Compromise
A.A (Alcoholics Anonymous) and other 12 step programmes – I recently met someone who was a member of A.A who asked me if it was okay for a Christian to attend. Not knowing anything about A.A or 12 step programmes I searched the history of how it was founded and what they offered. Firstly I was shocked to learn that the programme was spiritual and not just a place where people helped and supported each other through addiction.
The first three steps of A.A are: -
1) The admittance that you are powerless over your addiction.
2) To choose a higher power that can restore you to sanity. (This higher power can be anything of your choosing such as God, Jesus, Buddha, the devil, even a doorknob). They state that this is a spiritual programme but not religious as they do not promote one religion, and all religions are welcome.
3) Make a decision to turn your will and life over to God as you understand him.
Throughout the rest of the steps there is mention of confession of wrongdoings to one another, making amends with people who have wronged you and meditation and seeking direction from God as you understood him. The last step is if you have had a spiritual awakening then you have to carry this message to other alcoholics. On the surface this programme could appear Christian – as there is mention of God and the Lord’s Prayer is prayed, alongside many Biblical principles. The problem is there is no mention of Jesus Christ as the one true God who is the only one that can save you from your sins. There is also no salvation through Jesus within the A.A programme. This poses a problem, the Bible is emphatically clear that you cannot come to God (the creator) without knowing Jesus Christ. Anything that denies Jesus Christ as the one true God and as our one and only Lord and Saviour means that any god can answer because it is only through Jesus Christ that one can know God the Father. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also (1 John 2:23, NKJV).
He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son (1 John 5:10, NKJV).
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6, NKJV). If Jesus is not the centre of the A.A programme then this means that those who enter this programme without the knowledge of Jesus will more than likely encounter a counterfeit god who is an ‘angel of light’ who brings counterfeit healings, signs and wonders.
The founder of Alcoholic Anonymous is Bill Wilson who formed the 12 steps with the help of the Oxford Group (A Christian movement). In the beginning it appeared to be more centrally based on Christianity (although there was no mention of Bill becoming a Christian or dedicating his life to Christ) but more and more members became unhappy with the Christian based theme. In order to counteract this A.A removed ‘all things Christian’ and became an organization that made it possible for alcoholics of all faiths, or no faith at all, to embrace the A.A. program of recovery.The following is cut and pasted from an A.A website: - Bill concludes: “We finally began to talk about the possibility of compromise. . . . In Step Two we decided to describe God as a ‘Power greater than ourselves.’ In Steps Three and Eleven we inserted the words ‘God as we understood Him.’ From Step Seven we deleted the words ‘on our knees.’ And, as a lead-in sentence to all the steps we wrote these words: ‘Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery.’
What does that mean for one who is a Christian and enters the 12 step programme using Jesus Christ as their higher power? To answer this question I sought the Holy Spirit. This is what I believe He spoke to me: - “A.A is open to all higher powers. It is universal. In A.A all gods are created equal. Jesus is the most High God – there is none greater than Him. In the programme you bow down to a higher power. This is classed as worship. I will not be part of a programme that promotes worship of other gods alongside Me. Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3, KJV). In ignorance to the programme if you choose Me as your higher power I will not forsake you but once you know the truth I cannot continue in it with you. Come out of her – I am calling you out from the world. A.A is a worldly programme that denies My existence as Lord and Saviour and as the only way to be saved, but not only that it puts Me equal to and alongside of ‘the worship of other gods’. By being a member you are coming into covenant with the compromise of removing Jesus from the core of the programme and declaring Him equal and no greater than other gods. Why would you want to be part of an organisation that promotes this? By being actively involved you deem yourself guilty by association because you come under their authority.” For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2, KJV).
The Lord then showed me why A.A works. Addiction is an idol. When you lay down that idol for another idol (the deity that is more powerful than the addiction) you can end up with a healing but in the long run be left with something even worse. Another thing I noted when researching A.A was the symbols in the sobriety coins that are given when members have completed certain time frames of sobriety. The coins have a triangle and a circle inside of them. This symbol is the same symbol in the illuminate organisation (all Seeing Eye) that promotes one world order, and one world religion. Coincidence? I think not!
My advice to a Christian who is involved in A.A – pray to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to lead you to a group who is Christian and does a similar programme based solely on Jesus Christ as your Highest Power and as the foundation of the only way to be healed, saved and delivered.
(Prayer) – “Father God I repent in Jesus name for compromise. I repent for entering into any membership or covenant with principles and core beliefs where You were removed or put alongside of other gods in the false belief that You are equal to them. You are the most High God, there is none like You, nor will there ever be. I break all ungodly soul ties connected to any associations where there were beliefs that rejected You as Lord and Saviour, and where You were no greater than any other god, being, object or deity. Any demon I have inherited through membership or covenant with any associations that reject or depower You I command them to leave now in the name and power of My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If I have ever accepted any other higher power that was not any of the Godhead 3 in 1 I reject you now and command you to leave also in the name and power of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ I give to You my weaknesses and addictions. I admit in my own strength I am powerless over them. Your word says that You give us all power and authority over the enemy. I thank You for this Holy power and I pray that You would lead and guide me to any group or association that has You as the head that can help nurture and love me as I journey with You. These things I pray in Jesus name, Amen.”
By Tania Francis