People in AA and Al-Anon groups use the 12 Step program to get their lives back on track. These involve surrendering, looking to God for help, making amends to those you have harmed, taking inventory of yourself (and not of others), and continuing to do those things. I think new believers in Christ need a step program too. The Bible is VAST….where to start, right? The twelve steps of those programs helped me begin to think right and take responsibility for my own behavior.

After I was born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and received my prayer language, all I wanted to do was pray and devour the New Testament, so that I could get to know this God I had never known. I was SO hungry to know Him! I had a part time job at the time and I spent all my spare time pursuing my relationship with God and getting to know Him. We see that Paul, after his conversion in the Book of Acts, disappeared for a long time while he was getting to know this Jesus person. He was an expert in the Old Testament law, but he did not know the heart of God.

Knowing the things new believers will deal with after their union with God through Jesus, it seemed good to me to compile a short list of the main things a believer might want to follow as a simple guide, much like the twelve steps lead a person back to making changes in order to get back to sanity.

I remember when I first came across Gloria Copeland’s teaching on Romans chapter 12. I had to put it aside when I read the first verse, because I failed the first command in the chapter, which was to present your body to God as a living sacrifice. I had not conquered smoking cigarettes and was under much condemnation. I had to put the whole teaching aside. The thing is, when we first get saved, that just STARTS the process where God begins to work with us and make changes in our lives. We haven’t defeated everything yet, but if we keep at it, we will. Just like Israel when they went into the Promised Land, it was one battle, then another, then another, before they drove out all their enemies. Eventually, through faith, I was able to “drive” the smoking habit out of my life, but it took awhile. Do not be discouraged.

So with those thoughts in mind, I want to encourage new believers to never walk away from God, never give up. He is always there to assist and will never condemn you. Your adversary, the devil, is the one who condemns. We will talk about how to overcome those thoughts and keep your eyes on the prize. The following steps are weapons in your arsenal to defeat what will come at you from the enemy and to continue the journey.

Step 1: Present your body to God as a living sacrifice, as much as you  know and where you are now. In Romans 12:1 Paul instructs the Roman church to do this.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

Renewing our thought processes takes time. God has accepted you right where you are right now. Read, pray, and speak God’s word. This is presenting your body to Him as a sacrifice. Your faith will build from doing these things.

Step 2: Use God’s word to battle condemnation. Condemnation will come because we aren’t living perfectly yet, but here is your stance. Romans 8:1“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

We battle the devil’s condemnation by using the scriptures like a sword to defeat those thoughts. They are not from God. The truth is, we are no longer under condemnation because we belong to Jesus now and are learning to walk in the spirit. Like a child who falls down while learning to walk and then runs to momma for comfort, run to God, not away from Him. Say this scripture aloud.

Step 3: Take authority over sinful actions. If you sin, and you will, then 1 John 1:9 is your instruction in how to throw off the condemnation and continue on with Jesus. This is the promise to believers.“If we confess our sins, He is faithful, and just to forgive us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” 

Yes indeed, He does cleanse us. He is faithful, even when we aren’t. When you sin, repent and speak this verse aloud. It will become a part of you. It did for me. I had LOTS of sin.

Step 4: Find God’s will for your life. Here’s how to start: Seek first the kingdom of God, and delight yourself in the Lord. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:31-33 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Emphasis mine)

Psalms 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” We used to read this and think He will give us whatever we want, but I believe the better interpretation is that when you delight yourself in Him, He directs your heart. He changes your heart, and He causes you to want what He wants. The book of Phillippians bears this out.

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God, who is at work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”  First you get the new heart that desires to please Him, then He puts His desires in there as you seek Him by praying and worshipping Him.

Step 5: Make decisions based on scriptures and the peace of God…Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. (Colossians 3:15 AMPC)

We are called to live in peace, and we actually have God’s peace inside of us. The definition of the word “rule”, to act as an umpire, is directly from the Greek lexicon, and isn’t it so much more descriptive than just the word rule? An umpire calls balls and strikes. Most of us are familiar with that. It’s definite. You’re either in or you’re out. This picture of the umpire has greatly helped me in following the peace of the Lord in making decisions. I hope it does for you too. The newer edition of the Amplified bible does not read this way. This is from the previous Zondervan edition called the Amplified Classic edition.

Number 6: Build your faith daily. Continue to build your faith by praying in the spirit and study of the Scriptures. I built my faith in God’s protection for me by praying Psalm 91. Psalms 23 was another psalm I prayed daily that tells us “surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.” I saw God do things in me and on my behalf as I prayed these psalms. Psalm 103 also has wonderful assurances from God that I pray. We are instructed to “be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18. Get your spiritual prayer language from God. This is important! It will greatly help you.
Look at what the first century church accomplished after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Jude 1:20 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Pray in the Spirit, pray in your prayer language….a lot. As a new believer filled with the Holy Spirit, I prayed a lot in tongues. This new life in Jesus was a whole new world for me that I did not know how to navigate. Praying in tongues helped me distinctly hear the Holy Spirit and understand scriptures.

As they say in AA and Al-Anon, it works, when you work it!