagogue and got her freedom. The yoke of bondage that had kept her captive for so long was broken, and she was free to lift her head and hands to praise the Lord.
Isaiah 10:27 says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”
Therefore, I decree in the name that is above every other name, that whatsoever might be keeping you from lifting your head and hands to praise God is destroyed today. The Almighty God will cause you to have a divine encounter that will deliver you completely from anything that might have kept you bound, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let me have an encounter with you, that would break any from of bondage that might exist in my life, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Kings 1-3
Open Heavens HYMN 48: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOUR
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 18 APRIL 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”
This verse is Jesus announcing His mission statement. He read it from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue and declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” It reveals that Jesus came specifically for the bound, the broken, and the bruised. His anointing is not just for show—it is for breaking yokes and setting captives free.
BIBLE READING: Luke 13:10-16
This passage records a powerful deliverance that happened on the Sabbath. Jesus was teaching in a synagogue when He saw a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years. She could not straighten herself at all. The Bible specifically states that she had “a spirit of infirmity”—her condition was not just physical but spiritual. Jesus called her forward, laid hands on her, and said, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.” Immediately she was made straight and glorified God. When the ruler of the synagogue criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus responded by calling the woman “a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years.” This passage demonstrates that Jesus sees every bondage as the work of the enemy, and He has both the authority and the desire to set people free.
Divine Appointments That Break Yokes
In today’s devotional, Pastor E.A. Adeboye reveals a pattern in how God brings reversal to irreversible situations: He arranges divine appointments. When God wants to set you free, He will orchestrate a meeting—with a person, a program, a preacher, or most importantly, with Jesus Himself—that changes everything.
The Man Who Couldn’t Propose
The devotional shares a remarkable testimony of a man who was trapped in a very specific kind of bondage. He was fifty years old, highly educated, successful in many ways, but completely unable to ask a woman to marry him. Every time he was attracted to someone, his mouth would freeze. He couldn’t bring himself to say the words, “Will you marry me?”
This man knew he had a problem, but he didn’t know how to be free. He couldn’t talk himself out of it. He couldn’t educate himself out of it. He was bound.
Then God arranged a divine appointment. Daddy Adeboye’s ministry held a program in his town, and he attended. During that program, he gave his life to Jesus Christ. And something remarkable happened: when Jesus saved his soul, He also destroyed the yoke that had bound his tongue.
Six months later, this man got married. Nine months after the wedding, his wife gave birth to twins. Two years later, another set of twins arrived.
Think about the transformation: from a fifty-year-old bachelor who couldn’t propose, to a husband and father of four in just a few years. That’s what happens when a divine appointment leads to a divine encounter.
The Woman Bound for Eighteen Years
The Bible reading gives us another example of a divine appointment. The woman in the synagogue didn’t plan to meet Jesus that day. She probably went to worship as she had done for years. She had been bound for eighteen long years—bent over, unable to stand straight, limited in every way.
But Jesus saw her. He didn’t wait for her to ask for help. He called her forward and spoke freedom over her. Her divine appointment was hidden in her regular routine. She went to synagogue to worship God, and she met the One who could set her free.
Eighteen years of bondage ended in a moment because she was in the right place at the right time—and the right Person was there.
The Anointing That Destroys Yokes
The devotional quotes one of the most powerful verses on deliverance: Isaiah 10:27. This verse promises that the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. The anointing is not just for preaching or singing—it is for breaking.
- The yoke of fear
- The yoke of timidity
- The yoke of addiction
- The yoke of sickness
- The yoke of poverty
- The yoke of mental bondage
- The yoke of speechlessness
Whatever has kept you bound, the anointing of Jesus is stronger. His anointing doesn’t just lighten the yoke—it destroys it completely.
How Divine Appointments Work
Daddy Adeboye explains that when God wants to reverse the irreversible, He usually begins with a divine appointment. This means:
- God Orchestrates the Meeting: You don’t have to figure out how to get free on your own. God arranges for you to be in the right place at the right time to meet the right person—or the right Person.
- The Appointment May Look Ordinary: The woman went to synagogue as she always did. The man attended a program in his town. Divine appointments often look like ordinary days until God shows up.
- Freedom Requires Response: The woman had to come when Jesus called. The man had to give his life to Christ. God arranges the appointment, but you must respond.
- The Yoke Is Destroyed Completely: When Jesus sets free, He sets free indeed. The man didn’t just get courage to propose—he got married and had children. The woman didn’t just stand straight—she glorified God.
What Kind of Yoke Are You Carrying?
The devotional asks a searching question: what is keeping you from lifting your head and hands to praise God?
- Is it shame over past sins?
- Is it fear of what people think?
- Is it a physical condition?
- Is it a mental stronghold?
- Is it a habit you can’t break?
- Is it a family pattern you can’t escape?
Whatever it is, Jesus calls it bondage. He doesn’t call it “your cross to bear.” He doesn’t call it “just the way things are.” He calls it what it is: Satan binding someone He came to set free.
How to Position Yourself for a Divine Appointment
While God sovereignly arranges divine appointments, there are things you can do to position yourself:
- Keep Going to Church: The woman was in the synagogue when Jesus came. Don’t stop assembling with God’s people. Your breakthrough may come on an ordinary Sunday.
- Attend Programs and Conferences: The man attended a program and encountered Jesus. Make time for special meetings where the anointing flows.
- Stay Desperate: The woman didn’t let eighteen years of disappointment keep her away. Stay hungry for your breakthrough. Desperation attracts divine attention.
- Be Ready to Respond: When Jesus called the woman, she came. When the altar call was given, the man responded. Don’t let pride or fear keep you from stepping forward.
- Expect the Unexpected: Divine appointments often come when you least expect them. Stay expectant. Your day of visitation may be closer than you think.
The Decree of Freedom
The devotional ends with a powerful decree based on Isaiah 10:27. Daddy Adeboye declares:
“Therefore, I decree in the name that is above every other name, that whatsoever might be keeping you from lifting your head and hands to praise God is destroyed today. The Almighty God will cause you to have a divine encounter that will deliver you completely from anything that might have kept you bound.”
Receive that decree today. Whatever has held you captive—for eighteen years, for fifty years, for a lifetime—is subject to the name of Jesus. His anointing destroys yokes. His presence breaks bondage. His appointment changes everything.
Conclusion: Your Day Is Coming
The man who couldn’t propose met Jesus and became a husband and father. The woman bent for eighteen years met Jesus and stood straight. Your story can be next.
Don’t give up. Don’t stop going to the synagogue. Don’t stop attending the programs. Your divine appointment is on the calendar of heaven. When you meet Jesus, everything changes.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You today with every yoke that has bound me. I bring my fear, my shame, my habits, my limitations. You said the Spirit of the Lord is upon You to set the captives free. Set me free. Destroy every yoke by Your anointing. Arrange my divine appointment. Let me meet You in a way that changes everything. I receive my freedom now. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Name your yoke: Write down specifically what has been binding you—fear, addiction, sickness, poverty, relationship patterns.
- Keep showing up: Commit to regular church attendance and special meetings. Your breakthrough could be next week.
- Respond to every call: When the altar is open, when prayer is offered, don’t hold back. Step forward. Your moment is now.
- Praise in advance: Start glorifying God for your freedom before you see it. The woman glorified God after she was healed—you can start now.
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