Congratulations! You’ve just been hired by the city. To fill that open position in the Mosquito Extermination Department. But no time to celebrate. You need to hit the ground running. Mosquito Season is just around the corner. And purchase orders for mosquito-killing supplies must be submitted by the end of the week.
A few sledgehammers remain from the last Mosquito Season. Along with a storeroom full of Galatians 516 mosquito killer spray cans. Labels on the spray cans claim kill capability (see below). But instructions for proper use of the spray cans are missing. To make matters worse, no kills using the Galatians 516 mosquito killer have been reported in the mosquito-killing literature.
SPRAY CAN LABEL: We say then: Spray on the GAL516, and you shall not have any more bites taken out of your flesh (The GAL516 Guarantee).
Though extremely difficult to wield, the sledgehammers have had more success. But studies show that most persons wanting to live mosquito-bite-free do not own sledgehammers. Nor do they want to own sledgehammers. The Shame Factor is too high. Most are understandably too ashamed to be seen wielding sledgehammers in their front yards every evening. What would their friends and neighbors think? Quite the difficult way to stay mosquito-bite-free as well. But unless someone can figure out how to properly use the Galatians 516 spray cans, the city will once again purchase more sledgehammers for the upcoming Mosquito Season.
A frustrating situation. If only someone could figure out how to apply the Galatians 516 spray cans in an actual Kill Event. Imagine the number of mosquito-bite-riddled persons that could start living mosquito-bite-free!
BRINGING IT HOME TO THE CHURCH
Let’s bring it home to the Church. There is a battle going on between the flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:17a). For far too many in the Church, the flesh is winning. Before the Spirit can even cry, “Incoming!”, the flesh is already hard at work, causing the Christian to behave in ways that are contrary to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17b).
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish (Galatians 5:17).
Having been overcome so often, the war-weary Christian cries out to God, “What am I to do? I’ve prayed. I’ve fasted. Even memorized Scripture. And still I fail. You promised a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13). Where is it? What is it? There’s a flesh-starving accountability-based purity group that meets at Zach’s house every Thursday evening. But I’d be so ashamed if any of my friends or co-workers found out that I was attending those meetings. And the times of ‘white-knuckling-it’ that some of those guys have had to endure. Quite the difficult way of escape as well. Surely You, the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-merciful God of the Bible, have provided an easier way of escape.”
AN EASIER WAY OF ESCAPE
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-v9). 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.
APPLIED THEOLOGY
The theology has finally been applied in an actual Kill Event. The Way of Escape Battle Plan teaches readers how to mortify/exterminate the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13). With a spray can of Galatians 516. No sledgehammer required (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/applied-theology-v9).
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers receive instruction on proper use of the Galatians 516 spray cans. Readers learn how to mortify the deeds 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 temptation and resulting sin (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!
