The Promises

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV KJV

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

Sermon Description

In times of great trials and tribulations, it is the Holy Spirit that empowers believers to persevere and remain faithful to the call of the gospel. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “The Promises,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that this experience of the Holy Spirit’s blessing is not a constant thing in the life of Christians, but occurs in times of persecution and distress. This is seen throughout the Old and New Testament when saints received the supernatural aid of God to overcome trials and temptations. This great strength is available to all Christians who turn to God and His word in the moment of their greatest need. Christians must never rely on their own strength, but in all things they must trust God in His love and grace to provide for their needs. This is what it means to call upon the name of the Lord: it is to trust and turn to His loving care and providence when there is no hope in oneself. All Christians should put their hope in the great love and power of God as seen in His Holy Spirit in the midst of life’s many tribulations. The Christian should know that God has promised to always be by their side through the darkest and most trying times.

Sermon Breakdown

We are to be strong in the Lord by developing the life he has given us through spiritual food, exercise, and practice. This is constant and normal.
There are also times of unusual difficulty where we need special grace and strength. God promises to provide what we need for each day. We can ask him for this.
There is also a special anointing of the Holy Spirit that gives us power, insight, and the right scriptures to stand against the enemy. This is not constant but given when needed.
In times of crisis, God can make his presence felt in direct ways. This is not the normal experience but is given in hard times.
There are examples of God directly intervening to help his people in times of difficulty, like with Joshua, Elisha's servant, Jesus in Gethsemane, Paul in Corinth and Jerusalem, and Peter in prison.
God's promises to be with us and strengthen us are still true today. We need to believe them, pray for his help, and seek his presence.
Hymns show we need God's presence and help in hard times and in facing temptation and death. We should pray for his nearness and guidance.
If we seek God's presence, he will make himself known to us in times of crisis as he has for his people in the past. But we must actively pursue him.

The Book of Ephesians

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.