God Purposed We Should Persevere

The point: Recognize that when you are rescued from spiritual dryness and temptation, it is solely because 'The Lord upholdeth me with his hand,' due to God's covenant.

Martin describes a common experience of spiritual dryness, neglect of means of grace, and heightened temptation, where one feels perfectly set for a fall. He then asks why, in such moments, one is often stayed from abandoning oneself to sin, attributing it to God's upholding hand.

Now I want to speak to the heart of every Christian. Now I've been speaking to your head up till now. Now I want to speak to your heart. Can you not think of many times when you have been brought into a state of spiritual dryness, maybe through neglect of the word of God, neglected prayer, and your heart has been, as it were, utterly insensitive to the voice of God.

23:28 - 23:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin describes the Holy Spirit's distinct ministry as sealing believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30) and sanctifying them. He explains that the Spirit's…

Martin uses the story of the prodigal son to illustrate how God's work in a sinner's heart makes them *want* to flee sin, rather than God coercing them. The prodigal 'came to himself' and gladly left the hog pens, rather than being dragged away.

No, no. God says, I'll put my fear into their hearts so that you won't want to abandon me. His seed remaineth in him so that he cannot be at home in the realm of sin. You see, God does something that makes a man want to flee the hog pens, just like with the prodigal.

41:34 - 41:54 Read in full sermon