The Open Heavens 7 January 2026 devotional for today is THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT II.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 7 JANUARY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT II
MEMORISE:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9
READ: Romans 13:10-14
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 7 JANUARY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Yesterday, I mentioned that you must open up your heart to the light of God instead of allowing bitterness to envelop you. When you become angry and bitter anytime someone offends you, you are opening yourself up for spiritual attacks.
If you see through every hurt or betrayal that you experience, you will understand that the real target is your heart. The devil wants you to allow bitterness in your heart so that when he is sending his arrows against you, they will have a place to land. Many times, when the devil’s agents try to attack a Christian and do not succeed, they do everything they can to get the believer to become angry. Once they can get the believer to become angry and bitter, their attacks will land on him or her. This is why you must always put on your armour of light and not allow anger and bitterness to creep into your heart – it is for your own protection.
Anytime the devil sees someone whom he cannot make angry or bitter, he has seen someone who has defeated him already. In 1 Samuel 18:14, the Bible says that David behaved himself wisely. This means that he avoided anything from contaminating his heart. Even when King Saul was trying to kill him, he did not get angry or try to retaliate. In 1 Samuel 24:2-7, he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he only cut a piece of his robe. Even when he did that, the Bible says that his heart smote him. This shows that he was a man whose armour of light was intact. As a result, he eventually became king, just as God intended. I believe that if he had killed Saul, he would not have become king, even though it was God’s original plan for him.
If you want God’s plans for you to come to pass, don’t allow bitterness into your heart; don’t give room to the devil to destroy your destiny. When some Christians do not retaliate when people hurt them but rather turn around to bless them, the world will call them fools, but they know what they are doing. Such Christians will be careful not to allow a moment of bitterness or anger to tamper with their glorious destinies in God.
Beloved, do not give room to the devil in your life; keep your armour of light intact so that you can fulfil your God given destiny.
KEY POINT:
Protect your heart from bitterness so you don’t miss out on the glorious future ahead of you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Genesis 24-25
HYMN 34: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 7 JANUARY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: 1 Peter 3:9
“Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
This command inverts the world’s logic of retaliation. It reveals that the refusal to repay evil with evil is not weakness, but a strategic spiritual posture that safeguards your inheritance. Your response to offense directly determines your access to divine blessing.
BIBLE READING: Romans 13:10-14
This passage continues the theme of spiritual readiness, equating walking in love with fulfilling the law. It reiterates the urgent call to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (the ultimate Armour of Light) and make no provision for the flesh, especially in matters of relational conflict and bitterness.
The Strategic Defence of an Unoffended Heart
Daddy Adeboye delves deeper into the practical warfare of the heart introduced yesterday. He reveals that the enemy’s ultimate goal in any hurt or betrayal is not the single event, but the secondary infection of bitterness. A bitter heart is a compromised fortress, its walls breached for future attacks.
1. The Devil’s Target and Tactic: Your Heart’s Soil
The Objective is Landing Space:
The analogy is profound: a bitter heart is a “landing strip” for demonic arrows. The initial hurt is the missile; the bitterness you harbour is the guidance system that allows further missiles to hit their mark. A joyful, forgiving heart, by divine design, is spiritually “stealthed”—invisible to enemy targeting systems.
Anger as a Spiritual Vulnerability:
The devotional makes a critical military insight: when direct attacks fail, the enemy’s fallback strategy is to provoke anger. Why? Because anger, even if “justified,” temporarily dismantles your spiritual armor (Ephesians 4:26-27). It creates a window of vulnerability where otherwise-ineffective attacks can now penetrate.
2. The Davidic Blueprint: Wisdom as Warfare
Behavioral Wisdom is Defensive Warfare:
David “behaved himself wisely” (1 Samuel 18:14). This wisdom was his active choice to manage his emotions and reactions in the face of extreme, unjust provocation. It wasn’t passive; it was a deliberate strategy to keep his heart clean and his destiny on track. His wisdom was his warfare.
The Conviction That Protects Destiny:
Even when David secretly cut Saul’s robe—a minor act of retaliation—”his heart smote him” (1 Samuel 24:5). This conviction from the Holy Spirit was evidence that his “armour of light” was active and intact. That sensitivity protected him from a greater error (killing Saul) that would have derailed God’s plan. Your conscience, aligned with the Word, is a key component of your armour.
3. The High Stakes: Your Destiny Hangs in the Balance
Retaliation Alters Divine Timelines:
Daddy Adeboye presents a staggering spiritual principle: David would have forfeited the kingship God had ordained for him if he had killed Saul. Your destiny is guaranteed by God’s promise, but your access to it and the timing of it can be hindered by your choices—especially the choice to retaliate and harbor bitterness.
The “Foolishness” That Secures Inheritance:
To bless those who curse you (Luke 6:28) is foolishness to the world but supreme wisdom in the spirit. It is the direct application of 1 Peter 3:9. This “foolish” act does two things: 1) It disarms the enemy by refusing to play his game, and 2) It activates the clause of your inheritance: “…that ye should inherit a blessing.”
How to Maintain an Impenetrable Heart
Pre-emptive Blessing:
Don’t wait for the offense to take root. When hurt, immediately begin to pray blessings upon the offender. This is not an emotion but a warfare decree. It fills the space in your heart where bitterness would try to grow.
Guard the Gates of Your Soul:
Your eyes (what you choose to focus on) and your ears (what narratives you replay) are the gates to your heart. Refuse to dwell on the details of the offense. Instead, dwell on God’s promises and faithfulness (Philippians 4:8).
Cultivate Heart Sensitivity:
Like David, foster a heart so tender towards the Holy Spirit that even a “small” act of retaliation causes discomfort. This sensitivity is your early-warning system against compromise.
Warning: A Moment of Bitterness Can Tamper with a Lifetime of Destiny
Do not treat your emotional responses as insignificant. A single decision to retaliate or nurture a grudge can introduce a spiritual virus that corrupts the software of your destiny. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life—and of destiny (Proverbs 4:23).
Conclusion: Pray for a Fortified and Unoffendable Spirit
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, my Armour of Light, I refuse to render evil for evil. I seal my heart against every arrow of bitterness. I choose to bless those who hurt me, thereby securing my divine inheritance. Let Your love so flood my heart that no root of bitterness can find soil. Grant me the Davidic wisdom to behave wisely under pressure, protecting the glorious destiny You have prepared for me. My heart is Your guarded fortress, in Jesus’ name!”
Action Steps:
- Conduct a Retaliation Audit: Is there any person you are secretly “paying back” through coldness, gossip, or withheld kindness? Repent and initiate a blessing today (a prayer for them, a kind word).
- Create a Blessing List: Write the names of your “Sauls”—those who have hurt or opposed you. Commit to praying a one-sentence blessing over each name daily for 21 days (e.g., “Lord, bless [Name] and lead them to Your purpose.”).
- Memorise Your Arsenal: Commit 1 Peter 3:9 and Proverbs 19:11 (“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger…”) to memory. Recite them the moment you feel provoked.
- Practice Immediate Obedience to Conviction: If your heart “smites you” over a thought or action, repent immediately. Do not let the sun go down on that wound (Ephesians 4:26).
Remember: An unoffendable heart is not a heart that never feels pain, but a heart that refuses to let pain become a stronghold. It is your most powerful defensive weapon. The enemy you cannot make angry is the enemy you have already defeated.
“Not rendering evil for evil… but contrariwise blessing; that ye should inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9). Guard your inheritance.
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