Summary: The Open Heavens daily devotional for today Saturday, January 31, 2026, written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, focuses on how believers can identify and overcome demonic oppression that seeks to hinder growth, progress, and promotion.
Table of Contents
Memory Verse – Judges 6:9 (KJV)
“And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land.”
Bible Reading – Exodus 1:7–14 (KJV)
The passage below describes how the Israelites multiplied greatly in Egypt and how the Egyptians responded by placing them under severe oppression to prevent their increase.
Click to read the Bible passage
Exodus 1:7–14 (KJV)
7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply...
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens...
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew...
13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage...
Message
Today, I want to conclude this series by discussing another kind of trap which the devil uses. This trap is very subtle but potent in keeping people under his bondage. It is something I would like to call a trap of hypnosis. In this case, the devil hypnotises an individual by trapping his or her mind and taking control of it.
In today's Bible reading, Jesus asked His disciples who He was, and one of them, Peter, accurately described the person of Jesus. When he gave that description, Jesus announced that he could only have gotten it from a divine revelation. However, the next moment, when Jesus was telling the disciples about the things that were to come, Peter rebuked Him and said that He was not going to die. Immediately, Jesus said, "Get thee behind me, satan..."
In a split moment, the devil had put Peter in bondage and was controlling his thoughts and speech, such that he started speaking as the devil's puppet without knowing it.
One major tool the devil uses to hypnotise people today and take control of their minds is the social media. He pushes certain ideologies to them consistently, and after a while, they begin to think the thoughts that he wants them to think. We see this everywhere in the world today; things that were considered shameful and an abomination a few decades ago are now seen as normal in society.
The devil particularly targets children, ensuring that they learn all sorts of abominable things at a tender age so that he can take control of their fragile minds.
As a child of God, you must beware of this subtle but very dangerous tool that the devil is using to bring people into bondage.Many times, the devil sneaks his evil ideas into songs and movies, and by so doing, he subtly introduces them to unsuspecting people, hypnotising them without their knowledge. This is why 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that you must pray without ceasing. To avoid this trap of the devil, you must remain in touch with the Holy Spirit at all times by studying the Bible diligently, meditating on it at all times, and praying without ceasing.
Beloved, watch, pray, and guard your heart with all diligence – Proverbs 4:23.
You must take heed lest you fall – 1 Corinthians 10:12, because Jesus Himself said that if it were possible, even God's very elect will be victims of the devil – Matthew 24:24.
Key Lessons
- Demonic oppression can exist even when a person appears normal.
- Oppression is designed to prevent growth, increase, and promotion.
- God’s deliverance can suddenly reverse long-standing stagnation.
Prayer Point
Father, please deliver me from every demonic oppression that might be hindering my promotion, in Jesus’ name.
Hymn – Conquerors and Overcomers Now Are We
Open hymn lyrics
Conquerors and overcomers now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we've victory;
If the Lord be for us, we can never fail;
Nothing 'gainst his mighty pow'r can e'er prevail.
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