Be Careful You’re Not Fighting What God Is Doing

There is something we need to remember when we feel strongly that God is calling us to confront, expose, or tear down what someone else is doing:

Strong conviction does not automatically mean correct discernment.

You can have passion.

You can have biblical knowledge.

You can genuinely believe you are defending God.

And you can still be wrong.

Saul is one of the clearest examples of this in Scripture.

Before he became the Apostle Paul, Saul wasn't persecuting Christians because he hated God.

Quite the opposite. He believed he was defending God.

Acts tells us:

“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”— Acts 8:3, NKJV

Later, Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1).

Think about that.

Saul had religious education. He knew Scripture. He had authority. He had passion. He had conviction.

And he was completely convinced that what he was doing was necessary.

Yet the people Saul believed needed to be stopped were the very people Jesus was using.

Zeal Doesn't Prove You're Right

One of the dangerous mistakes we can make as believers is assuming that the strength of our feelings proves the accuracy of our discernment.

“I feel strongly about this.”

“Something about their ministry bothers me.”

“I'm passionate about exposing this.”

“I know I'm supposed to stop this.”

But strong emotions are not necessarily confirmation from God.

Paul would eventually describe his former life by saying that concerning zeal, he was “persecuting the church” (Philippians 3:6).

His zeal was real.

His direction was wrong.

That's an important distinction.

You can sincerely want to honor God while misunderstanding what God is doing.

Saul Thought He Was Defending God

Imagine Saul traveling toward Damascus.

He wasn't questioning himself.

He wasn't thinking, “Maybe I'm the bad guy in this story.”

He had letters giving him authority to arrest followers of Jesus. In his mind, Christianity was dangerous. These followers of Jesus were leading people away from what Saul believed was truth.

Then Jesus confronted him:

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”— Acts 9:4, NKJV

Notice what Jesus didn't say.

He didn't merely say, “Why are you persecuting My followers?”

Jesus said:

“Why are you persecuting Me?”

Saul believed he was fighting for God while actually fighting against Him.

That should humble every one of us.

What If You're Fighting What God Is Doing?

This doesn't mean every ministry is from God.

It doesn't mean false teaching shouldn't be confronted.

Scripture repeatedly tells us to test what we hear, exercise discernment, guard against deception, and contend for truth.

But biblical discernment must always leave room for humility.

Before we tear down another believer, ministry, church, or movement, we should be willing to ask:

Have I actually tested this biblically, or have I simply decided I don't like it?

Am I responding to false doctrine, or am I responding to something being done differently than I would do it?

Am I protecting people, or am I protecting my preferences?

Am I seeking truth, or am I looking for evidence that proves what I already believe?

And perhaps the hardest question:

Could I be wrong?

That question isn't weakness.

It's humility.

Gamaliel Gave a Powerful Warning

Interestingly, before Saul's conversion, another Pharisee gave advice that Saul himself desperately needed.

When the religious leaders wanted to stop the apostles, Gamaliel warned them:

“And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”— Acts 5:38–39, NKJV

“Lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Those words should still sober us today.

There are times when believers become so focused on exposing everyone they disagree with that they never stop to consider whether God might actually be working through some of the people they're attacking.

You don't have to agree with everything someone does.

You don't have to participate in every ministry.

You don't have to adopt every method.

But disagreement alone doesn't make someone your enemy.

And different doesn't automatically mean false.

Test Everything—Including Yourself

We often quote:

“Test all things; hold fast what is good.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:21, NKJV

But sometimes we apply that command only outwardly.

We test their sermon.

Their theology.

Their church.

Their ministry.

Their motives.

Their methods.

But biblical discernment also requires us to examine ourselves.

Paul later wrote:

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”— 2 Corinthians 13:5, NKJV

Before correcting everyone else's understanding, I need to remain willing to let God correct mine.

That's one of the greatest differences between pride and humility.

Pride says:

“God, show me why they're wrong.”

Humility says:

“God, show me what is true—even if You have to correct me.”

Correction Should Seek Restoration, Not Destruction

There are legitimate times when Christians must confront error. Jesus confronted error. Paul confronted false teaching. Scripture doesn't call us to ignore deception.

But biblical correction has a destination.

Paul told Timothy:

“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition…”— 2 Timothy 2:24–25, NKJV

Notice the posture:

Gentleness. Patience. Humility.

If my version of discernment constantly produces anger, accusations, division, pride, and destruction, I should at least be willing to examine the spirit in which I'm operating.

Because the goal isn't proving that I'm right.

The goal is bringing people toward truth.

Saul Eventually Became Paul

And maybe this is the most beautiful part of Saul's story.

Jesus didn't destroy Saul.

Jesus corrected his direction.

The same passion Saul once used to persecute Christians would eventually be surrendered to Christ and used to proclaim the Gospel.

His zeal wasn't the problem.

His zeal needed to be surrendered.

And ours does too.

We need passionate believers.

We need Christians willing to stand for truth.

We need discernment.

We need people willing to confront genuine false teaching.

But we also desperately need humility.

Because Scripture gives us a sobering example of a man who was educated, passionate, religious, convinced, and zealous for God…

and still needed Jesus to stop him and say, “You're fighting Me.”

So before tearing down what someone else is doing for God, pray.

Test it against Scripture.

Look at the fruit.

Seek wisdom.

Examine your own heart.

And remain humble enough to ask:

“Lord, am I defending Your truth—or could I actually be fighting something You're doing?”

Because zeal can make us passionate.

Knowledge can make us confident.

Conviction can make us bold.

But none of those make us infallible.

Sometimes one of the greatest acts of discernment is simply remaining humble enough for God to correct our own understanding.

Pastor Scott