You’ll notice a a definite trend in the following of the 12 Steps, from AA, NA, and other Step based programs. The difference you will find here is the need to conform to the Word of God, and the absolute authority the Scriptures are given. This would discount these steps for use in many secular groups. They were originally written while I was ministering and being mistered to by a brother in Christ. Both he and I had exposure to the 12 Step based systems.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
4. We are enabled daily, through the power of Gods Spirit in us, to search our heart and mind, facing with fear and trembling our personal sin and immoral ways.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
(Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)
40Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!
(Lamentations 3:40 ESV)5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
(2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV)2 All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
(Isaiah 66:2 ESV)
5. We are able, through Gods Spirit, to face our grossest sins, and openly confess them to God, and our neighbors, especially those who confess Christ as we do. (The house hold of Faith)
15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
(James 5:15-16 ESV)2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.
(Galatians 6:2-5 ESV)
6. We daily face with fear and trembling, the process of Gods sanctification, through which He conforms us unto the image of Christ our Savior.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
(Romans 8:29 ESV)2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Romans 12:2 ESV)
7. We strive daily to come Humbly before Him; asking Him to help us submit to Him so as to have removed all our weakness.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV)“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
(James 4:10)
I hope these are helpful, please use them as your see fit in the LORD, and I am available for discussion and sharpening anytime.
Blessings
