The first in a series of five blogs (1-of-5) to explain how most in the Church have missed the Bible’s wholly Spirit-Powered Escape Plan for overcoming the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The first in a series of five blogs examining the Church’s Bible-based (but Spirit-passive!) purity programs.
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
BUILDING UPON A PROVEN FOUNDATION ...
With the best of intentions, most builders of Bible-based purity programs have reasoned that, “An addiction to pornography is neurologically similar to an alcohol addiction. Alcoholics have been breaking free from their addictions using the proven accountability-based methods of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for decades. Why re-invent the wheel? By simply adding Scripture to AA’s proven accountability-based methods, this Scripture-added form of AA could be used to help believers break free from their porn/sex addictions.”
Sounds reasonable. And this approach has indeed provided many still-struggling believers with a way of escaping the sins of the flesh (albeit an extremely difficult way; see the next two sections of this blog). But any hope of the Church building an easier-to-successfully-navigate, wholly Spirit-powered purity program for conquering the flesh is already pretty much dead in the water. Here’s why ...
... BUT A FOUNDATION THAT RESTS BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
The World has no working knowledge of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit cannot therefore possibly play even a minor role in the World’s purity programs. And most in the Church have made the fatal mistake of building their purity programs upon a Worldly Foundation. They think to add Scripture and to identify Jesus Christ as their Higher Power, but, at best, leave the Spirit as only a passive player in their building plans. In the born-of-the-Spirit believer’s war with the flesh, it has therefore already been determined that most of the Church’s purity programs will not teach the believer how to:
· Rid himself of the lusts of the flesh by walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)
· Access the Spirit’s exceeding abundant inner-working power to accomplish more than the still-struggling believer could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
· Fulfill the righteous requirements of the law by walking according to the Spirit (Romans 8:2-4)
· Put to death the deeds of the flesh by living according to the Spirit (Romans 8:12-13)
Tragically, the Church is awash with whole books and whole programs that never once cite any of the above classic purity-based Bible passages (for more, see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/the-case-of-the-missing-bible-verses-v5)!
In this fatal first step, the fate of the still-struggling believer has been sealed. With the Spirit playing, at best, only a passive role in its purity programs, the Church has placed the still-struggling believer squarely between a rock and a hard place. The still-struggling believer must now either: (i) go public with his sin problem and enlist the aid of an accountability partner/group to escape the lusts of the flesh, or (ii) continue in his secret, shame-filled, hypocritical, inconsistent walk. The Church has given the still-struggling believer no other option.
ACCOUNTABILITY-BASED ESCAPE: THE HARDEST THING AN ADDICT WILL EVER DO
Those insisting that accountability is the only way of escape openly acknowledge that accountability-based escape (=partner/group-aided starving of the flesh) may be the hardest thing that an addict will ever do in his life (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/the-hardest-thing-v6). This is not at all surprising. This was guaranteed right out of the gate when most in the Church unfortunately chose to model their purity programs after the World’s flesh-starving, accountability-based programs.
WHOLLY SPIRIT-POWERED ESCAPE: EASY-PEASY!
On the other hand, escape in the Way of Escape Battle Plan is accomplished by repeatedly popping a DVD into a DVD player and drowning oneself in the Holy Spirit. Easy-Peasy! Why the dramatic drop in difficulty? Because it is always easier to “Feed the Spirit” than to “Starve the Flesh.” Much, much easier.
It is always easier to “Feed the Spirit” than to “Starve the Flesh.” Much, much easier.
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers learn how feeding the Spirit results in a much easier-to-successfully-navigate Escape Route. Readers learn how to escape the lusts of the flesh -- 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!
