The Open Heavens 22 July 2026 devotional for today is THE KEYS TO FREEDOM III.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 22 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE KEYS TO FREEDOM III
MEMORISE
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Psalm 18:6
READ: Psalm 3:1-4
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 22 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Over the past two days, I have discussed some of the steps that anyone who is under the devil’s yoke of bondage must take to become free. Today, I will conclude this series by highlighting why a person under the yoke of the devil should cry out to God for deliverance.
I am often surprised to see people being passive and uninterested when it is time to pray. Unfortunately, people who behave in this manner are only wasting their time and would hardly get any results. No one, let alone those who are suffering under the devil’s yoke, should be passive when it comes to prayer. This is because it is the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous that avails much (James 5:16), not the passive prayers.
For example, in Mark 10:46-52, if Bartimaeus had not cried to Jesus for help, he would have remained blind. Similarly, in Matthew 15:21-28, if the Canaanite woman had not gone to seek help from Jesus and persisted in her cry to Him, her daughter may never have been delivered.
David was a man who always cried out to God for deliverance when faced with battles. Many times in his Psalms, he wrote about crying out to the Lord for help. For example, in Psalm 3:4, he wrote, “l cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.” Just as David cried unto the Lord with his voice, as a child of God, you must also learn to cry unto Him whenever you find yourself in distress.
Nobody can cry better or louder than you about any distressing situation you might find yourself in because you are the only one who knows where the shoe pinches. This is why people who are always running from one place to another in search of prayer contractors – people who will pray to God on their behalf – often stay in bondage for a long time. In today’s memory verse, David said that he called upon God and cried unto Him in his distress, and God heard him out of His temple. God will never close His ears to a person who cries to Him genuinely and with a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).
Beloved, you must never grow weary of praying whenever you feel burdened until God hears you; you must be willing to pay the price for freedom in the place of prayer. I pray that the Lord will answer you speedily every time you cry unto Him, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Those who cry out to God in their distress will experience His salvation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 29-31
Open Heavens HYMN 27: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 22 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Psalm 18:6
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
This verse is David’s testimony of answered prayer in his moment of distress.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 3:1-4
This psalm was written when David fled from his son Absalom, who had stolen the hearts of Israel and was seeking to kill his own father.
The Problem with Passive Prayer
“I am often surprised to see people being passive and uninterested when it is time to pray. Unfortunately, people who behave in this manner are only wasting their time and would hardly get any results.”
| Passive Prayer | Fervent Prayer |
|---|---|
| Uninterested, distracted, sleepy | Engaged, focused, alert |
| Mumbled, half-hearted | Desperate, earnest, sincere |
| Treats prayer as a ritual | Treats prayer as a lifeline |
| Little to no results | Avails much |
“No one, let alone those who are suffering under the devil’s yoke, should be passive when it comes to prayer. This is because it is the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous that avails much (James 5:16), not the passive prayers.”
James 5:16 – “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
| What “Effectual Fervent” Means | What It Is Not |
|---|---|
| Working (effectual) | Idle, passive |
| Passionate, earnest (fervent) | Cold, indifferent |
| Producing results (avails much) | Wasting time |
If you are under the devil’s yoke, you cannot afford passive prayer. Your deliverance requires desperation. Your freedom requires fervency.
Bartimaeus: The Cry That Could Not Be Silenced
“For example, in Mark 10:46-52, if Bartimaeus had not cried to Jesus for help, he would have remained blind.”
| Bartimaeus’s Situation | His Action |
|---|---|
| Blind, begging by the roadside | Heard Jesus was passing by |
| The crowd rebuked him, told him to be quiet | He cried out all the more |
| He could have been passive | He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” |
“If Bartimaeus had not cried to Jesus for help, he would have remained blind.”
| What Might Have Happened If He Were Passive | What Happened Because He Cried Out |
|---|---|
| Jesus would have passed by | Jesus stopped |
| He would have stayed blind | He received his sight |
| The crowd’s rebuke would have silenced him | He cried louder and got his miracle |
Passive prayer would have cost Bartimaeus his sight. Fervent prayer opened his eyes.
The Canaanite Woman: The Cry That Persisted
“Similarly, in Matthew 15:21-28, if the Canaanite woman had not gone to seek help from Jesus and persisted in her cry to Him, her daughter may never have been delivered.”
| The Canaanite Woman’s Situation | Her Action |
|---|---|
| Her daughter was grievously vexed with a demon | She came to Jesus, crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord” |
| Jesus initially answered her not a word | She did not give up |
| The disciples asked Jesus to send her away | She persisted |
| Jesus said, “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel” | She worshiped Him and cried again |
| Jesus said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs” | She answered, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs” |
“If she had not persisted in her cry, her daughter may never have been delivered.”
| Passive Response | Persistent Cry |
|---|---|
| Jesus was silent → she would have left | She kept crying |
| Disciples wanted her gone → she would have obeyed | She refused to be silenced |
| Jesus seemed to refuse her → she would have given up | She found an argument faith could use |
| Her daughter would have remained bound | Her daughter was made whole from that very hour |
She would not take no for an answer. She cried until she got her miracle. That is the kind of prayer that breaks yokes.
David: The Man Who Cried Out with His Voice
“David was a man who always cried out to God for deliverance when faced with battles. Many times in his Psalms, he wrote about crying out to the Lord for help. For example, in Psalm 3:4, he wrote, ‘I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.’”
| What David Did | What He Did Not Do |
|---|---|
| Cried unto the Lord with his voice | Whisper a silent, passive prayer |
| Called upon God in his distress | Wait silently for deliverance |
| Made his cry heard | Assume God already knew |
“Just as David cried unto the Lord with his voice, as a child of God, you must also learn to cry unto Him whenever you find yourself in distress.”
Psalm 18:6 – “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God…”
| David’s Pattern | Your Application |
|---|---|
| Distress came | When you are distressed, do not suffer in silence |
| He called and cried | Use your voice. Cry out. |
| God heard | God will hear you too. |
The Problem with Prayer Contractors
“Nobody can cry better or louder than you about any distressing situation you might find yourself in because you are the only one who knows where the shoe pinches. This is why people who are always running from one place to another in search of prayer contractors – people who will pray to God on their behalf – often stay in bondage for a long time.”
| Relying on Prayer Contractors | Crying Out Yourself |
|---|---|
| Someone else prays for you | You pray for yourself |
| They do not feel your pain the way you do | You know exactly where it hurts |
| They may pray passively | You will pray fervently because it is your burden |
| Often leads to prolonged bondage | Leads to swift deliverance |
“You are the only one who knows where the shoe pinches.”
No one else knows the full weight of your burden. No one else feels the exact pain. No one else has as much at stake. You cannot outsource your cry. You must cry out yourself.
God Hears the Genuine Cry
“In today’s memory verse, David said that he called upon God and cried unto Him in his distress, and God heard him out of His temple. God will never close His ears to a person who cries to Him genuinely and with a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).”
Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
| What God Despises | What God Will Not Despise |
|---|---|
| Pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency | A broken spirit |
| Passive, ritualistic prayer | A contrite heart |
| Lip service without desperation | A genuine cry of distress |
When you cry out from the depths of your pain, God hears. When your heart is broken and your voice is desperate, He does not turn away.
Why You Must Not Grow Weary in Prayer
“Beloved, you must never grow weary of praying whenever you feel burdened until God hears you; you must be willing to pay the price for freedom in the place of prayer.”
| The Price of Freedom | The Cost of Passivity |
|---|---|
| Fervent, persistent prayer | Continued bondage |
| Crying out until God answers | Staying under the yoke |
| Refusing to be silenced | Remaining silent and stuck |
“I pray that the Lord will answer you speedily every time you cry unto Him, in Jesus’ name.”
How to Cry Out to God Effectively (Practical Steps)
Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the biblical examples, here is how to pray the prayer that breaks yokes:
1. Use Your Voice
Do not pray only in your mind. Do not whisper so quietly that no one can hear. David said, “I cried unto the LORD with my voice.” Your voice carries your faith. Your voice disturbs the enemy. Your voice reaches the ears of God.
2. Cry Out with Desperation
Do not pray politely when you are in distress. Do not be concerned with sounding “spiritual” or “dignified.” Bartimaeus cried out. The Canaanite woman cried out. David cried out. Cry out like your life depends on it—because it does.
3. Persist Until You Get an Answer
Do not pray once and give up. Do not pray for five minutes and decide God is not listening. The Canaanite woman persisted. Bartimaeus cried out even louder when the crowd rebuked him. Keep crying. Keep praying. Do not stop until the answer comes.
4. Do Not Outsource Your Cry
It is good to ask others to pray for you. But do not make them your only prayer. You must cry out yourself. No one else feels your pain. No one else knows where the shoe pinches. Cry out directly to God.
5. Come with a Contrite Heart
Do not come with pride, demanding that God serve you. Come with a broken and contrite heart. Acknowledge your need. Acknowledge your helplessness. Cry out from the depths.
Warning: Passive Prayer Keeps You Bound
Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent warning: if you are passive in prayer, you will stay in bondage.
| Passive Prayer | The Result |
|---|---|
| Half-hearted, distracted, silent | No results, prolonged bondage |
| Waiting for someone else to pray for you | Delayed deliverance |
| Praying once and giving up | The burden remains |
“You must never grow weary of praying whenever you feel burdened until God hears you.”
Do not stop crying until the chain breaks. Do not stop crying until the yoke is destroyed. Do not stop crying until you are free.
Conclusion: Your Prayer of Desperate Cry
Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that the Lord will answer you speedily every time you cry unto Him. But you must cry. Not passively. Not politely. Cry.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You with my voice. I am in distress. I am under a burden. I have tried passive prayer, and it has not worked. Today, I cry out. Like Bartimaeus, I will not be silenced by the crowd. Like the Canaanite woman, I will persist until I get my answer. Like David, I cry unto You with my voice. Hear me out of Your holy hill. I am desperate. I am broken. I am contrite. I will not grow weary. I will not stop praying until You answer. Remove this yoke. Break these chains. Deliver me from the bondage of the enemy. Answer me speedily, Lord. I cry out—and I believe You hear me. In Jesus’ mighty name.”
Action Steps:
- The Cry Test: In your next prayer time, do not pray silently. Use your voice. Pray aloud. Let your desperation be heard.
- The Persistence Check: Have you given up on a prayer request too soon? Identify one burden you stopped praying about. Begin crying out again today. Do not stop.
- The Prayer Contractor Audit: Are you relying more on others to pray for you than on your own prayers? Continue to ask for prayer support, but do not neglect your own desperate cry.
Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow
Download Open Heavens 22 July 2026 Devotional PDF
Leave a Reply