The Open Heavens 20 July 2026 devotional for today is THE KEYS TO FREEDOM I.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 20 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE KEYS TO FREEDOM I
MEMORISE:
For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
Psalm 72:12
READ: Mark 10:46-52
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 20 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
God does not want anyone to be under satan’s yoke. This is why Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). God is more than able to break the enemy’s yoke over anyone (Isaiah 10:27), but such a person must first admit that he or she needs to be delivered.
Years ago, a man brought his wife to me and said, “Daddy, help me. My wife is a witch.” I asked the woman if it was true, and she denied it. I then told her that if she was indeed a witch, as her husband claimed, we could pray with her, and she would be delivered. However, she insisted that she wasn’t a witch because she wasn’t willing to be delivered. I then prayed, “If you’re not a witch, you will continue to prosper; however, if you are, I bind whatever demon is operating in you.”
Three months later, she was brought back to me with her body so swollen, as she had doubled in size! Apparently, the demon that I bound inside her and had been feeding on her and defecating in her.
The first step for someone who is under the devil’s yoke to become free is for the fellow to admit that there is a burden that he or she needs to be freed from. Until the fellow makes such an admission, he or she cannot be free. Likewise, if the person is okay with where he or she is and is satisfied with sickness, loneliness, barrenness, sorrow, or pain, he or she will remain under the burden of satan.
Sometime ago, a man was coughing badly, and he was brought to me for prayers. In the past, I would have gone ahead and prayed for him without asking questions, but from experience, I had learnt to ask questions. Therefore, I asked him, “Sir, how can I help you?” Even though it was clear that he was sick, I knew that I needed to ask him what he really wanted, just as Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted in today’s Bible reading. To my surprise, the man said, “I want you to pray that the cough leaves slowly.”
Beloved, are you under satan’s yoke in any area of your life? Admit that you need God’s help and cry to Him to break it off immediately and completely.
He will come to your aid speedily and deliver you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT
The first step to gaining freedom from the devil’s yoke is to admit the need for help.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 20-24
Open Heavens HYMN 50: CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 20 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Psalm 72:12
“For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.”
This verse reveals God’s heart for the helpless.
BIBLE READING: Mark 10:46-52
This passage records the healing of blind Bartimaeus. As Jesus left Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, sat by the roadside. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he began to cry out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him, telling him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more. Jesus stopped and called him. When asked, “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” Bartimaeus answered, “Lord, that I might receive my sight.” Jesus said, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus.
The First Step to Deliverance: Admitting You Need It
“God does not want anyone to be under satan’s yoke. This is why Jesus said, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). God is more than able to break the enemy’s yoke over anyone (Isaiah 10:27), but such a person must first admit that he or she needs to be delivered.”
Isaiah 10:27 – “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.”
| God’s Power | The Condition |
|---|---|
| He is able to break every yoke | The person must admit they need deliverance |
| The anointing destroys burdens | But the individual must cry out |
| He delivers the needy | When they cry (Psalm 72:12) |
Deliverance is available. But it is not automatic. Pride can keep you bound. Denial can keep you under the yoke. The first step is not a prayer—it is an admission.
The Woman Who Would Not Admit She Was a Witch
1. The Husband’s Accusation
“Years ago, a man brought his wife to me and said, ‘Daddy, help me. My wife is a witch.’ I asked the woman if it was true, and she denied it. I then told her that if she was indeed a witch, as her husband claimed, we could pray with her, and she would be delivered. However, she insisted that she wasn’t a witch because she wasn’t willing to be delivered.”
| The Man’s Claim | The Woman’s Response |
|---|---|
| “My wife is a witch” | “It’s not true” |
| She needed deliverance | She denied she had any burden |
| Deliverance was offered | She refused because she would not admit |
She was not willing to be delivered. Not because deliverance was unavailable, but because she would not admit she needed it. Her pride, shame, or fear kept her bound.
“I then prayed, ‘If you’re not a witch, you will continue to prosper; however, if you are, I bind whatever demon is operating in you.’”
Daddy Adeboye did not force deliverance on her. He prayed a conditional prayer, leaving the outcome to God.
2. The Consequence of Denial
“Three months later, she was brought back to me with her body so swollen, as she had doubled in size! Apparently, the demon that I bound inside her and had been feeding on her and defecating in her.”
| What Happened | Why |
|---|---|
| Her body swelled to double its size | The bound demon could not leave because she would not admit |
| She suffered physically | Her denial kept the burden in place |
| She was brought back in worse condition | She finally could not hide her affliction |
“The first step for someone who is under the devil’s yoke to become free is for the fellow to admit that there is a burden that he or she needs to be freed from. Until the fellow makes such an admission, he or she cannot be free.”
| Denial Keeps You Bound | Admission Opens the Door |
|---|---|
| “I don’t have a problem” | “Lord, I need help” |
| “I’m fine” | “I am burdened” |
| Refusing deliverance | Crying out for deliverance |
| The burden remains | The burden is lifted |
“Likewise, if the person is okay with where he or she is and is satisfied with sickness, loneliness, barrenness, sorrow, or pain, he or she will remain under the burden of satan.”
| Being Satisfied with Bondage | The Result |
|---|---|
| “I’ve learned to live with it” | You never seek deliverance |
| “It’s not that bad” | You tolerate what God wants to remove |
| “Maybe this is my cross to bear” | You accept what the enemy has placed on you |
Do not be satisfied with sickness, loneliness, barrenness, sorrow, or pain. These are not from God. They are burdens the enemy wants you to accept as normal. Refuse to be satisfied. Cry out for deliverance.
The Man Who Wanted the Cough to Leave Slowly
1. The Strange Request
“Sometime ago, a man was coughing badly, and he was brought to me for prayers. In the past, I would have gone ahead and prayed for him without asking questions, but from experience, I had learnt to ask questions. Therefore, I asked him, ‘Sir, how can I help you?’ Even though it was clear that he was sick, I knew that I needed to ask him what he really wanted, just as Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted in today’s Bible reading.”
Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” The answer was not obvious. He had to state his request clearly.
“To my surprise, the man said, ‘I want you to pray that the cough leaves slowly.’”
| The Man’s Condition | His Request |
|---|---|
| Coughing badly | “Pray that the cough leaves slowly” |
| Needed complete healing | Asked for partial, gradual relief |
| Could have been made whole | Preferred a slow, incomplete deliverance |
He wanted to be comfortable with his burden. He did not want it removed completely. He was satisfied with partial relief rather than total freedom.
2. The Lesson
“Beloved, are you under satan’s yoke in any area of your life? Admit that you need God’s help and cry to Him to break it off immediately and completely.”
| Partial Deliverance | Complete Deliverance |
|---|---|
| “Leave slowly” | “Leave now” |
| “Make it bearable” | “Remove it entirely” |
| “I can tolerate a little” | “I want total freedom” |
Do not be like the man who wanted his cough to leave slowly. Do not settle for partial relief. Cry out for complete deliverance.
Bartimaeus: The Model of Desperate, Specific Faith
“Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted. He did not assume. He did not guess. He asked the blind man to state his request.”
| Bartimaeus’s Situation | His Response |
|---|---|
| Blind for years | Cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” |
| The crowd rebuked him | He cried out all the more |
| Jesus asked, “What do you want?” | “Lord, that I might receive my sight” |
“He did not say, ‘Lord, help me see a little better.’ He did not say, ‘Lord, let my eyesight improve gradually.’ He asked for complete, immediate healing.”
| What He Did Not Ask | What He Asked |
|---|---|
| “Leave me partially blind” | “Receive my sight” |
| “Help me cope with blindness” | “Heal me completely” |
| “Give me enough sight to get by” | “Make me whole” |
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”
| The Result | The Lesson |
|---|---|
| Immediately he received his sight | Complete, instantaneous deliverance |
| He followed Jesus | Freedom led to discipleship |
Bartimaeus did not ask for a slow, gradual healing. He asked for everything. And he received everything.
How to Receive Complete Deliverance (Practical Steps)
Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the example of Bartimaeus, here is how to cry out to the Burden Bearer:
1. Admit That You Have a Burden
Stop pretending. Stop minimizing. Stop being satisfied with bondage. Say: “Lord, I am carrying a burden. I need Your help.”
| Instead of Saying… | Say… |
|---|---|
| “I’m fine” | “I am struggling” |
| “It’s not that bad” | “This burden is heavy” |
| “I’ll deal with it later” | “I need deliverance now” |
2. Refuse to Be Satisfied with Partial Relief
Do not ask for the cough to leave slowly. Do not ask for a little improvement. Ask for complete deliverance. Ask for everything.
3. Cry Out Specifically Like Bartimaeus
Do not pray vague prayers. Do not say, “Lord, bless me.” Say: “Lord, remove this specific burden. Heal this specific sickness. Break this specific addiction. Deliver me from this specific oppression.”
4. Cry Out Louder When the Crowd Rebukes You
The crowd told Bartimaeus to be quiet. He cried out all the more. People may tell you:
- “You’re being dramatic”
- “It’s not that serious”
- “Just live with it”
- “You don’t need to make a scene”
Do not listen. Cry out louder. Your deliverance depends on it.
5. Expect Immediate and Complete Freedom
Bartimaeus did not hope for gradual improvement. He expected to receive his sight immediately. Ask for immediate deliverance. Believe for complete freedom. Do not settle.
Warning: Denial and Complacency Are Chains
Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: the greatest enemy of your deliverance may not be the demon—it may be your own denial.
| Denial Says | Complacency Says |
|---|---|
| “I don’t have a problem” | “I can live with this problem” |
| “I’m not a witch” (when you are) | “Let the cough leave slowly” |
| “I don’t need deliverance” | “Partial relief is enough” |
Both keep you bound. Both prevent you from crying out. Both are tools of the enemy.
“He will come to your aid speedily and deliver you, in the mighty name of Jesus.”
But He cannot deliver you if you will not admit you need deliverance. He cannot heal you if you are satisfied with sickness. He cannot free you if you will not cry out.
Conclusion: Your Prayer for Complete Deliverance
Daddy Adeboye closes with a call to admit your need and cry out to God. Do not be like the woman who denied her burden. Do not be like the man who wanted a slow healing. Be like Bartimaeus—desperate, specific, unwilling to be silenced, and unwilling to settle for partial relief.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You as the Burden Bearer. You delivered Bartimaeus when he cried out. You broke every yoke for those who admitted their need. Today, I admit that I am carrying a burden. I am not satisfied with it. I do not want it to leave slowly. I do not want partial relief. I want complete deliverance. You know my burden—the sickness, the addiction, the oppression, the stagnation, the loneliness, the barrenness. I cry out to You. Do not let me be silenced by the crowd. Do not let me be satisfied with half-measures. Remove this burden immediately and completely. I receive my freedom now. In Jesus’ mighty name.”
Action Steps:
- The Admission Audit: Ask yourself honestly: Is there any area where I am in denial about a burden? Any sickness I have accepted? Any addiction I have minimized? Any oppression I have learned to live with? Write it down. Admit it to God.
- The Specific Cry: Take that burden and turn it into a specific prayer. Not “Lord, help me” but “Lord, remove this specific burden completely and immediately.”
- The Bartimaeus Declaration: Refuse to be silenced. If the enemy or the crowd tries to quiet your cry, shout louder. Say: “I will not be quiet until I receive my deliverance. I will not settle for partial relief. I want everything Jesus died to give me.”
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