A difficult series of blogs to write (Blogs 55-61). Negatively critiquing the work of my dear brothers and sisters in the faith gives me no pleasure. Brothers and sisters that—with nothing but the best of intentions—are also tirelessly and sincerely striving to glorify God and edify the Church. But neither can I remain silent. I cannot sit on news that can benefit untold numbers of still-struggling fellow believers (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/fresh-hope-for-the-83-percent-v9). I cannot sit on news that heaps praise on the oft-forgotten God of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. News that could potentially even help to ignite revival in the Church—a Holy Spirit Revival (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/revival-in-the-church-v8)! I take no pleasure in negative critiquing, but neither can I remain silent. I must share what I have learned firsthand of the Holy Spirit’s exceeding abundant inner-working power (Ephesians 3:20) to deliver believers from addictive lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)!
All of the higher profile Bible-based purity programs insist that accountability is the addict’s only way of escape from addictive lusts of the flesh. But Scripture clearly teaches that there is another way. A wholly Spirit-powered way (Galatians 5:16). The fifth in a series of five blogs (5-of-5) that attempts to explain how easily Bible-based purity programs could have missed the Bible’s wholly Spirit-Powered Escape Plan. The fifth in a series of five blogs examining 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).
THE CURRENT STATE OF MOST BIBLE-BASED PURITY PROGRAMS
A good number of Bible-based purity programs are modeled after the World’s flesh-starving, accountability-based, 12-Step programs. Of the purity programs that are not 12-Step, most are still accountability-based flesh-starvers. All add Scripture references and identify Jesus Christ as their Higher Power (some explicitly, others implicitly). So far, so good. All make mention of the Spirit. The better purity programs even encourage that the addict engage in “some form of Spirit-edifying activities” in the six days between the weekly group meetings. Keep going! You’re almost there. Why are you slowing down? No, no, no, no, no! Don’t stop!
These programs are so close to achieving Ease of Escape. But by stopping short of insisting on regular Spirit-fillings, and only encouraging that the addict engage in “some form of Spirit-edifying activities” in the six days between the weekly group meetings, these flesh-starving accountability-based purity programs are still leaving most addicts with only passive relationships with the Holy Spirit [1]. And with those still-passive relationships with the Spirit, the addict’s way of escape remains extremely difficult to successfully navigate (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/the-hardest-thing-v9).
A SIMPLE FIX—ADD REGULAR SPIRIT-FILLINGS
But there is a simple fix. Drop the passivity (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/drop-the-passivity-v9)! Get Spirit-filling-specific. All genuinely born-of-the-Spirit addicts are already “walking in the Spirit.” They are just not walking in the Spirit regularly enough to have their minds renewed. To renew their minds, addicts may simply need to step up the degree to which they walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). To renew their minds, addicts may simply need to be regularly filled with the Spirit in the six days between the weekly group meetings (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/feeding-the-spirit-v9). These repeated Spirit-fillings will speed rewiring of damaged neural pathways, shorten the timeline to healing, and greatly ease the addict’s escape.
A hybrid approach, the “fix” described above speaks to current purity programs by retaining the accountability group. An improvement yes, but an approach that—because it still insists on the need for accountability—will leave most of the still-struggling 83 percent unreached (see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/fresh-hope-for-the-83-percent-v9). However, once more learn of the ease of wholly Spirit-powered escape, a door for the 83 percent will open, as most—addicts and builders of Bible-based purity programs alike—will likely come to realize that the Holy Spirit is the only Partner that many addicts have ever needed to win their war against the flesh (Galatians 5:16). As another author/pastor has stated:
All a believer absolutely needs to live a holy life ... is the Holy Spirit [2].
A GAME-CHANGING BOOK HAS ARRIVED
In A Way of Escape, readers learn of a wholly Spirit-Powered Escape Plan. Readers learn how to escape 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 83% now have another option. The still-struggling 83% 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!
REFERENCES
1. Why will encourage engaging in “some form of Spirit-edifying activities” in the six days between group meetings leave most with still-passive relationships with the Spirit? Because most addicts will either: (i) brush aside this not-specific-enough advice, or (ii) wrongly interpret this to mean that they should read their Bible more and pray harder (for why reading the Bible more and praying harder will not free the addict from his addiction, see www.wileygrafbooks.com/news/read-bible-more-and-pray-harder-v9). For the fix to work, Group Leaders must be specific about the need for regular Spirit-fillings.
2. MacArthur, J., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Galatians, First Printing, Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL, page 152, 1987
