The Open Heavens 23 July 2026 devotional for today is SUSTAINING YOUR 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 23 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: SUSTAINING YOUR FREEDOM I
MEMORISE:
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
Psalm 9:2
READ: Psalm 149:1-2
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 23 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
When someone who is under the burden of the yoke of satan cries out to God genuinely for help, God steps in and delivers such a fellow. However, after receiving the deliverance, there are certain things the person must do and continue to do so that the ‘taskmaster’ (the devil) will not lay a heavier burden on him or her.
For example, God heard the cry of the Israelites when the Egyptians enslaved them, and He came to their rescue (Exodus 3:7-2), but there were steps they had to take to ensure that they were not re-enslaved by their Egyptian taskmasters.
Matthew 12:43-45 tells us that if a person becomes free from a burden of demonic possession and remains empty, the burden will return in a worse form because the evil spirit that left the person will return with seven other spirits that are more wicked than itself, so that the latter end of the person will be worse than the first. I pray that in any area the enemy wants your latter end to be worse than your beginning, the Almighty God will frustrate his plans, in Jesus’ name.
When a fellow has been freed from a burden, the first thing that he or she must do to keep the enemy away and ensure that the burden that has been lifted does not return is to praise God continually.
Acts 3:1-8 tells the story of a lame man who lay by the Beautiful Gate of the temple. When God visited him and took away his burden of stagnation, poverty, and shame, he began to walk, leap, and praise God without caring about anyone who was watching him. This man was born lame, and before his healing, he was already above 40 years old (Acts 4:22). This means that he was being carried from one point to another for over 40 years and must have been unable to enter the temple unaided. He might have been praying silently, “God, I wish I had legs so I could enter the temple and dance and praise You as You deserve.” This must have been why he leapt and praised God with so much joy when he received his deliverance.
Beloved, has God been good to you? Has He taken away your burdens? Praise Him abundantly, everywhere, and at all times. As we see in today’s Bible reading, fill your mouth with high praises to God. Dance and use musical instruments to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of your praise.
KEY POINT
Praise is a powerful weapon for sustaining your victory and freedom.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 32-34
Open Heavens HYMN 18: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 23 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Psalm 9:2
“I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”
This verse is David’s declaration of post-deliverance worship.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 149:1-2
“Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.”
This psalm is a call to exuberant, congregational praise.
Deliverance Is Not the End; It Is the Beginning
“When someone who is under the burden of the yoke of satan cries out to God genuinely for help, God steps in and delivers such a fellow. However, after receiving the deliverance, there are certain things the person must do and continue to do so that the ‘taskmaster’ (the devil) will not lay a heavier burden on him or her.”
| Deliverance Is | Deliverance Is Not |
|---|---|
| A gift from God | The end of the story |
| A moment of freedom | A guarantee of permanent freedom |
| An act of grace | A license to be passive |
After God brings you out of Egypt, you must keep yourself from going back. After He breaks the yoke, you must take steps to ensure the yoke does not return—heavier than before.
The Israelites: Delivered but Responsible to Stay Free
“For example, God heard the cry of the Israelites when the Egyptians enslaved them, and He came to their rescue (Exodus 3:7-8), but there were steps they had to take to ensure that they were not re-enslaved by their Egyptian taskmasters.”
| What God Did | What They Had to Do |
|---|---|
| Heard their cry | They had to follow Moses out of Egypt |
| Sent plagues to persuade Pharaoh | They had to leave quickly, without hesitation |
| Parted the Red Sea | They had to walk through it |
| Destroyed the Egyptian army | They had to keep walking forward, not look back |
Deliverance required their cooperation. They could have refused to leave. They could have lingered in Egypt. They could have turned back at the Red Sea. Their freedom was a gift, but their continued freedom required obedience.
The Warning of Matthew 12:43-45: The Empty House
“Matthew 12:43-45 tells us that if a person becomes free from a burden of demonic possession and remains empty, the burden will return in a worse form because the evil spirit that left the person will return with seven other spirits that are more wicked than itself, so that the latter end of the person will be worse than the first.”
Matthew 12:43-45 – “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
| The Unclean Spirit’s Strategy | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| He leaves but seeks to return | Deliverance is not permanent by default |
| He looks for the house | He comes back to check on you |
| If he finds it empty | If your life is not filled with God’s presence |
| He brings seven worse spirits | Your latter end becomes worse than the beginning |
“I pray that in any area the enemy wants your latter end to be worse than your beginning, the Almighty God will frustrate his plans, in Jesus’ name.”
| A Filled House | An Empty House |
|---|---|
| Occupied by the Holy Spirit | Vacant, swept, but unoccupied |
| Full of praise, prayer, and God’s word | No active worship, no spiritual maintenance |
| The unclean spirit cannot re-enter | The unclean spirit returns with reinforcements |
The house cannot remain empty. If you do not fill it with praise and the presence of God, the enemy will refill it with bondage.
The First Step to Keeping the Burden Away: Praise God Continually
“When a fellow has been freed from a burden, the first thing that he or she must do to keep the enemy away and ensure that the burden that has been lifted does not return is to praise God continually.”
| Praise Does | Lack of Praise Does |
|---|---|
| Fills the house with God’s presence | Leaves the house empty |
| Declares to the enemy that you are occupied | Invites the enemy to return |
| Keeps your freedom secure | Risks your freedom being lost |
Praise is not just a response to deliverance; it is the maintenance of deliverance. It is the lock on the door after the enemy has been evicted.
The Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate: Leaping and Praising
1. His Condition
“Acts 3:1-8 tells the story of a lame man who lay by the Beautiful Gate of the temple. When God visited him and took away his burden of stagnation, poverty, and shame, he began to walk, leap, and praise God without caring about anyone who was watching him.”
| His Burden | Duration |
|---|---|
| Lame from birth | Over 40 years (Acts 4:22) |
| Carried daily to the temple gate | Dependent on others for everything |
| Could not enter the temple | Could not worship as he desired |
“This man was born lame, and before his healing, he was already above 40 years old (Acts 4:22). This means that he was being carried from one point to another for over 40 years and must have been unable to enter the temple unaided.”
2. His Heart’s Desire
“He might have been praying silently, ‘God, I wish I had legs so I could enter the temple and dance and praise You as You deserve.’”
For forty years, he watched others enter the temple. For forty years, he heard songs of praise from inside while he lay outside. For forty years, he dreamed of leaping and praising God.
3. His Response to Deliverance
“This must have been why he leapt and praised God with so much joy when he received his deliverance.”
| What He Did | What It Reveals |
|---|---|
| Walked | He used his new legs immediately |
| Leaped | Exuberant, joyful, uncontainable |
| Praised God | His first act was worship |
| Did not care who was watching | His praise was uninhibited |
“He began to walk, leap, and praise God without caring about anyone who was watching him.”
He did not look around to see if people were staring. He did not worry about appearing undignified. He did not calculate whether his praise was appropriate. He had waited forty years to praise God on his feet. He was not about to hold back.
The Lesson: Fill Your Mouth with High Praises
“Beloved, has God been good to you? Has He taken away your burdens? Praise Him abundantly, everywhere, and at all times.”
| How to Praise | Examples |
|---|---|
| With your mouth | Sing, shout, declare His goodness |
| With your body | Dance, lift hands, leap |
| With instruments | Drums, guitars, keys, whatever you have |
| Everywhere | In church, at home, in your car, at work |
| At all times | Not just when you feel like it |
“As we see in today’s Bible reading, fill your mouth with high praises to God. Dance and use musical instruments to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of your praise.”
Psalm 149:3 – “Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.”
| The Command | The Reason |
|---|---|
| Fill your mouth with high praises | He alone is worthy |
| Dance before Him | He has turned your mourning into dancing |
| Use instruments | All creation praises Him |
How to Keep Your Deliverance Secure (Practical Steps)
Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to ensure your delivered state remains permanent:
1. Praise Continually
Do not limit praise to Sunday mornings. Do not praise only when you feel happy. Make praise a lifestyle. When you wake up, praise. When you face challenges, praise. When you remember what God has done, praise.
2. Fill Your House (Your Life) with God’s Presence
The enemy returned because he found the house empty. Fill your life with:
- Daily prayer
- Regular Bible study
- Worship music
- Fellowship with believers
- Acts of service and love
| Empty House | Filled House |
|---|---|
| No prayer | Constant prayer |
| No Bible reading | Daily Scripture meditation |
| No worship | Continuous praise |
| Isolation from believers | Active fellowship |
3. Do Not Look Back (Like the Israelites)
The Israelites wanted to return to Egypt whenever things got hard. Do not romanticize your former bondage. Do not miss the “leeks and onions” of Egypt when the wilderness gets difficult. The enemy wants you to look back so you can go back.
4. Testify of Your Deliverance
The lame man did not keep his healing a secret. He walked into the temple—where everyone could see him. Your testimony is a weapon against the enemy. Speak of what God has done. Let others know.
5. Be Watchful and Vigilant
The enemy is always looking for an opportunity to return. Do not be careless. Do not leave the door open. Guard your heart. Guard your time. Guard your associations.
Warning: The Latter End Can Be Worse Than the Beginning
Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: it is possible to be delivered and then end up in worse bondage than before.
| The First State | The Latter State (If Empty) |
|---|---|
| One demon | Eight demons (the original plus seven) |
| Bondage | Worse bondage |
| Suffering | Greater suffering |
“I pray that in any area the enemy wants your latter end to be worse than your beginning, the Almighty God will frustrate his plans, in Jesus’ name.”
Do not let this happen to you. Praise. Fill your house. Keep your deliverance.
Conclusion: Your Prayer of Praise and Preservation
Daddy Adeboye closes with a call to praise abundantly, everywhere, and at all times. The delivered must become the praiser.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I thank You for delivering me from my burdens. I was like the lame man at the Beautiful Gate—helpless, dependent, unable to praise as I desired. But You have set me free. Today, I will not be silent. I will not be passive. I will praise You with my mouth, with my body, with my whole being. I fill my house with Your presence. I will not leave it empty for the enemy to return. I declare that my latter end will not be worse than my beginning. I will not go back to Egypt. I will not look back. I will praise You continually. I will dance before You. I will sing a new song. For You alone are worthy. In Jesus’ mighty name.”
Action Steps:
- The Post-Deliverance Audit: Have you been delivered from a burden but have not established a lifestyle of praise? If yes, begin today. Set aside 30 minutes just to praise—no requests, no petitions—just praise.
- The Empty House Check: Is your life “empty, swept, and garnished”? Do you have prayer, Bible reading, worship, and fellowship filling your days? If not, fill the gaps this week.
- The Leaping Praise Practice: Do not be self-conscious. Like the lame man who did not care who was watching, find a time this week to praise God exuberantly—lift your hands, dance if you can, shout if you are able. Let your praise be uncontained.
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