The enemy attacks with plans to destroy you. But God has a greater plan to redeem you. Throughout the Bible, we see a powerful pattern: what Satan means for evil, God turns to good. Joseph was sold into slavery, but God made him a ruler who saved nations.
Jesus was crucified by evil men, but that death became humanity’s salvation. These 39 Bible verses prove that God’s sovereignty is greater than any attack against you.
The Divine Reversal: God’s Sovereignty Over Enemy Attacks
Throughout Scripture, a consistent pattern emerges: Satan’s schemes become the precise tools God uses to accomplish His greatest purposes. This isn’t coincidence or divine improvisation. It’s the intentional sovereignty of a God who sees every attack before it lands.
The crucifixion stands as history’s ultimate example. Satan thought he’d destroyed the Messiah, but instead triggered humanity’s redemption. This divine reversal principle operates in believers’ lives today.
The betrayal meant to isolate you may position you for promotion. The loss designed to devastate you might redirect you toward your true calling. God doesn’t just waste your pain. He weaponizes it against the very enemy who caused it.
39 Bible Verses Proving That What the Devil Meant for Evil, God Turned to Good
1. Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
2. Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
3. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
4. Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.”
5. Acts 2:23-24 “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead.”
6. Psalm 118:22-23 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
7. Joel 2:25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”
8. Philippians 1:12-13 “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”
9. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
10. Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
11. Isaiah 61:3 “To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning.”
12. Romans 5:3-4 “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
13. 1 Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
14. Psalm 30:11 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
15. Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”
16. 2 Corinthians 4:17 “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
17. Psalm 126:5-6 “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”
18. Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
19. Proverbs 16:4 “The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.”
20. Daniel 3:27 “The fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed.”
21. Acts 4:27-28 “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.”
22. Psalm 37:23-24 “Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
23. Isaiah 61:7 “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion.”
24. James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”
25. 2 Samuel 12:24 “She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him.”
26. Psalm 105:17-19 “He sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave.”
27. Acts 8:1-4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
28. Genesis 45:5 “It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
29. Revelation 12:10-11 “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
30. Esther 6:1 “That night the king could not sleep.”
31. Numbers 23:23 “There is no divination against Jacob, no evil omens against Israel.”
32. Isaiah 49:25 “I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.”
33. Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever.”
34. 1 Corinthians 15:57 “He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
35. Nehemiah 4:20 “Our God will fight for us!”
36. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”
37. Psalm 34:19 “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”
38. John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
39. Hebrews 12:11 “Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Our Thoughts On What the Bible Says About God Turning Evil to Good
God’s ability to turn evil to good doesn’t mean He causes evil. Satan, human sin, and living in a fallen world produce genuine evil that grieves God’s heart. But God is so sovereign that He can take even what He didn’t cause and weave it into His purposes.
Joseph’s brothers chose evil; God didn’t make them do it. The cross is the ultimate example: the most evil act in history became the greatest good ever accomplished.
Conclusion
The promise that God works all things together for good requires faith because you often can’t see the good until you look back. Joseph couldn’t see it in the pit or the prison.
But decades later, he could say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” God sees the end from the beginning. He’s already turned what looks like disaster into the setup for your next breakthrough.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, the enemy has attacked me in ways that feel devastating. Help me to trust Your sovereignty even over enemy attacks. Give me Joseph’s perspective to one day say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”
Strengthen my faith to believe You’re working all things together for my good, even when I can’t see it yet. Turn every attack into a setup for a breakthrough. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
David is the founder of devotionnest.com, a site dedicated to Bible Verses and clever wordplay. He loves turning language into laughter and making words wonderfully witty.