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Sermon #1020

Attacked By The Devil

A Sermon on John 1:12-13

Originally preached May 19, 1963

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Scripture

John 1:12-13 ESV KJV
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (ESV)

Sermon Description

What can give the Christian assurance that they are a child of God? In this sermon from John 1:12–13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes how knowledge of the devil and his attacks can give surety of salvation. The Christian is faced with deception, temptation, and accusation from the devil. These hardships point out the fact that the Christian is not conformed to this world or the prince of this world, the devil. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that “the Christian is an inevitable rebuke to everybody else.” The world does not hate the “good” and moral person, but the world hates the good moral Christian. Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on the particulars of living in the world as a Christian and how to understand the attacks of the devil as evidences of the identity of the Christian as a child of God rather than a child of the devil. This sermon challenges how the Christian fights for assurance and gives hope to the individual struggling with sin, temptation, and accusation.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. We are made children of God through belief in Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than realizing this truth.
  2. We have been applying tests from Scripture to determine if we are truly children of God. We have looked at our relationships with the Son, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and other believers.
  3. We now consider our relationship with the devil. This is inevitable and practical. We can gain assurance from the devil's opposition.
  4. Jesus Himself was subject to the devil's attacks and temptations. As we become like Christ, we should expect the same treatment.
  5. Before conversion, we belonged to the kingdom of darkness and the devil's control. Conversion brings us into God's kingdom, angering the devil.
  6. The devil attacks Christians through persecution and opposition. Moral people are not persecuted for righteousness' sake as Christians are. Persecution is evidence of being a child of God.
  7. The devil is the "accuser of the brethren." He accuses and attacks us as he did Christ. He accuses us of not truly being children of God, especially when we sin.
  8. The fact the devil accuses us is itself evidence we are children of God. He would not accuse unbelievers. Trouble over passages like Hebrews 6 is evidence of being a child of God.
  9. Awareness of spiritual conflict and that troubles come from outside us is evidence of being a child of God. Unbelievers only see moral problems and what is inside themselves.
  10. Hating evil and the devil's accusations is evidence of being a child of God. Only Christians have this hatred of evil.
  11. Being troubled over whether one is truly a Christian is evidence of actually being a Christian. Unbelievers have no such worry.
  12. Overcoming the devil's accusations by quoting Scripture as Christ did is evidence of being a child of God. Unbelievers do not respond this way.
  13. Experiencing satanic attacks is evidence of being a child of God. The devil does not need to attack those already under his control.
  14. Becoming less surprised and frightened by the devil's accusations over time and gaining understanding of his ways is evidence of spiritual growth and being a child of God. Mature Christians see the devil behind situations rather than just people.

The Book of John

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.