The Open Heavens 18 May 2026 devotional for today is BANISH UNBELIEF.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 18 MAY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: BANISH UNBELIEF
MEMORISE
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, It ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew 21:21
READ: Matthew 17:19-20
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 18 MAY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Hebrews 4:12 says that the word of God is living, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Also, John 1:1-3 tells us that all things were created by the word of God. As powerful as God’s word is, however, when it is spoken in unbelief, it cannot be expected to produce results.
In 1 John 4:4, it is written that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. God lives within you, and He is greater than every problem or challenge that the world can throw your way. This is the absolute truth about you; you are above poverty and destruction because God’s power resides in you, and you can leverage it to subdue negative situations. Despite this, unbelief can hinder the power of God from flowing through His word in your mouth.
It is possible to be a Christian and be tormented by the spirit of doubt and unbelief. What this spirit does is that it undermines the power of God’s word in your heart and makes you feel that the word of God is ordinary. It also makes you begin to think that God’s word is not true, thereby filling your heart with uncertainty. If the spirit of doubt and unbelief is tormenting you, I pray that it will leave you right now, in Jesus’ name.
Jesus raised Jairus daughter in Mark 5:35-43 with His word. When He got to his house, He drove out those who were weeping and commanded the dead girl to arise. Peter followed the same pattern when God used him to raise Dorcas in Acts 9:36-42; he sent the mourners out of the house and
commanded the dead woman to arise.
Beloved, there is no limit to what you can achieve when you proclaim God’s word in faith. As Jesus said in today’s Bible reading, nothing shall be impossible to you if you speak the word of God in faith without any doubt or unbelief.
God wants you to believe His word and act upon it. He wants you to go to places where there are hopeless cases so He can show the world that there is still hope through you. He wants to use you mightily and shine His light through you so that He will be glorified (Matthew 5:16).
However, you must learn to trust in His word completely and proclaim it boldly over every situation you encounter. May you be a conduit of God’s mighty power everywhere you go henceforth, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Doubt and unbelief undermine the power of God’s word, making it ineffective in a Christian’s mouth.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezra 1-4
Open Heavens HYMN 3: ANCIENT WORDS
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 18 MAY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Matthew 21:21
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
This verse reveals the extraordinary potential of faith-filled words. Jesus does not say “if you pray about the mountain” or “if you ask God to remove the mountain.” He says, “if you say to this mountain, Be thou removed.” Your words, when backed by unwavering faith, carry creative power. The mountain is not a metaphor for a small problem—it is a mountain. Jesus is saying that no obstacle is too large when faith speaks.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 17:19-20
“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
This passage follows the disciples’ failure to cast out a demon from a boy. They had been given authority to cast out demons, but in this case, they failed. When they asked Jesus why, He gave a one-word answer: unbelief. Not lack of authority, not lack of power, not lack of technique—unbelief. He then explained that even faith as small as a mustard seed (the tiniest of seeds) is enough to move mountains. The problem was not the size of their faith—it was the presence of unbelief.
The Power of God’s Word vs. The Problem of Unbelief
In today’s devotional, Pastor E.A. Adeboye (Daddy Adeboye) addresses one of the most critical barriers to experiencing God’s power: unbelief. The word of God is living, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. All things were created by God’s word. But when that same word is spoken in unbelief, it cannot be expected to produce results. Faith activates the word; unbelief neutralizes it.
The Spirit of Doubt and Unbelief
The devotional identifies a spiritual enemy that many believers do not recognize: the spirit of doubt and unbelief. This spirit does not just cause intellectual uncertainty—it actively undermines the power of God’s word in your heart.
What this spirit does:
- It makes you feel that the word of God is ordinary—just another book, just another collection of ancient sayings.
- It makes you begin to think that God’s word is not true—that the promises are exaggerated, that the miracles were for Bible times only.
- It fills your heart with uncertainty—you are not sure if God will really do what He said.
- It undermines the power of God’s word in your mouth—so that even when you speak scripture, it comes out weak and ineffective.
The devotional prays: “If the spirit of doubt and unbelief is tormenting you, I pray that it will leave you right now, in Jesus’ name.”
The Power That Resides in You
The devotional reminds us of 1 John 4:4: “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
God lives within you. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in your mortal body. You are not ordinary. You are not weak. You are not at the mercy of your circumstances.
This is the absolute truth about you:
- You are above poverty.
- You are above destruction.
- You are above every problem the world can throw at you.
Why? Not because you are strong, but because God’s power resides in you. And you can leverage that power to subdue negative situations. You can speak to mountains, and they will move. You can command demons, and they will flee. You can declare healing, and sickness will leave.
But unbelief blocks the flow. Your faith is the switch that turns on the power. Unbelief is the switch that turns it off.
The Pattern of Faith-Filled Command
The devotional points to two examples of faith-filled words producing miraculous results:
Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43):
- He arrived at the house where people were weeping and wailing.
- He drove out the mourners—the voices of unbelief and despair.
- He took the parents and His disciples into the room.
- He simply said, “Talitha cumi” (Damsel, I say unto thee, arise).
- The dead girl rose immediately.
Peter raising Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42):
- He followed the same pattern.
- He sent the mourners out of the room.
- He knelt and prayed.
- He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, arise.”
- She opened her eyes and sat up.
Notice the pattern: Both Jesus and Peter removed the influence of unbelief (the mourners) before speaking the word of faith. Then they spoke directly to the situation—not to God about the situation, but to the dead body itself. They commanded, not requested. They spoke with authority.
The Mustard Seed Faith
Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed is enough to move mountains. This is encouraging because it means you do not need “great faith.” You just need genuine faith.
- A mustard seed is tiny, but it is alive. It contains life.
- A mustard seed grows into a large plant. It is not static—it expands.
- A mustard seed, once planted, cannot be ignored. It will produce results.
The issue is not the size of your faith—it is the presence of unbelief. Even a little faith, if it is pure and undoubted, can accomplish the impossible.
How to Overcome Unbelief
1. Recognize Unbelief as a Spirit
Unbelief is not just a weakness—it is a spiritual enemy. It has a source. It can be cast out. If you struggle with chronic doubt, pray specifically: “Spirit of doubt and unbelief, I command you to leave me in Jesus’ name.”
2. Fill Your Heart with God’s Word
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). The more you fill your heart with scripture, the more unbelief is crowded out. You cannot be full of God’s word and full of doubt at the same time.
3. Speak the Word Aloud
Jesus spoke to the mountain. He did not just think about it. He spoke. When you speak God’s word aloud, you are doing two things: you are declaring truth over your situation, and you are silencing the lies of the enemy.
4. Remove the Mourners
Identify the voices of unbelief in your life—people who constantly doubt, who mock your faith, who fill your ears with fear and negativity. Limit your exposure to them when you are in a battle of faith.
5. Act on the Word
Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). If you say you believe God’s word, act like it. If you say God will heal, stop talking like a sick person. If you say God will provide, stop talking like a beggar. Your actions reveal your true faith.
The Limitless Potential of Faith-Filled Words
The devotional declares: “There is no limit to what you can achieve when you proclaim God’s word in faith.”
- Sickness? Speak healing.
- Poverty? Speak provision.
- Broken marriage? Speak restoration.
- Wayward children? Speak deliverance.
- Dead dreams? Speak resurrection.
“Nothing shall be impossible to you if you speak the word of God in faith without any doubt or unbelief.”
God Wants to Use You
The devotional ends with a commission: God wants you to believe His word and act upon it. He wants you to go to places where there are hopeless cases so He can show the world that there is still hope—through you.
- He wants to use you mightily.
- He wants to shine His light through you.
- He wants to be glorified through your faith.
But you must learn to trust in His word completely and proclaim it boldly over every situation you encounter.
Conclusion: Speak and See Mountains Move
The spirit of doubt and unbelief is a liar. It tells you that God’s word is not true, that your situation is hopeless, that you are too weak to make a difference.
Do not believe it.
- God’s word is living and powerful.
- Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
- Nothing shall be impossible to you.
Speak the word. Believe the word. Act on the word. And watch the mountains move.
Pray this:
“Father, I thank You for Your living, powerful word. Forgive me for the times I have spoken Your word in unbelief, doubting that it would produce results. I command the spirit of doubt and unbelief to leave me now, in Jesus’ name. Fill my heart with faith. Let me speak Your word with boldness and authority. I believe that nothing shall be impossible to me when I speak in faith. Use me as a conduit of Your mighty power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Identify a “mountain” in your life: What situation seems immovable—health, finances, relationships, addiction? Write it down.
- Find a scripture that addresses that mountain: Search the Bible for a promise that directly applies to your situation.
- Speak that scripture aloud daily: Do not just read it—declare it. Say, “In the name of Jesus, I speak to this mountain: [name the situation], be removed and cast into the sea.”
- Remove the mourners: Identify voices of unbelief in your life. Limit your exposure to them during this season of faith.
- Act on your faith: Do one thing today that demonstrates you believe God’s word—even if it feels uncomfortable or risky. Your action will strengthen your faith.
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