Open Heavens 20 March 2026 Devotional & Commentary

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 20 March 2026, is THE ROOT CURSE

The daily devotion guide is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 19 March 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 20 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE ROOT CURSE

MEMORISE:
And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2 Kings 2:21

READ: 2 Kings 5:20-27
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 20 MARCH 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

In Mark 11:12-20, Jesus cursed a fig tree for not having any fruit on it, and it dried up from its roots. I believe the detail that the tree dried up from its roots was added to let us know that curses attack roots; they always go root deep.

Immediately after Jesus cursed the fig tree, the disciples could have looked behind them as they left the scene and discovered that its leaves were still green. I imagine that one of them could have said to himself, “Jesus missed this one because the leaves on the tree are still as green as ever.” Little did they know that the curse was already taking effect from the tree’s roots.

Beloved, be careful of curses, especially divine curses. If a man curses another man, it can be reversed by another man with a higher spiritual authority. However, when it is a divine curse, no one can reverse it, except God. There are several people who have been cursed but still look ‘green’.

For example, a fellow might break away from his or her local church in a malicious manner and still look fine on the outside; however, the fellow’s roots might have been affected, and with time, the consequences will begin to manifest. If you remove a branch from a tree, it dies instantly; however, it is not immediately apparent. It is only after a while that it will start turning yellow before it eventually turns black. When it is yellow, people might think it is prosperous, only to discover later that it was actually dying.

In today’s Bible reading, when Elisha pronounced a curse on Gehazi, he said that Naaman’s leprosy would cleave to him and his seed forever. The curse went straight to the roots of his lineage such that any fellow who came from that lineage would carry the curse.

In 2 Kings 2:19-22, the men of Jericho came to Elisha to tell him that their city looked beautiful, but they had severe problems. When they brought him the new cruse of salt he requested, he went straight to the source of their river so he could tackle the city’s curse from its roots.

Child of God, are you experiencing the aftermath of a curse that you or someone in your lineage brought into the family? I speak to the roots of that curse now, and I decree that every inherited curse will cease to function in your life and family from this moment, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Lord, please remove any curse that might be operating in my family from its roots, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 20-21

Open Heavens HYMN 27: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 20 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: 2 Kings 2:21
“And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.”
This verse reveals the divine protocol for permanent deliverance: treat the source, not the symptom. Elisha did not sprinkle salt on the polluted streams downstream; he went to the very spring—the root—and cast the salt there. The healing was instantaneous and irreversible because the source was sanctified. This is the pattern for breaking generational curses: the root must be touched by divine power.

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 5:20-27
This passage, revisited now from the perspective of root-level cursing, yields deeper revelation:
v. 27: “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever.”Elisha’s pronouncement was not merely a personal judgment; it was a genericide. The curse targeted Gehazi’s lineage, embedding itself in the genetic spiritual code of his descendants. It went root-deep.
v. 27: “And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.” The manifestation was immediate, but the curse’s full ramifications would unfold across generations. Gehazi looked leprous instantly; his descendants would carry the spiritual leprosy for centuries.

The Anatomy of Root-Level Curses

Pastor E.A. Adeboye returns to the cursed fig tree, excavating a detail often overlooked: “it dried up from the roots.” This phrase, he argues, is not incidental but instructional. Curses, especially divine curses, do not merely afflict the surface; they attack the foundation. The leaves may remain green, the outward appearance may remain prosperous, but beneath the soil, death is already at work. This is the hidden tragedy of the cursed life—and the hidden hope of the delivered one.

1. The Deceptive Patience of Root-Level Death

The Fig Tree’s Green Leaves:

• As Jesus and His disciples departed Bethany, the fig tree still appeared healthy. Its leaves had not withered; its branches had not drooped. To a casual observer, it was indistinguishable from every other tree on the hillside.
• The Reality: Beneath the soil, the root system was already dead. The curse had done its work at the foundational level. The visible decay was merely a matter of time—hours, perhaps days—before the leaves would yellow, curl, and fall.
• The Lesson: Divine judgment often operates with deceptive patience. The cursed individual may continue to function, minister, and even prosper outwardly while the root of their spiritual life is already severed.

The Branch Removed from the Tree:

• Pastor Adeboye employs a vivid horticultural illustration: “If you remove a branch from a tree, it dies instantly; however, it is not immediately apparent. It is only after a while that it will start turning yellow before it eventually turns black.”
• The Application: A believer who separates from covenant community in a “malicious manner”—through pride, offense, or rebellion—may appear unchanged for a season. They may even appear to flourish. But the connection to the life-giving sap of the Body has been severed. Death is inevitable, even if delayed.

The Yellow Phase Deception:

• “When it is yellow, people might think it is prosperous, only to discover later that it was actually dying.” This is one of the enemy’s most effective strategies. He masks terminal spiritual decline as seasonal transition. The yellowing leaf is mistaken for autumn beauty when it is actually the chlorophyll of life draining away.

2. The Geography of Divine Deliverance: The Spring, Not the Stream

Elisha’s Strategic Wisdom (2 Kings 2:19-22):

• The men of Jericho presented their problem honestly: “The situation of this city is pleasant… but the water is bad, and the land barren.” They did not ask Elisha to heal the individual streams or purify the various pools. They brought him to the source.
• Elisha’s Response: He did not pray over the city’s water system; he went “forth unto the spring of the waters.” He identified the point of origin and applied the healing agent there.
• The Principle: Lasting deliverance requires root-level intervention. Praying over symptoms—financial lack, marital strife, chronic illness—may provide temporary relief, but until the spring is healed, the downstream waters will remain polluted.

The New Cruse of Salt:

• Salt in Scripture symbolizes covenant, preservation, and judgment. Elisha required a new vessel, uncontaminated by previous use. This speaks to the freshness of divine intervention. God is not recycling old solutions; He is performing a new work at the foundational level of your life.

3. The Generational Reach of Root-Level Curses

Gehazi’s Inherited Leprosy:

• Elisha’s curse was not satisfied with Gehazi’s personal affliction. It pursued his “seed forever.” The greed that motivated Gehazi’s deception became a spiritual genetic defect, transmitted to descendants who had never met Naaman, never coveted his silver, never lied to the prophet.
• The Horror: Children inherit the consequences of sins they did not commit. They suffer from leprosy they did not contract. They bear curses they did not activate.

The Hope of Root-Level Healing:

• The same principle that makes generational curses so devastating also makes generational deliverance so complete. When the spring is healed, every downstream tributary is purified. When the root is blessed, every branch inherits the blessing.

4. The Solemnity of Divine Curses

The Irreversibility of Divine Judgment:

• Pastor Adeboye draws a crucial distinction: “If a man curses another man, it can be reversed by another man with a higher spiritual authority. However, when it is a divine curse, no one can reverse it, except God.”
• The Implication: Human curses, however frightening, operate within the realm of delegated authority and can be nullified by superior spiritual jurisdiction. But when God Himself pronounces a curse—as with the fig tree, as with Gehazi—no human intermediary can revoke it.
• The Exception: God alone can reverse what God has decreed. His judgments are not capricious; they are righteous responses to covenant violation. But His mercy can supersede His judgment when genuine repentance meets divine compassion.

5. The Testimony of Jericho (2 Kings 2:19-22)

A Cursed City Made Fruitful:

• Jericho had been under a curse since Joshua’s day: “Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho” (Joshua 6:26). For generations, the city suffered barren land and poisoned water—not because of its own sin but because of an ancient decree.
• The Breakthrough: Five centuries later, Elisha received a word from the Lord. He did not ignore the curse or explain it away. He confronted it at its source with the salt of divine covenant.
• The Result: “I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.” The curse was not merely suppressed; it was healed. The spring itself was transformed.

How to Receive Root-Level Deliverance

Identify the Source, Not Just the Symptom:

• Stop fighting the manifestations of the curse and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal its origin. Is it a divine curse from covenantal disobedience? An inherited curse from ancestral sin? A self-imposed curse through ungodly alliances or spoken words? The healing of the waters requires locating the spring.

Bring the New Cruse of Salt:

• The salt represents the covenant of grace through Jesus Christ. You do not come to God with your own merit or your ancestors’ achievements. You come with the new covenant established in His blood. Present Christ as your only claim to deliverance.

Apply the Blood to the Root:

• Just as Elisha cast the salt into the spring, you must plead the blood of Jesus over the origin point of the curse. Pray specifically: “Lord, I apply Your covenant blood to the sin of [ancestor’s name], to the covenant made by [generation past], to the curse spoken over [family line].”

Discern the Difference Between Human and Divine Curses:

• Not every negative pattern is a divine curse. Some are simply the consequences of poor choices. Do not attribute to divine judgment what is merely human foolishness repented of. But where the Holy Spirit reveals genuine covenantal curse, do not minimize its seriousness.

Wait in Faith During the “Green Leaf” Season:

• If you have prayed for deliverance and your circumstances have not immediately changed, do not assume the prayer failed. The root may be healed while the leaves remain green for a season. Death has been reversed; life is now flowing upward. Manifestation is a matter of time.

Warning: The Presumption of Outward Prosperity
Green Leaves Do Not Prove Life:

• The fig tree’s leaves were lush even as its roots were dead. Your continued success, ministry effectiveness, or financial abundance is not conclusive evidence that you are free from root-level curse. The enemy allows the leaves to remain green precisely to prevent you from seeking root-level healing.

The Danger of Malicious Separation:

• Pastor Adeboye specifically warns against those who “break away from his or her local church in a malicious manner.” This is not referring to Spirit-led transitions but to divisive departures fueled by offense, pride, or rebellion. Such separations often sever the root of covenant connection, and the individual may not realize they are dying until the yellowing phase is well advanced.

Conclusion: Your Spring Shall Be Healed

Pray this:
“Lord God of Elisha, I bring before You the polluted springs of my life and my lineage. I confess that I have suffered from the fruit of curses I did not plant—inherited iniquity, ancestral covenants, divine judgments upon my forefathers. Today, I do not merely ask for symptom relief; I ask for root healing. I bring the new cruse of salt—the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the new covenant sealed in His sacrifice. I cast this salt into the spring of my generational line. I apply His blood to the sins of my fathers, the agreements of my ancestors, the curses spoken over my bloodline. Heal these waters, O Lord. Let there be no more death in my family line. Let there be no more barren land in my destiny. I receive the reversal of every divine curse that has been righteously decreed against my lineage, for Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Generational Source Audit: With prayer and fasting, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal specific ancestral sins, covenants, or curses that may be operating at the root of your family line. Write down what He reveals, no matter how uncomfortable.
2. The Spring Healing Ceremony: Identify a physical symbol of your generational “spring” (a family home, a ancestral village, a gravesite). If possible, go there physically. If not, go there in prayer. Plead the blood of Jesus over that location and formally renounce every curse connected to it.
3. The Root Confession: Craft a prayer that addresses specific ancestral sins by name. Confess them as your own (Leviticus 26:40), receive God’s forgiveness, and declare them permanently separated from you and your descendants through the blood of Christ.
4. The Green Leaf Discernment: Examine areas of your life where you appear “green” but suspect root-level death. Do not be satisfied with outward prosperity. Ask God to reveal what is dying beneath the surface and to bring it to full healing.

Remember: The fig tree’s leaves remained green even as its roots withered. Do not mistake the absence of immediate judgment for the absence of root-level curse. But also, do not mistake the presence of generational bondage for the impossibility of generational blessing. The same God who cursed the fig tree sent Elisha to heal the waters of Jericho. Your spring can be healed. Your roots can be sanctified. Your descendants can inherit blessing instead of leprosy.
“And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.” (2 Kings 2:21). The LORD says to you today: I have healed your waters. There shall no more be death or barrenness in your land.

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