Category: Open Heavens Devotional

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 19 March 2026, is GOD HATES HYPOCRISY

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 18 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 19 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: GOD HATES HYPOCRISY

MEMORISE
He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
Job 13:16

READ: Acts 5:1-11
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 19 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

In Mark 11:12-20, the Bible tells us about a fig tree that failed to produce fruit for Jesus to eat when He was hungry. Usually, when figs are in season, fig trees give a sign by producing many leaves, signalling that there are fruits on them. The fig tree in this passage, however, had leaves but no fruit – it was a show of hypocrisy.

It is also a show of hypocrisy when a minister leads prayer or worship in church and puts up an impressive physical performance but hardly prays or worships in private. A preacher once said that some believers pretend to be very strong in the Lord when they have just failed Him.

In Job 8:13, the Bible says that the hope of hypocrites will perish. Today’s memory verse also tells us that God doesn’t want hypocrites in His presence – this is a serious warning to believers.

Job 15:34 says that the congregation of hypocrites will be barren, and Job 20:5 says that the joy of a hypocrite will not last because it is for a moment.

One of the passages in the Bible that challenged me as a young Christian is the story of Ananias and Sapphira, which is today’s Bible reading. The couple sold a piece of land, kept a part of the money, lied to Peter about it, and this cost them their lives. I thought their punishment was harsh; the land and the money were theirs, after all.

However, the issue was that Ananias and Sapphira attempted to deceive the church. God hates lies, and no liar will go to heaven (Revelation 21:8). As I studied the couple’s story, I discovered that God punished them because they were hypocrites.

Many believers fall into the trap of hypocrisy when they fail to give accurate reports of things that are entrusted into their care.

Even some pastors are known to inflate their church’s attendance records, and when they are asked how the church is doing, they say, “Great”. I believe that a fellow is not doing great until the person doubles what the Lord has placed in his or her hand, as we see in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

Beloved, when you pretend to be who you are not just because you want to look good in the eyes of the people around you, you are only deceiving yourself. Rather, seek God’s face to help you to become who He wants you to be.

KEY POINT

Hypocrisy attracts God’s anger. Avoid it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 17-19

Open Heavens HYMN 34: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

OPEN HEAVENS 19 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Job 13:16
“He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.”
This verse establishes a fundamental barrier to divine encounter: hypocrisy. The Hebrew word for hypocrite (chaneph) conveys the sense of one who is profane, polluted, or godless—but with a religious veneer. The hypocrite is not an atheist but an actor, playing the part of piety while the heart is absent. Job’s declaration is both personal confidence (“He shall be my salvation”) and corporate warning (“the hypocrite shall not come before Him”). There is a holiness threshold that hypocrisy cannot cross.

BIBLE READING: Acts 5:1-11
This passage is the most terrifying judgment narrative in the early church:
v. 1-2: Ananias and Sapphira sell a possession, conspire to withhold part of the proceeds, and bring the remainder as if it were the whole. Their sin is not stinginess (the property was theirs to dispose) but deception. They wanted the reputation of Barnabas’s generosity (Acts 4:36-37) without the cost.
v. 3-4: Peter discerns the spiritual reality: “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” The lie was not primarily to the apostles but to God Himself.
v. 5-10: Sequential judgment. Ananias falls dead. Three hours later, Sapphira,未经通报, enters, confirms the lie, and shares his fate.
v. 11: “And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.” The church learned that God is not mocked. Hypocrisy in the house of God is not a minor social faux pas; it is a capital spiritual offense.

The Leaven of Hypocrisy: When Leaves Conceal Emptiness

Pastor E.A. Adeboye returns to the fig tree—this time extracting its deepest lesson: hypocrisy. The tree had the sign of fruitfulness (abundant leaves) but lacked the substance. It was a deceiver, a pretender, an actor on a hillside stage. Using Ananias and Sapphira as the New Testament counterpart, he exposes hypocrisy as a lethal contaminant in the body of Christ. It deceives no one but the hypocrite—and it bars entry into the presence of the Holy God.

1. The Anatomy of Hypocrisy

The Fig Tree Syndrome:

• In fig cultivation, the appearance of mature leaves signals the presence of early figs. Travelers seeking refreshment would scan for leafy trees, knowing that foliage promised fruit. The cursed fig tree was not merely barren; it was deceptive. It advertised what it could not deliver.
• The Parallel: Hypocrites in the church are spiritual fig trees. They display the leaves of religious activity—prayer leading, worship ministry, platform visibility, orthodox profession—but produce no corresponding fruit of genuine righteousness, private devotion, or transformed character.

The Mask of Ministry:

• Pastor Adeboye exposes a specific manifestation: “It is also a show of hypocrisy when a minister leads prayer or worship in church and puts up an impressive physical performance but hardly prays or worships in private.”
• The Diagnostic: Public spiritual performance without private spiritual practice is not merely weakness; it is deception. The congregation is being shown leaves. God sees the absence of fruit.

The Post-Failure Pretence:

• “A preacher once said that some believers pretend to be very strong in the Lord when they have just failed Him.” This is the hypocrisy of the freshly fallen who immediately resume their platform duties without the humility of confession and restoration. The mask is applied before the wound is cleansed.

2. The Fate of Hypocrites

Job’s Testimony:

• Job 8:13: “So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.” The hypocrite has hope—but it is a false hope, built on sand. When the storm of divine inspection comes, it perishes.
• Job 15:34: “For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.” Hypocrisy does not remain isolated; it infects congregations. And the judgment upon such assemblies is barrenness and desolation.
• Job 20:5: “That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment.” The applause of men is fleeting. The platform exhilaration evaporates. What remains is the terror of divine exposure.

Ananias and Sapphira: The Ultimate Warning:

• Pastor Adeboye confesses his youthful struggle with this passage: “I thought their punishment was harsh.” This is a common response. The crime—keeping part of the proceeds from a land sale—seems disproportionately punished by immediate death.
• The Revelation: “I discovered that God punished them because they were hypocrites.” Their sin was not greed but deception. They conspired to manufacture a reputation for generosity they had not earned. They wanted the church’s admiration without the sacrifice.
• The Principle: God does not judge us for what we lack but for what we pretend to have. The hypocrite is not condemned for weakness but for false representation. Ananias and Sapphira were not killed for selling their land; they were killed for lying about it.

3. The Modern Forms of Ecclesiastical Hypocrisy

Inflated Attendance Records:

• “Even some pastors are known to inflate their church’s attendance records, and when they are asked how the church is doing, they say, ‘Great.’”
• The Root: The pressure to demonstrate “success” according to worldly metrics leads ministers to exaggerate numbers, manufacture testimonies, and present an image of growth that does not reflect reality. This is fig-tree Christianity: leaves of statistical increase, fruit of genuine discipleship absent.

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30):

• Pastor Adeboye applies this passage as a diagnostic: “I believe that a fellow is not doing great until the person doubles what the Lord has placed in his or her hand.”
• The Implication: The servant who returned one talent did not lose it; he preserved it. But he was condemned as “wicked and slothful” because he produced no increase. Hypocrisy often masquerades as faithful preservation while concealing the absence of fruitfulness.

4. The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye (Implied)

A Young Christian Challenged by Scripture:

• The confession that Acts 5 “challenged me as a young Christian” reveals a heart that allowed Scripture to shape conscience rather than the reverse. Pastor Adeboye did not dismiss the passage as culturally obsolete or theologically problematic; he studied until he understood. This is the posture that prevents hypocrisy: submission to the uncomfortable Word.

How to Escape the Trap of Hypocrisy

Conduct a Private/Public Audit:

• Compare your private spiritual disciplines with your public spiritual performances. Is your prayer closet as fervent as your prayer leading? Is your personal worship as engaged as your platform ministry? Where there is significant discrepancy, hypocrisy has found a foothold.

Embrace the Freedom of Honest Weakness:

• You do not need to pretend to be strong when you have failed. The body of Christ is not a showcase of perfect specimens but a hospital for recovering sinners. Confess your failure to trusted brethren. The freedom of acknowledged weakness is far preferable to the bondage of maintained pretence.

Reject the Pressure of Impressive Metrics:

• Whether in ministry, business, or personal life, resist the temptation to present inflated or deceptive reports. God is not impressed by numbers; He searches hearts. Trust Him with the truth, even when the truth appears unimpressive.

Seek God’s Transformation, Not Man’s Admiration:

• “Rather, seek God’s face to help you to become who He wants you to be.” The antidote to hypocrisy is not trying harder to look good but turning to God to become good. Hypocrisy is self-improvement apart from grace; holiness is God-transformation through surrender.

Cultivate the Fear of the Lord:

• “Great fear came upon all the church” (Acts 5:11). This fear was not cowering terror but reverent awe—a sober recognition that God is not mocked. A healthy fear of divine inspection is the most effective anti-hypocrisy vaccine.

Warning: The Deception of Self-Deception
The Hypocrite’s Blindness:

• The most tragic aspect of hypocrisy is that the hypocrite is often the last to know. Ananias and Sapphira walked into that assembly believing their lie was undetectable. They had deceived themselves before they attempted to deceive Peter.

The Subtlety of Gradual Compromise:

• Hypocrisy rarely announces itself. It begins with small adjustments—a slightly inflated report, a prayer led without prior prayer, an “amen” spoken while the heart is absent. These small accommodations accumulate until the leaves are many and the fruit is none.

Conclusion: The Blessing of Transparent Integrity

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, Light of the World, You see through every leaf to the reality of my heart. I confess the hypocrisy that has taken root in my life—the public performances not supported by private devotion, the inflated reports, the reputation I have manufactured that exceeds my reality. Forgive me. I renounce the fear of man that drives me to pretend. I release the need to appear impressive. Today, I choose honesty over admiration. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Transform me from the inside out until my public life is merely the overflow of my private communion with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Hypocrisy Audit: Spend an hour in solitude with the Holy Spirit. Ask: “In what areas of my life am I presenting leaves without fruit? Where is my public reputation greater than my private reality? What am I pretending to be that I am not yet becoming?” Write down the answers. Do not defend yourself; simply receive the revelation.
2. The Confession Covenant: Identify one specific area of hypocrisy. Confess it to a trusted, spiritually mature believer. Ask them to pray with you and hold you accountable for authentic transformation in this area.
3. The Private Devotion Upgrade: If your public ministry exceeds your private devotion, deliberately reduce public commitments until private practice catches up. It is better to minister less from fullness than to minister much from emptiness.
4. The Accuracy Commitment: Make a covenant with God about your reporting—attendance figures, financial accounts, testimonies. Resolve to report only what is true, even when truth is less impressive than the expectations of others.

Remember: God is not looking for impressive fig trees with abundant leaves. He is looking for fruit. And fruit grows in secret, on branches abiding in the Vine, long before it is visible to passersby on the road.
“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:28-29). Let your praise be of God.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 19 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 18 March 2026, is REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 17 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 18 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR

MEMORISE:
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Ecclesiastes 12:1

READ: Mark 11:12-20
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 18 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

Today’s Bible reading tells the story of how Jesus saw a fig tree from afar and approached it because He was hungry. On getting to the tree, He discovered that it had no fruit on it even though it had many leaves, and He cursed it.

One lesson we can learn from this story is that God expects every living thing to be productive; He created everything for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11) and wants them to reveal His glory.

One detail that used to baffle me any time I read the passage in today’s Bible reading is that the time for figs had not yet come (Mark 11:13). I used to think to myself, “If it wasn’t the season for figs, why did Jesus expect the fig tree to have fruit?” I later realised that, where the issue of time is concerned, God’s time is always the right time. For instance, if God wakes you up at 3am or 4am, it is wrong to tell Him that it is too early for you to wake up. No matter how early the Sovereign God wakes you up, it means your day has begun – His time is always the right time.

In today’s memory verse, God instructs young people to remember Him while they are still in their youth. This means that the best time to serve God is when a person is young. It is best for people to surrender their hearts and lives to God in the morning of their years because those who seek God early will always find Him (Proverbs 8:17).

If you are a young person and you are reading this, Jesus wants your heart now; He wants you to bear fruits for His kingdom now that you’re still young.

He wants you to be fervent in spirit, serving Him (Romans 12:11). Don’t squander your youth on the altar of sin or waste it by pursuing unimportant things; seek God early. Do not be like the fig tree, which had nothing to offer Jesus when He came seeking fruit from it. God has commanded us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28); however, to be fruitful, you must cultivate a vibrant relationship with Him because you can do nothing without Him (John 15:4).

Beloved, I plead with you to remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Even if you are no longer a youth, dedicate the rest of your life to serving Him, and He will beautify your life with His glory.

KEY POINT

Remember your Creator now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 14-16

Open Heavens HYMN 39: I AM THINE, O LORD

Open Heaven Devotional 18 March 2026 Commentary

MEMORISE: Ecclesiastes 12:1
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.”
This verse is both an urgent command and a compassionate warning. To remember God early is to position oneself for a life of fruitfulness; to delay is to risk arriving at the tree of life only to find it barren.

BIBLE READING: Mark 11:12-20
This passage is one of the most provocative and instructive narratives in the Gospels:
v. 13: “And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.” The tree was outwardly impressive (leaves) but inwardly barren (no fruit). Its foliage promised sustenance but delivered disappointment.
v. 14: Jesus spoke to the tree: “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.” The curse was not an outburst of petulance but an enacted parable of divine judgment against empty profession.
v. 20: “And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.” The judgment was complete and irreversible. What appeared healthy was, in fact, already dead at its core.

The Fig Tree Generation: Called to Early and Abundant Fruitfulness

Pastor E.A. Adeboye wrestles with one of Scripture’s most puzzling details—Jesus cursing a fig tree when “the time of figs was not yet”—and extracts a profound revelation about divine timing and human responsibility. He declares that God’s time is always the right time. The call to fruitfulness is not conditioned on convenience, season, or readiness. When the Master approaches, He expects to find fruit. This is especially urgent for the young, whose “season” is now.

1. The Enigma of the Fig Tree Resolved

The Apparent Injustice:

• On the surface, Jesus appears unreasonable. Why curse a tree for failing to produce fruit out of season? This question has troubled many readers and, by Pastor Adeboye’s admission, once “baffled” him as well.

The Revelation:

• “Where the issue of time is concerned, God’s time is always the right time.” This is the interpretive key. The tree’s excuse (“it’s not the season”) is irrelevant to the Creator. When the Lord of the harvest walks through His vineyard, He has the sovereign right to expect fruit. His hunger establishes the season.

The Parabolic Meaning:

• The fig tree represents Israel—and by extension, every professing believer—clothed in the leaves of religious activity but destitute of the fruit of genuine righteousness. The tragedy is not that the tree failed to meet an arbitrary standard; it is that it appeared fruitful while being essentially barren. It was a liar in leaf form.

2. The Divine Expectation: Fruitfulness at All Times

The Creation Mandate (Genesis 1:28):

• “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” This is not a suggestion but a command, issued before the fall and reiterated throughout Scripture. God did not create beings for aesthetic display but for productive partnership in His purposes.

The Purpose of Creation (Revelation 4:11):

• “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” We exist for His pleasure—and His pleasure is found in our fruitfulness. A barren Christian, like a barren fig tree, is a contradiction of divine design.

The Condition of Fruitfulness (John 15:4):

• “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Fruitfulness is not produced by human effort but flows from intimate connection with Christ. The leaves of religious activity are easily manufactured; the fruit of the Spirit is the product of abiding.

3. The Urgency of Youth

The Divine Preference for Early Seekers (Proverbs 8:17):

• “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” God does not hide from sincere seekers, but He particularly honors those who seek Him in the “morning of their years.” Early seekers find not only salvation but also a lifetime of partnership with God.

The Wastage of Youth:

• Pastor Adeboye issues a passionate plea: “Don’t squander your youth on the altar of sin or waste it by pursuing unimportant things.” Youth is not a license for indulgence but a stewardship for impact. The energy, idealism, and resilience of youth are resources to be invested in the kingdom, not dissipated in the pursuit of empty pleasures.

The Tragedy of the Barren Fig Tree:

• The tree had leaves—it looked promising. It occupied space in the vineyard, consumed nutrients from the soil, and absorbed sunlight and rain. Yet when the Master came seeking fruit, it had nothing to offer. It was a consumer, not a contributor.
• The Warning: Young people who fill their lives with the leaves of education, career, relationships, and entertainment but neglect the fruit of righteousness, service, and intimacy with God will one day face the Master’s inspection—and find themselves barren.

4. No Expiration Date on the Call

For Those Beyond Youth:

• “Even if you are no longer a youth, dedicate the rest of your life to serving Him, and He will beautify your life with His glory.” The fig tree’s judgment was irreversible, but God’s grace extends to human lives until the final breath.
• The Principle: While early fruitfulness is God’s ideal, late fruitfulness is still fruitfulness. The eleventh-hour worker receives the same wage as the all-day laborer (Matthew 20:1-16). It is never too late to begin bearing fruit.

5. The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye (Implied)

A Life of Early and Continuous Fruitfulness:

• Though not explicitly stated in this passage, Pastor Adeboye’s own testimony embodies this truth. He surrendered his life to Christ in his youth and has spent decades bearing fruit that remains. The global expansion of RCCG is not the result of late-life diligence but of early surrender followed by lifelong abiding.

How to Answer the Master’s Hunger

For the Young:

• Surrender Now: Do not wait until you are “older” or “more settled” to give your life to Christ. The best time to remember your Creator is now. Pray the prayer of surrender today.
• Invest Your Youth: Your strength, your time, your creativity, your influence—these are not yours to spend on yourself. They are resources entrusted to you for kingdom purposes. Ask God: “How do You want me to use my youth for Your glory?”
• Abide Early, Abide Always: Cultivate the habit of abiding in Christ now, while your spiritual roots are still forming. A tree that grows deep roots in its early years will withstand the storms of its later years.

For the Older:

• Redeem the Time: You cannot recover the years you have wasted, but you can dedicate the years that remain. Moses was 80 when he led Israel out of Egypt. Caleb was 85 when he asked for his mountain. Your best fruit may still be ahead.
• Fruitfulness Without Resentment: Do not look back at your wasted youth with paralyzing regret. Accept God’s forgiveness for the barren years and ask Him to make the remaining years extraordinarily fruitful.

For All:

• Examine Your Leaves: Are you busy with religious activity but barren of spiritual fruit? Do you attend services, serve in ministries, and affirm orthodox doctrine—yet lack the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience)? Leaves are not fruit. Ask the Spirit to reveal the difference.
• Cultivate the Root: You cannot produce fruit by attaching fake fruit to your branches. Fruit grows from the root. Your root is your relationship with Christ through His Word, prayer, and obedience. Tend the root, and the fruit will come.

Warning: The Danger of Deceptive Foliage
The Leaves of Religious Performance:

• It is possible to maintain an impressive exterior of Christian activity while being inwardly barren. The Pharisees were masters of this deception—meticulous in tithing but negligent in justice, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23). Leaves deceive others; only fruitlessness reveals the truth to the Master.

The Presumption of Tomorrow:

• The young man who says, “I will serve God later, when I have enjoyed my youth,” is making a dangerous assumption. He assumes he will have a “later.” He assumes his heart will remain soft. He assumes the Master’s patience is infinite. The fig tree did not expect to be cursed; it simply expected another season. There was no other season.

Conclusion: Found Fruitful at His Coming

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I hear Your voice calling me to fruitfulness. I confess the years I have wasted—my youth squandered on empty pursuits, my energy spent on things that do not matter, my leaves of religious activity masking a heart of barrenness. Forgive me. Today, I remember my Creator in the days of my youth—or in the days that remain. I surrender my life to You without reservation. Abide in me, and I in You. Produce in me the fruit that remains: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Use my life to bring glory to Your name. When You come seeking fruit from my tree, may You find abundance. Let me not be a disappointment to the Master who hungers for righteousness in His vineyard. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Fruit Audit: Take an honest inventory of your life. Distinguish between “leaves” (religious activities, knowledge, reputation) and “fruit” (Christlike character, souls won, service rendered, obedience manifested). Ask: “What fruit does Jesus find when He comes to me?”
2. The Early Covenant: If you are under 30, write a formal covenant with God dedicating your youth to His service. Be specific: “I will use my energy for ____; I will invest my time in ____; I will pursue ____ for Your kingdom.” Place it in your Bible as a memorial.
3. The Late Harvest Declaration: If you are beyond your youth, write a declaration of dedication for your remaining years. “Though I come late to the vineyard, I will work with all my strength. Make these years my most fruitful.”
4. The Abiding Practice: Commit to John 15:4. Each morning, before any activity, spend time simply “abiding”—reading Scripture, praying, silencing your heart before God. Fruitfulness flows from presence, not performance.

Remember: The Master is walking through His vineyard today. He is hungry. He is approaching your tree. What will He find? A display of impressive leaves—or the sweet fruit of a life lived in intimate union with Him?
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8). Let Him find fruit on you—not in your own season, but in His.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 18 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 17 March 2026, is THE INTENTIONAL PARENT III.

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 16 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 17 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE INTENTIONAL PARENT III

MEMORISE
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7:17

READ: Psalm 34:1-3
1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 17 MARCH 2025 MESSAGE TODAY

Over past two days, I have discussed how important it is for parents to train their children in God’s way and some of the things they must consciously do to achieve this.

A poorly trained child often grows up to become a nuisance to society. However, when children are brought up in a godly manner, they grow up to become adults whom their parents can be proud of and good models for other people to emulate.

As I round off this series today, I would like to mention again that parents should teach their children God’s word, ways, and principles at all times. It is not enough to teach and guide them occasionally; parents must train their children at all times.

For example, parents must teach their children when they are in the house, away from home, and when they sit, stand, or lie down (Deuteronomy 6:5-9). I will discuss one other thing that parents must do at all times as part of their lifestyle, and this is showing gratitude.

In today’s Bible reading, David said that he would bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be on his lips. This is one of the things that parents must do non-stop; they should continually praise the Lord.

Some Christian homes are filled with grumbling, complaining, and all manner of negative talk. Raising children in such an atmosphere will condition them to have a negative mindset when they grow up to become adults.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we should always give thanks to God in everything, regardless of whatever situation we find ourselves in. Parents should let gratitude flow from their lips continually so that their children can pick up that trait from them. Many of the problems in society today stem from the fact that there are too many ungrateful adults who have grown up with a sense of entitlement.

In Genesis 22:1-18, when Abraham was taking Isaac up Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice to God, Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the sacrifice was. This shows that Isaac knew that no one should go to worship God empty-handed. He had learnt the art of worship and thanksgiving from his father and must have seen his father practice it many times.

Giving thanks always is a very important thing that every parent must do to train up their children in the way of the Lord. Parents who are not grateful and thankful should not expect their children to be.

KEY POINT

Ungrateful parents usually raise ungrateful children.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 11-13

Open Heavens HYMN 18: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 17 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Matthew 7:17
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
This verse establishes the inescapable law of spiritual genetics. The nature of the tree determines the quality of its fruit. No amount of external treatment, cosmetic adjustment, or environmental manipulation can make a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Applied to parenting, this principle is both a warning and an invitation: parents are the trees; children are the fruit. The most effective curriculum for training children is the transformed character of the parents themselves.

BIBLE READING: Psalm 34:1-3
This passage is David’s manifesto of perpetual praise:
v. 1: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” The adverbs are absolute: “all times,” “continually.” David does not condition his gratitude on favorable circumstances. His praise is not a response to blessing but a posture of worship.
v. 2-3: The corporate dimension: “The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad… O magnify the LORD with me.” Gratitude is contagious. It invites others—including children—into the circle of praise.

The Atmosphere of Gratitude: Parenting as a Lifestyle of Praise

Concluding his three-part series on training children in the way of the Lord, Pastor E.A. Adeboye identifies a critical, often-overlooked component of godly parenting: the atmosphere of gratitude.He argues that parents who complain produce complainers; parents who give thanks produce worshippers. The home is a greenhouse, and the dominant emotional and spiritual climate within it will determine the species of fruit that mature there.

1. The Non-Negotiable of Continuous Training

Occasional Instruction is Insufficient:

• “It is not enough to teach and guide them occasionally; parents must train their children at all times.” The Deuteronomy 6 mandate is not a weekly appointment but a perpetual posture. Spiritual formation is not a subject on the homeschool curriculum; it is the air children breathe.
• The Implication: You cannot compartmentalize parenting. There is no “off-duty” season for discipleship. Every moment, whether recognized or not, is a teaching moment.

The Comprehensive Coverage:

• “Parents must teach their children when they are in the house, away from home, and when they sit, stand, or lie down.” This is total saturation. The Word of God and the ways of God must permeate every physical location and every physical posture of family life.

2. The Atmosphere of the Home

The Diagnostic Question:

• What is the dominant emotional frequency of your household? Is it gratitude or grumbling? Praise or complaint? Thanksgiving or entitlement?
• Pastor Adeboye issues a sobering observation: “Some Christian homes are filled with grumbling, complaining, and all manner of negative talk. Raising children in such an atmosphere will condition them to have a negative mindset when they grow up to become adults.”

The Mechanism of Conditioning:

• Children are not primarily taught by formal instruction; they are conditioned by repeated exposure. A child who hears constant criticism of the pastor, the government, the economy, and the neighbor’s dog is not learning theology; they are learning a posture toward life. They are being discipled into cynicism.
• The Tragedy: Parents who complain about their circumstances are inadvertently training their children to complain about theirs. The “sense of entitlement” that plagues modern society is cultivated in homes where gratitude is rare and grumbling is the native language.

3. The Command and Consequence of Continual Thanksgiving

1 Thessalonians 5:18 as Parental Mandate:

• “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This is not a suggestion for pleasant circumstances; it is a command for all circumstances. The qualification “in everything” deliberately includes seasons of loss, disappointment, confusion, and pain.
• The Parental Application: Your children are watching how you respond to unanswered prayers, financial pressure, and relational conflict. Your thanksgiving in the trial is a more powerful sermon than your theology of suffering.

The Abraham-Isaac Model (Genesis 22:1-18):

• Isaac’s question—”Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”—reveals the depth of his training. He knew that worship requires sacrifice. He knew that one does not approach God empty-handed.
• The Implication: Isaac had learned the art of worship and thanksgiving not from Abraham’s lectures but from Abraham’s life. He had accompanied his father to altars before. He had seen Abraham give thanks before the ram was provided. His faith was caught, not taught.

4. The Testimony of David (Psalm 34:1)

Praise as Perpetual Posture:

• David wrote Psalm 34 in the aftermath of a deeply humiliating episode—he had feigned madness before Abimelech, drooling and scratching at walls to save his life. This was not David’s finest hour. Yet he declares, “I will bless the LORD at all times.”
• The Key: David’s gratitude was not contingent on his performance or his circumstances. It was rooted in the unchanging character of God. This is the gratitude that parents must model: not thanks for good things only, but thanks in all things.

How to Cultivate a Home of Gratitude

Audit Your Conversational Climate:

• For one week, pay attention to the content of your family’s mealtime conversations, car ride dialogues, and evening interactions. What percentage is complaint? What percentage is thanksgiving? What percentage is criticism of others? What percentage is praise to God?

Model Gratitude in All Circumstances:

• When bad news arrives, let your first audible words be praise. When finances are tight, thank God for His provision. When children disappoint, thank God for His patience with you. Your response to adversity is your most influential curriculum.

Institutionalize Thanksgiving:

• Create family rhythms that normalize gratitude. Establish a “Thanksgiving Jar” where family members deposit written praises. Begin meals with specific thanks, not rote prayers. End each day by sharing “one thing I’m thankful for.”

Teach Children to Worship, Not Just Consume:

• Isaac knew that worship involves offering. Teach children that they come to God not only with requests but with sacrifices of praise. Help them set aside portions of their allowance, their time, and their talents as offerings to God.

Replace Grumbling with Gratitude in Your Own Heart:

• You cannot fake gratitude before your children. They will discern the disconnect between your Sunday praise and your Monday complaining. Begin with your own heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to expose roots of entitlement and ingratitude. Repent and receive a new song.

Warning: The Multi-Generational Curse of Ingratitude
Ungrateful Parents Produce Entitled Children:

• Pastor Adeboye connects the dots explicitly: “Many of the problems in society today stem from the fact that there are too many ungrateful adults who have grown up with a sense of entitlement.” Ingratitude is not a victimless sin. It metastasizes across generations.

The Deception of “Deserving”:

• Entitlement is the belief that I deserve certain outcomes, treatment, or provisions. It is the antithesis of grace. Parents who model entitlement teach their children that God and others owe them. This mindset inevitably leads to bitterness when life does not conform to expectations.

Conclusion: The Legacy of a Grateful Generation

Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I confess that my lips have too often been filled with complaint rather than praise. Forgive me for the atmosphere of grumbling I have cultivated in my home. Forgive me for the negative words that have conditioned my children toward cynicism and entitlement. Today, I repent. Create in me a heart of perpetual gratitude. Let Your praise be continually on my lips, regardless of my circumstances. Help me to model for my children what it means to give thanks in everything. Let our home be known not for our complaints but for our worship. May my children grow up to be adults who bless the Lord at all times, who approach Him with offerings of praise, and who break the cycle of ingratitude in our family line. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Gratitude Audit: For the next 7 days, carry a small notebook or use a phone app to track every verbal complaint and every verbal expression of thanksgiving. At the end of the week, calculate your ratio. Ask: “What is my children’s exposure to gratitude vs. grumbling?”
2. The Family Thanksgiving Rhythm: Implement a daily or weekly practice of sharing specific thanks. At dinner, have each person share “one thing I’m thankful for today.” Protect this time from becoming rote or rushed.
3. The Complaint Fast: Challenge your household to a 24-hour “complaint fast.” No grumbling, no criticizing, no negative talk. Replace complaints with praise. Debrief together afterward about what you learned.
4. The Worship Playlist: Curate a family playlist of praise songs. Play it during morning routines, car rides, and evening wind-down. Let praise be the background music of your home.

Remember: Your children will become what they behold. If they behold a parent who blesses the Lord at all times, they will learn that God is worthy of praise in all seasons. If they behold a parent who grumbles continuously, they will learn that God is unreliable and life is unfair.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4). But before they walk in truth, they must see truth walking in you. Let them see you walking in gratitude.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 17 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 16 March 2026, is THE INTENTIONAL PARENT II

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 15 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 16 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE INTENTIONAL PARENT II

MEMORISE:
Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
Proverbs 29:17

READ: Psalm 1:1-6
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 16 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

Yesterday, I mentioned that God expects parents to train their children in His way. I also discussed how being filled with God’s word is the first step in training children in the way of the Lord. Today, I will discuss some other steps that must be taken to train children in the way of the Lord.

It is important for parents to act in a godly manner at all times. Children usually copy what they see others do, especially their parents. If a child’s parents are filled with the word of God, it becomes easier for the child to become interested in God’s word. Parents who pray regularly and always ask their children to join them are creating the right environment for their children to build the capacity to pray as well.

Whenever I went to visit my children while they were in school, I would often go on walks with them. On those walks, I would remind them of God’s word and pray with them. At every opportunity I had, I ensured that I taught them the word of God and how to apply it across all spheres of life. This is why, today, as adults, they are fully committed to serving God.

When parents teach their children in the way of the Lord, they will have rest, as today’s memory verse tells us. However, when they fail to model the right way for their children to live, they shouldn’t be surprised when they lead sinful lives. Sadly, the ungodly lifestyles of some parents discourage their children from serving God.

Parents should also intentionally shape the lives of their children by praying for them regularly. They should confess God’s word over their lives at all times and refrain from pronouncing negative words over them, especially when they are angry.

The tongue is very powerful and holds the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21).

The best time to start teaching children in the way of the Lord is when they are toddlers, so that it will be engrafted in their spirits as they grow. Even when they become adults, parents should ensure that they continually remind them of God’s word and pronounce it over their lives. They are to teach their children the word of God at all times (Deuteronomy 6:6-2).

Beloved, God wants His children to have peace in their old age. This is why He wants parents to train their children in the right way so they can give them rest in their old age.

REFLECTION:

Are you modelling the right behaviour to the children around you?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 9-10

Open Heavens HYMN 59: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 16 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Proverbs 29:17
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”
This verse is a direct promise from the throne of grace to parents who embrace the difficult work of discipline. The Hebrew word for “correct” (yasar) implies instruction, admonition, and disciplined training—not punitive anger but formative shaping. The outcome is twofold: rest (cessation of anxiety and conflict) and delight (deep, soul-level joy). Parental diligence in training yields a dividend of peace that compounds in old age.

BIBLE READING: Psalm 1:1-6
While this psalm is universally applied to individual righteousness, its principles are profoundly relevant to parenting:
v. 1: The blessed parent walks not in the counsel of the ungodly—including worldly parenting philosophies that reject biblical discipline.
v. 2: Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and they meditate therein day and night—the prerequisite for training children in the way.
v. 3: Such a parent is like a tree planted by rivers of water—stable, fruitful, and enduring. Their children are the leaves that do not wither.
v. 4-6: The contrast: the ungodly parent (chaff, unstable, perishing) produces children who cannot stand in judgment.

The Comprehensive Curriculum of Godly Parenting

Building on yesterday’s foundation—that parental training must flow from a heart saturated with Scripture—Pastor E.A. Adeboye now expands the curriculum. He reveals that training children in the way of the Lord requires visible modeling, intentional prayer, disciplined correction, and early initiation. These are not optional supplements but essential components of faithful parenthood.

1. The Power of Parental Example

Children Are Born Imitators:

• From infancy, children learn by observation and replication. They absorb not merely your instructions but your posture, your priorities, and your emotional responses to life. Before they understand your theology, they have memorized your behavior.
• The Inescapable Reality: You are always modeling. The question is not whether your children will imitate you, but what they will imitate. Your unguarded moments—how you handle frustration, how you speak of absent colleagues, how you respond to bad news—are your most powerful sermons.

The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye:

• “Whenever I went to visit my children while they were in school, I would often go on walks with them. On those walks, I would remind them of God’s word and pray with them.”
• The Key: These were not formal, scheduled discipleship sessions. They were walks—ordinary, unremarkable moments seized for eternal purposes. The cumulative effect of these consistent, small investments produced adult children “fully committed to serving God.”

The Tragic Counter-Testimony:

• “Sadly, the ungodly lifestyles of some parents discourage their children from serving God.” This is one of the most devastating statements in the devotional. Parents who profess faith but practice worldliness become the greatest obstacle to their children’s salvation. Their hypocrisy builds a wall of cynicism that may take decades to dismantle.

2. The Weapon of Parental Prayer

Intercession as Formation:

• Parents must not only pray with their children but for their children. This dual approach models dependence on God while actively engaging heaven on their behalf.
• Confession Over Curse: Proverbs 18:21 is a sobering reality. Parents who, in moments of frustration, speak death over their children—”You will never amount to anything,” “You are just like your worthless father,” “I wish you had never been born”—are not merely venting; they are releasing spiritual power. Words spoken over children in anger can become self-fulfilling prophecies of destruction.

The Discipline of Positive Declaration:

• Deliberately confess God’s Word over your children. Pronounce Scriptural promises upon their lives: “You are the head and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). “God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
• The Principle: Your words do not create reality, but they align with or oppose God’s declared reality over your child. Speak what God speaks.

3. The Timing of Training

The Toddler Window:

• “The best time to start teaching children in the way of the Lord is when they are toddlers, so that it will be engrafted in their spirits as they grow.”
• The Science: Early childhood is the period of maximal neural plasticity and spiritual receptivity. The foundations of trust, authority, and moral categories are laid in these formative years. To delay spiritual training until adolescence is to attempt construction on a shifting foundation.
• The Implication: Teaching toddlers Scripture is not “cute”; it is strategic. The verses hidden in their hearts at age three will surface as anchors in the storms of age thirteen.

The Adult Continuation:

• Parenting is not terminated at age eighteen or twenty-one. Adult children still require spiritual covering. Parents should “continually remind them of God’s word and pronounce it over their lives.” This is not control but covering; not interference but intercession.

4. The Outcome: Rest and Delight

The Promise of Rest:

• Proverbs 29:17 is not merely a proverb; it is a divine guarantee. The labor of training is intense, but the rest it produces is profound. Parents who invest in the spiritual formation of their children are investing in their own future peace.
• Rest Defined: Freedom from the anxiety of a prodigal’s wandering. Freedom from the shame of a child’s public disgrace. Freedom from the burden of perpetual rescue missions.

The Promise of Delight:

• “Yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” There is a unique, soul-level joy that comes from seeing your child walk in truth (3 John 1:4). It is the joy of harvest after planting. It is the joy of seeing the image of God reflected in the face of your descendant.

5. The Biblical Model: The Unfinished Assignment

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Revisited:

• The command to teach children “diligently” is perpetual. It does not expire when the child is baptized, confirmed, or married. The content changes (from milk to meat), but the responsibility endures.

How to Train Children in the Way of the Lord

Model Before You Lecture:

• Before you teach your child to pray, let them see you praying. Before you instruct them to read Scripture, let them see you with the open Book. Your life is your loudest lesson. Conduct a personal audit: “What is my current lifestyle teaching my children about the value of God’s Word, prayer, and holiness?”

Create Rhythms of Spiritual Conversation:

• Follow Daddy Adeboye’s example: use walks, car rides, and meals as natural opportunities for spiritual dialogue. Do not confine faith discussions to formal “devotions.” Let the Word flow into ordinary moments.

Pray With and For Your Children Daily:

• Establish a consistent pattern of praying with your children—at bedtime, before meals, before departures. Additionally, maintain a private prayer journal where you specifically confess Scripture over each child by name.

Guard Your Tongue Relentlessly:

• Make a covenant with God: “I will not speak words of death over my children, even in my angriest moments.” When you fail, repent immediately—not only to God but to your child. Model the humility of confession.

Start Early, Continue Always:

• If your children are still toddlers, begin now. If they are adolescents, begin now. If they are adults, begin now. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is today. Your prayers are never too late.

Warning: The Deception of “They’ll Figure It Out”
The Myth of Spiritual Autonomy:

• Some parents adopt a passive posture: “I don’t want to force religion on my children. I’ll let them decide for themselves when they’re older.” This is not neutrality; it is abdication. Children do not grow into godliness by accident; they grow into the image of whatever they worship. If parents do not intentionally point them to the true God, the world will enthusiastically introduce them to false ones.

The Danger of Delegation:

• You cannot outsource the spiritual formation of your children to the church, the Christian school, or the youth pastor. These are allies, not substitutes. The primary discipleship center is the home; the primary disciplers are parents.

Conclusion: The Legacy of a Well-Trained Generation

Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that my children are not mine but Yours, entrusted to my stewardship for a brief season. Forgive me for the times I have modeled ungodliness before them. Forgive me for the negative words I have spoken over them in anger. Today, I recommit myself to the sacred assignment of training them in Your way. Help me to live before them as a transparent example of Your grace. Give me wisdom to seize ordinary moments for eternal conversations. Teach me to pray with them and for them with perseverance and faith. I renounce every curse spoken over my children, knowingly or unknowingly, and I release Your Word as the final authority over their lives. May they rise up and call me blessed. May they give me rest in my old age and delight to my soul. Above all, may they serve You faithfully all the days of their lives. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The 30-Day Modeling Challenge: Identify one spiritual discipline you want your children to develop (prayer, Scripture reading, gratitude). For 30 days, practice it visibly and verbally, inviting them to join you. Journal the changes in their interest and your own consistency.
2. The Word Confession List: For each child, write 3-5 Scripture promises. Place them in your prayer closet or phone. Confess them aloud over your children daily for the next month.
3. The Tongue Covenant: Create a visual reminder (phone wallpaper, mirror note) that reads: “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” Let it serve as a trigger to pause before speaking in moments of frustration with your children.
4. The Intergenerational Walk: If you have adult children, schedule a regular “walk and talk” (physically or by phone) to pray with them and remind them of God’s Word. Your parenting assignment is lifelong.

Remember: Your children are not an interruption to your ministry; they are your primary ministry.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4). Train them well. Your rest depends on it; their eternity depends on it.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 16 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 15 March 2026, is THE INTENTIONAL PARENT I

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 14 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 15 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: THE INTENTIONAL PARENT I

MEMORISE
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

READ: Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 15 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

God expects parents to intentionally train their children so that the children can give them rest.

Intentionally training children yields many benefits, but it is disastrous when parents don’t train their children in the right way.

Proverbs 17:21 says that the father of a fool has no joy. In other words, if parents don’t want to spend the rest of their lives in sorrow, they should train their children in the way of the Lord. Proverbs 10:1 says that a wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is his mother’s heaviness. This means that when children are wise, they fear the Lord and follow His way, making their parents joyful.

However, when they are foolish and don’t follow the way of the Lord, they make their parents sorrowful. It is non-negotiable for parents to intentionally train their children in the way they should go. This is so important that God commanded parents in today’s Bible reading to teach their children God’s way at every opportunity.

Training children in the way of the Lord starts with ensuring that they are filled with God’s word.

Parents who are wise spend time memorising Scriptures and teach their children to do the same because keeping God’s word in their hearts will help them stay away from sin (Psalm 119:11). Sadly, memorising the Scriptures has almost become alien among many Christians.

As a young Christian, I memorised the Bible often. Memorising the Scriptures has been extremely helpful for me. For example, when I travel to nations that do not permit visitors to come into their land with a Bible, it is the Scriptures I have memorised that I rely on.

Unfortunately, many Christians these days don’t even read the Bible, let alone memorise it.

It is extremely important for parents and all other Christians to keep the word of God in their hearts; it is a command, as we see in today’s Bible reading. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).

Some believers may not realise how bankrupt they are of God’s word until there is an emergency, because it is when pressure is applied to a container that its content becomes revealed

Beloved, it is what your heart is filled with that will spill into the lives of those around you, including your children, if you are a parent. If you are not filled with God’s word, you cannot train your children in God’s way.

PRAYER POINT

Today is mothering Sunday. Pray that God will strengthen and preserve all mothers.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 6-8

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

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 15 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
This verse is both a command and a covenant promise. The Hebrew word for “train” (chanak) implies dedication, initiation, and the creating of a thirst. It is not merely instruction but the formation of holy habits and appetites. The promise is not that the child will never stray, but that the foundational imprint of godly training creates a spiritual gravity that will ultimately pull them back to their true course.

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 6:6-9
This passage is God’s non-negotiable mandate for parental discipleship:
v. 6: The prerequisite: “These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.” You cannot impart what you do not possess. Parental transmission of faith requires personal possession of the Word.
v. 7: The methodology: “Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Discipleship is not a scheduled event but an integrated lifestyle. Every moment is a teachable moment.
v. 8-9: The saturation: The Word must be bound as visible signs and written on doorposts. It must permeate the physical environment, not just the spiritual curriculum.

The Sacred Assignment: Raising Arrows for God

Pastor E.A. Adeboye addresses one of the most critical responsibilities of Christian parenthood: the intentional, Word-saturated training of children. He diagnoses a crisis in the contemporary church—the atrophy of Scripture memorization—and traces its devastating consequences: children who depart from the faith and parents who spend their latter years in sorrow. The solution is not complex but it is demanding: parents must first be filled with the Word before they can pour it into the next generation.

1. The High Stakes of Parental Training

The Consequence of Neglect: Sorrow Without End:

• Proverbs 10:1: “A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” The emotional and spiritual health of parents is directly linked to the spiritual condition of their children.
• Proverbs 17:21: “He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.” This is not a warning about naturally difficult children but about the tragic outcome of undisciplined, untrained, and undiscipled offspring.
• The Implication: Parents who neglect the spiritual formation of their children are not merely making a poor educational choice; they are sowing seeds of lifelong grief for themselves.

The Reward of Diligence: Rest and Gladness:

• When children are trained in the way of the Lord, they become sources of joy, honor, and ultimately, rest for their parents. A godly child is not a financial or emotional drain but a partner in the faith and a carrier of the family’s spiritual legacy.

2. The Non-Negotiable Content: The Word of God

The Primacy of Scripture in the Heart:

• Psalm 119:11: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” The primary purpose of Scripture memorization is not academic achievement but spiritual preservation. The Word internalized becomes the sword that defeats temptation.

The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy:

• Pastor Adeboye issues a sobering observation: “Memorising the Scriptures has almost become alien among many Christians.” This is not a peripheral concern but a central catastrophe. A church that does not read the Bible cannot know God. Parents who do not know the Word cannot train children in the Way.
• The Diagnostic Test: “It is when pressure is applied to a container that its content becomes revealed.” Emergencies, crises, and unexpected challenges expose the true contents of our hearts. Many believers discover in their moment of greatest need that they have been operating on spiritual emptiness.

The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye:

• “As a young Christian, I memorised the Bible often. Memorising the Scriptures has been extremely helpful for me.” He offers a specific, practical example: ministering in nations where physical Bibles are prohibited. The Word he hid in his heart decades ago remains accessible, portable, and powerful.

3. The Methodology: Intentional, Integrated, Continuous

Deuteronomy 6:7 as Divine Pedagogy:

• “Teach them diligently” —The Hebrew shanan means to sharpen, to whet, to pierce. This is not casual instruction but focused, repeated, incisive training that penetrates the heart.
• “When thou sittest… walkest… liest down… risest up” —Spiritual formation is not confined to Sunday school or family devotions. It is woven into the fabric of daily life: meals, journeys, bedtime, morning routines. Every moment is an opportunity to point children to God.

The Principle of Abundance:

• Matthew 12:34: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” What fills you will flow from you. A parent who is saturated with Scripture will naturally speak Scripture. A parent who is filled with anxiety, materialism, or worldly entertainment will transmit that.
• The Implication: You cannot fake spiritual depth before your children. They discern the true contents of your heart long before they understand your theological lectures.

4. The Consequence of Neglect: A Generation Without the Word

The Inevitable Spillover:

• What your heart is filled with will “spill into the lives of those around you, including your children.” If you are not filled with God’s Word, you cannot train your children in God’s way. The math is inescapable.
• The Tragedy: Parents who prioritize career advancement, social status, or material accumulation over their own spiritual formation are unconsciously programming their children to do the same. The child who never sees a parent reading Scripture will rarely become an adult who treasures Scripture.

The Warning of Eli (1 Samuel 2:27-36; 3:11-14):

• Though not cited explicitly in this devotional, the shadow of Eli hangs over this teaching. He was a priest who knew the Word but failed to restrain his sons. His parental passivity brought judgment upon his house and cost Israel the ark of God. Parental neglect is never private sin; it has generational and corporate consequences.

How to Train Your Child in the Way They Should Go

Become What You Want Your Children to Become:

• Begin with yourself. You cannot impart what you do not possess. Commit to a personal regimen of Scripture reading, meditation, and memorization. Let your children see you with the open Book. Let them hear you quoting the Word.

Integrate the Word into Daily Rhythms:

• Follow the Deuteronomy 6 model. Use mealtimes for Scripture discussion. Use travel time for Bible stories. Use bedtime for psalm recitation. Make the Word the soundtrack of your home.

Memorize Scripture as a Family:

• Select one verse per week. Write it on a card. Post it on the refrigerator. Recite it together at breakfast. Review it at dinner. Make memorization a joyful family competition, not a tedious chore.

Model Repentance and Dependence:

• Children need to see not only your strength but your humility. When you fail, confess it openly. Let them hear you pray for wisdom. Your authenticity will impress them more than your perfection.

Pray Scripture Over Your Children:

• Learn to pray the promises of God over your children by name. “Lord, may [child’s name] hide Your Word in his heart that he might not sin against You.” “May [child’s name] be like a tree planted by rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in due season.”

Warning: The Illusion of Outsourced Discipleship
The Church Cannot Replace the Home:

• Sunday school, youth group, and Christian schools are valuable supplements but insufficient substitutes. God assigned the primary responsibility of discipleship to parents, not pastors. If spiritual formation is delegated entirely to professionals, it will not take root.

The Danger of Hypocritical Instruction:

• Children are exquisitely sensitive to hypocrisy. If you command them to read Scripture but never read it yourself, you teach them that the Bible is for children, not adults. Your actions are your most powerful sermon.

Conclusion: The Legacy of the Word-Saturated Home

Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that You have entrusted these children to me as a sacred stewardship. I confess my neglect of Your Word in my own life and ask for Your forgiveness. Create in me a hunger for Scripture that I have never known before. Fill my heart with Your Word until it overflows into every conversation, every decision, and every moment of my parenting. Give me the discipline to memorize Your promises and the wisdom to teach them diligently to my children. Let our home be saturated with Scripture—on our walls, on our lips, and in our hearts. Raise up my children as mighty warriors for Your kingdom. May they never depart from the way of holiness. And when I am old, may I find my rest and my joy in the godly legacy You have built through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 15 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 14 March 2026, is LET HIM HAVE IT ALL

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 13 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 14 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: LET HIM HAVE IT ALL

MEMORISE
O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 10:23

READ: John 6:5-13
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 14 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

Today’s Bible reading tells us about a boy who gave his lunch to Jesus. He must have been planning to eat it, but when he learnt that Jesus had a need for it, he surrendered it willingly. At the end of the day, 12 baskets of food remained.

I once asked my children about their thoughts concerning what might have happened to the 12 baskets, and one of them said that since there were 12 apostles, each apostle must have taken a basket.

I believe, however, that the 12 baskets were carried to the boy’s house. The Bible tells us that everything returns to its source – this is why all waters return to the sea (Ecclesiastes 1:7).

It is the one who sows who will reap. Because the boy chose to trust God with what he had, God revealed Himself as the More-Than-Sufficient One. When you commit your ways to the Lord and surrender all you have to Him, He will reveal Himself to you in ways that are beyond your wildest imagination.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16, the widow of Zarephath had only one meal left for her and her son to eat. She surrendered it to Elijah, and she never lacked throughout the famine. Likewise, the Bible says that God performed special miracles through Apostle Paul (Acts 19:11). He surrendered everything God gave him back to the Lord, and God honoured his absolute surrender by making him one of the greatest apostles (2 Corinthians 12:11-12).

I want to encourage you not to struggle with God over your life. Surrender to Him completely, and I assure you that your testimony will be that it is a good thing to trust in the Lord.

Surrendering to God begins with giving your heart to Him completely. God will either be Lord of all, or He will not be Lord at all. He always comes to take charge and take over, and those who are willing to let Him be God experience His full support, protection, and help. They also enjoy unprecedented and wholesome victories in their lives.

Beloved, let God have it all. Today’s memory verse tells us that it is not in man to direct his steps. Since you are limited, why not hand everything over to the Unlimited God who can bring out the best from your life? He is faithful and able to keep everything that is committed into His care.

KEY POINT

Father I give you the full liberty to take charge of my life and affairs, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 4-5

HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 14 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Jeremiah 10:23
“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”
This verse is a profound confession of human limitation. The prophet acknowledges a fundamental truth: humanity, in its fallen and finite state, lacks the internal capacity for self-direction. We do not possess the blueprint for our own lives. This acknowledgment is not pessimism but the essential precondition for surrender—recognizing that the creature was never designed to function independently of the Creator.

BIBLE READING: John 6:5-13
This passage is a masterclass in absolute surrender and its multiplied return:
v. 5-6: Jesus poses a test to Philip, knowing “what he would do.” The need is overwhelming (feeding 5,000+); human resources are laughably inadequate (200 denarii would not suffice).
v. 8-9: Andrew brings the boy forward—a child with “five barley loaves and two small fishes.” The offering is humble, even dismissible. It was a child’s lunch, not a caterer’s provision.
v. 11: Jesus takes the surrendered loaves, gives thanks, and distributes. The multiplication occurs in His hands, not in the boy’s basket.
v. 12-13: The result: twelve baskets of fragments remain. The surrendered lunch did not just feed a multitude; it returned to the giver in overwhelming abundance.

The Law of Surrender: Letting Go to Receive More

Pastor E.A. Adeboye presents a counter-intuitive kingdom principle: absolute surrender is the pathway to absolute abundance. Using the boy’s lunch, the widow’s flour, and Paul’s life as case studies, he demonstrates that God is not a debtor. Whatever is genuinely committed into His hands is multiplied, glorified, and returned—often in a measure that exceeds the original surrender.

1. The Principle of Return to Source

Ecclesiastes 1:7 as Kingdom Economics:

• “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” This natural law reflects a spiritual reality: what proceeds from God must ultimately return to Him, and what is returned to Him is released back in increased measure.
• The boy’s lunch came from God’s creative provision. When it was returned to Jesus (the Source), it was multiplied and returned to the boy. The twelve baskets suggest that each disciple received a basket, but the original owner—the sower—received the harvest.

The Sower Reaps:

• This is the unbroken law of sowing and reaping (2 Corinthians 9:6). The boy did not sow his lunch into a field; he sowed it into the hands of Jesus. The harvest was not 30, 60, or 100-fold, but a return so abundant it required twelve baskets to contain it.

2. The Anatomy of Absolute Surrender

The Boy’s Surrender: Surrender of Substance:

• What he surrendered: His only meal. His present provision. His immediate security.
• What he received: Twelve baskets of surplus. His name immortalized in Scripture for two millennia. Participation in the greatest feeding miracle of the Gospels.
• The Principle: No gift given to Jesus is ever wasted or diminished. It is always upgraded and multiplied.

The Widow’s Surrender: Surrender of Existence:

• What she surrendered: Her last meal, her last hope, her life and her son’s life (1 Kings 17:12). She had “nothing baked” and only a handful of flour and a little oil.
• What she received: A barrel of flour that did not waste and a cruse of oil that did not fail throughout the famine. Her obedience preserved her household and the prophet of God.
• The Principle: When you surrender your “last,” you position yourself for supernatural, sustained supply.

Paul’s Surrender: Surrender of Identity and Ambition:

• What he surrendered: His pedigree, his religious credentials, his future as a rising star in Judaism (Philippians 3:4-8). He counted it all “dung” to gain Christ.
• What he received: Apostleship to the Gentiles, revelation of mysteries, “special miracles” (Acts 19:11), a crown of righteousness laid up for him (2 Timothy 4:8).
• The Principle: Absolute surrender of identity leads to absolute assignment and eternal reward.

3. The Non-Negotiable Terms of Surrender

God Must Be Lord of All or Not Lord at All:

• There is no partial surrender in the Kingdom. God does not accept co-ownership of a human life. He will either be the Master or He will be nothing. This is not divine tyranny but divine consistency. A divided heart cannot produce an undivided life.
• The Test: Is there any area of your life—finances, relationships, career, future, secret thoughts—that you have reserved from His lordship? That reservation is a declaration of independence.

Surrender Begins with the Heart:

• The external act of giving (the lunch, the flour, the credentials) is merely the evidence of an internal transaction. God is not primarily interested in your resources; He is interested in you. The boy’s lunch was acceptable because his heart was already surrendered.

4. The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye (Implied in the Text)

“I have never regretted surrendering my all to God”:

• While not explicit in this passage, the weight of Pastor Adeboye’s ministry and the global expansion of RCCG stand as a living testimony to the law of surrender. A mathematics lecturer surrendered his academic career, his plans, and his future to God. The return has been multiplied souls, multiplied nations, multiplied generations.

How to Practice Absolute Surrender

Conduct a Lordship Audit:

• Sit with the Holy Spirit and a journal. Draw a circle representing your life. Divide it into compartments: family, finances, career, ministry, future, secret life. Deliberately, one by one, hand each compartment to Jesus. Say: “Lord, this area is no longer mine. It is Yours. Do with it as You please.”

Give Your “Lunch” to Jesus Daily:

• Your “lunch” may be your time, your talent, your treasure, or your testimony. Each day, consciously place something in His hands—an act of service, a sacrificial gift, a word of witness. This daily discipline reinforces the posture of surrender.

Stop Struggling with God:

• Jacob wrestled all night and emerged with a limp and a new name. The limp was the memorial of his surrender. Are you wrestling with God over a relationship, a dream, or a hurt? Cease striving. Let Him have it. Your blessing is on the other side of your “I give up.”

Trust the Keeper of Your Deposit:

• 2 Timothy 1:12: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” God is not a negligent guardian. Whatever you entrust to Him—your reputation, your children, your future, your salvation—He is both willing and able to preserve.

Warning: The Deception of “My” Resources
The Illusion of Ownership:

• The boy did not truly own the lunch; it was on loan from God. The widow did not own the flour; it was provision from Jehovah-Jireh. Paul did not own his credentials; they were gifts of grace and birth. We are stewards, not owners. Surrender is not giving God something He needs; it is returning to Him what already belongs to Him.

The Tragedy of Withheld Surrender:

• The rich young ruler came to Jesus eager for eternal life but went away sorrowful because he had “great possessions.” His wealth possessed him more than he possessed it. He wanted salvation on his own terms—eternal life plus his possessions. He left with neither.

Conclusion: The Unfailing Return

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that the way of man is not in himself. I confess that I have struggled to direct my own steps, and I have made a mess of the areas I have withheld from You. Today, I cease striving. I surrender everything I have and everything I am to You. I give You my [name specific areas: finances, career, family, future, secret struggles]. I place my ‘lunch’ in Your hands. I return to You what has always been Yours. I trust You to multiply it, to bless others through it, and to return it to me in Your perfect timing and measure. I receive Your lordship over every area of my life. Thank You that You are faithful to keep that which I have committed unto You. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Physical Surrender: Write down the one thing God has been asking you to surrender that you have been withholding. Place it in an envelope. Pray over it, then physically give it away, destroy it, or place it in your Bible as a covenant sign.
2. The Weekly “Lunch”: Identify one resource you will deliberately surrender to God’s service each week (a specific financial offering, a block of time for ministry, a talent used for His glory). Do this consistently for 30 days and journal the results.
3. The Lordship Declaration: Write Jeremiah 10:23 on a card. Place it where you will see it daily. Each time you read it, verbally surrender the coming hours to God’s direction, not your own.

Remember: The boy did not know, when he released his five loaves and two fishes into the hands of a Galilean carpenter, that he was funding the greatest catering miracle in biblical history. You do not know what God will do with your surrendered “lunch.” But you can know this: He will do something. And it will be more than you could ask or think.
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). If He gave you everything when you gave Him nothing, what will He not give you now that you have given Him your all?

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 14 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 13 March 2026, is PRAYERS FOR YOURSELF

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 12 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 13 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR YOURSELF

MEMORISE:
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
Psalm 65:4

READ: Psalm 15:1-5
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 13 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

1. Father, I thank You for choosing me and making me Your own. Thank You for the tremendous privilege of being Your beloved child.

2. Father, I consecrate myself to You afresh. Please fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

3. Dear Lord, I want to shine brighter in Your purpose for my life this year. Guide me with Your wisdom and empower me with Your strength to walk the path that You have ordained for me.

4. Lord, please reveal Your ways to me and let me see things just the way You see them, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, please fill my heart with an unquenchable passion to win souls for You. Empower me to be a faithful and diligent labourer in Your vineyard.

6. Lord, please fill my heart with an ever-increasing hunger for Your word. Help me to truly abide in Your word day and night.

7. Lord, please help me to always remain humble before You. May I never become wise in my own eyes or think I can function without Your grace, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, please help me to speak the truth at all times. Empower me with grace to walk uprightly in all my endeavours despite temptations, in Jesus’ name.

9. Lord, please help me to walk in perfect health throughout this year and beyond. Let sicknesses and diseases be far from me and my family, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please bless the work of my hands. Help me to experience multiplication in my finances, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please help me to establish and maintain the right relationships according to Your will for me this year. Please bring me in contact with destiny helpers, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for yourself.

KEY POINT

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Judges 1-3

Open Heavens HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 13 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional (12 March 2026) is SAFETY IS OF THE LORD.

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 11 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 12 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: SAFETY IS OF THE LORD

MEMORISE:
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psalm 91:2

READ: Psalm 127:1-2
1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 12 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

I find it surprising that many influential people think that their bodyguards can truly keep them safe. The truth is, no human being can truly keep another person safe; safety is of the Lord (Proverbs 21:31).

For example, when bodyguards are confronted by assailants with superior firearms, the people they are protecting will quickly realise that nobody is really willing to die for someone else, no matter how much he or she is paid.

Beloved, the only one who can keep you safe is the Most High God; therefore, your hope for tomorrow should be in Him and no one else.

Sometimes, on my travels around the world, I am driven by reckless drivers. At one time in Brazil, one of such reckless drivers drove me from the hotel l was staying in to the place I was to minister at. As he drove, I was busy praying for him because I was worried about his safety. I knew that my safety was not in his hands, and if anything happened, I would be safe; it was him I was worried about. No matter how good or bad a driver is, I know that I will always arrive safely at my destination because my life is in God’s hands.

Even though David was a mighty warrior who had fought and defeated lions, bears, and giants, he knew he was not responsible for his safety.

Throughout the book of Psalms, he reminds us to keep our eyes on the only One who can truly keep us safe. Psalm 121 is one of such Psalms that reminds us that the Lord is our keeper (verse 5).

People who have had to undergo surgery because of what seemed to be a minor accident, such as hitting their toes against a stone, will understand how important David’s words in Psalm 91:11-12 are.

When God protects a fellow, the person’s enemies won’t be able to harm him or her, no matter how numerous they are. This was Jehoshaphat’s experience when he wore his royal robes and went into battle with Ahab against the Syrians. He became the primary target of all the captains of the Syrian army because they had been ordered to kill the king only, but God’s mark of safety was upon him, and they did not touch him (1 Kings 22:29-33).

Beloved, put your trust in God because only He can keep you safe.

KEY POINT

When God protects you, nothing and no one can harm you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Joshua 23-24

HYMN 19: ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 12 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Psalm 91:2
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
This verse is a personal, volitional declaration. It moves from knowing about God to proclaiming Him as mine. The psalmist uses three powerful metaphors: “refuge” (a shelter from storm), “fortress” (an impenetrable stronghold), and the possessive “my God.” This confession is not passive hope but active trust, deliberately spoken against the backdrop of visible, human security systems.

BIBLE READING: Psalm 127:1-2
This passage dismantles the foundation of self-reliant security:
v. 1: “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” The most skilled architect and the most vigilant sentinel are utterly useless without divine foundation and protection. Their labour is not merely insufficient—it is vain, empty, futile.
v. 2: The natural consequence of安全感 apart from God: anxious rising, restless sleep, and sorrow-laden toil. In contrast, God gives His beloved “sleep” —peace that transcends circumstances.

The Divine Keeper: Your Only True Security

Pastor E.A. Adeboye addresses a universal human anxiety: the need for safety. He contrasts the fragile, limited protection offered by human systems (bodyguards, drivers, military might) with the absolute, unwavering security found in the Most High God. The message is not an invitation to recklessness, but a call to transfer one’s ultimate trust from visible arms to the invisible Keeper.

1. The Limitations of Human Security

The Fallibility of Bodyguards:

• No amount of training, weaponry, or salary can guarantee that a protector will stand in the face of certain death. Self-preservation is a powerful instinct. To place ultimate confidence in human agents is to build on sand.
• The Reality: The men and women assigned to protect are themselves vulnerable. They can be outmatched, overwhelmed, or simply absent. Safety that depends on human ability is conditional safety.

The Unpredictability of Circumstances:

• The reckless driver in Brazil illustrates this perfectly. Daddy Adeboye’s peace was not derived from the driver’s competence but from the conviction that his life was held in God’s hands. His concern was for the driver, not about himself.
• The Principle: When your security is divine, human error and even human malice cannot ultimately harm you. You are not a victim of another’s mistake.

2. The Nature of Divine Protection

God as Keeper (Psalm 121):

• “He that keepeth thee will not slumber” (v. 3): Human guardians sleep, grow weary, or become distracted. The Keeper of Israel neither tires nor takes breaks.
• “The LORD is thy keeper… thy shade upon thy right hand” (v. 5): Intimate, personal, ever-present protection. The “right hand” was the hand of action and battle. God covers our strategic, active side.
• “He shall preserve thy soul” (v. 7): The scope of divine protection extends beyond the physical to the eternal. Your soul is preserved.

The Angelic Protocol (Psalm 91:11-12):

• “He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” This is not poetic exaggeration. It is the revealed operational order of the heavenly host concerning those who dwell in the secret place. God dispatches supernatural agents to prevent even minor injuries—the stubbed toe that leads to surgery and complications.

3. Biblical Demonstrations of Divine Security

Jehoshaphat’s Invisibility (1 Kings 22:29-33):

• The Context: Jehoshaphat, in royal robes, entered a battle where the enemy had a single, clear order: “Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.” He was the primary target, a marked man.
• The Outcome: The Syrian captains saw him, assumed he was Ahab, and encircled him. Yet, when they drew close, “Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him” (2 Chronicles 18:31). Divine protection can manifest as supernatural invisibility, confusion among enemies, or a hedge no human eye can see.

David’s Confidence (1 Samuel 17:37):

• Before facing Goliath, David declared: “The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” His security was not in his sling or his stones but in the covenant-keeping God who had proven Himself faithful.

4. Daddy Adeboye’s Testimony (Global Travels)

Peace Amidst Peril:

• A lifetime of international ministry, often in volatile regions, driven by drivers of varying skill and character. Yet the testimony is consistent: “I know that I will always arrive safely at my destination because my life is in God’s hands.”
• The Foundation: This is not presumption. It is the settled conviction of a man who has committed his ways to the Lord and trusts Him to keep that which is committed unto Him (2 Timothy 1:12).

How to Dwell in Divine Security

Make the Psalm 91 Declaration Your Own:

• “I will say of the LORD…” —Protection is activated by proclamation. Not a one-time prayer, but a lifestyle of confessing “He is my Refuge.” Your words either anchor you in the fortress or expose you to the storm.

Transfer Your Trust from Visible to Invisible:

• Examine your heart: Where do you instinctively look for safety? Your savings? Your connections? Your physical strength? Deliberately redirect that trust to God. Thank Him for human agents as instruments, but worship Him alone as the Source.

Sleep as an Act of Faith:

• Psalm 127:2 contrasts the anxious toil of those who rise early and go to bed late, eating the “bread of sorrows,” with the peaceful sleep God gives His beloved. When you rest well amidst uncertainty, you are testifying that your Keeper neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Cry Out in the Moment of Crisis:

• Like Jehoshaphat, your immediate response to perceived danger should be a cry to the Lord. This is not a failure of faith but its activation. The cry releases divine intervention.

Warning: The Presumption of the Reckless
Tempting God vs. Trusting God:

• There is a profound difference between faith that rests in God’s protection while walking in wisdom, and presumption that deliberately courts danger to “test” God. Jesus refused Satan’s invitation to throw Himself from the pinnacle, citing, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7). Trusting God does not mean abandoning prudence.

The Illusion of Absolute Physical Immunity:

• Divine protection does not always mean prevention of physical death; it means the fulfillment of God’s purpose for your life and the eternal preservation of your soul. The martyrs were not abandoned; they were received. Our ultimate security is not in this life but in the life to come.

Conclusion: The Unassailable Fortress

Pray this:
“Most High God, I renounce every trust in human strength, human guards, and human wisdom for my safety. You alone are my Refuge and my Fortress. I declare today: The LORD is my Keeper. I commit my going out and my coming in into Your hands. I commit my travels, my home, my family, and my future to Your keeping. I receive the ministry of Your angels, charged to guard me in all my ways. I reject the spirit of fear and anxiety. I receive the gift of peaceful sleep, knowing that You neither slumber nor sleep. When I cry out in trouble, O Lord, answer me and deliver me from all my fears. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Psalm 91 Covenant: Read Psalm 91 aloud daily for the next 30 days. Personalize it. Insert your name. Let it reprogram your subconscious response to fear.
2. The Trust Audit: Identify one area where you have been relying more on human security than divine (e.g., obsessively checking news, over-insuring out of fear, anxiety about travel). Deliberately release that area to God in prayer.
3. The Sleep Sacrifice: For one week, refuse to engage with anxiety-inducing media before bed. Instead, recite Psalm 4:8: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Then, sleep.

Remember: Your bodyguard may flee. Your driver may err. Your walls may crumble. But the One who has given His angels charge over you has never lost a battle, never slept on duty, and never abandoned a trusting child.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1). Dwell deep. Your Keeper is watching.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 12 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional (11 March 2026) is ATTAINING GOOD SUCCESS II.

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 10 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 11 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: ATTAINING GOOD SUCCESS II

MEMORISE
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Joshua 1:8

READ: Joshua 1:1-9
1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 11 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

When Zerubbabel wanted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, Zechariah told him that it wouldn’t be by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). It is possible to succeed and achieve results that could never have been produced by your efforts – I am a living proof of that reality.

As I write this, the RCCG is in over 190 countries across the world, and I have yet to visit some of them. This is a good example of results beyond efforts. God can give you victories that have nothing to do with how powerful, wise, strong, or influential you are – they will only be by His unfailing mercies and love.

In Psalm 37:5, David advises you to commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him to bring your plans to pass. This is important because if you don’t surrender all to the Lord and He gives you success, you might likely forget Him and begin to feel as if you have become successful because of your abilities.

Some people become successful and lose their sleep and peace because they have not surrendered to the Lord. When I became the General Overseer of the RCCG, we had only 39 branches in Nigeria. Now, the church has thousands of branches across the world, and my blood pressure remains normal because I know that God is behind it all. Every night, I go to bed without worrying about anything. I am at peace because I have committed and surrendered everything to God.

God wants all His children to enjoy good success. In today’s memory verse, He showed Joshua an important key to attaining such success: meditating on His word. To meditate is to think deeply about something. God told Joshua to keep the book of the law in his heart and on his lips at all times because He knows that whatever is in his heart and on his lips will eventually become his reality.

God knows that if He can get you to believe that He wants you to be successful, and you profess this in faith, nothing will stop you from succeeding, If you are reading this and have experienced many struggles and failures, I decree that things will change for the better from today, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, meditate on the word of God day and night and confess the things He has said concerning you; that is the key to experiencing and enjoying good success.

ACTION POINT

Set time apart daily to meditate on God’s promises concerning your success.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Joshua 21-22

Open Heavens HYMN 3: ANCIENT WORDS

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 11 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: Joshua 1:8
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
This verse is God’s personal success manual, delivered directly to Joshua at a critical transition. It reveals that “good success” —prosperity aligned with divine purpose—is not accidental or reserved for a select few. It is the guaranteed outcome of a threefold discipline: (1) continuous meditation on God’s Word, (2) speaking it without cessation, and (3) obedient action. The promise is conditional and certain.

BIBLE READING: Joshua 1:1-9
This passage is the divine commissioning of Joshua and the template for kingdom advancement:
v. 1-2: God initiates. The promise of the land is sure; Joshua’s role is to possess what has already been given.
v. 3: The scope of inheritance: “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you.” Divine provision meets human participation.
v. 5-7: The core requirements: “Be strong and of a good courage… only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law.” Courage is linked to obedience.
v. 8: The central command: the meditation-speech-action cycle that produces prosperity and good success.
v. 9: The anchor: “Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

The Mechanics of Good Success

Pastor E.A. Adeboye shares a profound personal testimony—the unprecedented global expansion of RCCG—to demonstrate a foundational truth: results beyond effort are the hallmark of Spirit-led success. He then reveals the scriptural mechanism for accessing this dimension of supernatural achievement: the meditation and confession of God’s Word.

1. Results Beyond Effort: The Zerubbabel Principle

Not By Power, Nor By Might:

• Zechariah 4:6 establishes that the greatest kingdom accomplishments are achieved through a dimension that transcends human capability, wisdom, or influence. They are the product of the Spirit’s enablement.

The Testimony of Daddy Adeboye:

• The Starting Point: 39 branches in Nigeria.
• The Current Reality: Thousands of branches in over 190 countries—many he has never visited.
• The Key: This is not the result of strategic genius alone, but of surrendered labor partnered with divine acceleration. It is “results beyond efforts.”
• The Evidence of Surrender: Peace that transcends circumstances. Normal blood pressure and restful sleep amidst global expansion testify to a man who has truly committed his way to the Lord.

2. The Danger of Success Without Surrender

The Pride Trap:

• When we achieve results through our efforts without consciously acknowledging God’s enabling, we are prone to forget Him and attribute success to our own abilities (Deuteronomy 8:11-18). This spiritual amnesia invites downfall.

The Anxiety Trap:

• Success achieved and maintained by human effort alone is a heavy burden. It produces sleeplessness, hypertension, and constant fear of loss. Surrender transfers the weight of maintenance from your shoulders to God’s.

3. The Joshua Protocol: Meditation, Confession, Action

Step 1: Meditation (Internalization):

• “Meditate therein day and night” —The Hebrew hagah implies a deep, vocal muttering; chewing on the Word; turning it over in your mind until it saturates your consciousness. This is not casual reading but focused, continuous contemplation.

Step 2: Confession (Verbalization):

• “This book… shall not depart out of thy mouth.” —What fills the heart inevitably flows from the lips (Matthew 12:34). Meditation produces confession. You begin to speak what God has spoken, calling things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17).

Step 3: Action (Incarnation):

• “That thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written.” —The Word must become flesh in your behavior. Confession without corresponding obedience is mere noise. Meditation fuels obedience, and obedience activates the promise of prosperity and success.

The Result: Good Success:

• This is not worldly success achieved by ungodly means, but divine success—prosperity without sorrow, elevation without pride, and achievement without burnout.

4. Joshua’s Testimony (Joshua 1:10-11; 3:15-17; 6:20)

From Command to Conquest:

• Joshua obeyed the protocol. He meditated on the law. He spoke God’s promises. He acted in faith.
• The Jordan Crossing: The moment the priests’ feet touched the floodwaters, the waters parted. Action based on the Word released the miracle.
• Jericho: Silent meditation for seven days, followed by a shout of faith. The walls fell. Victory without conventional warfare.

How to Access Results Beyond Effort

Cultivate Deep Meditation, Not Casual Reading:

• Set aside uninterrupted time to ponder a single scripture deeply. Ask: What does this reveal about God? What does it require of me? What promise can I claim? What command must I obey?

Develop a Confession Vocabulary:

• Identify the specific promises of God that address your situation (health, provision, family, ministry). Write them in first-person, present-tense declarations. Speak them aloud daily until they displace fear and doubt.

Act on the Word Immediately:

• When Scripture reveals an area of required obedience, do not delay. Partial obedience is disobedience. Your breakthrough is often locked behind your obedience to what God has already said.

Commit Your Way Completely:

• Follow Daddy Adeboye’s example. Transfer the ownership of your dreams, plans, and responsibilities to God in a definitive act of surrender. Then, rest in His ability to manage what He now owns.

Warning: The Counterfeit of “Positive Confession” Without Foundation
Confession Without Meditation is Empty:

• Speaking scriptures without corresponding heart-conviction (meditation) and life-obedience is mere incantation. It produces no lasting fruit.

Success Without Surrender is a Trap:

• If you achieve results but lose your peace, your prayer life, and your intimacy with God, you have not attained “good success.” You have merely built a monument to your own anxiety.

Conclusion: Your Mouth, Your Miracle

Pray this:
“Father, I receive Your protocol for good success. Forgive me for relying on my own power and might. I surrender every plan, every dream, and every burden to You. I commit my way unto You. Lord, teach me to meditate on Your Word day and night. Let it saturate my thoughts, govern my speech, and direct my steps. I declare that Your Word shall not depart from my mouth. I speak Your promises over my life, my family, and my future. I believe that as I obey Your voice, You will cause me to experience results beyond my natural efforts. I receive Your peace that passes understanding. I receive Your good success, for Your glory alone. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The 30-Day Meditation Challenge: Select one key promise (e.g., Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:1-3, Isaiah 43:18-19). Read it aloud morning and evening. Write it out. Carry it with you. At the end of 30 days, journal the transformation in your mindset and circumstances.
2. The Surrender Ceremony: Write down your most significant current goal or burden. On a sheet of paper, formally transfer ownership to God in writing. Date and sign it. Place it in your Bible as a covenant memorial.
3. The Obedience Audit: Review the last clear command you received from Scripture that you have not yet acted upon. Take the first step of obedience today, no matter how small.

Remember: God is not looking for powerful people; He is looking for yielded people. When you meditate on His Word, you are not just reading history—you are downloading the blueprint for your future success.
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night… for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8). Your success is in your mouth.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 11 March 2026 Devotional PDF

Today’s Open Heavens devotional, 10 March 2026, is ATTAINING GOOD SUCCESS I

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

• Read: RCCG Open Heavens 9 March 2026 Devotional

---

OPEN HEAVENS 10 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: ATTAINING GOOD SUCCESS I

MEMORISE:
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:23

READ: Romans 8:31-39
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

---

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 10 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY

When God’s children have to fight through obstacles and challenges, they often have scars from the battles before they finally receive their trophies.

There is, however, a better way for children of God to succeed, and this is winning without a fight, as we see in Romans 8:37, which says that we are more than conquerors simply because God loves us. I will discuss this today in continuation of the series I started two days ago.

When God loves a person specially, He makes them more than conquerors, meaning that they enjoy victories without fighting. Imagine a scenario where a boxer fights hard to win a championship belt, then hands it over to his wife along with all the proceeds from the boxing match. In such an instance, the wife won the boxing championship without even fighting.

I pray that the Almighty God will give you victories without fights, in Jesus’ name.

Some people say that God loves everyone equally, but this is not really true. Jesus had twelve disciples, but some were closer to Him than others. You will recall how Jesus took only Peter, James, and John with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3). Those three disciples were clearly closer to Jesus than the others. However, one of them, John, was even much closer to Him. For example, when Jesus was asked to reveal the identity of the person who would betray Him, He didn’t give a direct answer until John asked Him (John 13:21-26).

Beloved, there’s a secret I want to share with you on how to make God love you specially. Jesus said, in John 14:23, that if you love Him, you will keep His word, and His Father will love you so much that He will make His abode in you. This is a special kind of love that He has reserved only for those who obey all His commands.

When you live your life according to His will, God will fight your battles for you, and no one can be against you (Romans 8:31). Your life will be filled with experiences that demonstrate God’s special love for you. Even when it seems as if destruction is looming, one way or the other, God will manoeuvre things to your favour and even promote you (Daniel 3:8-30).

Beloved, loving God by keeping His word is your guarantee to attaining good success and experiencing victory without a fight.

REFLECTION

Do you keep all God’s commands?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Joshua 18-20

Open Heavens HYMN 50: CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 10 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY

MEMORISE: John 14:23
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
This verse reveals the dynamic cycle of intimate covenant: Our love for Christ is demonstrated by obedience (“keep my words”), which triggers a special response from the Father—not just general benevolence, but a profound, indwelling love that results in the fullness of the Godhead taking up residence within the believer. This indwelling is the source of “more than conqueror” status.

BIBLE READING: Romans 8:31-39
This passage is the triumphant declaration of the believer’s secure position in God’s special love:
v. 31: The foundational question: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” This assumes the condition of God being for us in a special, active sense.
v. 35-37: A catalogue of extreme adversities that cannot “separate us from the love of Christ.” This love is not a feeling, but a conquering force.
v. 37: The pinnacle: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” “More than conquerors” (hupernikomen) means to overwhelmingly conquer, to conquer with surpassing victory. It implies a victory so complete it transcends the very concept of battle.

The Position of “More Than Conquering”

Concluding his series on life’s battles, Pastor E.A. Adeboye reveals the highest level of victory available to the believer: not failure, not struggling victory, but victory without a fight. This is not the absence of enemies or challenges, but a divine positioning where God Himself assumes full responsibility for our battles, granting us the trophy before the conflict.

1. Understanding “More Than Conquerors”

Beyond Battlefield Victory:

• A conqueror fights and wins. A “more than conqueror” receives the victory as an inheritance, like the boxer’s wife in the illustration. The fight was won by another on their behalf, and they enjoy the full reward without enduring the blows.
• The Source: This position is not earned by our prowess but accessed “through him that loved us.” It is a benefit of God’s special love.

2. The Reality of God’s Special Love

The Biblical Truth of Preferential Intimacy:

• While God’s general love extends to all (John 3:16), His manifested, indwelling, and fiercely protective love is conditioned upon loving obedience. Pastor Adeboye corrects a common misconception using the clear example of Jesus’ inner circle (Peter, James, John) and, supremely, the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”

The Mechanism of Access: Love Expressed as Obedience:

• John 14:23 is the “secret.” It outlines a covenant chain:
  1. Our Love for Jesus → expressed in keeping His words.
  2. The Father’s Response → special love (agapēsei).
  3. The Divine Result → God makes His abode in the believer.
• This indwelling is what makes one “more than a conqueror.” The Commander of the universe resides within, therefore the battles around you are beneath His dignity for you to fight alone.

3. Biblical Portraits of Victory Without a Fight

Daniel’s Friends (Daniel 3:24-27):

• They did not fight the fire or the king. They obeyed God’s word (refusing idolatry) and were bound and thrown in. God Himself fought the battle. They emerged without even the smell of smoke on them—the ultimate “more than conqueror” outcome.

King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:15-17, 22-24):

• Faced with an overwhelming army, God said, “The battle is not yours, but God’s… Ye shall not need to fight in this battle.” Their role was to worship. God set ambushes and turned enemies against each other. They spent three days gathering the spoil.

The Israelites at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:13-14):

• Moses’ command: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD… The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

4. The Testimony of John (The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved)

Intimacy Through Proximity and Obedience:

• John’s unique title did not stem from favoritism but from a reciprocal love manifested in closeness (leaning on Jesus’ breast) and steadfast obedience (following to the cross). This intimacy granted him unique revelation and access (John 13:25, Revelation 1:1).

How to Access the “More Than Conqueror” Life

Cultivate Obedience-Based Love:

• Move from a love of mere affection to a love of submission. Audit your life against Christ’s clear commands. Where is there disobedience? That is the barrier to the special love that grants effortless victory.

Pray from a Position of Indwelling:

• Stop praying for God to come and help. Start praying from the reality that He has made His abode in you. Command situations to align with the victory of the indwelling King.

Adopt a Posture of Receiving, Not Striving:

• In the face of challenges, your first response should be worship and declaration: “Thank You, Father, that You are for me. I stand still and see Your salvation. I receive the victory You have already won.”

Expect Divine Maneuvering:

• Believe God for “Daniel 3” and “2 Chronicles 20” outcomes—where your obedience in the fire leads to supernatural promotion and your enemies are turned against each other without your lifting a sword.

Warning: The Deception of Presumptive Victory
Assuming Special Love Without Obedience:

• Claiming “more than conqueror” status while living in willful disobedience is spiritual presumption. It leads to defeat, as God is not obligated to fight for a rebel.

Misinterpreting the Process:

• “Victory without a fight” does not mean the absence of a trial (the furnace was hot, the army was real). It means the battle is transferred from your shoulders to God’s. Your role becomes worship and obedience, not combat.

Conclusion: Dwelling in the Love That Conquers

Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I desire the intimate, indwelling love of the Father that makes me more than a conqueror. I repent of any disobedience. I choose today to love You by keeping Your words. I surrender every area of my life to Your command. Father, according to Your promise, love me with that special love. Make Your abode in me. Fight my battles for me. I receive the position of ‘more than conqueror’ through Christ who loved me. I step out of the struggle and into the rest of Your overwhelming victory. From this day, I expect to see Your salvation without my striving, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.”

Action Steps:

1. The Obedience Audit: Take time with the Holy Spirit and the Gospels (Matthew 5-7, John 14-15). Write down one clear command of Jesus you have been neglecting. Commit to obeying it immediately as your act of love.
2. Declare Your Position: Each morning, declare Romans 8:31, 37 aloud: “God is for me. Therefore, no one can succeed against me. In all things, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.”
3. Practice Posture Prayer: In your next crisis, do not draft a battle plan. First, spend time in worship and declaring God’s victory. Ask, “Father, how would You have me receive the victory You’ve already won here?”

Remember: Your highest calling is not to be a great warrior for God, but a beloved child in whom God dwells. Let Him fight for you.
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). The Greater One within you has already secured the victory.

Facebook: RCCG Live

Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow

Download Open Heavens 10 March 2026 Devotional PDF