The Christian's Twelve Steps

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The Christian's Twelve Steps

In Steps 1, 2, & 3, we make peace with God

We come to terms with our powerlessness, resolve the fact that only God can do what we cant do for ourselves, and resolve to let Him do it.

1. I admit that I have no power to control my addictive or compulsive behavior, nor that of others... that my life has become unmanageable, destructive to myself and others, and hindering God's will for my life.
2. I came to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, in His boundless grace and love for me, wants to restore me to sanity...and with His infinite power is able to do so.
3. I make the decision to turn my will and my life over to God's care through Jesus Christ, who died for me...to allow the Lord Jesus to live through me.

In Steps 4, 5, 6, &7 we make peace with ourselves

In taking an inventory, we look at ourselves, who we are, what we are, how we are. It is uncomfortable but in the end we are freed of the guilt and shame and assured of who we are in Christ.

4. Knowing my infinite worth in Christ, I now make a list without fear of condemnation, of all areas of my life which are displeasing to God, as well as my God given strengths and abilities which I have not yet fully used, as revealed to me by the Holy Spirit.
5. Admitted to God, myself, and another human being the exact nature of my sin and shortcomings...thus acknowledging my personal accountability.
6. I ask the Holy Spirit to break down any resistance to His work in me, and to make me entirely willing for Him to remove my character defects.
7. I humbly ask the Lord Jesus to remove my shortcomings and defects of character, submitting to His will.

In Steps 8 &9 we make peace with others

We list those with whom we have to make amends and start on the path of healing relationships.

8. I ask the Holy Spirit to bring to my mind all those people whom I have harmed. I write a list of them and pray for the willingness to make amends to them all.
9. I pray for the Lord to provide the opportunities to make direct amends to all those people I have harmed, and I act on those opportunities...except when to do so would injure them or others... as He guides and strengthens me.

In Steps 10& 11 we maintain the peace

We learn how and then continue to maintain a relationship with Jesus through prayer, meditation and daily reading of Gods Word.

10. I continue daily to take personal inventory, giving the Lord Jesus the praise for any growth in me, and promptly admit any failures, confess all sins, and make amends for any wrongdoing to others.
11. I seek through prayer and meditation on God's Word to improve my conscious contact with God through Jesus Christ, praying for His will for me and for the power of the Holy Spirit to allow Christ to work in and through my life...to His glory.

And in Step 12 we give that peace away..

12. Having been spiritually renewed in Christ and having applied HIS twelve steps in my own life, I carry this message to others in need of it and continue striving to practice these Biblical truths in all my affairs.

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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

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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"