The Open Heaven 28 January 2026 devotional for today is UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS II.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 28 JANUARY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING SATANIC TRAPS II
MEMORISE:
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deuteronomy 30:19
READ: Exodus 21:2-6
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 28 JANUARY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
I have observed over the years that there are two major categories of victims who are entrapped in the devil’s bondage. The first category are the victims who are not aware that they have been entrapped by the devil, while the second category are those who are fully aware. Within this second category, there are two major sets of people: those who want to be set free and those who do not.
Today, I will be discussing the set of victims who know that they are in bondage but do not want to be set free. It may sound strange that some victims do not want to be set free from bondage, but from today’s Bible reading and my personal experience, many people actually fall into this category.
For example, I have met witches who like the fact that they are witches and don’t want to be set free. I recall a particular incident that occurred years ago. A married couple started attending our church, but after a short while, the wife stopped coming. When we followed up with her, she told us that since she started coming to our church, she had been unable to fly to her witchcraft meetings at night. Since she wanted to continue flying to her meetings, she stopped coming. Deliverance was available to her, but she preferred to be in bondage.
In another instance, another woman, who was a witch, came to our church, and we prayed for her to be delivered. When nothing happened, she told us, “Why are you praying for me to be delivered? This is the power I use to control my husband such that he drives me to my boyfriend’s house, waits for me in the car, and when I am done having fun with my boyfriend, he drives me back home. Do you want me to lose that power?” She held on to her bondage even though deliverance was available to her.
If God wants to set someone free from bondage, but the person does not want to accept His offer, then that fellow will remain in bondage, since that is what the fellow wants. Such a person is a willing captive, and even if the person is forcefully delivered but does not submit to God, he or she will be recaptured and repossessed again (Matthew 12:43-45).
Tomorrow, I will discuss how you can ensure that a willing slave of the devil is unable to harm you and how you can possibly compel them to seek deliverance.
KEY POINT
Those who are in bondage and refuse to accept Jesus’ offer of deliverance are at risk of eternal condemnation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Leviticus 1-4
HYMN 33: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 28 JANUARY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”
This scripture establishes the solemn dignity and responsibility of human free will. God presents the ultimate binary choice—life or death—and pleads for a wise decision. It underscores that bondage is often not just an infliction but a choice, with consequences that echo through generations.
BIBLE READING: Exodus 21:2-6
This passage outlines the law of the Hebrew servant. After six years of service, he is to be set free. However, if he declares, “I love my master… I will not go out free,” his ear is pierced with an awl at the doorpost, marking him as a willing, permanent slave. This is a powerful Old Testament picture of a person choosing bondage over freedom.
The Enigma of the Willing Captive
Daddy Adeboye, drawing from decades of pastoral and deliverance ministry, confronts one of the most perplexing spiritual realities: individuals who, fully aware of their demonic bondage, consciously choose to remain enslaved. Their choice is not born of ignorance, but of a twisted preference for the perceived benefits of darkness over the demands of liberty in Christ.
1. The Psychology of the Willing Slave
Bondage as Perceived Power:
The testimony of the witch is revealing. She equated her demonic influence with power—power to control her husband and fulfill illicit desires. In her distorted value system, the “benefits” of bondage (manipulation, carnal pleasure, a sense of control) outweighed the freedom of righteousness, which she perceived as weakness.
Bondage as Familiar Identity:
For some, their identity is entwined with their bondage. The witch who missed “flying” to meetings wasn’t just giving up an activity; she was giving up a community, an identity, and a supernatural thrill. Leaving bondage felt like losing herself. The familiar pain of chains can feel safer than the terrifying responsibility of freedom.
2. The Sovereignty of Free Will and Its Consequences
God Honors the Choice for Death:
Deuteronomy 30:19 is profound: God sets life and death before us, and He records our choice. If a person, in their God-given free will, consistently chooses the “death” of bondage despite God’s offer of life, God will ultimately honour that choice. He does not override the human will to force salvation or deliverance.
The Danger of Temporary or Forced Deliverance:
Matthew 12:43-45 warns of the futility of a deliverance that is not followed by a willing, wholehearted filling with Christ and submission to God. A “willing captive” who is momentarily freed but does not choose to be filled with the Holy Spirit and discipled becomes a vacant house, inviting a worse repossession. True freedom requires a change of allegiance.
3. The “Exodus 21” Principle: Love for the Master
Choosing a New Master:
The Hebrew servant who chose perpetual slavery did so out of love for his master. This mirrors the choice before the bound: do you love the devil (your current master) and the fleeting “benefits” he provides, or do you love God and the true life He offers? Bondage is ultimately a love choice.
The Mark of the Choice:
The servant’s pierced ear was a permanent, public mark of his voluntary servitude. Similarly, the willing captive bears spiritual and often physical marks of their allegiance to darkness—a hardened heart, a seared conscience, a life of escalating destruction.
How to Respond to the Willing Captive (As Prelude to Tomorrow)
Discernment Over Judgment:
Our role is not to condemn but to discern (1 Corinthians 2:15). Recognize that arguing or pleading may be futile if the person cherishes their chains. Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict them of their true state as slaves, not powers.
Pray for the Revelation of True Slavery:
Pray that God will shatter their illusions. Let them see the “master” behind the fleeting power—the brutality, the emptiness, and the eternal cost. Ask God to make the bondage bitter and to give them a thirst for true freedom.
Guard Your Sphere:
As hinted, the willing captive can be dangerous. They are active agents of their master. Spiritual vigilance, covering in the blood of Jesus, and firm boundaries are necessary to prevent them from harming you or your household.
Warning: Do Not Underestimate the Power of a Choice
To dismiss the reality of the “willing captive” is to misunderstand both human free will and the depth of demonic deception. It leads to frustration in ministry and potential danger. Some bonds are not just demonic; they are volitional.
Conclusion: Pray for the Breaking of Delusion
Pray this:
“Sovereign Lord, who sets life and death before us, I stand in awe of Your justice that honours human choice. I pray for every willing captive bound by deception. Shatter the illusion that bondage is power. Reveal the brutality of their true master and the glorious liberty of being Your child. Send conviction so deep that they will cry out for deliverance. Until then, Lord, surround me and my household with Your protection from every agent of darkness who chooses to remain in bondage, in Jesus’ name.”
Action Steps:
- Intercession with Insight: Pray specifically for anyone you know who fits this description. Pray not just “set them free,” but “Lord, make them want to be free. Reveal the true cost of their chains.”
- Study the Warning: Read and meditate on Matthew 12:43-45. Understand the critical need for filling a delivered life with Christ and discipleship.
- Spiritual Vigilance: Conduct a personal and household audit. Is there any point of contact, gift, or association from a “willing captive” in your home? Remove it and pray a cleansing prayer.
- Prepare for Tomorrow: Reflect: What spiritual authority does a believer have over the works of darkness, even when manifested through a willing person?
Remember: The most formidable stronghold is not a demon, but a human will that has said to darkness, “I will not go out free.”
“I have set before you life and death… therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19). The choice is always active.
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