Recovery from Sin and Addiction – Step 12 – Service and Gratitude

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

The Lord has been very merciful to us to have revealed his truth to our hearts. He enabled us to not only be healed of sin and addictions, but also to see our relationships healed. And through these previous 11 steps, and with the help of others who have ministered unto us this gospel, we are now able to partake of a new life!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Our New Calling

And so now having embraced this new life in Christ Jesus, we now have a very important calling upon our life: “the ministry of reconciliation.”

God has already used us in previous steps to minister reconciliation, through the efforts that we made for ourselves to be reconciled to others. Now we are also able to help others in the same way, to find the same help we have received.

This has always been part of God’s plan. To enable those whom He has saved, to be able to witness to others so that they might know deliverance also.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” ~ Acts 1:8

Share the Gospel

The true gospel that delivers people from both sin and addictions, has always propagated itself in this manner. Jesus delivers and transforms the individual, and then he calls the individual into a life of service and gratitude. And through this transformed life, others are also saved and called to the same work. We do this work from a heart of love. And we also do this because we recognize the seriousness of the responsibility that has been now given to us!

“Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

Knowing by personal experience the destructiveness of addictions, we endeavor “to persuade” others. We now have a special urgency and authority behind the message we have for them, because of our own personal experiences of the past.

Whenever Jesus delivers and establishes anyone, he then has work for them to do. It is part of completing the calling of Jesus Christ upon our lives.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” ~ Mark 16:15

The word “gospel” stands for “good news.” This Gospel based 12 step program is “good news” for every sinner and addict. There is true hope and help in the love of God shown towards everyone, through Jesus Christ! So by prayer and faith, we labor now to build up others in this new faith that we now have.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” ~ Jude 1:20-25

Compassion

Having compassion, is waking up people to the fear that they should have for their own lives. Teaching people to “put away” the things that are hindering them. We comprehend that we ourselves have been “pulled out of the fire” of sin and its controlling addictive power. And so we especially feel this burden to pull others out of that same fire.

All of this is what we are now called to do in some way, according to the gift that God gives us.

Finally, do you remember the parable of the sower and the word, and the different types of ground (representing the heart) that the Word of God was sown in? The final type of ground, which was the 4th, was described as “good ground”. And it was described that way, because it brought forth good fruit. Fruits of service and gratitude!

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” ~ Matthew 13:23

Concerning this parable, Jesus said: “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

So as we complete this 12 step series, may we ever continue to have an “ear to hear” the call of our Lord to: service and gratitude!