Putting The Past BehindPutting The Past Behind

The Road To Recovery

(From a series by Rick Warren)

Part Four

R.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YE.C.O.V.E.R.YR.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YE.C.O.V.E.R.Y

RRealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless ealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life in unmanageable.thing and my life in unmanageable.

R.E.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YC.O.V.E.R.YR.E.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YC.O.V.E.R.Y

RRealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless ealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life in unmanageable.thing and my life in unmanageable.

EEarnestly believe that God exists, that I arnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.help me recover.

R.E.C.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YO.V.E.R.YR.E.C.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YO.V.E.R.Y

RRealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless ealize I’m not God; I admit I’m powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life in unmanageable.thing and my life in unmanageable.

EEarnestly believe that God exists, that I arnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.help me recover.

CConsciously onsciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control

R.E.C.O.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YV.E.R.YR.E.C.O.R.E.C.O.V.E.R.YV.E.R.Y

Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone

I trust

The problemThe problem

Feeling guilty when we shouldn’t

Not feeling guilty when we should

Feeling guilty cause we are – yet not willing to confess it.

Dealing with the guilt Dealing with the guilt

“What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven. What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record” (Ps 32:1 GNB)Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (Ps 32:2NLT)

Three Reasons For This Step

Three Reasons For This Step

1.Guilt destroys my confidence

2.Guilt damages my relationships

3.Guilt keeps me stuck in the past

“You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up, then God will show mercy to you.” (Prov 28:13 GNB)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

1.Take a personal moral inventory

“Let us examine our ways and test them.” (Lam 3:40)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart, test my thoughts. Point out everything you find that makes me sad..” (Ps 138:23-24)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

1.Take a personal moral inventory

2. Accept responsibility for my faults

“The Lord gave us a mind and a conscience. We cannot hide from ourselves.” (Prov 20:27 GNB)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is no in us.” (1 John 1:8)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

1.Take a personal moral inventory

2. Accept responsibility for my faults

3. Ask God for forgiveness

“ If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable… he forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil.” (1 John 1:9 Phillips)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

1.Take a personal moral inventory

2. Accept responsibility for my faults

3. Ask God for forgiveness

“No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you clean as freshly fallen snow.” (Isa 1:19 TLB)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

“Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16 TLB)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

To Whom?

1. Somebody you trust. Somebody who can keep a confidence, who is not a gossip.

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

To Whom?

2. Somebody who understands the value of what you’re doing.

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

To Whom?

3. Somebody who is mature enough that they are not going to be shocked

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

To Whom?

4. Somebody who knows the Lord well enough that they can reflect His forgiveness to you.

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

What do I say?

“I just need somebody to listen to me take my fourth step in recovery. Here’s some things I know are wrong in my life. This is what I’ve done, this is what I’ve felt.”

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

When do I do it?

As soon as possible. Don’t procrastinate. Maybe you’re not ready, maybe you just need a little more pain!

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

5. Accept God’s forgiveness and forgive yourself

“All of us have sinned… yet God declares us not guilty if we trust in Jesus Christ, who freely takes away our sins.” (Rom 3:23-24 TLB)

How To Do This Step How To Do This Step

4. Admit my faults to another person

5. Accept God’s forgiveness and forgive yourself

“ There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1)