Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 24 March 2026, is BLESSINGS DON’T COME CHEAP
The daily devotion guide is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 24 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC:BLESSINGS DON’T COME CHEAP
MEMORISE:
And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
Exodus 23:25
READ: Genesis 22:1-18
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 24 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY
Ephesians 1:3 tells us that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; however, walking in those blessings doesn’t come cheap.
God’s blessings are invaluable; for instance, the blessing that He pronounced over Abraham in today’s Bible reading is still in effect today. Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people from all cultures and nationalities partake in Abraham’s blessing because blessings go root deep.
You must note, however, that Abraham’s blessing didn’t come cheap; he was willing to sacrifice his only son to God in complete obedience to His will. God’s blessings are available, but as I always say, in God’s kingdom, nothing goes for nothing.
When Isaac wanted to bless Esau in Genesis 27:1-4, he asked him to go hunting and prepare a special meal for him with his catch. He wanted Esau to do something special for him to provoke the kind of blessing that nobody can reverse. While Esau went hunting in the field for a deer, his mother and brother got busy, preparing what Isaac loved. Both sons had to work hard in one way or the other with the aim of receiving their father’s blessing.
When God called Abram and asked him to leave his father’s house, He pronounced some blessings on him (Genesis 12:1-3). However, those blessings were little compared to the blessing in today’s Bible reading, where God swore by Himself. This is the highest form of blessing that anybody can receive from God, and Abraham did something to provoke it. You can position yourself before God in such a way that will make Him go over and beyond to bless you and your seed.
Years ago, I was at an airport with two heavy bags, and two of my spiritual children approached me. The one who got to me first merely greeted me, while the second not only greeted me but also collected my bags. I greeted both of them and said, “God bless you” to the one who collected my bags.
The other one who only greeted me asked why I didn’t bless him too, and I asked him what he had done for me that would have made me bless him.
If the fig tree in Mark 11:12-14 had produced fruit to relieve Jesus of His hunger, it would have received a blessing, not a curse.
Beloved, when you bear fruit for God by serving Him and pleasing Him in all you do, you will receive wonderful blessings that will surpass your imaginations from Him.
KEY POINT
Serving God wholeheartedly and pleasing Him attracts His blessings.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Samuel 8-12
HYMN 5: BLESSED ASSURANCE
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 24 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Exodus 23:25
“And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”
This verse establishes a fundamental covenant principle: service precedes blessing. The command (“serve the LORD your God”) comes before the promise (“he shall bless… I will take sickness away”). The blessing is not arbitrary favor dispensed to passive recipients but the contractual response of a faithful God to obedient servants. Even the most basic provisions—bread and water—are supernaturally blessed when they are received in the context of covenant service.
BIBLE READING: Genesis 22:1-18
This passage is the Mount Everest of Old Testament narratives—the supreme test of obedient service and the subsequent release of the ultimate blessing:
v. 1-2: God’s command: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest… and offer him there for a burnt offering.” The test required Abraham to surrender the very vessel through which the covenant was to be fulfilled.
v. 3-10: Abraham’s response: Immediate, unquestioning obedience. He rose early, traveled three days, bound his son, raised the knife. No argument, no delay, no negotiation.
v. 11-12: The intervention: “Lay not thine hand upon the lad… for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
v. 15-18: The reward: God swore by Himself—the highest oath possible—and repeated the covenant promise with exponential increase: “Blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thy seed.”
The Price of Unreversible Blessing
Pastor E.A. Adeboye continues his exploration of root-deep blessings by addressing a critical question: If blessings are so powerful and generational, how do we access them? His answer is uncompromising: “In God’s kingdom, nothing goes for nothing.” Using Abraham’s ultimate test, Isaac’s dual sons, and a personal airport encounter, he demonstrates that the depth of the blessing corresponds to the depth of the sacrifice. The highest blessings require the highest obedience.
1. The Principle of Provocation
Blessings Must Be Provoked:
- The word “provoke” typically carries negative connotations, but Pastor Adeboye uses it in its neutral sense: to stir up, to activate, to draw forth. Just as a well-digger must dig to reach water, a blessing-seeker must act to release blessing.
- The Implication: Passive waiting for blessing is not faith; it is presumption. God has ordained that certain blessings remain sealed until activated by obedient action.
The Two Sons, Two Approaches (Genesis 27):
- Isaac instructed Esau: “Go out to the field, and take me some venison; and make me savoury meat… that my soul may bless thee before I die.”
- Jacob, through Rebekah’s strategy, also prepared a meal—from the flock, not the field—and received the blessing.
- The Common Denominator: Both sons had to work. Both had to prepare something. Neither received the blessing without effort. The difference was not in the presence of work but in the object of work. Esau worked for his father with game; Jacob worked for his father with goat meat. The blessing responded to the service, not the source.
2. The Abrahamic Escalation: From Blessing to Oath-Blessing
The First Call (Genesis 12:1-3):
- When God first called Abram, He pronounced significant blessings: great nation, great name, blessing to others, protection from cursers. This was substantial favor—enough to launch a patriarch.
- But: God did not swear by Himself on this occasion. The blessing was real but not yet irreversible at the highest level.
The Ultimate Test (Genesis 22:15-18):
- After Abraham demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice Isaac—the son of promise, the heir of the covenant, the apple of his eye—God spoke again: “By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD.”
- The Significance: When God swears by Himself, He invokes His own existence as guarantee. There is no higher authority to appeal to. This blessing is absolutely irreversible and eternally secure.
- The Trigger: What provoked this escalation? Abraham’s obedience unto death—the willingness to surrender the most precious thing he possessed.
The Principle: The level of blessing you access is proportional to the level of obedience you demonstrate. Casual obedience releases casual blessing. Sacrificial obedience releases irreversible, generational, oath-bound blessing.
3. The Fig Tree’s Tragic Contrast
The Tree That Had Nothing to Offer:
- Mark 11 records that Jesus approached the fig tree expecting fruit. The tree had leaves—the appearance of productivity—but no substance. It could not relieve His hunger.
- The Consequence: It received a curse, not a blessing. Its barrenness was not merely unfortunate; it was culpable. The tree existed in the vineyard, occupied space, consumed nutrients, and yet produced nothing for the Master.
The Application for Believers:
- You are not in God’s kingdom merely to exist. You are there to produce. You have received life, breath, gifts, opportunities—all from His hand. What are you producing for Him? When the Master comes hungry to your life, will He find fruit or only leaves?
The Airport Encounter:
- Pastor Adeboye’s testimony is deceptively simple but profoundly instructive. Two spiritual children approached him. One merely greeted; the other greeted and served by carrying heavy bags.
- The Response: “God bless you” to the servant; no similar blessing to the greeter.
- The Lesson: Blessing follows service. The one who served positioned himself to receive what the greeter did not. It was not favoritism; it was principle. The servant created an opportunity for blessing that the greeter did not.
4. The Nature of Kingdom Economics
Nothing Goes for Nothing:
- This phrase is not a declaration of God’s stinginess but of His wisdom. If blessings cost nothing, they would be valued at nothing. The price attached to blessing is not for God’s benefit but for ours. Sacrifice prepares the heart to receive and steward what is given.
Grace and Works in Tension:
- This teaching must be held in tension with the doctrine of grace. We are not saved by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The blessing of salvation is entirely unearned. But the blessings of fruitfulness, increase, and generational impact are often released in response to obedient action. Grace is the foundation; works are the building.
The Paradox:
- Abraham was justified by faith, not by offering Isaac (Romans 4). Yet the oath-bound blessing came after the offering. Faith and obedience are not opposed; faith is the root, obedience is the fruit. And fruit produces seed for more harvest.
5. The Testimony of Abraham (Genesis 22)
The Cost:
- Isaac was not merely Abraham’s son; he was the son of promise, the child of miracle, the heir of the covenant. To offer him was to offer everything—his legacy, his future, his reason for living.
- The Timeline: Three days of travel to Moriah meant three days of agonizing obedience. Abraham did not rush through the test; he walked it slowly, step by step, with the knife of obedience already raised in his heart.
The Reward:
- God did not need Isaac’s blood; He needed Abraham’s heart. The moment the heart was fully surrendered, the blessing was fully released. The ram in the thicket was the bonus; the oath-bound covenant was the real reward.
How to Position Yourself for Oath-Bound Blessing
Identify Your Isaac:
- What is the most precious thing God has given you—the thing you hold most tightly, the dream you most cherish, the person you most love? That is your Isaac. God may not ask you to sacrifice it physically, but He asks you to surrender it willingly. Lay it on the altar in your heart.
Serve Beyond Greetings:
- In your church, your family, your workplace, look for opportunities to serve that go beyond the minimum. Carry the heavy bags. Do the unnoticed work. Serve without demanding recognition. Blessing follows service.
Produce Fruit for the Master:
- Examine your life for fruitfulness. Are you producing souls for the kingdom? Are you producing character that reflects Christ? Are you producing works that will outlast you? When Jesus comes hungry to your tree, what will He find?
Obey Immediately and Completely:
- Abraham rose early. He did not delay, negotiate, or question. When God speaks, the window for maximum blessing is often in the speed and completeness of your obedience. Delayed obedience is partial disobedience.
Expect the Oath:
- Do not settle for casual blessing. Ask God for the irreversible, generational, oath-bound kind. But remember: it comes through the path of sacrificial obedience. You cannot have Moriah without Moriah.
Warning: The Danger of Fruitless Existence
The Fig Tree’s Fate:
- The tree was not cursed for being small or young or struggling. It was cursed for having leaves without fruit. It advertised what it did not possess. If you have the leaves of profession without the fruit of production, you are in dangerous territory.
The Greeter’s Loss:
- The spiritual child who only greeted missed a blessing he could have received. He was present. He had access. But he did not serve. Presence without service is opportunity wasted.
Conclusion: Your Moriah Awaits
Pray this:
“Lord God of Abraham, I acknowledge that nothing in Your kingdom goes for nothing. You have blessed me with all spiritual blessings in Christ, but You also call me to walk in obedience that unlocks the irreversible, oath-bound dimension of Your favor. Search me, O God, and reveal my Isaac—the thing I hold too tightly, the dream I have not surrendered. Today, I lay it on the altar. I choose obedience over explanation, surrender over self-protection. I commit to serving You beyond greetings, to producing fruit that will remain, to walking the three-day journey of costly obedience. And I trust that as I obey, You will swear by Yourself concerning me—blessing me, multiplying me, making me a blessing to all nations. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- The Isaac Inventory: Spend time in prayer identifying what God is asking you to surrender. Write it down. Perform a symbolic act of surrender—a letter, a prayer, a physical object placed on an altar (a table, a Bible).
- The Service Upgrade: This week, identify one specific way you can serve beyond the minimum—in your church, your family, your workplace. Do it without fanfare. Watch for the blessing that follows.
- The Fruitfulness Audit: Honestly assess your life for fruit. Where is the evidence of souls impacted, character transformed, works established? If fruit is lacking, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the blockage and empower production.
- The Oath Declaration: Write out Genesis 22:17-18 and personalize it: “In blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed…” Declare this over your life daily as you walk in obedient service.
Remember: The fig tree had leaves but no fruit. It was cursed. Abraham had Isaac but surrendered him. He was blessed with an oath. The difference was not in what they had but in what they were willing to give. What you hold determines what you harvest.
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). If God gave His Isaac for you, will you withhold your Isaac from Him? Let go. The blessing awaits.
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