The Open Heaven 13 October 2026 devotional for today is YOUR BACKGROUND DOES NOT MATTER.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 13 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: YOUR BACKGROUND DOES NOT MATTER
MEMORISE:
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
Psalm 113:7
READ: 1 Samuel 2:2-9
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 13 OCTOBER 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
In 1 Kings 17:1, the Bible introduces us to a man of God named Elijah. Interestingly, the Bible did not even mention his father’s name. It is even more interesting when you consider that even Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, had his father’s name mentioned in the Bible, as he was referred to as blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, even though he was a beggar.
In Elijah’s case, however, it was quite different, as the Bible only mentioned the name of his town – even his tribe was not mentioned. I can relate well to this because I am also the son of someone people might call a nobody. This is why I am convinced that if God can achieve great things through Elijah and me, despite our obscure backgrounds, He can achieve even greater things through anyone.
When it comes to what God can do in a person’s life, who they are, where they come from, their family background, as well as their social and financial status, do not matter. In 1 Timothy 1:15, Apostle Paul said that he was the chief of sinners. Before he died, however, he was able to boldly say in 2 Corinthians 11:5, “…I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.” It does not matter how lowly you might have started out in life; God can elevate you to the top. I pray for you today that no matter what your past looked like, the grace of God will lift you to the very top, in Jesus’ name.
Beloved, I want you to know that if you completely surrender your life to God, you will end up in glory. Elijah’s father’s name was not mentioned in the Bible because it was not a factor in the things God wanted to do in the prophet’s life. No matter who your earthly father is, if God is your heavenly Father, you are a prime candidate for His glory. He delights in using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).
If people mock and despise you because of your background, please don’t be bothered. Just ensure that you surrender your life to Jesus, and He will elevate you. As we see in today’s Bible reading, He raises beggars from the dunghill to set them among princes and makes them inherit the throne of glory.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please lift me up from obscurity and
set me among princes, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Mark 1-3
HYMN: Blessed Assurance
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 13 OCTOBER 2026 COMMENTARY
Today’s devotional, “Your Background Does Not Matter,” delivers a liberating truth: where you come from does not determine where God can take you. Your family name, your social status, your financial background — none of it limits what God can do in your life.
It uses Elijah as an example. A prophet so mighty that he called down fire from heaven — yet the Bible never even mentions his father’s name. If God could use a man with no recorded lineage, He can use anyone. Including you.
1. Elijah: A Prophet With No Pedigree
In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah appears on the scene with no introduction except his town. His father’s name is not mentioned. His tribe is not mentioned. Compare that to Bartimaeus — a blind beggar — who at least had his father’s name recorded (Mark 10:46). Elijah had less.
Yet this same Elijah stood before kings, called down fire, and was taken to heaven without tasting death.
Your lack of connections does not disqualify you. Your unknown family name does not disqualify you. He is looking for surrendered hearts.
2. Paul: From Chief of Sinners to Chief of Apostles
In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul called himself the chief of sinners. Yet before he died, he boldly declared in 2 Corinthians 11:5, “I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.”
It does not matter how lowly you started. God can elevate you to the top.
Your past does not disqualify you from a great future. Paul persecuted the church. He approved the killing of Stephen. Yet God turned him into the greatest missionary the world has ever known. If God can do that for Paul, He can do it for you.
3. If God Is Your Father, You Are a Candidate for Glory
No matter who your earthly father is, if God is your heavenly Father, you are a prime candidate for His glory. God delights in using the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Don’t feel ashamed of where you come from. Surrender your life to Jesus, and He will elevate you. As today’s reading says, He raises beggars from the dunghill and sets them among princes.
Relating This to Your Everyday Life
Maybe you come from a family that nobody respects. Maybe you grew up in poverty. Maybe you were told you would never amount to anything. Maybe your father was absent, or your mother was struggling. Maybe your surname carries shame.
Hear this: Your background does not matter to God. He is not limited by where you started. He raises the poor from the dust. He lifts the needy from the dunghill. He sets them among princes.
Surrender your life to Jesus. Stay faithful. Stay humble. And watch God write a story through you that will make people marvel — not at where you came from, but at where God brought you to.
Action Steps
1. Surrender Fully to God — Stop making excuses based on your background. Give your life completely to Jesus. Let Him be your Father, your identity, and your future.
2. Reject Every Label from Your Past — If people have called you a nobody, reject that label. If you have believed lies about your worth, renounce them. Your identity is in Christ.
3. Stay Faithful in the Process — Like David, stay faithful in the field. Like Elijah, stay obedient in the hidden place. Your promotion is coming.
Prayer Points
- Father, I thank You because You are not limited by my background. Thank You for choosing me not because of who I am, but because of who You are, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, forgive me for believing the lies that my background disqualifies me. Forgive me for looking down on myself because of where I come from, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, I surrender my life completely to You. Be my Father, my identity, and my future. Let Your glory be seen in me, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, You raise the poor from the dust and lift the needy from the dunghill. Lift me up today. Set me among princes, in Jesus’ name.
- Father, silence every voice that mocks me because of my background. Let my testimony silence the critics and bring glory to Your name, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, give me the grace to stay faithful in obscurity. Help me to serve You humbly until the day of my lifting, in Jesus’ name.
- I decree: my background will not limit my destiny. God use me to confound the wise and to glorify His name, in Jesus’ name.
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