Podcast Summary: "When Everything's Against You—God Is For You"

Host: Jentezen Franklin
Podcast: Jentezen Franklin at Free Chapel
Date: November 3, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Pastor Jentezen Franklin delivers a heartfelt sermon centered around the biblical principle that when everything feels stacked against you, God is still for you. Drawing on stories from Scripture, personal anecdotes (especially from the COVID-19 pandemic), and raw honesty about struggles and seasons of resistance, Pastor Franklin explores how adversity can actually contain blessing, divine purpose, and transformation. The message aims to encourage listeners undergoing difficulties to trust in God's sovereignty and provision, even when life feels overwhelming or adversarial.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Village Called "Against" (Mark 11:2)

• Scripture Basis: Mark 11:2, where Jesus instructs disciples to go to a village "over against you."
• Concept: Sometimes, God intentionally sends us into situations that feel like they're "against" us.
  • "Sometimes Jesus will send you into places and into circumstances and into situations that will be against you. And the devil didn't send you into it... God allowed in his sovereignty for his disciples to go into a place called 'Against.'" (03:10)
• Definitions explored:
  • “Against” means opposition, resistance, or being in a fight.
  • Not every hardship is an attack of the enemy—some are divine assignments.

2. Biblical Examples of 'Against'

• Daniel in the Lion's Den & Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fire:
  • God sends His servants into hostile places—but with His presence.
  • Notably, the three in the furnace never saw the “fourth man,” but their enemy did (referring to God’s unseen presence in our trials).
    • "Sometimes you can be going through the fiery furnace in the place of against, and you don't feel God and you don't see God, but the fourth man is in the fire..." (05:18)
• Lesson: The fire burned only what bound them, not themselves—adversity can liberate.

3. The Spiritual Treasure in Adversity

• Emphasis: Seasons of "against" can conceal blessings meant only for you.
  • "If God is allowing you to go through against, that there are hidden treasures of darkness there that God has tied up waiting for you..." (07:35)
• Hidden Blessings:
  • New experiences and deeper revelations of God’s nature discovered only through hardship.

4. Biblical Responses: Jacob vs. David

• Jacob: "Everything is against me."
• David: "God is for me."
  • The encouragement is to take David’s posture, trusting that God is for you even in sorrow or failure.
    • "...This is what I know. God is for me even if I messed up, even if I didn't listen to him. God never deserts you, he never gives up on you if you will earnestly cry out to him." (09:26)

5. Romans 8:28—Purpose Within Pain

• Scripture: “All things work together for the good to them that love God… according to his purpose.”
  • "He's not saying, 'Oh, God's going to give me everything I want.'... But you got to know in that moment, but God is for me. And when he has tried me, I will come forth as pure gold." (10:33)
• Meaning: The ultimate good is God’s purpose—not our comfort or desires.

6. Connection to Jesus’ Triumphal Entry

• The colt tied in the village is symbolic of blessings divinely prepared, only accessible by going through "against."
• Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy (Zechariah) depended on obediently entering an “against” situation.

7. Life Testimonies: Finding Blessing in Rock Bottom

• Franklin highlights that many churchgoers could give testimony that their lowest seasons (bankruptcy, divorce, illness) became transformative.
  • "If I were to take this microphone and go around this room, I could interview people… they'd say, I thought it was the end… And you know, and we don't want. We don't deny the fact that life is mo. Most of life is against you…" (12:42)

8. Personal Anecdotes—COVID-19 and Adversity

• Franklin recounts preaching to empty pews, legal battles, and personal hardships during the pandemic.
• Despite feeling everything was against him, God multiplied reach and influence far beyond physical church walls.
  • "I thought it was against us. Then we started growing… during COVID our numbers go 1000-001500-00200,000… One time the president called and tweeted out… a million people watch in one service." (17:43)
• Lesson: What feels like setback can set up greater impact.

9. Perspective on Life’s “Ugly Chapters”

• Removing life's difficulties would take away the growth, depth, and dependence on God.
  • "If God were to allow you to take out of the the book of your life, the ugly chapters… You would not be where you are and who you are without what you've been through. There's a blessing tied up in what's against you." (19:15)

10. Kissing Your Judas: Embracing Adversaries

• Even betrayals can serve God's ultimate purpose, exemplified by Judas’ role in Christ’s destiny.
  • "You have to kiss some things and call it friend. Nobody would choose cancer. But if you have it, kiss it and call it friend… God is working through this. I don't understand it… The ultimate place of faith is ... say, live or die, I want Jesus glorified in my life." (20:56)
• Challenge: Pray for and love those who have hurt you.

11. Redefining What Matters

• Material possessions, comfort, and status are fleeting; only Christ offers permanent gain.
  • "My world is not my house and my car. My world is Jesus. All of that is just... things. God, I appreciate it… But when you have Jesus, Whoo. You go from glory unto glory. I know one thing. I'm headed for a mansion on the other side." (24:53)

12. Enduring Hope

• Whether in life or death, God's purpose prevails.
  • "To live is Christ. Paul said to die is gain. So come and cry a little bit when I die, but then have a shouting service…" (25:14)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the Fourth Man in the Fire:
  "Sometimes you can be going through the fiery furnace in the place of against, and you don't feel God and you don't see God, but the fourth man is in the fire."
  —Jentezen Franklin (05:18)

• On Hidden Blessings in Adversity:
  "If God is allowing you to go through against, that there are hidden treasures of darkness there that God has tied up waiting for you."
  —Jentezen Franklin (07:35)

• On What’s Truly Yours:
  "You don't own a thing that you'll have 100 years from now. All you are is a steward… But when you have Jesus, Whoo. You go from glory unto glory."
  —Jentezen Franklin (24:53)

• On Difficulties and Growth:
  "If God were to allow you to take out of the the book of your life, the ugly chapters… You would not be where you are and who you are without what you've been through."
  —Jentezen Franklin (19:15)

• On Ultimate Surrender:
  "The ultimate place of faith is … say, live or die, I want Jesus glorified in my life."
  —Jentezen Franklin (20:56)

Noteworthy Timestamps

• 03:10 — Introduction to “the place called Against” and word study on 'against'
• 05:18 — Unseen presence of God in fiery trials (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego)
• 07:35 — Hidden treasures and blessings in adversity
• 09:26 — Jacob's and David’s contrasting confessions
• 10:33 — Romans 8:28 explained: purpose over comfort
• 12:42 — Testimonies of finding blessing in hard seasons
• 14:06 — It’s about looking like Jesus
• 17:43-18:04 — COVID-19 challenges lead to global reach; presidential mention
• 19:15 — The “ugly chapters” as essential for growth
• 20:56 — Perspective on 'kissing' our Judases, loving enemies, and ultimate faith
• 24:53 — Only Christ matters eternally

Conclusion

With sincere and passionate delivery, Jentezen Franklin challenges listeners to view their adversities through God’s perspective: as necessary pathways to blessing, transformation, and revelation. Through biblical stories, personal experience, and encouragement, he reinforces that even when everything is against you, God is always for you—and is expertly weaving your story for your ultimate good and His glory.

Key Takeaway: Don’t fear the “place called Against.” Instead, look for the blessing God has tied up for you there—you might just discover more of Him than ever before.