The first in a series of 16 “blog bites” answering anticipated objections to material set forth in A Way of Escape, i.e., the first in a series of 16 “blog bites” answering anticipated FAQs.
OBJECTION #1 (of 16)
With the best of intentions, the church leader cries out, “Neurology, limbic systems, and music videos? Whoa! You’re unnecessarily complicating the issue with a lot of peripheral, non-biblical stuff. All a believer needs to do to break a porn addiction is read his Bible more. And pray harder.”
MORE HARM THAN GOOD
Read your Bible more. And pray harder. A spot-on message. If the audience for this message has never set foot in the porn pit. Pre-emptive strikes are well-suited for that audience.
But for the believer who is suffering from a porn addiction, a “read-your-Bible-more-and-pray-harder” message will likely do more harm than good. Here’s why. The recipient of this message has been given hope—hope from no less than a respected, long-time Christian leader in his church. “This has got to work,” the addict reasons. “It’s counsel coming from one of the wisest counselors in my church.” But when the failures continue (as they will, since the problem has now gone neural), he will experience increased levels of shame and worthlessness. When the expert counsel of a respected church leader does not help, hope begins to fade. Worse yet, if hope is lost, he is likely to sink even deeper into his habit.
(for a lengthier response to this anticipated objection, including a Biblical Precedent for tailoring a message to one’s audience, see the full blog at www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/read-bible-more-and-pray-harder-v2)
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers learn how replacement behaviors (e.g., watching limbic-friendly, Spirit-saturated music videos) can be used to rewire the brain. 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, flesh-diffusing apps. Apps that are uniquely fitted to them, and their unique Spirit-filling triggers.
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!
