The 12 Step Program Can Be Of Help To You!

 

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The 12 Step program was of some help to me to start me off, but once I got some clean time, I had a hunger for more help, so I got more help from Elmbrook church, which is just what I needed. The 12 Step program is a spiritual program, yet it is multi-spiritual, not only Jesus Christ. Even though it did help me for a while, not having the element of Jesus Christ as higher power, I had some difficulty relating.

When I admitted I was powerless, I came to believe in God, turn my life over to Him, remove shortcomings, make amends, personal inventory, and practice these principles. ~ Bill Greguska

Ephesians 5:18  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

The Christian 12 Step Program!

Celebrate Recovery 12 Steps and Biblical Comparisons

The 12 step program uses the so-called original serenity prayer; this pray is another good version!

1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors and 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 NIV

2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 NIV

3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1 NIV

4. We 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 NIV

5. We 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 5:16a NIV

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 NIV

7. We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV

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

Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31 NIV

9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

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 NIV

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

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12

11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:16a NIV

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

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore them gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1 NIV

 

Throughout this material, you will notice several references to the Christ-centered 12 Steps. Our prayer is that Celebrate Recovery will create a bridge to the millions of people who are familiar with the secular 12 Steps (I acknowledge the use of some material from the 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous) and, in so doing, introduce them to the one and only true Higher Power, Jesus Christ. Once they begin that relationship, asking Christ into their hearts as Lord and Savior, true healing and recovery can begin!

 

Celebrate Recovery’s Eight Recovery Principles

The Road to Recovery Based on the Beatitudes

Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. (Step 1)

          “Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3a TEV

Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. (Step 2)

          “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 TEV, NIV

Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. (Step 3)

          “Happy are the meek.” Matthew 5:5a TEV

Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, God, and someone I trust. (Steps 4 and 5)

          “Happy are the pure in heart.” Matthew 5:8a TEV

Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. (Steps 6 and 7)

          “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires” Matthew 5:6a TEV

Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when to do so would harm them or others. (Steps 8 and 9)

          “Happy are the merciful.” Matthew 5:7a TEV; “Happy are the peacemakers” Matthew 5:9 TEV

Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will. (Steps 10 and 11)

Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and my words. (Step 12)

          “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” Matthew 5:10 TEV

• I am concerned about my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Celebrate Recovery
  

• I am concerned about my drinking problem. AA.org

• I am concerned about my drug problem NA.org

• I am concerned about someone with a drinking problem. Al-Anon.org

Here Are Some Helpful Links:

• How does Alcoholics Anonymous compare with the Bible?
• How should a Christian view alcoholics? 
• Should a Christian take prescription drugs?
• Is Celebrate Recovery a Biblical sound program?
• What does the Bible say about partying?

My Personal Customized 12 Step Program

By ~ Bill Greguska

1. I admitted that I had become powerless over my addiction(s) (people and things) and that my life had become unmanageable with seemingly no way out. 
2. I came to believe that my life could be restored through God, and He could make me whole again. 
3. I decided to turn from the things of my past and asked Jesus to be the Lord and the center of my life. 
4. I made a complete and honest moral inventory of myself to assess what needed to be changed. 
5. I admitted to God, myself, and someone who I could trust. Share the exact things that were going wrong in my life in which I needed help in my life. 
6.  I was entirely ready to have God take away all of my character defects once and for all.
7. I humbly asked God to remove my shortcomings and to forgive me. Believing He would eliminate them, and I would receive His forgiveness to start over, clean. 
8. I made a list of people I have harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. 
9. Made direct amends to those people wherever possible, except when doing so would injure them or others. 
10. Continually take a personal inventory of my life, and when wrong, try to admit it promptly and make things right again. 
11. I have sought through prayer and meditation on God’s Word to strengthen my relationship with Him. To pray continually for the knowledge of His will for me and the power of His might to carry it out. 
12. Upon being spiritually restored and set free from the sin (which can so easily entangle me), I continue to try to share this newfound freedom and the One who has freed me with those who are still suffering. With God’s help, I eagerly attempt to act as Jesus would in all I do. 

Some Specific Scriptures To Encourage You:

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 5:15-18 ESV 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Jeremiah 17:14 ESV

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Mark 5:34 ESV 

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

Isaiah 41:17 ESV 

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Jeremiah 30:17 ESV

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’

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