RCCG Open Heavens 23 July 2026 Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye – SUSTAINING YOUR FREEDOM I
Topic: SUSTAINING YOUR FREEDOM I
Memorise:
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
— Psalm 9:2 (KJV)
Read: Psalm 149:1-2 (KJV)
1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
RCCG Open Heavens 23 July 2026 Today Message by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
When someone who is under the burden of the yoke of satan cries out to God genuinely for help, God steps in and delivers such a fellow. However, after receiving the deliverance, there are certain things the person must do and continue to do so that the 'taskmaster' (the devil) will not lay a heavier burden on him or her. For example, God heard the cry of the Israelites when the Egyptians enslaved them, and He came to their rescue (Exodus 3:7-8), but there were steps they had to take to ensure that they were not re-enslaved by their Egyptian taskmasters.
Matthew 12:43-45 tells us that if a person becomes free from a burden of demonic possession and remains empty, the burden will return in a worse form because the evil spirit that left the person will return with seven other spirits that are more wicked than itself, so that the latter end of the person will be worse than the first. I pray that in any area the enemy wants your latter end to be worse than your beginning, the Almighty God will frustrate his plans, in Jesus' name.
When a fellow has been freed from a burden, the first thing that he or she must do to keep the enemy away and ensure that the burden that has been lifted does not return is to praise God continually.
Acts 3:1-8 tells the story of a lame man who lay by the Beautiful Gate of the temple. When God visited him and took away his burden of stagnation, poverty, and shame, he began to walk, leap, and praise God without caring about anyone who was watching him. This man was born lame, and before his healing, he was already above 40 years old (Acts 4:22). This means that he was being carried from one point to another for over 40 years and must have been unable to enter the temple unaided. He might have been praying silently, "God, I wish I had legs so I could enter the temple and dance and praise You as You deserve." This must have been why he leapt and praised God with so much joy when he received his deliverance.
Beloved, has God been good to you? Has He taken away your burdens? Praise Him abundantly, everywhere, and at all times. As we see in today's Bible reading, fill your mouth with high praises to God. Dance and use musical instruments to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of your praise.
Key Point:
Praise is a powerful weapon for sustaining your victory and freedom.
Bible in One Year:
Isaiah 32-34
Hymn 18: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Verse 1:
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Join ye in glad adoration!
Verse 2:
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e'er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Verse 3:
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Verse 4:
Praise to the Lord—O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Open Heavens Devotional 23 July 2026 Commentary
Theme: The Burden Bearer expects praise as the key to sustaining your freedom. Deliverance must be maintained by filling your life with continual praise, preventing the enemy from returning with worse bondage.
Major Keywords: Sustaining freedom, praise, empty house, Matthew 12:43-45, lame man at Beautiful Gate, deliverance maintained, new song.
Commentary Summary:
Deliverance Is Not Automatic: After God delivers you, you must actively maintain your freedom. The Israelites had to leave Egypt and keep walking; they could not look back or linger.
The Warning of the Empty House: Matthew 12:43-45 warns that if a delivered person remains "empty" (no praise, prayer, or God's presence), the enemy returns with seven worse spirits. The latter end becomes worse than the first.
The First Key: Praise Continually: Praise fills the "house" with God's presence, declaring to the enemy that you are occupied and protected. It is not just a response to deliverance but the maintenance of it.
The Lame Man's Example: He was lame for over 40 years but immediately leaped and praised God when healed. His first act was worship—unashamed, exuberant, and public.
Key Truth: To sustain freedom, you must fill your life with praise. Do not be silent. Do not be passive. Sing a new song, dance, and use instruments. Praise is the weapon that keeps the enemy from returning.
Reference to Theme: This message, SUSTAINING YOUR FREEDOM I, establishes the foundational truth that deliverance must be protected. The enemy will try to re-enslave you. The way to keep him out is to fill your house with praise. A praising Christian is a fortress the enemy cannot penetrate.
Action Steps:
The Post-Deliverance Audit: Have you been delivered from a burden but have not established a lifestyle of praise? If yes, begin today. Set aside 30 minutes just to praise—no requests, no petitions—just praise.
The Empty House Check: Is your life "empty, swept, and garnished"? Do you have prayer, Bible reading, worship, and fellowship filling your days? If not, fill the gaps this week.
The Leaping Praise Practice: Do not be self-conscious. Like the lame man who did not care who was watching, find a time this week to praise God exuberantly—lift your hands, dance if you can, shout if you are able. Let your praise be uncontained.
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