The fourth in a series of 15 blogs answering anticipated (or actual) objections to material set forth in A Way of Escape, i.e., the fourth in a series of 15 blogs answering anticipated FAQs.
OBJECTION #4 (of 15)
In your book, you document how, as of January 2022, you had not “acted out” sexually for 100% of days over the most recent 34 months. And you continue to update that statistic in your blogs. God sent a plague upon the land for David’s numbering of Israel (II Samuel 24:1-9). It was prideful (and therefore sinful) for David to number Israel. Isn’t it also prideful (and therefore sinful) for you to number your sexual sobriety?
RESPONSE
A two-part response. The first to address the need for Real Data to support the book’s Holy Spirit theology. And the second to comment on what Scripture has to say with regard to those situations when numbering does not equate to sinning.
1) REAL DATA TO SUPPORT THE BOOK’S HOLY SPIRIT THEOLOGY
The Scriptures have much to say about the Holy Spirit’s inner-working power to deliver believers from sins of the flesh (e.g., Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 3:20-21, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 8:12-13). But in the war against the flesh, the Church has instead looked (almost) exclusively to flesh-starving accountability for a way of escape. How to effect change in such a deeply rooted and widely held mistaken (yes, mistaken!) belief that accountability is the addict’s only means of escape from lusts of the flesh?
To effect change, and to awaken the Church to the possibility of wholly Spirit-powered escape, perhaps the Church needs to see the Holy Spirit theology applied in the solution of a real-world sin problem. And this is precisely what the Way of Escape Battle Plan does. It takes the Holy Spirit theology, applies it to the real-world problem of porn addiction, and out pops a Spirit-Powered Battle Plan for Purity. No accountability partner/group required. A wholly Spirit-powered solution to the problem of porn addiction.
To effect change, and to awaken the Church to the possibility of wholly Spirit-powered escape, perhaps the Church needs to see the Holy Spirit theology applied in the solution of a real-world sin problem.
In the Way of Escape Case Study, I document sexual sobriety, as this is the most telling piece of data that could be used in support of the Holy Spirit theology. And for the same reason, I continue to report on the updated numbers in my blogs.
2) WHEN NUMBERING DOES NOT EQUATE TO SINNING
Yes, the land endured a plague because of David’s sin in numbering Israel. But what was David’s sin in numbering the people? The Scriptures never says explicitly. But it was likely due to misguided confidence. Militarily, David’s numbering likely indicated that he was trusting more in the size of his army than in the power of God [1]. David likely sinned in numbering because he did not give credit where credit was due.
No misguided confidence in A Way of Escape. From the opening Dedication (page v) to the close of the Index, this 188-page book is a running praise tribute to the inner-working power of the Holy Spirit to deliver believers from lusts of the flesh. In every instance where a numbering takes place, the inner-working power of the Holy Spirit and/or the Spirit-anointed apps are always credited with the improved number. Consistent with New Testament teaching (I Corinthians 1:31), in every instance where a numbering takes place, the author is careful never to glory in self, but to always glory in the Lord.
That, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 1:31).
The author of A Way of Escape avoids the sin of numbering by being careful to always give credit where credit is due. All praise and credit for victories won to the Holy Spirit!
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers learn how to apply Holy Spirit theology in their war against the flesh. Readers learn how to step up the degree to which they “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). They learn how to build a library of Spirit-anointed 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. Pope, Kyle, focusmagazine.org/what-was-davids-sin-in-numbering-israel.php, April 3,2014
