A Missionary Looks at 12 Steps to Overcome Addiction and Sin: Healing Our Broken Relationships with Christ and with Others

By Richard Lehman

A Christian based 12-step process helps us to overcome addiction by attaching to the faithful love of the Savior, enabling healthy relationships with other people. And so a missionary, Richard Lehman, looks at the 12-step process, and prayerfully applies the wisdom of the scriptures to it. And in doing so he has also found this process helpful in providing insights into how to work with different individuals to bring them to Christ.

Richard spends much time training hundreds of other ministers. And in addition to helping those addicted, this 12 step process has become a key resource for training gospel workers who help those that are addicted.

Experience has proved that everyone "wrestles" with deep hurts of some kind. There is a deep empty hole in the heart of the soul - and it must be filled somehow. How we fill that hole, or comfort ourselves within that empty space, will determine what sin we become addicted to.

It is sin (someone else's, or ours) that ultimately first creates a void in the heart of the individual. Unfaithfulness is the sin of betrayal. Someone trusted another with their heart, and then that same person broke their heart. It happens to children in their relationship with their parents, or relatives, or trusted others. It happens often within many marriage relationships. And it happens within everyone's life at some point, by how their own sin betrays the faithful love of the Savior.

And so people go through life hiding the pain of betrayal. Instead of seeking for healing through a loving Savior, they resort to other things. And in doing so they become addicted to some substance, some sin, or both. And they often don't know where to start to find a way out. This book seeks to help them not only start down the right path, but to also find complete healing through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So throughout this 12 step process, you will see that the book is addressed to two audiences at the same time. Those who need help over addictions, and those that are trying to help them. And there is an important reason for this. Because people who need help to overcome addictions, need to completely trust those that are working with them. And so if you are using this process to help them, these people also want transparency and understanding as to what they are being asked to do, and why. There can be no hidden agendas in helping people!

Jesus came so that relationships can be healed. He also sent the comforter of the Holy Spirit, so that every pain that sinful mankind could bring against us, could still be comforted and healed in this life.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:15-18)

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667896083

Book preview

Richard Lehman

A Missionary Looks at 12 Steps to Overcome Addiction and Sin

Healing our broken relationships with Christ and with others

Copyright © 2023 by Richard Lehman

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

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To my heavenly Father,

for by his mercy and grace I have come this far,

and by his love I am who I am.

And by the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ will I make it to heaven.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Personal Testimony of Deliverance from Sin and Addiction

Step 1 - Honesty

Step 2 - Faith and Hope

Step 3 - Trust-Love Direction

Step 4 - Courage

Step 5 - Integrity

Step 6 - Complete Willingness

Step 7 - Humility and Prayer

Step 8 - Accountability

Step 9 - Forgiveness and Restitution

Step 10 - Accepting Responsibility

Step 11 - Knowledge and Consecration

Step 12 – Service and Gratitude

For Gospel Workers Trying to Reach the Lost – 5 Key Success Factors

Preface

Addiction is a symptom of a deeper wound. A wound that typically no one else sees, and yet a wound that can be more painful than the one that everyone sees. I’m speaking of a wounded broken heart. And so my inspiration for writing this 12-step process to overcome addictions comes from a desire to see wounded hearts healed.

When we are sick and in pain we take a painkiller, but we often don’t treat the actual source of the problem. So the pain can go away for a while and then return. Addiction is the symptom of a deep wound, and it can be painful to reopen the wound to get the problem out. So we avoid what needs to be done, and we cover the wound up again by going back to our addiction. And so the wound remains.

Modern day therapy techniques and practices have discovered some different ways to be able to uncover deep wounds, and bring them to the surface so that they can be understood and psychologically processed. We can be thankful for every one of these that contributes to helping people with their deep wounds. And we can be thankful for every medical solution that helps to make withdrawal from an addiction easier. After all it is God who gifted mankind with the ability to help mankind. But especially when these therapy techniques and solutions are utilized along with the comfort of the Spirit of God and the Word of God, then the healing can truly become complete.

I am a missionary. So my purpose is to restore the relationship of mankind with God. And in doing so, every addiction to sin or substance can be healed, because God can completely heal the broken heart. And I have found, when applied scripturally, the well-known 12-step program for overcoming addictions truly enables people to be healed by God.

I am not like most modern missionaries. I have not been sent by a church organization to continue church organizational goals, objectives, and purposes in a foreign land. No. Actually I often step into a new country for missionary work alone, to meet new people and to establish the kingdom of heaven within their hearts. I have been sent by God, not by man, nor by a church organization. And so you can be assured that this 12-step process that I am presenting has no hidden church organization agenda behind it.

Jesus set the example for us all when he started his ministry by preaching: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He did not come here to set up a church organization, but rather a kingdom within the heart, by filling our hearts with the love of God. A love that is pure and faithful in every relationship. And through this love relationship, every addiction can be healed. And that is the approach to this 12-step process.

A recent revival happened at Asbury University in Kentucky in 2023. As the Spirit of God spoke comfort and love to their hearts, many college students revealed deep hurts and anxieties that they had been suffering from. Through the humility that God sent to their hearts, these young people found healing. And they began to experience genuine and authentic care and love for one another. This love was not there before. And because of this new found love, great healing took place!

It is critical for every one of us to have loving relationships, starting with a relationship with God. And when you work with people who have addictions, you will eventually find a deep hurt because of a broken heart and a broken relationship in their past. And to truly overcome addictions, the heart must be healed.

And so to each country I’m sent, I declare the kingdom of heaven within the heart, through Jesus Christ. I want you to be able to connect from your heart, to the heart of God. Because ultimately that is where your help will come from. And with that burden, this 12 step guide to overcoming sin and addictions has been developed.

My inspiration for this step guide and the associated training worksheets, started from other brothers who had themselves been through 12-step programs in their past. And so we discussed what this program would look like from a true Christian perspective.

Of course if you know anything about the history of 12-step programs, the first ones originated out of Christian principles. And so it is only natural that many of the instructions within 12 step programs are better clarified and understood in a deeper way, as you prayerfully apply the wisdom of the scriptures to them.

There may be numerous other factors that contribute to triggering the addictive behavior. But the underlying foundation of the problem starts with broken relationships along the way. And at the deepest core of all our most important relationships, is a spiritual relationship between God and us. When sin interrupts that relationship, there is a broken heart on both sides: with God and with us.

I am especially a missionary to Africa, and it is very apparent that addictions are a serious problem that needs to be addressed in the African continent. And so I have also taught on this subject through our regular multi-congregation Sunday morning services in Africa, (done via a phone conferencing service.) Additionally, these lessons have included Joe Molina, a brother who would bring personal testimonies about himself working through this type of 12 step program. (And he has mentored and led other programs since.) Joe’s personal testimonies have touched many hearts causing their faith to grab hold of the reality that they could truly be delivered! For many years now, personal testimonies have always been recommended as a powerful addition to any 12 step effort.

This 12-step program is not just for helping people who are addicted to substances (like drugs and alcohol.) Because sin itself is actually an addiction. It becomes a controlling force in the lives of individuals because of a broken relationship with God (because of their sin.)

So this 12-step process is also an excellent educational and training book for helping gospel workers to understand how to work with individuals. (It is principally designed for small or individual meetings conducted over a number of months, because this amount of time is necessary to establish both trust and follow-through in completing the heart work.) Through this process, we are able to better understand what is going on in the heart, and to help individuals with their specific needs. And through that individualized work, we help them to have faith and trust in Jesus Christ, to overcome all addictions: including those substance addictions that they may have.

May the Lord bless the sinner, the Christian, and the gospel worker as they would read and understand this step process, which is completely based on biblical principles.

Salvation comes in a moment, when the blood of Christ is applied to our sins. But much processing goes on before that, and yet much more still goes on after that. If we make it to the end, it is because we are always learning and growing in the Lord. And we are overcoming every addiction, both sin and substances.

Richard Lehman

Note: I do not write books for profit. The proceeds from the sales of books is all used towards missionary efforts.

Other books to be published:

A Missionary Looks at the Book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Love Letter - book 1 of 3

A Missionary Looks at the Book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Conquest - book 2 of 3

A Missionary Looks at the Book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Crowning of the King of Kings - book 3 of 3

A Missionary Looks at: The Calling to Minister - do you know your calling?

Introduction

There is a deep empty hole in the heart of the soul that must be filled. How we fill that hole, or comfort ourselves with that empty space, will determine what sin we become addicted to. Without a godly direction and comfort in our life, the heart will begin to fill itself more all the time with sin. And as it does, it will become more addicted to that sin.

The purpose of this step series is to enable individuals to fully recover from sin and addictions. First it is designed to be a process for introducing and establishing the individual in an abundant life, because of a reconciled relationship with God and others. Secondly it is also a training workbook for Gospel workers: so they can understand how to work with the same individuals, to help them fully recover and establish a new life in Christ Jesus.

So throughout this process, you will see that the book is addressed to two audiences at the same time. Those who need help over addictions, and those that are trying to help them. And there is an important reason for this. Because people who need help to overcome addictions, need to completely trust those that are working with them. And so if you are using this process to help them, these people also want transparency and understanding as to what they are being asked to do, and why. There can be no hidden agendas in helping people!

A Complete Healing Includes Individualized Work

Jesus had a very heavy burden concerning the need for individualized gospel work. And this burden came to him as he visited and taught in the synagogue services, (which are also the model for much of what is done in church services today.)

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. ~ Matthew 9:35-36

In every synagogue they had:

Teachers who would teach and exhort the people from the scriptures.

Song leaders who would lead the singing.

Prayer leaders who would lead the praying

These are the principal things done also today in church and fellowship meetings.

Jesus was not against these gatherings. He personally was faithful to partake with these church like gatherings. But what Jesus was expressing, was that it was not individualized enough. That is why he said the people are like sheep having no shepherd. He was alluding to the individual work that a shepherd does,