A possible cure for the cancer of porn! A way of escape has been found! And the Engineer of the escape? He’s been hiding in the plain sight of Scripture all along. God Himself, in the Person of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16).
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
But who has believed our report (Isaiah 53:1)? The born-of-the-Spirit know Him. The born-of-the-Spirit are indwelt by Him. But among the born-of-the-Spirit, to whom has His exceedingly abundant inner-working Arm of Power been revealed?
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed (Isaiah 53:1)?
A CANCER IN THE CHURCH—THE CANCER OF PORN
A study involving over 3000 persons revealed that 60-70% of men, 50-58% of pastors, and 20-30% of women in evangelical churches suffer from some form of sexual addiction [1]. Addictions include a broad spectrum of sexual sins including sexual fantasy, masturbation, viewing pornography, and engaging in sexual activities outside of the marriage covenant [2]. Numbers will certainly vary with pollster, definition of addiction, and respondent classification (e.g., self-identified vs. practicing Christian, and definition of the latter). Still, it seems safe to conclude that, in this age of Internet pornography, sexual addiction is a very real problem in today’s Church.
60-70% of men, 50-58% of pastors, and 20-30% of women in evangelical churches suffer from some form of sexual addiction [1].
A POSSIBLE CURE HAS BEEN FOUND
A possible cure for the cancer of porn has been found. A game-changing book—A Way of Escape—reports on the cure.
BUT WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?
But who has believed our report? Have victories won with flesh-starving accountability-based battle plans resulted in most in the Church no longer seeking (or even considering the possibility of) wholly Spirit-powered cures?
· Most Church Leaders: The Holy Spirit is much spoken of. But in the war against the flesh, He is often bypassed in favor of flesh-starving accountability groups, personal counseling, and Internet monitoring/filtering software [3]. All three are good helpers. Just not the Best Helper.
· Most Bible-Based Battle Plans for Purity: The Holy Scriptures are quoted throughout. And Spirit-edifying activities are encouraged in the six days between the weekly group meetings. But most Bible-based battle plans for purity still insist that flesh-starving accountability is a must if the addict is to escape a porn/sex addiction (e.g., with the best of intentions, we are frequently reminded that “you cannot win this battle alone”).
· Most Christian Publishers: Much is written about the Holy Spirit. But in the war against the flesh, He is again often bypassed in favor of flesh-starving accountability groups. One Christian literary agent that I interacted with even went so far as to say:
“I’m not convinced that the leaders in the marketplace (Christian publishers) would agree that one can overcome such sins without accountability.”
Oh my! Unintentional slights, of course. But slights, nonetheless. How we must grieve the Holy Spirit! How we so greatly underestimate His power. As another author has so famously stated:
... we’ve ignored the Spirit for far too long, and we are reaping the disastrous results... (let us) stop and remember the One we’ve forgotten, the Spirit of the living God [4].
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers learn of a possible wholly Spirit-powered cure for the cancer of porn. Readers learn how to heal—not by starving the flesh--but by stepping up the degree to which they “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). They learn how to build a library of Spirit-anointed, flesh-diffusing apps. Apps that are uniquely fitted to them, and their unique Spirit-filling triggers (Ephesians 5:18b-19).
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
The still-struggling now have another option. The still-struggling now have fresh hope for discovering that long-sought-after way of escape from sin and temptation (I Corinthians 10:13). A way that—because it is wholly Spirit-powered—does not require enlisting the aid of an accountability partner or group. Truly, a game-changer!
THANK YOU, HOLY SPIRIT!
REFERENCES
1. Wiles, J., and T. Wiles, Conquer Series: The Battle Plan for Purity (Study Guide, Volume 1), Second Printing, KingdomWorks Studios, Stuart, FL, page 21, 2017
2. Ibid., page 9
3. The Porn Phenomenon: The Impact of Pornography in the Digital Age, Barna Group, Ventura, CA, page 113, 2016
4. Chan, F., Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, First Printing, David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO (quote taken from the Amazon online blurb for this book), 2009
