Addiction Recovery – Page 8 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him, trusting that He would lead us to victory. ~ Step Three

Step Three is where we begin to walk by faith as we learn to surrender control of our lives to God. For many of us, this can feel intimidating—but it can also be a freeing step toward an important spiritual victory. This step is about trust, humility, and letting go of the illusion that we can manage everything on our own.

Surrendering can be scary. It’s uncomfortable not knowing where we are going. We want to hold on to the illusion that we are in control even if that means drifting away from God’s purpose for our life.

Step Three is inviting us to let go and let God take the lead in our life.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. — Proverbs 3:5-6

We must remember that God will never take us where He won’t provide for us. Surrendering our control isn’t a loss–it’s actually a victory in disguise. By turning our lives and our will over to God’s care we step into the amazing life He has planned for us.

This week let’s give Him our plans, fears and desires. We can trust His guidance in all things for our life. Let’s let Him lead the way!

Be blessed by this inspiring song by Leeland: Lead The Way.

In The Twelve Steps to Victory column, we’re reframing the traditional 12 Steps with a focus on victory vs continually looking back at our missteps and failures. Each Step aligns with the months on the yearly calendar. This series publishes on the first Friday of each month in 2025.

We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to victory. ~ Step Two to Victory

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. ~ Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

This Step emphasizes the importance of believing as the foundation of spiritual victory. Without faith in God’s power, we will miss the opportunity to experience His full restoration in our lives. We have to know deep in our heart that God is with us and for us. And because His Spirit lives in us, He will guide us if we let Him.

It’s vital that we remember the Holy Spirit is very sensitive and can be easily offended by our sinful behavior. If we want the benefits of God’s power working in our lives, it’s important that we guard our hearts and actions so that the Holy Spirit will stay with us. (See Ephesians 4 for a deeper study on this.)

A great quote from one of my favorite ministers says:

“The glory of God resting on an unsanctified life will crush it. The glory of the Lord resting on a sanctified life establishes it.” ~ Bill Johnson

In other words, if our life isn’t purposely set apart for God’s use with a deep belief in Him, His glory will crush us because our faith isn’t mature and strong enough to handle His power working in our lives. But on the other hand, if we give ourselves totally over to the Lord, in obedience to His Word, the Holy Spirit’s power will strengthen and mature us.

Think about a young child, maybe 10 years old. She wants to drive your car. She might have the ability to do it, but it could be harmful to her if you let her. She wouldn’t have the emotional and physical maturity to handle that responsibility.

God is always testing us to see if we are strong enough for His glory and power to be made real in our lives. He won’t ever give us more than we can handle.

Question: How does believing in God’s power to restore your life change the way you approach the challenges you currently face?