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.