| Step 2 Scriptures |  |  |  |
Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity |
| Psalms 18:2-6 | |
| 18:2 | The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. |
| 18:3 | I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
| 18:4 | The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. |
| 18:5 | The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. |
| 18:6 | In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. |
12Step.org Comments: | |
| David proclaims the strength, protection and deliverance that comes from the Lord. When David was overcome with sorrow and fear, he called upon the Lord, and the Lord heard him in his distress and brought safety and deliverance. During the second step, we search for a power that can deliver us from the insanity of our addictive behaviors. This power needs to be something or someone on whom we can rely and in whom we can have confidence. David's witness in the Psalms as well as the experiences of many, many others as recorded in the Bible and throughout history attest to the faithfulness of the Lord in providing safety and deliverance from distress when we turn to Him in our sincere need. | |
| Matthew 11:28-30 | |
| 11:28 | Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. |
| 11:29 | Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. |
| 11:30 | For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. |
12Step.org Comments: | |
| This is a promise that when we come to Jesus we will find rest. This is so much needed to save us from the insanity of our addiction that we admitted in step 1. We have carried the yoke of slavery of our addiction for a long time. Jesus promises a different type of a yoke, one that is light and easy, one in which we can find rest and peace. And how needed is that rest! Addictive behaviors usually rob us of this rest, whether it is from staying up all hours of the night and morning as we seek our addiction of choice or whether it is from the troubled sleep that we have from a guilty conscience and polluted body and mind from our addictive behaviors. How blessed is the rest and peace that comes, then, from the One who is our peace. | |
| Matthew 12:18-21 | |
| 12:18 | Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. |
| 12:19 | He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. |
| 12:20 | A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. |
| 12:21 | And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. |
12Step.org Comments: | |
| This is from a prophecy from the book of Isaiah about the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He showed Himself to be a Messiah of meekness and yet justice, gentleness and strength, victorious and trustworthy. He did not strive or cry out but went forth in quiet victory, bringing justice. He is someone in whom we can trust. In the second step of the 12 step program, that is what it is all about - someone whom we can trust to carry us out of our sin and the burdens of our addiction. And Jesus brings this deliverance in such an approachable way, not striving or crying out, but gently offering to us the victory through His grace and gentleness towards us. | |
| Hebrews 2:14-18 | |
| 2:14 | Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; |
| 2:15 | And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. |
| 2:16 | For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. |
| 2:17 | Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. |
| 2:18 | For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. |
12Step.org Comments: | |
| This passage from Hebrews states how Christ took the form of human flesh and blood as He walked this earth. He did this out of compassion and love, to deliver us from a "lifetime subject to bondage". And the way that He could do this is that sin was not found in His life. We are not like that. From our first step, we know that sin has not only been in our lives, but it has taken control of our lives, making us powerless over the sin. Jesus had no sin in His life, even though He lived as a human being like us. Being a human being, He knows firsthand how trials and temptations can abound - "he is able to help them that are tempted". Being sinless, He can act as our high priest before God, reconciling us to God in spite of our sins. He is unique in the history of mankind, for no other man lived a sinless life before God. And we can be very thankful, because Christ Jesus didn't live such a life in order to condemn us or set Himself apart, but so that He could identify with us, make the perfect sacrifice and save us through His love. | |
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