THE ROAD TO RECOVERY:
Recovery Principles, 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 my life is unmanageable.  Step 1

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

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

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

“Happy are the meek.” Matthew 5:5

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


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

Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.  Steps 6 & 7

“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.”

Matthew 5:6

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.  Steps 8 & 9


“Happy are the merciful.” “Happy are the peacemakers.”

Matthew 5:7, 5:9

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.  Steps 10 & 11

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

“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”

Matthew 5:10


Celebrate Recovery 12 Steps

and their Biblical Comparisons

1.  We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behavior,that our lives had become unmanageable.


“I know that nothing good live 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 is at work 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 to 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

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 willingto make amends to them all.


“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:3 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 from of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother: then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 NIV

10.  We continued 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 NIV

11.  We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God,praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the 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 to practice these principles in all our affairs.


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


We would love to hear from you! Please contact us with any questions or comments you may have.

Email us at celebraterecovery@grace-alone.org or call Pastor Walt Collins at (303) 521-2662.


© 2008 Grace Church of Arvada