Category: Open Heavens Devotional

The Open Heavens 16 July 2026 devotional for today is
DELIVERANCE FROM THE BURDEN OF DEBTS.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 15 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 16 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: DELIVERANCE FROM THE BURDEN OF DEBTS

MEMORISE:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18

READ: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
² And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
³ Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
⁴ And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

⁵ So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
⁶ And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 16 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

Today, I will discuss the burden of debt as another category of burdens. Some years ago, we had a housemaid who would always sing, “The fire is burning the bush, and the bush is not consumed. How great is our God!” every time we asked her to bring up a song during our family prayers. One day, it occurred to me to ask her what the unconsumed bush she always sang about was.

When I did, I discovered that she became a housemaid because her parents were heavily in debt and could not pay their bills. Therefore, we decided to pay off all the debt. After paying the debt, the next time we asked her to suggest a song when we wanted to pray, she sang something different. This time, her song was, “He has done it for me. What my father cannot do, He has done it for me.” If you are under any burden of debt, I pray that this will also be your song soon, in Jesus’ name.

Today’s Bible reading tells us the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who was in debt. When the creditors threatened to sell her sons into slavery as a means to offset the debts, she cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing she could do on her own, and the tide turned. God gave her more than enough to pay her debts and live comfortably with her sons.

It is God’s desire for all His children to live debt-free because debts are heavy burdens, and debtors are always at the mercy of their creditors. This is why Proverbs 22:7 says that the borrower is a servant to the lender. The only thing God permits you to owe other people is love (Romans 13:8). If you are currently struggling under a heavy burden of debt, call unto Him today and ask Him to turn your financial situation around for good. No matter the size of the debt, the Burden Bearer will step in and help you to overcome it.
As 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, He is able to make all grace abound towards you and give you sufficiency in all things. He will not only ensure that you become debt-free, but He will give you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and make you a lender to nations (Deuteronomy 15:6).

I pray that God will bless you with His abundance and indeed make you a lender to nations, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please make me a lender to nations, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 4-8

Open Heavens HYMN 29: WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 16 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Luke 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

This verse is Jesus’ mission statement, read from the scroll of Isaiah in the Nazareth synagogue.

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 4:1-7

This passage, familiar from previous devotionals, is the story of the widow of a son of the prophets. Her husband died, leaving behind a massive debt. The creditor was coming to take her two sons as slaves. She had nothing in her house but a small pot of oil. Elisha instructed her to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors, shut the door, and pour the oil. The oil flowed until every vessel was full. She sold the oil, paid the debt, and lived on the remainder.

The Housemaid’s Song: From “The Fire Is Burning” to “He Has Done It for Me”

1. The Song of the Unconsumed Bush

“Some years ago, we had a housemaid who would always sing, ‘The fire is burning the bush, and the bush is not consumed. How great is our God!’ every time we asked her to bring up a song during our family prayers. One day, it occurred to me to ask her what the unconsumed bush she always sang about was.”

This is a fascinating testimony. The girl sang about the burning bush (Exodus 3)—where God appeared to Moses in a flame that did not consume the bush. It was a song of survival, of not being destroyed despite the fire.

The Song’s Lyrics	Possible Meaning
“The fire is burning the bush”	The pressure, the trial, the burden
“The bush is not consumed”	Surviving, but not yet delivered
“How great is our God”	Acknowledging God even in the struggle

“When I did, I discovered that she became a housemaid because her parents were heavily in debt and could not pay their bills.”

The “fire” was her family’s debt. The “bush” was their household, burning but not yet consumed. She was working as a housemaid because her parents could not afford to keep her at home. The debt had forced their daughter into service.

“Therefore, we decided to pay off all the debt.”

Daddy Adeboye did not just pray for her. He acted. The debt was paid. The fire was extinguished.

2. The New Song

“After paying the debt, the next time we asked her to suggest a song when we wanted to pray, she sang something different. This time, her song was, ‘He has done it for me. What my father cannot do, He has done it for me.’”

Before the Debt Was Paid	After the Debt Was Paid
“The fire is burning the bush”	“He has done it for me”
“The bush is not consumed” (still burning, still in danger)	“What my father cannot do, He has done it for me”
A song of survival	A song of deliverance
Hope that the fire would stop	Testimony that the fire has stopped

“If you are under any burden of debt, I pray that this will also be your song soon, in Jesus’ name.”

Not “the fire is still burning.” Not “we are not consumed.” But “He has done it for me.” Complete deliverance. Debt paid. Freedom declared.

The Widow’s Debt: A Testimony of Supernatural Provision

1. The Desperate Situation

“Today’s Bible reading tells us the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who was in debt. When the creditors threatened to sell her sons into slavery as a means to offset the debts, she cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing she could do on her own.”

Consider the widow’s predicament:

Her Problem	The Stakes
Massive debt she could not pay	Creditor was coming
No husband, no income	Her two sons would be taken as slaves
No resources, no collateral	She was helpless, hopeless

She had no job. No savings. No wealthy relative to call. No credit card to borrow from. She had nothing except a pot of oil and a desperate cry.

2. The Burden Bearer’s Response

“God gave her more than enough to pay her debts and live comfortably with her sons.”

What She Had	What God Provided
A pot of oil	Oil that flowed into many vessels
A desperate need	More than enough
Fear of losing her sons	Sons freed from slavery
Debt that seemed impossible to pay	Debt paid in full
Nothing left over after the debt	Enough to live on comfortably

“She cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing she could do on her own, and the tide turned.”

This is the key. She did not try to fix it herself. She did not borrow from another lender. She cried out to God. And God answered.

God’s Desire: Debt-Free Living

“It is God’s desire for all His children to live debt-free because debts are heavy burdens, and debtors are always at the mercy of their creditors.”

The Burden of Debt	The Reality
Debt is a heavy burden	It weighs on the mind, body, and spirit
Debtors are at the mercy of creditors	Creditors dictate terms, impose interest, demand payment
Debt steals peace	You cannot sleep while owing what you cannot pay
Debt limits your future	You cannot serve God fully when you are serving lenders

Proverbs 22:7 – “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

A Debtor Is a Servant	What That Means
You are not free	Your decisions are constrained by your obligation
Your income is not your own	You are working to pay someone else
You cannot give freely	Debt limits your ability to bless others
You live under pressure	The threat of collection, repossession, legal action

“The only thing God permits you to owe other people is love (Romans 13:8).”

Romans 13:8 – “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Owe Love	Owe Money
Always permitted	Permitted only in certain contexts, but not as a lifestyle
Never ending (love is always due)	Should be temporary and quickly resolved
Brings freedom and fulfillment	Brings bondage and stress

God does not prohibit all borrowing (Scripture permits lending and borrowing). But He makes clear that debt is a form of servitude, and His desire is for His children to be free.

The Promise: God Can Turn Your Situation Around

“If you are currently struggling under a heavy burden of debt, call unto Him today and ask Him to turn your financial situation around for good. No matter the size of the debt, the Burden Bearer will step in and help you to overcome it.”

What Debt Says	What God Says
“This is impossible”	“All things are possible to him that believeth”
“You will be in debt forever”	“I will restore the years the locust has eaten”
“Your situation is hopeless”	“I am the God of the impossible”
“You are at the mercy of your creditors”	“I am your Provider; trust Me”

“As 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, He is able to make all grace abound towards you and give you sufficiency in all things.”

2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

What God Provides	The Result
All grace	Not partial, not occasional—all grace
Sufficiency in all things	Enough—not barely enough, but sufficient
Abound to every good work	Not just survival, but abundance for giving

“He will not only ensure that you become debt-free, but He will give you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and make you a lender to nations (Deuteronomy 15:6).”

Deuteronomy 8:18 – “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

Deuteronomy 15:6 – “For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.”

From Borrowing to Lending	What God Promises
You will not borrow	Freedom from servitude
You will lend to many	Abundance that overflows
You will reign	Dominion, not debt

How to Be Set Free from the Burden of Debt (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the examples from Scripture, here is how to cry out to the Burden Bearer and receive financial freedom:

1. Acknowledge That You Cannot Do It Alone

The widow did not try to pay the debt through her own efforts. She had nothing. She cried out. Likewise, you must come to the end of yourself. Stop trying to solve the problem with more debt, more schemes, more desperate measures. Cry out to God.

2. Cry Out to the Burden Bearer

Pray specifically: “Lord, I am under a burden of debt. I cannot pay it. I ask You to intervene. Turn my situation around.” Do not pray once and give up. Cry out like the widow—persistently, desperately, expectantly.

3. Use What You Have (The Pot of Oil Principle)

The widow had a pot of oil. It seemed small, useless, insignificant. But it was the seed of her miracle. Ask God: What do I have that I have overlooked? What skill, resource, relationship, or opportunity have I dismissed as too small? Use it. Obey. Watch God multiply.

4. Obey Practical Wisdom While Trusting God

The widow had to borrow vessels, shut the door, and pour the oil. She had to act. God’s deliverance from debt often involves both supernatural provision and practical obedience:

• Create a budget
• Cut unnecessary expenses
• Increase income (work harder, take extra jobs, develop skills)
• Stop borrowing
• Tithe and give (giving breaks financial curses)

5. Declare That Your Song Will Change

Do not keep singing “the fire is still burning.” Start declaring: “He has done it for me. What I cannot do, God will do for me. My debt is being paid. My freedom is coming.” Your words shape your faith. Your faith shapes your future.

Warning: Do Not Let Debt Keep You from Serving God

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent encouragement: debt is a burden, but it is not the end. The widow’s sons were about to be taken as slaves, but God intervened. The housemaid was working because of her family’s debt, but God sent someone to pay it.

If You Are in Debt	Do Not
Do not despair	Despair shuts down faith
Do not compromise	Sin will only worsen the burden
Do not abandon God	God is your only hope
Do not give up on giving	Giving breaks the cycle of lack

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Debt Freedom

Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that God will bless you with His abundance and make you a lender to nations. Do not settle for a life of debt. Cry out to the Burden Bearer today.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You as the Burden Bearer. You anointed to preach deliverance to captives and set at liberty them that are bruised. I am bruised by debt. I am captive to creditors. I have been singing ‘the fire is still burning’ for too long. Today, I cry out to You. Like the widow in 2 Kings 4, I have nothing in my house—but I bring my small pot of oil to You. Like the housemaid whose family was in debt, I ask for someone to help pay what I cannot pay. But above all, I ask for Your supernatural intervention. Turn my situation around. Pay my debts. Set me free. Give me the power to get wealth. Make me a lender, not a borrower. And let my song change from ‘the bush is not consumed’ to ‘He has done it for me.’ I receive my freedom today. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Debt Inventory: Write down every debt you owe—to whom, how much, and the interest rate. Face the full reality. Then bring that list before the Lord in prayer.
2. The Cry of the Widow: Set aside 30 minutes this week to cry out to God specifically about your debt. Do not hold back. Pour out your desperation. Ask Him to intervene.
3. The Pot of Oil Search: Identify one resource you already have that you have overlooked—a skill you could monetize, an item you could sell, a connection you have not utilized. Take one step to use it this week.

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The Open Heavens 15 July 2026 devotional for today is DELIVERANCE FROM MATERIAL BURDENS.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 14 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 15 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: DELIVERANCE FROM MATERIAL BURDENS

MEMORISE:
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Joel 2:25

READ: Haggai 1:2-8

² Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.
³ Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
⁴ Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
⁵ Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

⁶ Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
⁷ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
⁸ Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 15 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

Today, I will discuss material burdens as another category of burdens. The devil seeks to put material burdens on people because he knows that when someone is living in poverty, it will be easier for him or her to fall into temptations that involve material things.
The widow of Zarephath and her son watched their food supplies deplete daily until they had only one meal left. To make matters worse, a severe famine had struck the land; everything was dry, and they had no hope of finding another meal. Therefore, they resolved to eat the only meal that was lett and prepare for death. However, the Burden Bearer stepped into their situation and turned things around such that what wasn’t enough became sufficient to sustain them throughout the famine (1 Kings 17:7-16).

I pray that the Almighty God will deliver you from any material burden that may be in your life, in Jesus’ name.

There was once a very wealthy man who had a quarrel with his wife. As the quarrel got heated, she told him that by the time she was finished with him, he would travel everywhere within Lagos on foot.

The man laughed because at the time, he had 14 cars. Unfortunately, however, things began to go downhill for him, and at one point, he had only one car left and 50 kobo in his pocket. Then he began to think to himself, “If I use the 50 kobo with me to fuel my car, I will have nothing to eat. However, if I buy food, I will have to walk everywhere I need to go, just as my wife had said.” That was when he came to Jesus Christ, and Jesus took over his situation. When he shared the testimony of his turnaround, he was dedicating two new houses at once.

In today’s Bible reading, Haggai rebuked the Israelites for abandoning God’s house and living just for themselves. He told them that they were experiencing a lack of material resources as a result. The people sowed much but reaped little, and the little they earned wasted away.

Beloved, if you want to experience material prosperity, seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness wholeheartedly. Mind His business, and He will ensure that you live in material abundance all the days of your life. If you have lost any material thing, turn to God today, and He will restore it to you, just as He promised in today’s memory verse.

PRAYER POINT

Lord Jesus, I bring all my material burdens to You today. Please help me carry them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 1-3

Open Heavens HYMN 52: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 15 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Joel 2:25

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”

This verse is God’s promise of supernatural restoration. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it declares that no loss is final when God steps in.

BIBLE READING: Haggai 1:2-8

This passage is God’s rebuke to the Israelites who had returned from exile. They said, “The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.” They lived in paneled houses while God’s house lay in ruins. God responded: “Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.” Their material lack was directly connected to their neglect of God’s house. God commanded them to go up to the mountain, bring wood, build His house, and then He would take pleasure in it and be glorified. Daddy Adeboye uses this to show that material burdens often have spiritual roots—and the solution is to prioritize God’s Kingdom.

The Devil’s Strategy: Material Burdens Lead to Temptation

“Today, I will discuss material burdens as another category of burdens. The devil seeks to put material burdens on people because he knows that when someone is living in poverty, it will be easier for him or her to fall into temptations that involve material things.”

How Poverty Creates Temptation	Examples
Desperation leads to compromise	Stealing, fraud, corruption, bribery
Hunger overrides principles	Selling one’s integrity for a meal
Lack breeds anxiety	Hoarding, greed, exploitation of others
Shame and hopelessness	Depression, bitterness against God

Proverbs 30:8-9 – “Give me neither poverty nor riches; lest I be full, and deny thee… lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

The devil knows that poverty is not neutral. It creates a pressure cooker where even believers can be tempted to abandon their faith or compromise their integrity. That is why God wants His children to be free from material burdens—not for luxury, but for spiritual stability.

The Widow of Zarephath: From Last Meal to Endless Supply

1. The Desperate Situation (1 Kings 17:7-16)

“The widow of Zarephath and her son watched their food supplies deplete daily until they had only one meal left. To make matters worse, a severe famine had struck the land; everything was dry, and they had no hope of finding another meal. Therefore, they resolved to eat the only meal that was left and prepare for death.”

Consider her hopeless position:

Her Resources	Her Outlook
A handful of meal in a barrel	Enough for one small cake
A little oil in a cruse	No hope of more
A son to feed	Preparing to die after eating

She was not just in debt; she was facing starvation. The famine meant there was no way to get more food. Her material burden was not a temporary cash flow problem—it was a death sentence.

2. The Burden Bearer Steps In

“However, the Burden Bearer stepped into their situation and turned things around such that what wasn’t enough became sufficient to sustain them throughout the famine.”

Elijah’s Request	The Woman’s Response	The Result
“Make me a cake first”	She obeyed, putting God’s servant before herself	The barrel did not waste
“Fear not”	She acted in faith	The cruse did not fail
Trust God’s promise	She gave her last	She and her son ate for many days

“I pray that the Almighty God will deliver you from any material burden that may be in your life, in Jesus’ name.”

The miracle was not a one-time multiplication; it was a daily supply. The barrel did not run out. The cruse did not run dry. For the entire duration of the famine, God provided. What seemed like the end became a testimony of supernatural provision.

The Man with 14 Cars: A Testimony of Complete Loss and Restoration

1. The Quarrel and the Prophecy

“There was once a very wealthy man who had a quarrel with his wife. As the quarrel got heated, she told him that by the time she was finished with him, he would travel everywhere within Lagos on foot. The man laughed because at the time, he had 14 cars.”

His Wealth at the Peak	His Wife’s Warning
14 cars	“You will walk everywhere on foot”
Material abundance	Prophetic words he dismissed as anger

He laughed. Fourteen cars seemed like an unshakable fortress of prosperity. How could anyone with 14 cars ever be reduced to walking?

2. The Downward Spiral

“Unfortunately, however, things began to go downhill for him, and at one point, he had only one car left and 50 kobo in his pocket. Then he began to think to himself, ‘If I use the 50 kobo with me to fuel my car, I will have nothing to eat. However, if I buy food, I will have to walk everywhere I need to go, just as my wife had said.’”

What He Lost	What Remained
13 cars (gone)	1 car and 50 kobo
His wealth, his pride, his security	A impossible choice: fuel or food

He had reached the end of himself. His wife’s words were coming true. He was about to walk everywhere on foot.

3. The Turning Point

“That was when he came to Jesus Christ, and Jesus took over his situation. When he shared the testimony of his turnaround, he was dedicating two new houses at once.”

Before Jesus	After Jesus
14 cars reduced to 1	Two new houses dedicated at once
50 kobo in his pocket	Complete turnaround
Walking everywhere on foot (prophecy almost fulfilled)	Restoration beyond what he lost

“He came to Jesus Christ, and Jesus took over his situation.”

That is the key. Not a financial plan. Not a loan. Not a bailout. Jesus. The Burden Bearer stepped in, and the man who had lost everything was soon dedicating two new houses. The years the locust had eaten were restored.

The Root of Material Burdens: Neglecting God’s House (Haggai 1)

“In today’s Bible reading, Haggai rebuked the Israelites for abandoning God’s house and living just for themselves. He told them that they were experiencing a lack of material resources as a result. The people sowed much but reaped little, and the little they earned wasted away.”

The People’s Excuse	God’s Response
“The time is not come to build God’s house”	“Is it time for you to live in paneled houses while My house lies waste?”
They prioritized their own homes	Their own prosperity was cursed because of their neglect
They thought they had time	God said, “Consider your ways”

Haggai 1:6 – “Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”

What They Experienced	The Root Cause
Sowed much, harvested little	God withheld His blessing
Ate but were not satisfied	No divine satisfaction on their labor
Earned wages but lost them	Their money had “holes”
Lacked warmth despite clothing	Their prosperity was cursed

Their material burden was not a random misfortune. It was directly connected to their neglect of God’s house. They built comfortable homes for themselves but left God’s house in ruins. And God responded by putting holes in their pockets.

“Beloved, if you want to experience material prosperity, seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness wholeheartedly. Mind His business, and He will ensure that you live in material abundance all the days of your life.”

Seeking God’s Kingdom First	The Result
Prioritizing His house, His work, His purposes	All these things are added to you (Matthew 6:33)
Minding His business (evangelism, discipleship, giving)	He minds your business (provision, protection, prosperity)
Building His house	He builds your house

How to Be Free from Material Burdens (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the examples from Scripture, here is how to experience God’s provision and restoration:

1. Put God’s Kingdom First (Matthew 6:33)

Stop prioritizing your comfort, your house, your investments over God’s work. When God’s house is neglected, your own house will suffer. Seek first His Kingdom—through giving, serving, and obedience—and He will add everything you need.

2. Give Even When You Have Little

The widow of Zarephath gave her last meal to the prophet. That act of faith unlocked supernatural provision. Do not wait until you have “enough” to give. Give from your scarcity, and God will turn it into abundance.

3. Come to Jesus When You Reach the End of Yourself

The man with 14 cars tried everything else before he came to Jesus. Do not wait until you have only 50 kobo left. Come now. Bring your material burden to the Burden Bearer today.

4. Check Your Spiritual Priorities

Ask yourself honestly:

• Am I tithing faithfully (Malachi 3:10)?
• Am I giving offerings above the tithe?
• Am I supporting the work of God’s house?
• Am I neglecting any area where God has asked me to give or serve?

If you have been sowing much and reaping little, consider your ways. The hole in your pocket may be a spiritual issue.

5. Believe God for Restoration (Joel 2:25)

Do not accept loss as final. God promises to restore the years the locusts have eaten. Not just the money—the years. The time you spent struggling. The opportunities you lost. The harvest that was devoured. God can bring it all back.

Warning: The Hole in Your Pocket May Be Spiritual

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: sometimes the problem is not the economy, your job, or your skills. The problem is that you have neglected God’s house.

If You Experience…	Consider…
Sowing much, reaping little	Have you prioritized God’s house?
Money disappearing as if in a bag with holes	Are you robbing God in tithes and offerings?
Lack despite hard work	Have you put God’s Kingdom first?
No satisfaction in what you earn	Is your heart far from God?

Malachi 3:10 – “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

The cure for the bag with holes is not a better budget. It is obedience in giving. Test God. Prove Him. See if He will not open the windows of heaven.

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Material Restoration

Daddy Adeboye closes with a promise: if you have lost any material thing, turn to God today, and He will restore it.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You as the Burden Bearer. You lifted the material burden from the widow of Zarephath. You turned around the situation of the man who went from 14 cars to 50 kobo. You restored the years the locusts ate. Today, I bring my material burden to You. Forgive me for any area where I have neglected Your house—where I have built my comfort while Your work suffered. I repent. I will seek Your Kingdom first. I will mind Your business. I will give even when it costs me. And I ask You: restore what I have lost. Restore the years. Restore the harvest. Restore the resources that the devourer has eaten. I believe that the same God who filled the widow’s barrel and cruse can fill my storehouses. I receive Your promise. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The “Holes in Your Pocket” Audit: Look at your finances over the past year. Have you been sowing much but reaping little? Does money seem to disappear? Ask God: Is there a spiritual root to this material lack?
2. The First Fruits Commitment: If you have not been tithing, start today. If you have been tithing, consider giving an offering above the tithe. Put God’s Kingdom first in your finances.
3. The Restoration Declaration: Write down one material loss you have experienced (money, property, opportunity, years of struggle). Pray Joel 2:25 over it: “Lord, restore the years the locust has eaten.” Thank Him for restoration before you see it.

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Download Open Heavens 15 July 2026 Devotional PDF

The Open Heavens 14 July 2026 devotional for today is DELIVERANCE FROM PHYSICAL BURDENS.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 13 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 14 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: DELIVERANCE FROM PHYSICAL BURDENS

MEMORISE
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 9:35

READ: Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
³ To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
⁴ And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 14 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

In John 19:16-17, some Roman soldiers were leading Jesus to Golgotha to be crucified, and they made Him carry a heavy cross. He had been thoroughly beaten earlier and must have been very weak, yet they made Him carry this heavy burden by Himself.

On the way, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and I believe that God prompted them to compel him to assist Jesus in carrying the cross to the place He was to be crucified (Matthew 27:32).

Simon is an example of a burden bearer; he helped Jesus to lift His heavy burden.

Beloved, Jesus Christ wants to help you carry every burden that might be weighing you down. This is why He said that you should come to Him with whatever burdens you may be carrying so that He can relieve you of them and give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

It is important to note that there are different categories of burdens. Today, I will discuss physical burdens. For example, Naaman had a physical burden, which was in the form of an incurable disease (2 Kings 5:1). Likewise, Luke 13:10-17 tells us about a woman with a spirit of infirmity who was bent double. Everywhere she went, people could see the visible manifestation of the burden she was carrying; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stand up straight. Also, in John 5:2-2, the Bible tells the story of a man who had been by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. He had a longstanding physical burden, and I imagine that his family and friends had abandoned him because of his infirmity. By God’s mercies, however, Jesus, the Burden Bearer, approached him and lifted his longstanding burden instantly.

Mark 3:1-6 also tells the story of a man who had a physical deformity. One of his hands was withered, meaning that it was dead and was no longer useful. He was limited because he could only use one of his hands. However, when the Burden Bearer met him at the synagogue, He had mercy on him and made the withered hand whole like the other. I pray for you that in every area you may be experiencing limitations due to a physical ailment, the Almighty God will step into your case and restore you completely.

Beloved, are you feeling overwhelmed by any physical burden? Do not despair; rather, approach God’s throne of grace and cast it upon Him. He will carry your burdens for you and remove every limitation in your life.

PRAYER POINT

Lord Jesus, I bring all my physical burdens to You today. Please help me carry them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Song of Solomon 5-8

Open Heavens HYMN 19: ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 14 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Matthew 9:35

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”

This verse summarizes the earthly ministry of Jesus.

BIBLE READING: Isaiah 61:1-4

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

This is the prophecy that Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19), declaring it fulfilled in their hearing. It announces the mission of the Messiah: to preach good news, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, open prisons, comfort mourners, give beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for heaviness.

Simon of Cyrene: An Example of a Burden Bearer

1. The Man Compelled to Carry Jesus’ Cross

“In John 19:16-17, some Roman soldiers were leading Jesus to Golgotha to be crucified, and they made Him carry a heavy cross. He had been thoroughly beaten earlier and must have been very weak, yet they made Him carry this heavy burden by Himself.”

Consider Jesus’ condition before carrying the cross:

What Jesus Had Endured	His Physical State
Scourging (Roman flogging)	Severe blood loss, exposed flesh, extreme pain
Mocking and beating by soldiers	Bruising, swelling, exhaustion
Crown of thorns pressed into His scalp	Bleeding, intense pain
Sleep deprivation, trials all night	Utter fatigue, weakness

He was in no condition to carry a heavy wooden cross. His body was failing. Yet He began the journey.

“On the way, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and I believe that God prompted them to compel him to assist Jesus in carrying the cross to the place He was to be crucified (Matthew 27:32).”

Simon of Cyrene	What He Did
A passerby, coming in from the country	Was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross
Not a disciple (as far as we know)	Became a burden bearer

“Simon is an example of a burden bearer; he helped Jesus to lift His heavy burden.”

Simon did not volunteer. He was compelled. But he became an example of what it means to help carry a heavy load.

2. Jesus as the Ultimate Burden Bearer

“Beloved, Jesus Christ wants to help you carry every burden that might be weighing you down. This is why He said that you should come to Him with whatever burdens you may be carrying so that He can relieve you of them and give you rest (Matthew 11:28).”

Matthew 11:28 – “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Simon Carried Jesus’ Cross	Jesus Carries Your Burdens
One man helped the Savior for a short distance	The Savior helps you for all eternity
Simon bore a physical weight	Jesus bears every weight—physical, emotional, spiritual
Simon was compelled	Jesus invites: “Come unto me”

The irony is profound: Simon helped Jesus carry His cross, but Jesus helps every burdened soul carry theirs. The cross that Simon lifted was the instrument of salvation. The burdens you bring to Jesus become opportunities for His healing power.

Physical Burdens: The Weight of Sickness and Infirmity

Daddy Adeboye introduces a series on different categories of burdens, beginning today with physical burdens.

“It is important to note that there are different categories of burdens. Today, I will discuss physical burdens.”

Category	Description
Physical burdens	Sickness, disease, deformity, chronic pain, disability
Emotional burdens	Grief, depression, anxiety, broken heart
Spiritual burdens	Sin, guilt, condemnation, demonic oppression
Financial burdens	Debt, poverty, lack of provision
Relational burdens	Conflict, betrayal, loneliness, family strife

Today’s focus is on physical burdens. Let us examine the biblical examples Daddy Adeboye provides.

Biblical Examples of Physical Burdens Lifted by Jesus

1. Naaman: Incurable Disease (2 Kings 5:1)

“For example, Naaman had a physical burden, which was in the form of an incurable disease.”

Naaman’s Burden	The Solution
Leprosy (incurable by human medicine)	Seven dips in the Jordan River
Commander of armies, yet powerless over his skin	Humility to obey the prophet’s instruction
His position could not heal him	His obedience brought healing

2 Kings 5:1 – “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man… but he was a leper.”

No amount of wealth, power, or status could remove the burden of leprosy. Only God could. And God did—through simple obedience.

2. The Woman Bent Double (Luke 13:10-17)

“Likewise, Luke 13:10-17 tells us about a woman with a spirit of infirmity who was bent double. Everywhere she went, people could see the visible manifestation of the burden she was carrying; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stand up straight.”

Her Burden	The Healing
Bent double for 18 years	Jesus called her, laid hands on her
Spirit of infirmity (demonic oppression manifesting physically)	Immediately she was made straight
Could only see the ground, not the sky	She glorified God

For eighteen years, she carried this visible, humiliating burden. Everywhere she went, people saw her affliction. But in one moment, Jesus—the Burden Bearer—set her free.

3. The Man at Bethesda (John 5:2-9)

“Also, in John 5:2-9, the Bible tells the story of a man who had been by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. He had a longstanding physical burden, and I imagine that his family and friends had abandoned him because of his infirmity. By God’s mercies, however, Jesus, the Burden Bearer, approached him and lifted his longstanding burden instantly.”

His Burden	The Healing
Invalid for 38 years	Jesus asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
Waiting by the pool, no one to help him into the water	“Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”
Hopeless, abandoned	Immediately made whole

Thirty-eight years is longer than many people live. This man had been sick for nearly four decades. Everyone else had given up on him. But Jesus had not forgotten him. And Jesus healed him instantly.

4. The Man with the Withered Hand (Mark 3:1-6)

*”Mark 3:1-6 also tells the story of a man who had a physical deformity. One of his hands was withered, meaning that it was dead and was no longer useful. He was limited because he could only use one of his hands. However, when the Burden Bearer met him at the synagogue, He had mercy on him and made the withered hand whole like the other.”*

His Burden	The Healing
Withered hand—dead, useless	Jesus said, “Stretch forth your hand”
Limited in what he could do	He stretched it, and it was restored
Had learned to live with his disability	Jesus removed the limitation completely

“I pray for you that in every area you may be experiencing limitations due to a physical ailment, the Almighty God will step into your case and restore you completely.”

The Pattern of Jesus’ Healing Ministry

From these examples, we see a pattern:

Example	Duration of Burden	Jesus’ Action	Result
Naaman	Unknown, but chronic	Instructed him to obey	Leprosy removed
Bent woman	18 years	Called her, laid hands	Made straight
Bethesda man	38 years	Commanded him to rise	Walked immediately
Withered hand	Unknown (likely lifelong)	Commanded him to stretch	Hand restored

Notice: Jesus did not need long prayers, special rituals, or the person’s faith to be perfect. He simply spoke. He touched. He commanded. And the burden was lifted.

How to Bring Your Physical Burden to Jesus (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to approach the Burden Bearer:

1. Recognize That Jesus Is Willing to Heal

The leper came to Jesus saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (Matthew 8:2). Jesus answered, “I will; be thou clean.” Do not doubt His willingness. He healed every sickness and every disease. He has not changed.

2. Come to Him Honestly

Do not hide your burden. Do not pretend you are fine. Come as you are—sick, weak, exhausted, limited. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden.” Not “come when you have cleaned yourself up.” Come now.

3. Cast Your Burden Upon Him (1 Peter 5:7)

1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

What Casting Means	What It Does Not Mean
Transfer the weight to Him	Continue to carry it yourself
Trust Him with the outcome	Give Him the burden but keep worrying
Release control	Hold on “just in case”

4. Obey Whatever He Tells You

Naaman had to dip seven times. The man with the withered hand had to stretch it out. The man at Bethesda had to rise and walk. Healing often requires an act of obedience. Listen. Obey. Even if it seems foolish.

5. Do Not Despair if the Answer Is Not Immediate

The bent woman was sick for 18 years. The Bethesda man for 38 years. They did not give up hope. Neither should you. Keep coming. Keep believing. Keep seeking the Burden Bearer.

Warning: Do Not Let Despair Keep You from the Healer

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent encouragement: do not despair. Do not let the length of your suffering convince you that God cannot or will not heal.

The Enemy’s Lie	The Truth
“It’s been too long”	38 years was not too long for Jesus
“You’ve tried everything”	You have not tried the Burden Bearer
“God doesn’t care about your body”	Jesus spent much of His ministry healing bodies
“Maybe it’s not God’s will”	Jesus healed “every” sickness—that is His will

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Physical Healing

Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer for restoration. Whether your burden is physical, emotional, or otherwise, bring it to the Burden Bearer today.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I thank You that You went about all the cities and villages healing every sickness and every disease. I thank You that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. I come to You today with my physical burden. You know the pain, the limitation, the exhaustion, the despair. You see the length of time I have carried this weight. Like the woman bent double for 18 years, like the man at Bethesda for 38 years, I come to You. Speak Your word. Stretch out Your hand. Command my healing. I cast this burden upon You. I will not carry it alone any longer. I believe that You are willing. I believe that You are able. Restore me completely. Remove every limitation. Let me walk, stretch, stand, and glorify Your name. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. Identify Your Burden: Write down the specific physical burden you are carrying—whether it is a diagnosed disease, chronic pain, a disability, or a limitation. Be specific. Name it.
2. Bring It to Jesus: In prayer, lay that piece of paper before the Lord. Tell Him: “I cannot carry this anymore. I give it to You.” Then thank Him for hearing you.
3. Take One Step of Obedience: Is there anything the Lord has been telling you to do—a doctor to see, a lifestyle change to make, a prayer to pray, a person to call? Do it today. Obedience often precedes the miracle.

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The Open Heavens 13 July 2026 devotional for today is SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR SPOUSE.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 12 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 13 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR SPOUSE

MEMORISE

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9:9

READ: Proverbs 5:15-19

¹⁵ Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
¹⁶ Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
¹⁷ Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
¹⁸ Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
¹⁹ Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 13 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

I am always concerned when I see married couples who don’t spend quality time together. Many of such couples spend the whole day away from each other at work and only come home to sleep at night, then they are off again in the morning. Even on weekends, they either go to work again or attend other engagements without their spouses.

This ought not to be so because when you truly love someone, you will always find a way to spend quality time with him or her, and the more time you spend together, the more your love will blossom.

Years ago, a woman who was sick confessed to me that she actually didn’t want to be healed because when she was hale and hearty, her husband wasn’t spending quality time with her. However, now that she was sick, he always returned home immediately after work. Husbands and wives should not abandon their spouses because of work or any other commitment. They must spend quality time with them to build strong bonds.

Married couples must also pray together. It is unfortunate that some married couples hardly ever pray together. They may attend prayer meetings, where they spend hours praying with others, but when they return home, they are often too tired to pray together. One way that married couples can maintain strong, loving relationships with one another is by praying together regularly. Prayer strengthens marriage bonds and solidifies the love between a man and his wife.

My wife and I have been married for 59 years, and we regularly create time to laugh and have fun together. We are lovers, not just a man and a woman who are living together under one roof.

Husbands and wives should play with one another. They shouldn’t be so serious that they cannot spend time laughing with their spouses or making them laugh. When laughter is always heard in a home, there will be fewer reasons for friction.

Husbands and wives must be intentional about creating time for fun activities with one another that will lighten the atmosphere in their homes and fill it with joy.

Lastly, married people should take time to shower their spouses with compliments. They must not take them for granted; instead, they should seek ways to express how special they are and thank them for everything they do. I pray that God will strengthen the relationships between all men and women who are joined in holy matrimony, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Today is my lover’s birthday. Please join me in asking God to continually strengthen her and multiply His grace and peace in her life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Song of Solomon 1-4

Open Heavens HYMN 33: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 13 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Ecclesiastes 9:9

“Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.”

This verse is God’s command for marital joy. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it reveals that marriage is not merely a contract or a duty—it is a gift to be enjoyed. The phrase “live joyfully” implies active, intentional pursuit of happiness together. The words “all the days” mean this is not a temporary season but a lifelong commitment to joy. Solomon, writing from the perspective of “vanity” (the fleeting nature of life), says that joyful companionship with your spouse is your “portion”—your allotted gift from God. To neglect this is to miss one of the few pleasures God gives under the sun.

BIBLE READING: Proverbs 5:15-19

This passage is a celebration of marital love and fidelity. It uses vivid imagery: drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. She is described as a loving hind and a pleasant roe—graceful, desirable, delightful. The command is to let her breasts satisfy you at all times, and to be ravished always with her love.

The Concern: Married Couples Who Don’t Spend Time Together

1. The Modern Epidemic of Separation

“I am always concerned when I see married couples who don’t spend quality time together. Many of such couples spend the whole day away from each other at work and only come home to sleep at night, then they are off again in the morning. Even on weekends, they either go to work again or attend other engagements without their spouses.”

Consider the typical pattern:

Day	Morning	Evening	Problem
Monday–Friday	Leave early for work	Return exhausted, eat, sleep	No meaningful interaction
Saturday	Work, errands, engagements	Collapse from fatigue	No quality time
Sunday	Church, then rest for Monday	Prepare for the week	Missed opportunity for connection

“This ought not to be so because when you truly love someone, you will always find a way to spend quality time with him or her, and the more time you spend together, the more your love will blossom.”

If You Love Someone	The Evidence
You find time	You make sacrifices to be together
You prioritize them	They are not an afterthought
You enjoy their company	Time with them is not a duty but a delight
Your love grows	Proximity and attention deepen affection

If you never spend time with your spouse, you are not loving them well. Love requires presence. Love requires attention. Love requires the investment of time.

2. The Shocking Confession of a Sick Woman

“Years ago, a woman who was sick confessed to me that she actually didn’t want to be healed because when she was hale and hearty, her husband wasn’t spending quality time with her. However, now that she was sick, he always returned home immediately after work.”

This is a devastating testimony:

When She Was Healthy	When She Was Sick
Husband came home late or not at all	Husband returned immediately after work
He prioritized work and other engagements	He prioritized being with her
She felt abandoned	She felt attended to
She had no desire to return to that loneliness	She preferred sickness with attention over health with neglect

“Husbands and wives should not abandon their spouses because of work or any other commitment. They must spend quality time with them to build strong bonds.”

What Happens When You Abandon Your Spouse for Work	What Happens When You Prioritize Time Together
Your spouse feels neglected, unloved, unwanted	Your spouse feels cherished, valued, secure
Your marriage becomes a roommate arrangement	Your marriage becomes a partnership of love
The enemy gains a foothold for temptation	The marriage is fortified against attack
Your children learn a poor model of marriage	Your children see love modeled and imitate it

Do not wait for a crisis to be present with your spouse. Do not force them to choose between illness with your attention and health without it. Be present now.

The Power of Praying Together

“Married couples must also pray together. It is unfortunate that some married couples hardly ever pray together. They may attend prayer meetings, where they spend hours praying with others, but when they return home, they are often too tired to pray together.”

The Irony	The Tragedy
They pray for hours at church	They cannot pray five minutes together at home
They intercede for others	They neglect intercession for their own marriage
They are zealous in public	They are cold in private

“One way that married couples can maintain strong, loving relationships with one another is by praying together regularly. Prayer strengthens marriage bonds and solidifies the love between a man and his wife.”

What Prayer Together Does	Why It Matters
Invites God into the center of the marriage	God becomes the third strand (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
Creates vulnerability and intimacy	You cannot pray together and remain strangers
Aligns your hearts toward the same purpose	You become “one” in spirit as well as flesh
Defuses conflict	Hard to stay angry at someone you have just prayed with
Builds a spiritual hedge of protection	The enemy cannot easily penetrate a praying couple

Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” You, your spouse, and God—woven together through prayer—form a cord that cannot be easily snapped.

Daddy Adeboye’s Testimony: 59 Years of Love

“My wife and I have been married for 59 years, and we regularly create time to laugh and have fun together. We are lovers, not just a man and a woman who are living together under one roof.”

What Their Marriage Is	What It Is Not
Lovers	Roommates
Partners in joy	Business partners managing a household
Intentional about fun	Serious, rigid, joyless
Laughter-filled	Tension-filled

After 59 years, Daddy Adeboye still calls his wife his lover. He still creates time for fun. He still laughs with her. This is not an accident—it is intentional.

The Role of Laughter and Play

“Husbands and wives should play with one another. They shouldn’t be so serious that they cannot spend time laughing with their spouses or making them laugh. When laughter is always heard in a home, there will be fewer reasons for friction.”

A Home with Laughter	A Home Without Laughter
Tensions are released quickly	Small irritations become big fights
Joy is present	Resentment grows
Children feel secure	Children sense the coldness
The marriage feels light	The marriage feels heavy

“Husbands and wives must be intentional about creating time for fun activities with one another that will lighten the atmosphere in their homes and fill it with joy.”

Ideas for Fun Together	Why It Works
A weekly date night	Protected time for connection
Watching a comedy together	Shared laughter breaks down walls
Taking a walk or hike	Conversation flows naturally
Cooking a meal together	Collaboration and fun
Playing a board game	Friendly competition, playfulness
Traveling together (even a short trip)	New experiences create shared memories

Fun does not happen by accident. It must be intentional. Schedule it. Protect it. Prioritize it.

The Power of Compliments and Gratitude

“Lastly, married people should take time to shower their spouses with compliments. They must not take them for granted; instead, they should seek ways to express how special they are and thank them for everything they do.”

Taking Your Spouse for Granted	Showering Your Spouse with Compliments
“They know I love them; I don’t need to say it”	You say it often, in many ways
You notice only their faults	You actively look for what to praise
You assume they will always be there	You treat each day as a gift
Thank-yous are rare	Thank-yous are frequent and specific

“I pray that God will strengthen the relationships between all men and women who are joined in holy matrimony, in Jesus’ name.”

Practical Steps for Strengthening Your Marriage

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and Scripture, here is how to build a strong, joyful, lasting marriage:

1. Prioritize Quality Time

Instead of…	Do This…
Working late every night	Set a time to leave work and come home
Weekends filled with outside engagements	Block out time for your spouse first, then schedule other things
Sitting on opposite sides of the couch	Sit close. Touch. Talk. Be present.

2. Pray Together Daily

Do not let prayer be only a Sunday activity or a mealtime ritual. Pray together before bed. Pray together in the morning. Share prayer requests. Intercede for your children, your future, your challenges. Let prayer be the glue that holds you together.

3. Laugh Together Often

Find what makes your spouse laugh. Do more of that. Watch something funny together. Share a funny memory. Do not be too serious. Marriage is a gift—enjoy it.

4. Compliment Generously

Each day, find at least one specific thing to compliment your spouse about:

• “Thank you for making dinner tonight.”
• “You handled that situation so wisely.”
• “You look beautiful/handsome today.”
• “I appreciate how hard you work for our family.”

5. Date Your Spouse (Even After 59 Years)

Do not stop courting. Do not stop pursuing. Your spouse should never feel that the chase ended at the wedding altar. Date nights. Surprise gifts. Unexpected affection. Keep the romance alive.

Warning: Do Not Let Work Destroy Your Marriage

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent warning: work is a thief. It steals time, attention, and affection from marriages.

Work Is a Good Servant	But It Is a Terrible Master
Provides for the family	Destroys the family when over-prioritized
Gives purpose and income	Becomes an idol when it takes God’s place
Can be done with excellence	Should not be done at the expense of your spouse

The sick woman preferred her illness because it brought her husband home. That is an indictment. Do not let your spouse feel that they must compete with your job for your attention—and lose.

Conclusion: Your Prayer for a Joyful Marriage

Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer for strengthened marriages. Whether you have been married for 59 years or 59 days, commit to living joyfully with your spouse.

Pray this (for married couples):

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for the gift of my spouse. Forgive me for the times I have taken my marriage for granted—prioritizing work over presence, seriousness over laughter, silence over prayer, and neglect over compliments. Today, I recommit to my marriage. Help me to live joyfully with my spouse all the days of my life. Give me the discipline to pray with them, the intention to play with them, and the grace to compliment them generously. Let laughter fill our home. Let prayer strengthen our bond. Let love grow deeper with each passing year. I do not want to be a roommate; I want to be a lover. I do not want my spouse to prefer sickness because health brings neglect. I will be present. I will be intentional. I will love as Christ loves the church. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps (for married couples):

1. The Time Audit: Track how much quality time you actually spend with your spouse this week (not just in the same room, but actively engaged with each other). If it is less than 5 hours, make a plan to increase it next week.
2. The Prayer Commitment: Commit to praying together every day for the next 30 days—at least 5 minutes. If you miss a day, do not give up; start again the next day.
3. The Compliment Challenge: Each day for the next week, give your spouse at least one specific compliment or expression of gratitude. Write it on a note. Say it aloud. Send it by text. Do not let a day pass without affirming them.

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The Open Heavens 12 July 2026 devotional for today is MIGHTY WORKS.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 11 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 12 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: MIGHTY WORKS

MEMORISE:
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23

READ: Mark 6:1-6

And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
² And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

⁴ But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
⁵ And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
⁶ And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 12 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

Jeremiah 32:19 tells us that the Almighty God is mighty in works. God loves doing mighty works.

Untortunately, however, in today’s Bible reading, Jesus could not do mighty works in His hometown because of the people’s unbelief. Unbelief or doubt will hinder a fellow from experiencing God’s mighty works in his or her life. When they are absent, however, the fellow’s life will reflect the mighty works of the Almighty God.

God delights in doing mighty works, and He seeks sons and daughters who will partner with Him to do them. He is on the lookout for men and women who will do greater works than the Lord Jesus Christ did while He was on earth. There is, however, the need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you want to be eligible to do greater works (John 14:12).

Beloved, you don’t need to attend a seminary or attain a particular position to do mighty works; all that is required is your faith. When it was almost time for Jesus to ascend into heaven, He commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel all over the world and told them about the mighty signs that would follow them. He told them that they had the power to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and lay hands on the sick (Mark 16:15-18). The only thing that qualified them to do all these was for them to believe in Him.

Child of God, God wants to do mighty works through you. He wants to use you as His battle axe to destroy the works of darkness (Jeremiah 51:20), but you must believe in Him for this to happen. It is true that He is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, but He wants you to have faith in Him so all things can be possible for you (Mark 9:23). Have you allowed unbelief to cheat you out of the mighty works that God wants to do in you and through you? If you have, ask for His mercy today.

Fill your heart with His word because hearing God’s word continually will grow your faith. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. You must also flee from anything that will dampen your faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and the marvellous things He has done for others and through others, He can do for you and through you. Only believe!

Get up and work.

KEY POINT

Dear Father, please do mighty works in my life and through me, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Ecclesiastes 9-12

Open Heavens HYMN 32: TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 12 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Mark 9:23

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

This verse is Jesus’ declaration on the power of faith. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it reveals that the only limiting factor in experiencing God’s mighty works is not God’s ability but your belief.

BIBLE READING: Mark 6:1-6

This passage records Jesus’ visit to His hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, He began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard Him were astonished, asking, “Where did this man get these things? What wisdom is given to Him?” But then they took offense at Him, saying, “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?”  Daddy Adeboye uses this to show that unbelief is not a harmless weakness—it actively hinders the power of God.

The Tragedy of Nazareth: Where Jesus Could Not Do Mighty Works

1. Jesus Marveled at Their Unbelief

“Jeremiah 32:19 tells us that the Almighty God is mighty in works. God loves doing mighty works. Unfortunately, however, in today’s Bible reading, Jesus could not do mighty works in His hometown because of the people’s unbelief.”

Consider the shock of this statement:

What Jesus Wanted to Do	What Actually Happened
Do mighty works	He could do no mighty work
Heal the sick	Only a few sick folk were healed
Reveal His power	His power was blocked by unbelief
Be received as Messiah	He was rejected as “the carpenter’s son”

“Unbelief or doubt will hinder a fellow from experiencing God’s mighty works in his or her life.”

With Faith	With Unbelief
All things are possible (Mark 9:23)	Jesus could do no mighty work (Mark 6:5)
God delights to show Himself strong	God marvels at the unbelief
The believer experiences the miraculous	The believer remains in the ordinary
The impossible becomes possible	The possible becomes difficult

Mark 6:6 – “And he marvelled because of their unbelief.” The same Jesus who marveled at the centurion’s great faith (Matthew 8:10) now marveled at Nazareth’s great unbelief. Faith delights Him; unbelief amazes Him—but not in a good way.

2. Why Did Nazareth Reject Jesus?

The people of Nazareth knew Jesus too well—or so they thought.

Their Familiarity	Their Conclusion
“Is this not the carpenter?”	He is just a worker; He cannot be the Messiah
“Is this not the son of Mary?”	We know His mother; He is ordinary
“Are not His brothers and sisters here?”	He grew up among us; there is nothing special

Their familiarity bred contempt. They could not see past the ordinary to recognize the divine. They had placed God in a box labeled “carpenter’s son,” and they could not get Him out.

The Danger of Familiarity	The Solution
You think you know all there is to know about God	Ask God to reveal Himself anew
You stop expecting miracles because you have “seen it all”	Cultivate fresh hunger and fresh expectation
You judge by outward appearances	Walk by faith, not by sight
You limit God by your past experiences	Believe that God can do what He has never done before

God Is Looking for Partners to Do Mighty Works

“God delights in doing mighty works, and He seeks sons and daughters who will partner with Him to do them. He is on the lookout for men and women who will do greater works than the Lord Jesus Christ did while He was on earth.”

John 14:12 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

What Jesus Promised	What It Means
“The works that I do shall he do also”	Miracles, healings, deliverance—not just for Jesus
“Greater works than these shall he do”	Through the Church, Jesus’ works would expand globally
“Because I go unto my Father”	The Holy Spirit would empower believers

“There is, however, the need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you want to be eligible to do greater works (John 14:12).”

Eligible for Greater Works	Not Eligible
Believes in Jesus	Does not believe
Has faith in His name	Trusts in self or other powers
Expects mighty works	Doubts that God still works miracles

What Qualifies You for Mighty Works? Faith, Not Credentials

“Beloved, you don’t need to attend a seminary or attain a particular position to do mighty works; all that is required is your faith.”

What You Do NOT Need	What You DO Need
A seminary degree	Faith in Jesus
A pastoral title	Belief that He is who He says He is
Years of theological training	Trust in His power
Ordination by men	Commission by the Holy Spirit

“When it was almost time for Jesus to ascend into heaven, He commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel all over the world and told them about the mighty signs that would follow them. He told them that they had the power to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and lay hands on the sick (Mark 16:15-18). The only thing that qualified them to do all these was for them to believe in Him.”

Mark 16:15-18 – “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature… And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Notice the qualification: “them that believe.” Not “them that have doctorates.” Not “them that hold high office.” Not “them that have prayed for twenty years.” Them that believe.

The Signs That Follow Believers	What This Means for You
Cast out devils	You have authority over demons
Speak with new tongues	The Holy Spirit gives utterance
Take up serpents	Protection from harm
Drink deadly things without hurt	Divine preservation
Lay hands on the sick; they recover	Healing power flows through you

All of this is available to every believer. Not just pastors. Not just evangelists. Everyone who believes.

How Unbelief Cheats You Out of Mighty Works

“Child of God, God wants to do mighty works through you. He wants to use you as His battle axe to destroy the works of darkness (Jeremiah 51:20), but you must believe in Him for this to happen.”

Jeremiah 51:20 – “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms.”

What God Wants to Make You	What Unbelief Does
A battle axe to destroy darkness	Leaves you as a dull, unused tool
A weapon of war in His hands	Renders you ineffective in spiritual battle
An instrument of mighty works	Cheats you out of your inheritance

“It is true that He is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, but He wants you to have faith in Him so all things can be possible for you (Mark 9:23).”

God’s Sovereignty	God’s Requirement
He can do anything	He chooses to work through faith
He is not limited by anything	He limits Himself by our unbelief (as in Nazareth)
He is almighty	He partners with believers who believe

“Have you allowed unbelief to cheat you out of the mighty works that God wants to do in you and through you? If you have, ask for His mercy today.”

How to Grow Your Faith (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to move from unbelief to the faith that unlocks mighty works:

1. Fill Your Heart with God’s Word (Romans 10:17)

“Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Where Faith Comes From	Where It Does NOT Come From
Hearing the word of God	Feelings or emotions
Reading Scripture daily	Human reasoning or philosophy
Listening to sound preaching	Wishful thinking or positive confession without biblical foundation
Meditating on God’s promises	Experiences alone (which can be deceptive)

Commit to daily Bible reading. Not just scanning, but listening. The word you hear and receive produces faith.

2. Flee from Anything That Dampens Your Faith

“You must also flee from anything that will dampen your faith.”

Faith Dampeners	What They Do
Unbelieving companions	Their doubt infects you (1 Corinthians 15:33)
Worldly entertainment that mocks miracles	Programs that ridicule supernatural faith
Constant exposure to bad news	Fear and anxiety replace faith
Neglect of prayer and the word	Faith starves without nourishment

Flee from these. You cannot keep company with unbelief and expect to maintain strong faith.

3. Remember That Jesus Never Changes (Hebrews 13:8)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and the marvellous things He has done for others and through others, He can do for you and through you.”

What Jesus Did in the Past	What Jesus Can Do Now
Healed the sick	He still heals
Cast out demons	Demons still flee at His name
Raised the dead	Death still obeys His voice
Calmed storms	Your storms still respond to His command

He has not changed. His power has not diminished. His willingness has not decreased. The only variable is your faith.

4. Get Up and Work

“Get up and work.”

Faith is not passive. Believing does not mean sitting and waiting. It means acting on what God has said.

Passive “Faith”	Active Faith
“I believe God heals” but never prays for the sick	Lays hands on the sick and expects recovery
“I believe God saves” but never witnesses	Opens mouth and shares the gospel
“I believe God provides” but does nothing	Works diligently and trusts God for increase

Warning: Do Not Let Familiarity Breed Contempt

The people of Nazareth missed their miracle because they thought they knew Jesus. They had seen Him grow up. They knew His trade. They knew His family. And because of that familiarity, they could not believe.

Your Familiarity	The Danger
“I’ve been in church for years”	You may think you have seen everything
“I’ve heard this Bible story before”	You may stop expecting fresh revelation
“God hasn’t done it for me yet”	You may conclude He never will
“I know how God works”	You may limit Him to your past experiences

Do not let your history with God become a prison for your future. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever—but He is not predictable. He is not tame. He is always doing new things (Isaiah 43:19).

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Mighty Faith

Daddy Adeboye closes with a call to believe and to get up and work. Do not let unbelief cheat you. Do not let familiarity breed contempt. Believe. And watch God do mighty works through you.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, forgive me for every area of unbelief in my heart. Forgive me for the times I have limited You by my familiarity, my doubt, or my fear. Forgive me for being like Nazareth—astonished at Your wisdom but unwilling to believe that You could do mighty works through me. Today, I ask for mercy. Remove the unbelief that has cheated me out of my inheritance. Fill my heart with Your word. Let faith rise. I believe that all things are possible to me because I believe in You. I do not need a seminary degree or a title. I need only to believe. Use me as Your battle axe. Let the same signs that followed the early disciples follow me—casting out devils, healing the sick, preaching the gospel with power. I get up. I work. I believe. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Unbelief Audit: Ask God to reveal any area where you have doubted His power or His willingness to work through you. Write it down. Confess it. Receive His mercy.
2. The Faith Diet: For the next 30 days, commit to feeding your faith daily: read one chapter of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) each day. As you read, say aloud: “This same Jesus is alive today. He can do this through me.”
3. The Mighty Works Step: Identify one thing that God has been asking you to do that you have avoided because you felt unqualified. Do it this week. Lay hands on someone sick. Share your faith with someone. Act in faith. Get up and work.

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Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 12 July 2026 Devotional PDF

The Open Heavens 10 July 2026 devotional for today is CHRIST IN YOU

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 9 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 10 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: CHRIST IN YOU

MEMORISE:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Colossians 1:27

READ: Acts 16:19-34

¹⁹ And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
²⁰ And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

²¹ And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
²² And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
²³ And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
²⁴ Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
²⁵ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
²⁷ And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
²⁹ Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
³⁰ And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
³² And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
³³ And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
³⁴ And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 10 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

The first time I visited the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison was in 1975. I went there with an elderly pastor, and we saw a young man playing the piano and dancing joyfully. I asked the elderly pastor whether the young man was about to be released, and he responded that the man didn’t have any hope of being released because he was serving a life sentence. I then asked the pastor why the young man was so joyful despite his circumstances, and he replied that the man was joyful because he had met Jesus Christ while in prison.

Beloved, if you are going through a bad situation, ! want you to know that no matter how bad it is, you have a reason to rejoice as long as you have Jesus. Today’s memory verse says that Christ in you is the hope of glory. When Christ is in a fellow, no matter what he or she is facing, such a fellow has hope for a glorious future.

A songwriter once wrote a song that says, “I am glad I belong to Jesus.” Another songwriter wrote, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.” These should be your declarations as a believer, even when the enemy knocks you down. Proverbs 24:16 says that the righteous may fall seven times, but they will surely rise again. This means that negative situations cannot keep you down permanently.

When the devil arranged for Jesus’ crucifixion and death, he thought he had won. However, 1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us that if the princes of this world had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Had they known that Jesus’ death would be their utter destruction, they would have tried to prevent Him from dying. In today’s Bible reading, the devil thought he had succeeded in shutting Paul and Silas up by getting them arrested. He didn’t know that God needed them to be in prison so they could show the jailer and his household the way to salvation. The devil’s attempts to make you fall will only lead to God being glorified in your life.

Child of God, are you going through a tough and uncertain situation? Rejoice because Christ in you is your hope of glory. Don’t despair or be discouraged. Rest assured that whatever you are passing through will give God a platform to announce His glory in your life, so long as you remain in Christ. May Christ indeed reveal His glory in your life, in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT

As long as you have Christ in you, you have every reason to rejoice.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Ecclesiastes 1-4

Open Heavens HYMN 10: IN CHRIST ALONE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 10 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Colossians 1:27

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

This verse unveils the greatest mystery of the Christian faith. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it reveals that your hope does not come from favorable circumstances, material possessions, or human connections—it comes from Christ in you.

BIBLE READING: Acts 16:19-34

This passage records the dramatic account of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail.

The Man in Kirikiri Prison: A Life Sentence, Yet Full of Joy

1. The First Visit to Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison (1975)

“The first time I visited the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison was in 1975. I went there with an elderly pastor, and we saw a young man playing the piano and dancing joyfully. I asked the elderly pastor whether the young man was about to be released, and he responded that the man didn’t have any hope of being released because he was serving a life sentence.”

Consider the contrast:

The Man’s Circumstances	The Man’s Demeanor
Serving a life sentence (no hope of release)	Playing the piano joyfully
Locked in maximum security prison	Dancing with abandon
Humanly speaking, his future was over	Behaving like a free man
No earthly reason for joy	Overflowing with supernatural joy

“I then asked the pastor why the young man was so joyful despite his circumstances, and he replied that the man was joyful because he had met Jesus Christ while in prison.”

What the Man Did Not Have	What the Man Did Have
Freedom to leave the prison	Christ in him
A release date	The hope of glory
Comfortable circumstances	Unshakable joy
Human reason to celebrate	Divine reason to celebrate

He had met Jesus. That was enough. The walls did not matter. The life sentence did not matter. The chains did not matter. Christ in him was the hope of glory—and that hope produced joy that no prison could contain.

The Theology of Hope: Christ in You

“Beloved, if you are going through a bad situation, I want you to know that no matter how bad it is, you have a reason to rejoice as long as you have Jesus. Today’s memory verse says that Christ in you is the hope of glory. When Christ is in a fellow, no matter what he or she is facing, such a fellow has hope for a glorious future.”

Without Christ	With Christ
No hope in suffering	Hope of glory in suffering
Circumstances determine joy	Christ determines joy
Prison is the end	Prison is a platform
Life sentence is hopeless	Life sentence cannot touch the soul

“A songwriter once wrote a song that says, ‘I am glad I belong to Jesus.’ Another songwriter wrote, ‘Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.’ These should be your declarations as a believer, even when the enemy knocks you down.”

Declarations of Hope	Why You Can Declare Them
“I am glad I belong to Jesus”	Your identity is not in your circumstances
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”	His resurrection guarantees your future
“This too shall pass”	Suffering is temporary; Christ is eternal
“My glory is coming”	Christ in you is the guarantee

“Proverbs 24:16 says that the righteous may fall seven times, but they will surely rise again. This means that negative situations cannot keep you down permanently.”

The World’s Pattern	The Believer’s Pattern
Fall once, stay down	Fall seven times, rise seven times
Defeated by circumstances	Victorious over circumstances
Permanent despair	Temporary setback, permanent hope

The Devil’s Miscalculation: His Attacks Become God’s Platform

1. The Crucifixion: Satan’s Greatest Defeat

“When the devil arranged for Jesus’ crucifixion and death, he thought he had won. However, 1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us that if the princes of this world had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Had they known that Jesus’ death would be their utter destruction, they would have tried to prevent Him from dying.”

1 Corinthians 2:8 – “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

What Satan Thought	What Actually Happened
He was killing Jesus	He was fulfilling prophecy
He was winning a victory	He was sealing his own defeat
The cross was defeat	The cross was the means of salvation
Death was the end	Resurrection was the beginning

The devil’s greatest weapon (death) became the instrument of his own destruction. Jesus died, rose again, and took the keys of hell and death. Satan thought he had won. He had never been more wrong.

2. The Philippian Prison: Satan’s Second Miscalculation

“In today’s Bible reading, the devil thought he had succeeded in shutting Paul and Silas up by getting them arrested. He didn’t know that God needed them to be in prison so they could show the jailer and his household the way to salvation.”

The Devil’s Plan	God’s Plan
Silence Paul and Silas through arrest	Use their imprisonment to reach the jailer
Discourage them through suffering	Use their midnight praise to shake the prison
Hide the gospel from Philippi	Send the gospel to the jailer’s household

What the Devil Saw	What God Was Doing
Beaten, bruised, in stocks	Preparing a testimony
Locked in the inner prison	Positioning them for the jailer
Silenced (he thought)	Amplifying their witness

At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns. They did not complain. They did not despair. They praised. And God sent an earthquake that:

• Shook the foundations
• Opened all the doors
• Loosed every chain
• Opened the jailer’s heart

“The devil’s attempts to make you fall will only lead to God being glorified in your life.”

The Devil Intends	God Uses
To destroy you	To refine you
To silence you	To give you a louder testimony
To imprison you	To set others free through your witness
To defeat you	To display His glory in you

What the Man in Kirikiri Prison Understood

The young man serving a life sentence understood what many free people do not: Christ in you is enough.

What He Understood	What It Means for You
Prison walls cannot separate him from Christ	Your circumstances cannot separate you from His love
A life sentence cannot steal his hope	No situation is hopeless with Christ inside you
He could still praise while locked up	Your praise is not dependent on your freedom
His joy was not tied to his release date	Your joy is not tied to your breakthrough

If a man serving a life sentence can play the piano and dance with joy, what excuse do you have for despair? If he can rejoice with no hope of earthly freedom, how much more can you rejoice with the hope of eternal glory?

How to Maintain Hope When Circumstances Are Dark (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the examples of Paul, Silas, and the man in Kirikiri Prison, here is how to keep Christ as your hope of glory:

1. Recognize That Your Circumstances Are Not Your Identity

The man in prison was not defined by his cell. He was defined by Christ in him. You are not your problem. You are not your failure. You are not your diagnosis. You are a carrier of Christ.

2. Praise Before the Earthquake

Paul and Silas did not praise after the earthquake; they praised at midnight while still in chains. The earthquake came because they praised. Do not wait for the breakthrough to praise. Praise until the breakthrough comes.

Before the Earthquake	After the Earthquake
Paul and Silas sang hymns	The jailer and his household were saved
They praised in chains	The chains fell off
They worshipped in the dark	The prison doors opened

3. Refuse to Believe the Devil’s Lie That This Is the End

The devil wants you to think that your current situation is final. It is not. The righteous fall seven times and rise again. This setback is a setup for a comeback. This prison is a platform for a testimony.

4. Look for the Hidden Purpose in Your Pain

Why was Paul and Silas’s imprisonment necessary? To reach the jailer. Why is your current trial necessary? There may be someone watching—someone who needs to see how a Christian responds to suffering. Your witness in the trial may be the key to someone else’s salvation.

5. Declare Your Hope Aloud

Do not keep your hope silent. Declare:

• “Christ in me is the hope of glory”
• “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”
• “I am glad I belong to Jesus”
• “This trial will end in God’s glory”

Warning: Do Not Let Your Prison Steal Your Song

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: it is possible to be free physically but imprisoned in your spirit by despair.

The Physically Free Prisoner	The Physically Imprisoned Free Man
Out of jail but bound by worry, fear, depression	In jail but joyful because Christ is in him
Has freedom of movement but no freedom of spirit	Has no movement but complete freedom of spirit
Complains about inconveniences	Sings in the darkest dungeon

Which one are you? Are you free but miserable? Or are you in a difficult situation but full of hope because Christ is in you?

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Hope and Glory

Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that Christ will reveal His glory in your life. Do not despair. Do not give up. Christ in you is the hope of glory.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I thank You that You live in me. I thank You that Christ in me is the hope of glory. Forgive me for the times I have allowed my circumstances to steal my joy—when I have despaired as if I had no hope, when I have complained as if You were not with me. Today, I remember the man in Kirikiri Prison—serving a life sentence, yet playing the piano and dancing with joy. If he could rejoice in that prison, I can rejoice in mine. I declare: I am glad I belong to Jesus. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. I will not despair. I will not be discouraged. Whatever I am going through, You will use it as a platform to announce Your glory. The devil meant it for evil, but You will turn it for good. I will praise at midnight. I will sing in the stocks. And the earthquake is coming. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Prison Audit: Identify one area of your life where you feel “imprisoned”—a difficult situation, a chronic problem, a seemingly hopeless circumstance. Ask God: What if this prison is actually a platform for Your glory?
2. The Midnight Praise Practice: This week, at a time when you feel most discouraged, deliberately stop and praise. Sing a hymn. Declare God’s goodness. Do not wait for the feeling; praise by faith.
3. The Hope Declaration: Write Colossians 1:27 on an index card: “Christ in me, the hope of glory.”Place it where you will see it every morning. Every time you see it, say aloud: “I have hope because Christ lives in me. My future is glorious, no matter my present.”

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The Open Heavens 9 July 2026 devotional for today is THE CITY OF THE DEAD.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 8 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 9 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE CITY OF THE DEAD

MEMORISE:
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Colossians 2:13

READ: Ephesians 2:1-6

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 9 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

Years ago, I visited a country which had one of the largest cemeteries in the world. On top of every grave in that cemetery, there is a concrete slab, and some homeless residents of that city lived in tents that were built over these slabs. For that reason, the cemetery was called the city of the dead’.

Beloved, do you know that people who have not given their lives to Christ or who claim to have done so but are still indulging in sin are living in a spiritual city of the dead?
Today’s Bible reading tells us that we were once dead in our sins and trespasses before Jesus made us alive through His death and resurrection. He went to the city of the dead and took the keys of hell and death from satan (Revelation 1:18). Jesus died so that nobody would have to experience the torture of eternal death. If you are currently living in the city of the dead, I implore you to escape from there right now by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour before it is too late. Turn to Him today, and He will change your address from the city of the dead to the Kingdom of Life.

If you are God’s child, it is your responsibility to preach the gospel to those who haven’t given their lives to Jesus Christ. Don’t be so busy minding your business that you neglect the Lord’s business of witnessing to lost souls. Sometimes, the blessing you desire is hidden in your obedience to the Lord’s command to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations.

Years ago, a lady was praying to God for a husband, and God told her, Go out and win souls. Your husband is not part of My family yet.” She obeyed and focused on preaching to the lost.

About six months later, she came to me and said, “Daddy, I have a problem.” I asked her what the problem was, and she said, “One of the converts that I have just won to Christ says that he wants to marry me.” I asked her to pray about it and accept his proposal if she’s convinced about him. Today, they are one of the best couples that I know.

Beloved, if God has saved you from the city of the dead, don’t be selfish; reach out to those who are still living there so they can also join you in His Kingdom of Life.

KEY POINT

It is every Christian’s responsibility to witness to those who are still living in the city of the dead.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Proverbs 30-31

Open Heavens HYMN 32: TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 9 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Colossians 2:13

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

This verse describes the spiritual condition of every person before Christ.

BIBLE READING: Ephesians 2:1-6

This passage is one of the most complete summaries of the gospel in Scripture. Paul describes the pre-conversion state of every believer: dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air (Satan), living in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, and by nature children of wrath, even as others. But then the great transition: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ… and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.“

The City of the Dead: A Sobering Illustration

1. The Cemetery That Became a Home

“Years ago, I visited a country which had one of the largest cemeteries in the world. On top of every grave in that cemetery, there is a concrete slab, and some homeless residents of that city lived in tents that were built over these slabs. For that reason, the cemetery was called ‘the city of the dead’.”

This is a haunting image:

The Physical Reality	The Spiritual Parallel
A cemetery filled with graves	The world without Christ
Concrete slabs over each grave	Spiritual deadness covering every lost soul
Homeless people living on top of graves	Lost people going about daily life while spiritually dead
They called it “the city of the dead”	The Bible calls the lost “dead in trespasses and sins”

These homeless residents were physically alive—eating, sleeping, moving, talking. But they lived in a cemetery, surrounded by death. They called their dwelling place “the city of the dead” because they slept on graves.

“Beloved, do you know that people who have not given their lives to Christ or who claim to have done so but are still indulging in sin are living in a spiritual city of the dead?”

The Spiritual City of the Dead	Who Lives There
Those who have never given their lives to Christ	The unreached, the resistant, the unrepentant
Those who claim to be saved but live in sin	Nominal Christians, hypocrites, the self-deceived
Those who are spiritually dead but physically alive	The majority of the world

They may look alive. They may go to work, raise families, laugh, and plan for the future. But spiritually, they are corpses walking. They live in the city of the dead.

2. What It Means to Be Dead in Sin

“Today’s Bible reading tells us that we were once dead in our sins and trespasses before Jesus made us alive through His death and resurrection.”

What Spiritual Death Means	What It Is Not
Separation from God, the source of all life	Physical death (cessation of bodily functions)
Inability to respond to God without His grace	Inability to make choices in natural life
Under the dominion of Satan (“prince of the power of the air”)	Under the control of every demon
A child of wrath by nature	A child of God by nature

Ephesians 2:1 – “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

The lost person is not sick; he is dead. He does not need resuscitation; he needs resurrection. He does not need reformation; he needs regeneration. Only the same power that raised Jesus from the dead can raise a sinner from spiritual death.

3. The Escape: Jesus Took the Keys

“He went to the city of the dead and took the keys of hell and death from satan (Revelation 1:18). Jesus died so that nobody would have to experience the torture of eternal death.”

Revelation 1:18 – “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Before Jesus	After Jesus
Satan held the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)	Jesus took the keys of hell and death
Death was the final enemy	Death is a defeated enemy
The grave had dominion	The grave has been conquered
The city of the dead was a permanent address	There is an escape: Jesus

“If you are currently living in the city of the dead, I implore you to escape from there right now by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour before it is too late. Turn to Him today, and He will change your address from the city of the dead to the Kingdom of Life.”

Your Address Without Christ	Your Address With Christ
City of the dead	Kingdom of Life
Dead in trespasses and sins	Alive together with Christ
Children of wrath	Children of God
Following the prince of the power of the air	Seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Do not stay in the cemetery. Do not live on top of graves. Jesus has taken the keys. He has opened the door. Escape now.

The Responsibility of the Living: Go Back to the City of the Dead

1. Preach the Gospel to Those Still Dead

“If you are God’s child, it is your responsibility to preach the gospel to those who haven’t given their lives to Jesus Christ. Don’t be so busy minding your business that you neglect the Lord’s business of witnessing to lost souls.”

Minding Your Own Business	Doing the Lord’s Business
Focused on career, family, hobbies	Focused on the Great Commission
Comfortable in your salvation	Concerned for the lost
Pray for your needs only	Pray for souls to be saved
Neglect the cemetery around you	Go back to the city of the dead to rescue others

“Sometimes, the blessing you desire is hidden in your obedience to the Lord’s command to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations.”

Your breakthrough may be buried in your witness. Your miracle may come wrapped in a mission trip. Your answer may arrive as you open your mouth to speak to someone who is still dead in sin.

2. The Lady Who Prayed for a Husband

“Years ago, a lady was praying to God for a husband, and God told her, ‘Go out and win souls. Your husband is not part of My family yet.’ She obeyed and focused on preaching to the lost.”

The Lady’s Request	God’s Response
“Lord, give me a husband”	“Go win souls”
She expected God to bring a saved man	God revealed her husband was not yet saved
She could have complained	She obeyed

“About six months later, she came to me and said, ‘Daddy, I have a problem.’ I asked her what the problem was, and she said, ‘One of the converts that I have just won to Christ says that he wants to marry me.’”

Her Obedience	The Result
She went out to win souls	Her future husband was among the converts
She focused on the Lord’s business	The Lord attended to her business
She preached to the dead	Her husband was made alive and then became her partner

“I asked her to pray about it and accept his proposal if she’s convinced about him. Today, they are one of the best couples that I know.”

The blessing she desired was hidden in her obedience. She thought she was going to win souls. God was sending her to meet her husband. The same is true for you. Your obedience in witnessing may unlock the very answer you have been praying for.

What Keeps Believers from Witnessing

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here are common excuses and the responses:

Excuse for Not Witnessing	The Truth
“I’m too busy”	You are never too busy to rescue the dying
“I don’t know what to say”	You know what Jesus did for you. Start there.
“I’m afraid of rejection”	Eternity is at stake; fear of rejection is not greater than fear of hell
“People won’t listen”	Some will. You are responsible for sowing, not for the harvest.
“Let me get my own life together first”	You will never be perfect. Witness now.

How to Fulfill Your Responsibility to the City of the Dead (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to reach out to those still living in spiritual death:

1. Recognize That They Are Not Your Enemies

The homeless residents of the cemetery were not evil—they were desperate. Likewise, the lost are not your enemies; they are captives of the enemy. Have compassion on them. They live on graves. They need someone to tell them there is a way out.

2. Start with Prayer

Before you speak to anyone, pray: “Lord, open the eyes of the spiritually dead around me. Give me opportunities to speak. Give me boldness when the opportunity comes.”

3. Share Your Testimony

You do not need a theology degree. You need a story. Tell them: “I was once dead in my sins. I lived in the city of the dead. But Jesus made me alive. He can do the same for you.”

4. Obey Even When You Don’t See the Connection

The lady who prayed for a husband did not know that her obedience in witnessing would bring her husband. You do not know what blessing is hidden in your next conversation. Obey anyway.

5. Make Disciples, Not Just Converts

Do not just lead someone to Christ and abandon them. Teach them. Baptize them. Help them grow. The lady’s convert became her husband because he was discipled, not just converted.

Warning: Do Not Stay Comfortable in the Kingdom While Others Perish

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent warning: it is selfish to enjoy your salvation while others remain dead.

Selfish Christianity	Biblical Christianity
“I have my ticket to heaven”	“How can I bring others?”
“I am saved; that’s enough”	“I am saved to save others”
“Let them find their own way”	“How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

“Beloved, if God has saved you from the city of the dead, don’t be selfish; reach out to those who are still living there so they can also join you in His Kingdom of Life.”

What You Have Received	What You Must Give
Forgiveness of all trespasses	The message of forgiveness
Life instead of death	The offer of life
A new address (Kingdom of Life)	An invitation to move

Conclusion: Your Prayer for the Lost and for Boldness

Daddy Adeboye closes with an imploration: escape from the city of the dead if you are still there, and if you have escaped, go back to rescue others.

Pray this (if you are not yet saved):

“Lord Jesus, I confess that I have been living in the city of the dead—dead in trespasses and sins. I have been physically alive but spiritually dead. Today, I hear Your voice calling me out of the cemetery. You died to take the keys of hell and death. You rose to give me life. I turn from my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Change my address from the city of the dead to the Kingdom of Life. Write my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus’ name.”

Pray this (if you are saved but have been silent):

“Lord Jesus, You rescued me from the city of the dead. Forgive me for the times I have been selfish with my salvation—comfortable in the Kingdom while others perished on graves. Forgive me for being so busy with my own business that I neglected Your business of witnessing. Today, I ask for boldness. Open my eyes to the lost around me. Use me to preach the gospel. Let my obedience unlock blessings I have not yet seen. And like the lady who won her husband through witnessing, let me see those I lead to Christ become part of my eternal family. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Address Check: Ask yourself honestly: Am I still living in the city of the dead, or have I been made alive in Christ? If you are not sure, settle it today. Confess, believe, receive.
2. The Witnessing Target: Identify one person in your life who is still spiritually dead (unsaved). Commit to praying for them daily for the next 30 days. Ask God for an opportunity to share the gospel with them.
3. The Obedience Blessing: Ask God: What blessing have I hidden in my disobedience? What answer to prayer am I missing because I have not gone out to witness? Then go. Speak. Invite. The blessing may be closer than you think.

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The Open Heavens 8 July 2026 devotional for today is EXCEED IN PRAYER.

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 7 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 8 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: EXCEED IN PRAYER

MEMORISE:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18

READ: Genesis 32:24-30

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
²⁵ And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶ And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
²⁷ And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
²⁸ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
²⁹ And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
³⁰ And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 8 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

Sometime in 1975, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, came to stay with me in my little house in Ilesha, a city in South West Nigeria. Even though it was a mud house that was plastered with cement, I was happy to host my Father in the Lord.

When it was nighttime, we prayed together, and l prepared to go to bed. As I went into my room to sleep, I saw that he was still on his knees, praying, and when I woke up to use the toilet in the middle of the night and again around 5am, the old man was surprisingly still on his knees, praying. I was worried, so I asked if there was a problem, and he said I would soon understand. I have followed in his footsteps since then, and I truly now understand that, as believers, we ought to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Beloved, God has called all His children to a life of prayer. Unfortunately, however, many believers don’t see any reason to pray when things are going well for them. They feel that there is no need to pray because they are not experiencing any challenges. However, if you are a genuine child of God, you must pray without ceasing.

No matter how much you pray now, you can always go higher in the place of prayer. Never let your current prayer lifestyle, no matter how vibrant you think it is, make you feel as if you are doing your best. Keep pushing to be better so you don’t begin to relax and lose your fervency.
When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I went with six of my best friends to llorin, a state in North Central Nigeria, to pray for 36 hours nonstop. After the 36 hours of prayers, God revealed several things to us. We felt good with ourselves, and we thought we had achieved something unbelievable. The following week, however, I was told about a man who prayed nonstop for 30 days!

In today’s Bible reading, we saw Jacob wrestling until he obtained a blessing from God that changed his life for good. Beloved, God expects you to hold on to Him in prayer without fainting (Luke 18:1). Do not relax or boast about any milestones you might have reached in the place of prayer; rather, always seek to exceed them. May the Lord continually empower you to wait on Him as you should in every season of your life, in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT

God wants you to keep going higher in the place of prayer.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Proverbs 27-29

Open Heavens HYMN 11: I’VE FOUND A FRIEND IN JESUS

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 8 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Ephesians 6:18

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

This verse is the apostle Paul’s command for the believer’s prayer life.

BIBLE READING: Genesis 32:24-30

This passage records Jacob’s all-night wrestling match at Peniel. Jacob was alone, facing the return of his brother Esau, whom he had deceived years earlier. Esau was coming with four hundred men. Jacob was terrified. Daddy Adeboye uses this to show that persistent, wrestling prayer that refuses to let go is what brings the life-changing blessing.

Pa Josiah Akindayomi: A Father in the Lord’s Prayer Life

1. The Night That Changed Daddy Adeboye’s Prayer Life

“Sometime in 1975, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, came to stay with me in my little house in Ilesha, a city in South West Nigeria. Even though it was a mud house that was plastered with cement, I was happy to host my Father in the Lord.”

This was a humble setting. A mud house, plastered with cement. But the value was not in the building; it was in the guest. Pa Akindayomi was the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. His presence was a blessing.

2. The Prayer Marathon

“When it was nighttime, we prayed together, and I prepared to go to bed. As I went into my room to sleep, I saw that he was still on his knees, praying, and when I woke up to use the toilet in the middle of the night and again around 5am, the old man was surprisingly still on his knees, praying.”

Consider the timeline:

Time	Activity	Pa Akindayomi’s Posture
Nighttime	Daddy Adeboye and Pa prayed together	On his knees
Bedtime	Daddy Adeboye went to sleep	Still on his knees
Middle of the night	Daddy Adeboye used the toilet	Still on his knees
5:00 AM	Daddy Adeboye woke again	Still on his knees

“I was worried, so I asked if there was a problem, and he said I would soon understand. I have followed in his footsteps since then, and I truly now understand that, as believers, we ought to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).”

Pa Akindayomi’s Lesson	What It Produced
Prayer is not a brief duty	It is a lifestyle
Prayer is not only for crisis	It is for all seasons
Prayer can continue through the night	It is not limited by time
A father’s example shapes the son	Daddy Adeboye followed his footsteps

The old man was not in crisis. He was not praying because something was wrong. He was praying because that was who he was—a man of ceaseless prayer. And his example became the inheritance of the son who watched him.

The Error of Crisis-Only Prayer

“Beloved, God has called all His children to a life of prayer. Unfortunately, however, many believers don’t see any reason to pray when things are going well for them. They feel that there is no need to pray because they are not experiencing any challenges.”

Crisis-Only Prayer	Continuous Prayer
Prays only when there is a problem	Prays in good times and bad
Treats prayer as an emergency call	Treats prayer as oxygen
Relationship with God is intermittent	Relationship with God is constant
Weak when the crisis comes	Strong because the connection is always live

“However, if you are a genuine child of God, you must pray without ceasing.”

Why must you pray without ceasing? Not because God needs your information. Not because you need to twist His arm. But because:

• Prayer keeps you connected to the Vine (John 15:4-5)
• Prayer keeps you alert to the enemy’s schemes (Matthew 26:41)
• Prayer aligns your will with God’s will
• Prayer positions you to receive what God wants to give
• Prayer is how you abide in Him

The Danger of Spiritual Plateau: There Is Always Higher

“No matter how much you pray now, you can always go higher in the place of prayer. Never let your current prayer lifestyle, no matter how vibrant you think it is, make you feel as if you are doing your best. Keep pushing to be better so you don’t begin to relax and lose your fervency.”

The Danger of Feeling You Have Arrived	The Remedy
You stop growing	Keep pushing to be better
You become complacent	Never feel you have done your best
You lose your fervency	Always seek to exceed your milestones

“When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I went with six of my best friends to Ilorin, a state in North Central Nigeria, to pray for 36 hours nonstop. After the 36 hours of prayers, God revealed several things to us. We felt good with ourselves, and we thought we had achieved something unbelievable.”

36 hours of nonstop prayer is extraordinary. Most believers have never prayed for 36 consecutive hours. Daddy Adeboye and his friends had every right to feel they had done something significant.

“The following week, however, I was told about a man who prayed nonstop for 30 days!”

Daddy Adeboye’s 36 Hours	The Unknown Man’s 30 Days
Felt like an achievement	Put 36 hours in perspective
Thought they had done something unbelievable	Revealed that there is always higher
Good, but not the ceiling	A reminder not to relax

“Do not relax or boast about any milestones you might have reached in the place of prayer; rather, always seek to exceed them.”

If you pray 30 minutes a day, do not settle there. Press to one hour. If you pray one hour, press to two. If you pray two, press to an overnight vigil. If you pray one night, press to three nights. There is always higher. There is always deeper. The moment you think you have arrived in prayer, you have begun to decline.

Jacob at Peniel: Wrestling Until the Blessing Comes

“In today’s Bible reading, we saw Jacob wrestling until he obtained a blessing from God that changed his life for good.”

Jacob’s Wrestling	What It Teaches Us
He wrestled all night	Prayer sometimes requires sustained, prolonged effort
He refused to let go	“I will not let thee go except thou bless me”
He was persistent even when injured	His hip was dislocated; he still held on
He walked away with a new name	From Jacob (supplanter) to Israel (prince with God)

“Beloved, God expects you to hold on to Him in prayer without fainting (Luke 18:1).”

Luke 18:1 – “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

The Persistent Widow (Luke 18)	Jacob at Peniel
Kept coming to the unjust judge	Kept wrestling through the night
Refused to give up	Refused to let go
Eventually received justice	Eventually received the blessing

Do not faint in prayer. Do not give up after five minutes because you have not felt anything. Do not stop after one request because the answer has not come. Wrestle. Persist. Hold on. The blessing comes to those who refuse to let go.

How to Grow in Prayer Without Ceasing (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and the examples of Pa Akindayomi, Jacob, and the 30-day praying man, here is how to press higher in prayer:

1. Establish a Non-Negotiable Prayer Schedule

Do not pray only when you feel like it. Set fixed times. Daniel prayed three times daily (Daniel 6:10). David prayed evening, morning, and noon (Psalm 55:17). Start with a schedule and stick to it.

2. Lengthen Your Prayer Time Gradually

If you pray 15 minutes, aim for 20. If you pray 30, aim for 45. Do not be satisfied with your current duration. Add five minutes this week. Another five next week. Growth is incremental.

3. Incorporate Prayer into Every Activity

Pray without ceasing means turning daily activities into prayer:

• While driving, pray for other drivers
• While cooking, pray for your family
• While walking, pray for your neighborhood
• While waiting in line, pray for the people around you

4. Plan Extended Prayer Sessions

Do not rely only on daily short prayers. Schedule:

• A weekly prayer vigil (one night per week)
• A monthly prayer retreat (half day or full day)
• An annual prayer fast (24 hours, 3 days, 7 days, or more)

5. Learn from Those Ahead of You

Daddy Adeboye learned by watching Pa Akindayomi. Who is ahead of you in prayer? Ask them to mentor you. Watch how they pray. Learn from their example.

6. Never Compare Downward; Always Compare Upward

When you hear of someone who prayed 30 days straight, do not feel discouraged. Feel challenged. Say, “If they can do that by God’s grace, perhaps I can press further than I have.”

Warning: The Danger of a Comfortable Prayer Life

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: comfort is the enemy of fervency.

When Things Are Going Well	The Temptation	The Remedy
No crisis, no obvious need	To pray less or stop praying	Pray without ceasing regardless
Life is stable, predictable	To rely on routine rather than God	Keep the connection live
You have prayed a “long” prayer	To feel you have arrived	There is always higher

Pa Akindayomi did not pray all night because there was a problem. He prayed all night because that was his lifestyle. Do not wait for crisis to drive you to your knees. Stay on your knees even when the sun is shining.

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Perseverance in Prayer

Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that the Lord will continually empower you to wait on Him in every season. Do not relax. Do not boast. Keep pressing.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for the example of Pa Akindayomi—a man who prayed through the night not because of crisis but because of devotion. Forgive me for the times I have prayed only when I needed something. Forgive me for being satisfied with my current prayer life. Forgive me for relaxing when things are going well. Today, I ask for the spirit of Jacob—the spirit that wrestles through the night and refuses to let go until the blessing comes. I ask for the perseverance to pray without ceasing, not just in emergency but as my daily breath. Break every comfort that makes me complacent. Show me there is always higher. Help me to exceed every milestone I have reached. Give me 36 hours. Give me 30 days. Give me a prayer life that never stops. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Prayer Audit: Track your prayer time for one week. How many minutes per day? How many hours per week? Be honest. Then set a goal to increase by 10% next week.
2. The Extended Prayer Plan: Schedule one extended prayer session this month (e.g., 2 hours, 6 hours, or overnight). Put it on your calendar as a non-negotiable appointment with God.
3. The “Higher” Challenge: Identify one person you know (or know of) whose prayer life exceeds yours. Ask God: What can I learn from their example? Then commit to one specific practice they model.

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The Open Heavens 7 July 2026 devotional for today is HIS REFINING PROCESS

This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 6 July 2026 Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS 7 JULY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: HIS REFINING PROCESS

MEMORISE:
Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
Psalm 105:18-19

READ: Exodus 13:17-18

¹⁷ And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
¹⁸ But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

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RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 7 JULY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE

In His wisdom, God often takes His children through different paths on their journey to greatness. He uses each step to refine their character and to separate them from anything that could hinder or destroy them after attaining greatness. For example, before Joseph became great, God took him through a pit, Potiphar’s house, and prison, so as to build his character in preparation for the role of a ruler in Egypt. Today’s memory verse says that he was laid in irons until God’s word came.

God’s word tried him as gold is tried in fire until he was certified fit for greatness. David also had to go through God’s process on his way to becoming a king. His path to becoming a king was marked by numerous challenges, including a period of exile in the wilderness.

The path to greatness is often paved with many challenges. The process of attaining true greatness is never easy, but it is always worth it. Apostle Paul described the process as ‘our light affliction’ in 2 Corinthians 4:17. However, no matter how tough the process gets, it is nothing compared to the far exceeding and eternal weight of glory that God has prepared for us.

People who want to become great without going through God’s process do not usually last if they eventually become great. Like King Saul, they often end up losing their place because of habits and weaknesses that should have been addressed.

Those who choose to follow God’s process, however, always emerge purified like precious gold.

They become men and women whom God can trust with great resources and other people. Even our Lord Jesus Christ followed God’s process, and when the time came for Him to fulfil God’s assignment, He was baptised, and God’s Spirit came upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17). He didn’t start performing miracles the moment He was born, because God never raises a fellow without first ‘trying’ and preparing him or her.

As we see in today’s Bible reading, God guided the Israelites through His process by making them take a longer route on their journey to the Promised Land. He didn’t want them to run back to Egypt at the first hint of war; He wanted to help them become a strong and resilient nation. Beloved, is God currently taking you through a refining process that you find difficult? I implore you to endure the process, as it is part of His plan in preparing you for true and lasting greatness.

PRAYER POINT

Lord, please help me to go through Your refining process successfully.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Proverbs 24-26

Open Heavens HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 7 JULY 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Psalm 105:18-19

“Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.”

This verse captures the essence of divine preparation. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because it reveals that the painful seasons of life are not random misfortunes—they are the “iron” that shapes and tests the one destined for greatness.

BIBLE READING: Exodus 13:17-18

This passage records God’s strategic routing of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt.

Joseph: The Iron That Prepared a Throne

1. The Journey Through Suffering

“In His wisdom, God often takes His children through different paths on their journey to greatness. He uses each step to refine their character and to separate them from anything that could hinder or destroy them after attaining greatness.”

Consider Joseph’s path:

Stage	Location	What Joseph Learned
Stage 1	His father’s house (favored son)	Dreams, vision, purpose
Stage 2	The pit	Betrayal, loss, humility
Stage 3	Potiphar’s house (slave)	Hard work, service, integrity under temptation
Stage 4	Prison (convicted criminal)	Patience, leadership over prisoners, interpretation of dreams
Stage 5	Pharaoh’s court (second in Egypt)	Ruling, saving nations, forgiving brothers

“Before Joseph became great, God took him through a pit, Potiphar’s house, and prison, so as to build his character in preparation for the role of a ruler in Egypt.”

The Process	The Purpose
Pit (abandonment)	To kill pride and self-sufficiency
Slavery (subjection)	To teach service and humility
False accusation (injustice)	To develop trust in God’s justice
Prison (confinement)	To develop patience and leadership in obscurity

“God’s word tried him as gold is tried in fire until he was certified fit for greatness.”

Psalm 105:19 – “The word of the LORD tried him.” The promise (the dream) was tested. Joseph had dreamed of greatness—sheaves bowing, stars bowing. But between the dream and its fulfillment came the iron. The word tried him. Would he still believe when he was in the pit? Would he still trust when he was in prison? The testing certified that he was ready.

2. The Result: A Man Fit for the Throne

Before the Process	After the Process
A boastful, favored young man	A humble, wise leader
Tattled on his brothers	Forgave his brothers
Shared dreams without wisdom	Interpreted dreams with discretion
Unproven character	Tested, refined, certified

When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, he was not the same boy who had been sold into slavery. The iron had done its work. He was ready.

David: The Wilderness on the Way to the Throne

“David also had to go through God’s process on his way to becoming a king. His path to becoming a king was marked by numerous challenges, including a period of exile in the wilderness.”

Consider David’s path:

Stage	Duration	What David Learned
Anointed by Samuel	A single day	Divine calling
Serving Saul’s court	Months/years	Loyalty, service, music, warfare
Exile in the wilderness	Years	Patience, trust, leadership of outcasts, refusing to touch God’s anointed

David was anointed king as a young man. But he did not sit on the throne until many years later. Between the anointing and the coronation came the wilderness. Cave dwelling. Running for his life. Gathering a ragtag army of the discontented. Learning to lead, to wait, to trust, and to honor Saul even when Saul was trying to kill him.

David’s Wilderness Lessons	Why They Were Necessary
Do not touch the Lord’s anointed	To learn reverence for God’s timing and authority
Wait on the Lord	To kill impatience and self-promotion
Lead outcasts	To learn compassion for the broken
Trust God for daily provision	To kill reliance on human resources

Without the wilderness, David would have been a disaster as king. The wilderness made him a man after God’s own heart.

The Israelites: The Long Route to the Promised Land

“As we see in today’s Bible reading, God guided the Israelites through His process by making them take a longer route on their journey to the Promised Land. He didn’t want them to run back to Egypt at the first hint of war; He wanted to help them become a strong and resilient nation.”

The Short Route (Philistine Road)	The Long Route (Wilderness)
A few days journey	Forty years
Immediate warfare	Graduated testing
Would have faced the Philistines (trained warriors)	Faced the Red Sea (God’s miracle), then manna, then water from rock, then battles one by one
Likely would have fled back to Egypt	Became a strong, resilient nation

“Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.”

God knew His people. They had slave mentality. They had no military training. They had no experience trusting God for victory. If they had faced war immediately, they would have run back to Egypt. The long route was not punishment; it was preparation. Forty years to unlearn Egypt and learn dependence on God.

What They Unlearned in the Wilderness	What They Learned
Slave mentality	Sonship
Fear of enemies	Trust in God
Reliance on Egypt’s resources	Dependence on manna from heaven
Impatience	Waiting on the Lord

Why God’s Process Is Necessary

1. The Process Prepares You for the Weight of Greatness

“People who want to become great without going through God’s process do not usually last if they eventually become great. Like King Saul, they often end up losing their place because of habits and weaknesses that should have been addressed.”

Saul (Shortcut)	David (Process)
Made king quickly	Anointed early, enthroned late
Disobeyed God	Learned to obey through suffering
Spared Agamemnon (partial obedience)	Refused to touch Saul (full honor)
Lost the kingdom	Established an everlasting dynasty

Saul had the position but not the character. He looked like a king, but inside he was still insecure, impulsive, and disobedient. When pressure came, he collapsed. David had been forged in the wilderness. When pressure came, he sought the Lord.

“Those who choose to follow God’s process, however, always emerge purified like precious gold. They become men and women whom God can trust with great resources and other people.”

Processed Gold	Shortcut Tin
Durable, valuable, trusted	Brittle, worthless, discarded
Reflects the refiner’s image	Exposes the lack of refinement
Can bear weight	Cracks under pressure

2. Even Jesus Followed the Process

“Even our Lord Jesus Christ followed God’s process, and when the time came for Him to fulfil God’s assignment, He was baptised, and God’s Spirit came upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17). He didn’t start performing miracles the moment He was born, because God never raises a fellow without first ‘trying’ and preparing him or her.”

Jesus’ Process	Duration
Birth in a manger	Day one
Childhood in Nazareth	Thirty years
Private life, growing in wisdom and stature	Three decades
Baptism, then testing in the wilderness	Forty days
Public ministry	Three years

The Son of God did not bypass the process. He did not begin His public ministry as an infant. He waited. He prepared. He was tested. If Jesus submitted to the Father’s process, how much more should you?

What the Process Produces

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching and Scripture, here is what God’s refining process accomplishes:

What the Process Removes	What the Process Produces
Pride	Humility
Impatience	Patience
Self-reliance	Dependence on God
Fear of man	Fear of God
Unforgiveness	Forgiveness
Impulsiveness	Wisdom
Worldly ambition	Kingdom purpose

“Apostle Paul described the process as ‘our light affliction’ in 2 Corinthians 4:17. However, no matter how tough the process gets, it is nothing compared to the far exceeding and eternal weight of glory that God has prepared for us.”

2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

The Affliction	The Glory
Light (not heavy)	Far more exceeding (overwhelming)
But for a moment (temporary)	Eternal (never ending)
Works for us (productive, purposeful)	Weight of glory (massive, substantial)

Your present suffering is not meaningless. It is working. It is producing. It is preparing you for a glory so great that the affliction will seem light and momentary by comparison.

How to Endure God’s Process (Practical Steps)

Based on Daddy Adeboye’s teaching, here is how to persevere through the refining process:

1. Recognize That the Process Is Not Punishment

God is not angry with you. He is not punishing you. He is preparing you. Joseph was not in prison because God was against him; he was in prison because God was for him. The process is proof of purpose.

2. Embrace the Iron While You Are in It

Do not fight the process. Do not try to escape through shortcuts, compromises, or self-promotion. Joseph did not try to break out of prison. David did not kill Saul to seize the throne. They endured the iron. So must you.

3. Learn What the Process Is Teaching You

Each stage has a lesson. Ask God: What am I supposed to learn in this pit? In this prison? In this wilderness? Do not waste your suffering by refusing to learn.

The Stage	Likely Lesson
Pit of betrayal	God’s presence even when others abandon you
Slavery	Service as preparation for leadership
False accusation	God is your vindicator; do not defend yourself
Prison	Patience, trust, and leadership in obscurity

4. Trust the “Until the Time That His Word Came”

There is an “until” in your process. Until the word of the Lord tries you. Until the iron has done its work. Until you are certified fit for greatness. That time will come. Do not abandon the process before the “until” is fulfilled.

5. Keep Your Eyes on the Glory, Not the Affliction

Paul called it “light affliction” compared to the weight of glory. You may not feel it is light. But from eternity’s perspective, it is. Keep looking ahead. The glory is coming.

Warning: The Shortcut Leads to Shame

Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries a sobering warning: do not take the shortcut. Do not bypass God’s process.

The Shortcut	The Outcome
Self-promotion	Humiliation
Compromise to get ahead	Loss of integrity
Taking what God has not yet given	Losing what you took
Impatience with the process	Extended time in the process

Saul took the shortcut (offered sacrifices himself, spared Agag, consulted a medium). He lost the kingdom. Do not be like Saul. Be like Joseph. Be like David. Endure the iron. Trust the process.

Conclusion: Your Prayer for Endurance Through the Process

Daddy Adeboye closes with an imploration: if God is taking you through a refining process you find difficult, endure it. It is part of His plan for true and lasting greatness.

Pray this:

“Lord Jesus, I thank You that the iron on my feet is not punishment—it is preparation. Forgive me for the times I have complained against Your process, tried to take shortcuts, or doubted Your love because of the difficulty. Today, I embrace the pit, the prison, the wilderness. I will not run back to Egypt at the first hint of war. I trust that You are refining me like gold, certifying me for the greatness You have planned. Help me to learn what each stage is teaching me. Give me Joseph’s patience, David’s trust, and Jesus’ submission to the Father’s timing. I will not despise the long route, for I know that the short route would destroy me. Let the word of the LORD try me until the time that Your word comes. And when the process is complete, let me emerge purified, trusted, and ready for the weight of glory. In Jesus’ mighty name.”

Action Steps:

1. The Process Audit: Identify one area where you feel stuck in a “long route”—a delay, a difficulty, a wilderness. Ask God: What are You trying to teach me in this season? Write down the answer. Commit to learning the lesson.
2. The Shortcut Rejection: Is there any shortcut you have been tempted to take (compromise, self-promotion, dishonesty) to get out of your current difficulty? Write it down. Renounce it. Commit to God’s timing.
3. The Glory Focus: Find 2 Corinthians 4:17. Write it on an index card. Place it where you will see it daily. Every time you feel the weight of affliction, read it aloud: “This light affliction is working for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

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