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).
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.
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.
Read RCCG Open Heaven Devotional for Tomorrow
Download Open Heaven 18 December 2025 Devotional PDF
Leave a Reply