Sabbath October 24th 2026 | Pastor Dr. Kevin Jenkins | When God starts Fighting Against You

Oct 24, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When the Comforter Becomes Your Opponent

The shock of Isaiah 63:10 lingers like a knockout punch—the Holy Spirit who comforts, leads, and intercedes suddenly fighting against His people. This divine reversal occurs not through God’s abandonment, but through persistent rebellion that forces His hand. Just as Buster Douglas defied expectations by toppling Tyson, Israel’s story reveals how religious routines without surrendered hearts provoke holy resistance. The Spirit’s opposition is always redemptive, a severe mercy to awaken those drifting from covenant love. [01:24:25]

“Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.”
(Isaiah 63:10, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you sensed gentle resistance from the Holy Spirit this week—a recurring conviction, an unresolved tension? What rebellion might He be confronting in your habits or attitudes?

Day 2: Grieving the Spirit’s Sensitive Heart

The Holy Spirit feels sorrow when God’s people choose corruption over communion. Ephesians 4:30-31 names the culprits: bitter words, unchecked anger, gossip that poisons community. Like Israel’s mix of temple sacrifices and social injustice, we often couple Sunday worship with Monday malice. The Spirit’s grief isn’t petty irritation but the anguish of a parent watching children self-destruct. Every slanderous text, every nursed grudge, every withheld forgiveness stiff-arms the One who seals us for redemption. [01:34:46]

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
(Ephesians 4:29-30, ESV)

Reflection: Which conversation from this week would you replay if you knew the Holy Spirit was listening? What words need reclaiming or relationships repairing?

Day 3: Withdrawn Protection, Awakened Hunger

Israel learned God’s absence through Ai’s defeat—His protective presence lifted when they clung to hidden sin (Joshua 7). Churches today risk similar vulnerability when tolerating abuse, prioritizing programs over prayer, or trusting budgets more than brokenness. The Spirit’s fighting withdrawal isn’t abandonment but an invitation: empty religion starves, but surrendered hunger finds manna. Like the boxer rising after a knockdown, we rise through repentance, not reputation. [01:40:12]

“Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies.”
(Joshua 7:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels spiritually unprotected—a recurring struggle, a relationship tension? Could this indicate unconfessed sin or misplaced confidence?

Day 4: Blood-Stained Grace Breaks Rebellion

The cross transforms God’s fight from judgment to rescue. Where Isaiah’s rebels faced discipline, Revelation’s Laodiceans receive Christ’s surgical love: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus absorbed the blows meant for us, His blood silencing accusations. The Spirit who once fought against us now fights for us, applying redemption’s balm to every wound of shame. Grace doesn’t excuse sin—it outloves it. [01:49:22]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What shameful memory or ongoing failure makes you doubt God’s embrace? How does Jesus’ blood answer that doubt today?

Day 5: Surrendered to the Spirit’s Rhythm

The Book of Acts church thrived not through human strategy but Spirit-saturated obedience—prayer meetings over programs, unity over tradition, boldness over comfort. Like Buster Douglas aligning every jab with his trainer’s plan, we’re called to sync with the Spirit’s cadence. Resisting Him brings chaos; yielding brings surprising victories. True revival begins when pews become altars and sermons become surrender. [01:58:38]

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”
(Acts 2:42-43, ESV)

Reflection: What practical step—a 5am prayer, a difficult conversation, a released grudge—would signal full surrender to the Spirit’s leadership today?

Sermon Summary

Isaiah 63:10 gives a sobering warning: God’s people rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit, so the God who had fought for them turned and fought against them. The gentle Comforter is also holy. His patience must never be mistaken for permission to resist his authority.

God had redeemed Israel from Egypt, carried them in love, and placed his Spirit among them. Yet religious activity replaced genuine intimacy with God. Sacrifices continued while wickedness, injustice, idolatry, and corrupt leadership went unchecked. Isaiah’s prophetic voice confronts both the religious community and the society around it. The greatest tragedy for God’s people is not opposition from the world, but resistance to the Spirit given to lead them.

Rebellion refuses God’s word, rejects his direction, and gives something else the trust and devotion that belong to him. Even cherished church traditions can become obstacles when believers refuse to let the Holy Spirit set the agenda. Grieving the Spirit makes that resistance personal. He is a divine person, not merely a presence. Destructive speech, bitterness, rage, slander, and unforgiveness bring sorrow to the One who dwells among God’s people.

God’s opposition exposes the emptiness of religious machinery without his presence. A busy church is not necessarily an obedient church, and a church’s plan does not automatically carry God’s approval. Still, hardship alone does not prove divine judgment; faithful churches also suffer.

God’s discipline aims at restoration, not abandonment. The God who opposed Israel remained their Father and Redeemer. Christ’s death and resurrection show that God neither ignores rebellion nor gives up on sinners. Forgiveness, cleansing, and restored fellowship remain available through Jesus. The fitting response is a praying church that checks its life against Scripture, confesses its resistance, and allows the Holy Spirit to lead rather than merely asking him to bless an agenda already settled.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Goodness Calls For Genuine Trust. Israel’s rebellion came after deliverance, provision, and the gift of God’s presence. Remembered blessings do not substitute for present obedience, and religious activity cannot hide a heart that keeps resisting his direction. The deepest danger is not an enemy outside the church, but refusal of the Spirit within it. [1:29:53]
2. Cherished Traditions Must Yield To God. A church can defend familiar customs while resisting the very Spirit it claims to honor. Traditions become dangerous when their preservation matters more than exalting Jesus and following God’s direction. Regular prayerful examination asks whether the Holy Spirit is actually in an activity, rather than assuming familiarity proves his approval. [1:33:16]
3. Speech Reveals Regard For The Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a divine person who can be grieved, not an atmosphere that religious activity produces. Slander, bitterness, destructive anger, and malicious speech wound the fellowship in which he dwells. Words that build others up, together with the surrender of old resentments, take his presence seriously. [1:34:46]
4. Divine Discipline Seeks Restored Fellowship. God’s correction is not necessarily evidence that he has abandoned his people. His determination to expose rebellion can express his determination to bring them back into fellowship. At the same time, suffering must not be casually labeled punishment, since faithful churches also face persecution and opposition. [1:43:18]
5. Prayer Must Come Before Church Plans. Movement, busyness, and a full calendar do not establish that the Holy Spirit is leading. Church decisions require serious prayer and biblical discernment, not merely a request for God to bless decisions already made. Dependence begins when God’s purposes shape the plan rather than being added to it afterward. [1:40:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[1:11:55] - Doing Life With the Holy Spirit
[1:18:35] - Isaiah’s Warning About Grieving the Spirit
[1:20:01] - An Unexpected Defeat in Tokyo
[1:24:25] - The Comforter Becomes an Opponent
[1:25:55] - Religious Hypocrisy and Social Injustice
[1:29:14] - God’s Goodness and Israel’s Rebellion
[1:30:19] - Five Ways of Resisting God’s Authority
[1:34:18] - Words and Attitudes That Grieve the Spirit
[1:38:38] - The Consequences of Resisting God’s Holiness
[1:42:55] - Hardship, Discipline, and Restoration
[1:48:32] - Christ Answers Human Rebellion
[1:54:08] - Leaving Lukewarm Religion for Prayer
[2:00:00] - Walking With the Spirit
[2:02:52] - An Invitation to Receive Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Isaiah 63:10
“But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.” [01:18:57]

Ephesians 4:30-31
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” [01:35:06]

Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” [01:34:11]

Observation questions

What acts of love and deliverance had God shown Israel before their rebellion in Isaiah 63:10? How did their response contrast with his care? [01:29:21]
What examples of resistance to God’s authority were identified, and how do they help explain the warning in Acts 7:51? [01:30:19]
In Ephesians 4:30–31, which attitudes and behaviors are connected with grieving the Holy Spirit? What examples show how these can appear in church relationships? [01:36:29]
What distinction is made between God’s discipline and the hardship that faithful churches also experience? [01:43:02]

Interpretation questions

Why does Israel’s history of receiving God’s care make its rebellion in Isaiah 63:10 especially serious? What does this reveal about the difference between remembering blessings and trusting God in the present? [01:29:30]
How does the warning about grieving the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30–31 show that destructive speech is more than a problem between two people? [01:34:23]
When can a cherished church tradition become a way of resisting the Holy Spirit? How can a congregation examine a tradition without assuming that everything familiar is wrong or every change is God’s direction? [01:33:16]
How can God’s opposition to rebellion serve his purpose of restoring fellowship? Why is that different from saying that every ministry setback is punishment? [01:43:44]

Application questions

Remembering God’s goodness should lead to present trust. Where has God shown you his faithfulness, and is there an area where you are still finding it difficult to follow his word? [01:30:29]
Think about a church custom or activity you value. How would you respond if there were biblical reasons to reconsider it? What could help you listen prayerfully rather than react defensively? [01:33:16]
Looking back over your conversations or messages this week, where have your words built someone up, and where might they have caused harm? Is there a conversation you would like to handle differently or an apology you could offer? [01:35:44]
Without sharing details you would rather keep private, is there an old hurt that still shapes how you speak about or treat someone? What might a first step toward releasing bitterness look like, while keeping any needed boundaries? [01:36:29]
Think of a decision facing you or a ministry you serve. What would it look like to seek God’s purposes through prayer and Scripture before settling the plan? How could this group help? [01:41:04]
Jesus offers forgiveness and restored fellowship to those who return to him. When you recognize resistance in your own heart, what tends to keep you from confessing it? How could confidence in his grace help you take one honest step toward him this week? [01:50:17]

Sermon Clips

57s

#GodsDisciplineIsLove

“God's discipline is not necessarily evidence that he's abandoned his people. It can be an expression of his determination to bring them back into fellowship with himself. I thank god for god disciplining us because god is not mad at us. God wants us to bring ourselves back to him so we can maybe be made whole. Can I get a witness right now? The God who fought against Israel is the God who wanted Israel to return. The God who disciplined his people is the God who continued to love his people. The God who exposed their rebellion is the God who offered them repentance. Can I get a witness right now?”

35s

#FollowTheHolySpirit

“Let the Holy Spirit have his way in this church, and the Holy Spirit says, get rid of this and that. Some of y'all gonna get mad and go to another church. And we forget that the church is not about us. It's about honoring and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. And we must check-in regularly and say, Holy Spirit, are you in this or are you not?”

43s

#GodsPresenceMatters

“God may withdraw his protective presence from a church. If we continue to conceal serious wrongdoing rather than confront it, if we tolerate dishonesty, abuse, and corruption. Spiritual complacency replaces repentance and holiness. Church continues its religious programs without without neglecting obedience to God's word. Members place a greater confidence in organizational structures than in the presence of God. If we don't have the presence of God within us, we have nothing.”

33s

#HeIsRisen

“He got up and our sins are forgiving. He got up. Our hearts are now cleansed. He got up, our rebellion is broken. He got up, our relationship is restored. He got up and the Holy Spirit whom we have grieved filled us again and again and again. Somebody ought to give God the glory right now. God did not give up on us. God is still with us.”

28s

#ComeAsYouAre

“I always have to open the doors of a church through grace of God. And I wanna tell you about Jesus now. Jesus will accept you just the way you are. You think, man, I gotta get myself together before I come to the Lord. No. That's the devil. You can't get yourself together unless Jesus gets into your life. He'll make you sick of what you're doing.”

33s

#GodsPurposeFirst

“Churches initiate programs without considering whether these programs serve god's purposes. Have you ever asked the... Your question is, do... Does our program does our program does our program serve the purposes of god? Members resist needed spiritual reform by expecting God to bless their activities. We plan stuff and we ask God to bless it. What we ought to do said, what is your plan so you can bless it, Lord?”

44s

#FaithThroughHardTimes

“And God may bring his church under discipline when we refuse to do that. But let me give you a distinction as I wind down. Not every church conflict, financial difficulty, declining attendance, or ministry setback is evident that God is fighting against a congregation. Let me say that again. Not every church conflict, financial difficulty, declining attendance, or misery ministry setback is evidence that God is fighting against a congregation. The New Testament teaches that faithful churches also experience suffering and persecution and opposition.”

41s

#PrayForGodsWill

“When church boards make decisions without serious prayer or biblical discernment. You ought to know by now that I'm a man that believes in prayer, and pray and pray and pray. And when I run a nominee committee, this is what we do. We pray the first the first the first meeting of the committee. We do nothing but pray because we want God's will to be done. Amen. We don't... We need to stop substituting human strategies for depending upon the Holy Spirit.”

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Community SDA Church of Englewood, NJ This sermon · AI assistant

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