Worry and Anxiety
A Sermon on Worry and Anxiety from Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached June 18, 1961
Scripture
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against …
Sermon Description
What brings a Christian to a place of worry and anxiety? How does one fight the discouragement that is brought about when one becomes anxious for the future? In this sermon on worry and anxiety from Ephesians 6:10–13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins to tackle these questions and addresses the way that the devil incapacitates believers through worry. Drawing from the story of Martha in the New Testament, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds listeners that the devil desires to overwhelm Christians with good responsibilities, effectively preventing followers of Christ from meditating on the spiritual. Yet the Christian should not be out of control in this way. Drawing from several common worries, such as wellness and the future, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the fact that good things were never meant to be at the center of one’s life. The way in which to fight the enemy when one is tempted to grow anxious is to declare the truth: that God has never failed His people and the Christian’s future rests secure in His hands. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by offering this relief of stress to the Christian: leave the future in the hands of a loving God, and allow Him to lead through His will.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by introducing the topic of the wiles or schemes of the devil from Ephesians 6:10-13. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that the Christian life is a constant struggle and fight against the devil and his forces.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones then transitions to discussing how the devil uses discouragement and worry to paralyze believers. He notes how some Christians are prone to excessive introspection, morbidity, and worrying about lack of progress which the devil exploits.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights how the devil uses anxiety and worry to crowd out spiritual thoughts and realities from the minds of believers. He uses the example of Martha being distracted and troubled by many things to illustrate his point.
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To counter worry and anxiety, Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommends recognizing the devil's hand in producing these feelings, reprimanding yourself for worrying as a Christian, realizing the need for self-discipline and maintaining a proper sense of proportion and priorities in life with God at the center.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones then discusses how the devil uses fear of the unknown future to discourage believers by getting them to imagine frightening possibilities. He notes how this can be a waste of time and is a failure to trust in God as a loving heavenly Father.
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To counter fear of the future, Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommends recognizing fear of the future is often due to a lack of faith in God's promises and unbelief. He recommends attacking the devil's lies with the truth of God's word and past faithfulness.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones transitions to discussing how the devil uses confusion over guidance, answers to prayer and faith healing to trouble believers. He notes how some teach these areas are simple when they are actually quite complex.
8.Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that if guidance, answers to prayer and faith healing were simple and mechanical, there would be no growth in the Christian life and no need for the New Testament. He cites examples of Paul struggling with guidance and not always receiving healing to show these areas are complex.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines James 5:13-15 and Mark 11:22-24, noting that while some interpret these to teach that prayer and faith guarantee healing and answers, the facts show this is not always the case in reality. He argues the "prayer of faith" is given by the Spirit, not worked up by the individual.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues God normally guides through means like Scripture, reason, counsel of others and circumstances. He recommends not claiming guidance or healing but committing everything to God, being willing to accept whatever His will is, leaving matters with God and not being anxious, doing your work and being ready for God's leading.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by warning against acting against your conscience or inward sense of God's leading. He notes if you follow God's principles, you will have peace in knowing you sought to act as His child, even if the outcome is not what you desired.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers about Spiritual Warfare and the Devil's Tactics from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What are the wiles of the devil that Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses in his sermon?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the wiles of the devil are "almost endless in their variety." In this sermon, he specifically addresses several tactics the devil uses to discourage believers: causing worry and anxiety, generating fear of the future, and creating confusion about guidance, answers to prayer, and faith healing. He explains how the devil uses our own temperaments against us, especially targeting conscientious and sensitive people by pressing them until legitimate concerns become burdensome and crowd out spiritual thoughts.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say we should combat worry and anxiety?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several practical steps to combat worry and anxiety. First, recognize that it's the devil behind the circumstances causing worry. Second, reprimand yourself, saying "a Christian person has never a right to be agitated." Third, practice self-discipline and maintain a sense of proportion by keeping spiritual priorities first, as in the example of Mary choosing "the good part" while Martha was distracted. Fourth, follow Paul's instruction in Philippians 4:6-7, "In nothing be anxious, but in all things, with prayer and supplication and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto the Lord."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about fear of the future?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that fear of the future is "a subdivision" of anxiety but deserves special attention because imagination becomes involved. He cites Timothy as the biblical example of someone fearful about the future. To combat this, he advises: (1) Recognize it's a waste of time since what you fear may never happen; (2) Remember Jesus specifically commanded us to "take no thought for tomorrow"; (3) Recall that God has given us "not the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7); (4) Recognize that fear of the future is actually unbelief and a failure to trust God's promises that "all things work together for good."
What is Dr. Lloyd-Jones' view on divine guidance and answers to prayer?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones rejects a "mechanical view" of guidance and prayer where answers come automatically. He explains that the Christian life isn't machine-like but allows for growth and development. He points to biblical examples where even Paul didn't receive automatic guidance (Acts 16) and wasn't always healed (2 Corinthians 12). Lloyd-Jones teaches that God normally guides through means: the Scriptures, enlightened reason and conscience, counsel from other believers, circumstances, and an inner pressure or conviction. The "prayer of faith" isn't something we work up ourselves but is given by the Holy Spirit.
How should Christians seek God's guidance according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines specific steps for seeking God's guidance: (1) Never "claim" guidance but come as "humble suppliants"; (2) Commit everything to God honestly, expressing your desire to know and do His will whatever it may be; (3) Leave the matter with God without anxious thoughts; (4) Continue with your normal duties while remaining observant for God's direction; (5) Never act against your inner conviction - "Never move until you're unanimous" within yourself; (6) Trust that if you follow these principles, whatever the outcome, God will not punish you for seeking His will sincerely.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about spiritual healing?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the teaching that "it is never God's will that any of his children should be ill." He points to biblical examples where healing didn't happen automatically: Trophimus was left sick (2 Timothy 4:20), Timothy was advised to take wine for his stomach (1 Timothy 5:23), and Paul himself wasn't healed of his "thorn in the flesh" despite earnest prayer. Lloyd-Jones notes that in Acts, the apostles never announced healing services in advance (suggesting they didn't control when healing would happen) and never failed when they did attempt healing. He teaches that true healing comes through God's specific commission rather than human claims.
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.