12 steps and Biblical references

[toad]

I got these from another site.....they came from Alcoholics Victorious.....Toad




12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous & Biblical References


1.We admitted we were powerless over alcohol ... that our lives had become unmanageable.
"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (Romans 7:18)


2.Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
"... my grace is sufficient for you, for my POWER is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) ..for it God Who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.. (Phil. 2:13)


3.Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of GOD as we understood Him.
"... If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23**)


4.Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." (Lamentations 3:40)


5.Admitted to GOD, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16)


6.Were entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character.
"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land." (Isaiah 1:19)


7.Humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:10)


8.Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23, 24**)


9.Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Give and it shall be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38**)


10.Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith GOD has given you." (Romans 12:3)


11.Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with GOD as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out.
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16)


12.Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs.
"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2) **The words of Christ

[toad]

Eight Recovery Principles
based on the BEATITUDES

by Pastor Rick Warren



R= Principle 1 -
Realize I'm not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.


"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor"

E= Principle 2 -
Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.


"Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted"

C= Principle 3 -
Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control.


"Happy are the meek"

O= Principle 4 -
Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone I trust.


"Happy are the pure in heart"

V= Principle 5 -
Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.


"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires"

E= Principle 6 -
Evaluate all my relationships; Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others except when to do so would harm them or others.


"Happy are the merciful" "Happy are the peacemakers"

R= Principle 7 -
Reserve a daily time with God for self examination, Bible readings and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Y= Principle 8 -
Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.


"Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires"

[Grasshopper]

Thanks Toad.

[dontcareinmi]

1. Recovery is truly Christian only if God is part of it. This God is not just a nebulous "Higher Power", but rather is the Creator of the Universe Who has revealed Himself in the Bible. Additionally, this God is a loving God, who showed His love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into this fallen world to save us. (John 3:16)

2. The Word of God is the authoritative rule and guide for our recovery. We believe there is, indeed, some objective TRUTH in this world and that it is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. (Hebrews 4:12)

3. There is a real devil. He is a real entity, who though the power of deception, is fighting for the minds of men. Truth is therefore the ultimate weapon in the spiritual warfare of Christian recovery. (John 8:31-32)

4. Sin is deceptive, powerful and addictive. As Christian author, Keith Miller states, sin (or the "control disease") is the root of all addictions and compulsive disorders. (Romans 7:15-25)

5. There is a Redeemer. Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin, death, and the devil by His death on the cross. (1 John 3:8b) Therefore, the message of the Gospel brings forgiveness and the power to experience real change in our lives through God's power. (Romans 1:16)

6. This is a fallen world Not only are external things warped, perverse, confused, and corrupt, believers in recovery must still contend with their own fallen natures, as well. (Romans 7:21)

7. All human beings need spiritual rebirth. Because spiritual death is a reality, we must assume that everyone needs to experience new life from God. (John 3:3)

8. There is a significant difference between guilt and "toxic shame". Guilt is a response of the conscience to specific sinful actions. On the other hand, destructive (or "toxic") shame is an inner sense of being unlovable, unredeemable, hopeless, irreparably flawed, incomplete, and worthless. Everyone who struggles with a compulsive disorder experiences this to some degree. The Gospel provides the answer for both of these dilemmas. Confession and forgiveness are God's way to overcome guilt. And, growing in relationship to Him and other healthy people enables us to accept ourselves as loved and lovable. (1 John 4:9)

9. There is a definite difference between the terms "drunkard" and "alcoholic." According to the Bible, drunkenness is a moral condition. On the other hand, alcoholism is a therapeutic condition. What separates the addict from the non-addict is not how often they drink or how much they drink, but what happens when they do drink - the loss of control (or powerlessness). Once an individual becomes addicted, he can never be a social drinker. (Ephesians 5:18)

10. God works in processes. "Recovery" is not a one time, once-and- for-all thing - it is a process (Romans 12:2). Recovery is not just "fixing" ourselves, but rather it is gaining the "tools" to succeed in working out what God has already put within (sanctification). (Philippians 2:12,13)

11. God works through His Spirit. The word Greek word "paraclete" is used in the scriptures to refer to the Holy Spirit. This term means "counselor" or "personal tutor." To succeed in recovery, believers must learn to respond to God's Spirit and walk in His will for their lives. (John 16:13-15)

12. God works through people There is no more isolated and lonely person than the addict. John Bradshaw says, "The deepest wound of toxic shame is the inability to develop meaningful, intimate, human relations." The message of Christian Recovery is that God's grace is experienced as a process which involves intensely honest and nurturing relationships with other people. They serve as agents of His grace to unravel our woundedness and reshape our thinking. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

13. Christian recovery is "intensive discipleship." "Putting the cork in the bottle" (not using drugs or alcohol) is no guarantee of any lasting change in an individual's life. What addicts need is a systematic commitment to an ongoing process of personal growth. Christian recovery means gaining new tools that enable us to live a new sober life and to remove all the "stumbling blocks" to a life of Christian victory. (2 Peter 1:5-11) We might also consider "recovery" as another word for what that Bible refers to as "sanctification".

14. Repentance is more that simply confessing our sins to God. We all must own up to our own sin if we are to experience forgiveness. (1 John 1:9) Still an additional step is necessary -- repentance. The Greek word for repentance is "metanouia" which implies a complete change of mind. New thinking comes from new attitudes that have been formed by new perspectives. (Acts 3:19)

15. "Rigorous honesty" is essential for true spirituality. Jesus declares that the truth will set us free (John 8:32) So, we must make a commitment to "walk in the light". (1 John 1:5-9)

16. There is a "therapeutic value" to talk. Self-revelation in a safe environment is a tremendously healing experience. Support groups provide an environment that promotes this process. (James 5:16)

17. "Grace flows freely through unclogged conduits." Christian workers cannot bring people to a place they have not come to themselves. Therefore, if we want to reach out to hurting people, we must be in the process of dealing with our own issues first. (1 Cor. 11:31; 2 Cor. 4:1-2)

[Norma Rose]

I had gone through these back in the 80s before I moved out, I've been led back here. I admit, my year or so of drinking & then drugging I could appreciate how people get hooked. I enjoyed reality disappearing but that wasn't living. I still need to own up to my own failings and move on past them.

Thank You Jesus!

[Brownie]

Thanks Toad - one of the things I was going to do today was look up the 12 Steps - you posted even better with scriptures - THANK YOU SOOO MUCH

[toad]

This comes from Alcoholics Victorious..........these are only some of the Scriptures that relate to the 12 steps. There are probably hundreds more if we search out the Bible............toad



12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous & Biblical References

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol ... that our lives had become unmanageable.

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (Romans 7:18)

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

"... my grace is sufficient for you, for my POWER is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
..for it God Who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.. (Phil. 2:13)

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of GOD as we understood Him.

"... If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23**)

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." (Lamentations 3:40)

5. Admitted to GOD, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16)

6. Were entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character.

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land." (Isaiah 1:19)

7. Humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:10)

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23, 24**)

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

"Give and it shall be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38**)

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith GOD has given you." (Romans 12:3)

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with GOD as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16)

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs.

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2)


**The words of Christ

[Lily]

Thanks Toad!

[riri]

Thanks toad, printed it out, will read it tomorrow morning and check if it the same text as in my book. Have a nice week!

[best]

Thank you Toad.

We lost that wonderful post in the crash. Thank you for bringing it back.

[ANGELINA243]

Thank you--toad for posting this!

[Cocoon]

I am glad to meet you Toad. Great food for thought. Enjoyed very much! Just what I needed today. I am needing to repent to someone. I do not attend church and I live in a small community. I am afraid to even tell someone who is attending a church. I really do not have even a close girlfriend.