Bible Verses for Addiction Recovery
By: Lakeview Health
Published: November 10, 2012

Bible Verses About Addiction and Recovery

The Life Recovery Bible clearly outlines the 12 steps found in scripture for those with faith attempting to work a 12 step program. Below is a list of the 12 steps and where they can be found in scripture to help Christians incorporate their faith in God into their drug rehab program. Lakeview Health’s addiction counseling staff is equipped to help addicts make the changes needed to remain sober while encouraging their faith in God. Bible verses for addiction recovery will help guide you in making a solid foundation in your Christian recovery.

12 Steps Found in Scripture from the Life Recovery Bible

1) We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable. Romans 7:18 “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” 2) Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” 3) Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him. Luke 9:23 “Then he said to the crowd, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” 4) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Lamentations 3:40 “Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.” 5) Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” 6) We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” 7) Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. 1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all. Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” 9) Made a direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Matthew 5: 23-24 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the alter. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” 10) Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Romans 12:3 “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” 11) Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” 12) Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Galatians 6:1 “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” This overview of the 12 steps found in scripture is used at Lakeview Health as part of Christian drug treatment. Our specialized drug and alcohol rehab program is designed to give Christians an opportunity to stop their substance abuse and reconnect with God. If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction, have faith in God, choosing our program may be one of the best decisions you ever make.