DENIAL Principle 1: Realize I'm not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor."

Matthew 5:3a (TEV)

Step 1:

We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Romans 7:18 (NIV) Disables our

They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits—for we are slaves of anything that has conquered us. (2 Peter 2:19 GNB)

Energy

He frees the prisoners, . . . he lifts the burdens from those bent down beneath their loads . . .

(Psalm 146:7b–8 LB)

Negates

Then they cried to the Lord in their troubles, and he rescued them! He led them from the darkness and shadow of death and snapped their chains. (Psalm 107:13–14 LB)

Isolates us from

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light,as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

(1 John 1:5b–7 NIV)

Alienates us from

Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves. (Ephesians 4:25 LB)

Lengthens

God's promise: I will give you back your health again and heal your wounds. (Jeremiah 30:17a LB)