Today’s Open Heavens devotional (2 March 2026) is FORGET AND PRESS FORWARD
The daily devotion guide is written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 2 MARCH 2026 DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FORGET AND PRESS FORWARD
MEMORISE
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
READ: Genesis 50:15-21
15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 2 MARCH 2026 MESSAGE TODAY
It is often easy to forget all the wonderful things God has done for us, which is why many verses in the Bible remind us to ‘forget not.
In Deuteronomy 8:11, Moses warned the Israelites not to forget the Lord. Psalm 103:2 also tells us not to forget all His benefits. Likewise, Psalm 78:7 warns us not to forget His works. However, as much as God doesn’t want us to forget the things He has done for us, He also instructs us not to hold on to the past.
In today’s memory verses, Paul told the Philippians that he often forgot the things that had happened in his past so that he could forge ahead, and he admonished them to have the same mindset in verse 15. Some people are caught up in their past achievements; they keep talking about how God used them and how they experienced great miracles in ‘those days.
However, there is nothing in their lives now that shows that they know the Lord. They are filled with anger, bitterness, jealousy, and every work of the flesh.
Christians who keep glorying in their past exploits for God’s kingdom without thirsting to do more cannot experience a fresh anointing from Him. God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23); therefore, any believer who hangs on to the past alone will keep missing out on His increasing goodness and mercy.
I turn 84 today, and by God’s grace, I am still doing exploits in His kingdom because I’ve learnt not to hang on to the past, and I rely on His mercies that are new every morning.
Beloved, forgetting the things behind you will help you press on to glorious things ahead of you.
Forgetting past negative experiences and even victories will help you reach for the new blessings that God has ordained for you. If Joseph had not let go of the hurt from his brothers’ evil deeds, he would have been imprisoned by hate. As we see in today’s Bible reading, he told them that even though their actions were meant to destroy him, God turned everything around for good.
Do you need to let go of anything from your past so you can move on to greater heights? Ask God to reveal them to you and strengthen you to let go of them. Ask Him to help you press into the glorious things He has ordained for you. As you do that, l pray that your path will continue to shine brighter, in Jesus name.
PRAYER POINT
Today is my birthday. Please pray that God will continue to take me to greater heights.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Deuteronomy 28-29
Open Heavens HYMN 14: O What A Wonderful, Wonderful Day
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 2 MARCH 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Philippians 3:13-14
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
This verse presents the Christian life as a focused race. The Apostle Paul defines spiritual progress by a decisive twofold action: a conscious forgetting of the past and an active reaching for the future. It is a command to release whatever anchors us—be it past failure or past glory—to strain toward God’s upward call.
BIBLE READING: Genesis 50:15-21
This passage is the ultimate biblical model of releasing the past:
v. 17-19: Joseph’s brothers are imprisoned by their guilt, living in fear of past consequences.
v. 20: Joseph reveals the key to his freedom: a divine perspective that sees God’s sovereign hand rewriting a evil past for a glorious purpose.
v. 21: The outcome of his released heart is not just personal peace, but transformative grace and provision for others.
The Discipline of Divine Forgetting
Pastor E.A. Adeboye draws from both Scripture and his personal testimony at 84 to teach that spiritual vitality requires a holy selectivity of memory. We must remember God’s benefits (Psalm 103:2) yet forget our own former seasons, whether of hurt or victory, to lay hold of what God has next.
1. The Twofold Prison of the Past
The Prison of Past Hurt:
- Bitterness as a Chain: Unforgiveness toward those who wronged us (like Joseph’s brothers) creates an inner prison of “anger, bitterness, jealousy” that stops our forward movement.
- The Testimony of Joseph: He refused to be defined by the pit, slavery, or false accusation. By seeing God’s hand, he could release his brothers’ offense into God’s courtroom, thus freeing himself.
The Prison of Past Victory:
- “Those Days” Mentality: Glorifying past exploits without pursuing present obedience leads to spiritual dryness. It substitutes living relationship for dead history.
- The Warning: Pastor Adeboye cautions that such believers “cannot experience a fresh anointing.” God is the “I AM,” not the “I WAS.” Fresh oil flows to those seeking Him today.
2. The Biblical Command: “Forget” and “Press”
Forgetting is an Act of Obedience:
- It is not a lapse of memory, but a deliberate refusal to let past events define, limit, or direct present identity and future pursuit.
- It requires faith: We let go of the visible past to grasp the invisible future God has promised (Hebrews 11:1).
Pressing is an Act of Focused Faith:
- The Greek word for “press” implies intense effort and concentration, like a runner leaning forward. Our energy is to be spent on moving toward “the prize,” not on preserving trophies or nursing wounds.
3. The Mechanism for Moving Forward
Embrace New Mercies:
- God’s character is “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). Clinging to yesterday is an act of unbelief in His fresh provision for today. Our capacity to receive is tied to our willingness to let go.
Cultivate a Redeemed Perspective:
- Follow Joseph’s model (Genesis 50:20): Actively interpret your past—both good and bad—through the lens of God’s sovereignty and redemptive purpose. Ask, “How has God used this to shape me for what is ahead?”
Pursue Present Obedience:
- Pastor Adeboye’s personal key is reliance on today’s mercies for today’s exploits. The anointing for the next assignment is not in the memory of the last one, but in present communion and surrender.
4. Paul’s Testimony (Philippians 3:4-8)
Shadow in Crisis:
- Paul had a formidable past of religious achievement (Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee) and violent failure (persecuting the church). He counted all of it “loss” and “dung” to gain Christ.
- Key to Deliverance: A supreme valuation of “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” When Christ is the prize, everything else becomes a distraction to be released.
How to Practically Release the Past
Daily Communion in New Mercies:
- Begin each day acknowledging: “Father, I thank You that Your mercy, grace, and anointing for me are new today. I release yesterday to You.”
Conduct a Faith Audit:
- Ask the Holy Spirit (as Pastor Adeboye instructs): “Do I need to let go of anything?” Is it a hurt? A resentment? A past glory? Write it down, pray over it, and symbolically release it to God.
Speak the Language of Forward Motion:
- Replace “God used to…” or “They once…” with “God is currently…” and “I believe God is leading me to…” Let your testimony be present tense.
Warning: The Danger of a Memorial Shrine
Living in a Museum:
- Curating a museum of past pains or past glories makes you a curator, not a conqueror. It drains spiritual energy and blinds you to the new thing God is doing (Isaiah 43:19).
Stagnation is a Choice:
- The Israelites who longed for Egypt died in the wilderness. The future belongs to the Joshuas and Calebs who press into the Promised Land.
Conclusion: The Path That Shines Brighter
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, Author and Finisher of my faith, I choose today to obey Your command. I release the hurt, the resentment, the pride, and the weight of my past into Your hands. I break its power over my identity and my future. I fix my eyes on You, the prize before me. Fill me with fresh hunger and new mercy for today’s race. As I let go, cause my path to shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, in Your mighty name. Amen.”
Action Steps:
- The Letter Exercise: Write a letter to God detailing the past hurt or achievement you are releasing. Then, destroy it as an act of faith.
- The Forward Declaration: Write down Philippians 3:13-14 and place it where you will see it daily. Let it reset your mindset.
- Seek a New Assignment: Ask God for one specific, new thing you can do for His kingdom this week—a fresh act of service, love, or obedience that connects you to His present flow.
Remember: In God’s economy, your brightest days are not behind you. They are before you, in the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Press on.
“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18). Keep pressing.
Read RCCG Open Heavens Devotional for Tomorrow
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