The Steps to Freedom in Christ

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The
Steps to Freedom In Christ

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Instructions

The Steps to Freedom provide a way for you to resolve personal and
spiritual conflicts through genuine repentance and faith in God. They are a
means by which you personally connect with God, who is the only one who can set
you free and heal your wounds from the past. The process will not embarrass
you, and there is nothing to fear. The purpose is to set you free in Christ by
taking back places in your life where the enemy might have gained access.

 

For those doing this study in a Life Group:

● Dr. Anderson has video sections where he explains the content of
the section, asks participants to do a self-inventory based on the content, and
then to do a renouncing prayer for that section as a group.

● You will see that this is hard to do in a group setting because it
is a less private environment and there is not enough time to do the
self-inventories and process the prayer contents.

● If you do it as a group, do it over at least two group sessions
and make sure there is enough time for everybody to think and pray through the
materials.

● We suggest you watch the video session and read along with Neil
Anderson then each individual work through the repentance process on their own,
at their own pace, using this guide. Every step is explained so you will
have no trouble following through it.

● We suggest you find a quiet, private place where you can process
the steps and pray the prayers out loud. Satan cannot read your thoughts, so it
is important that you speak your prayers audibly.

● If you experience some mental interference, such as, “this isn’t
going to work,” “I don’t believe this,” or other blasphemous, condemning, or
accusing thoughts, just ignore those and continue on. They have no power
over you unless you believe them. Try not to pay attention to any
interference from the enemy.

Remember, you are a child of God and are seated with Christ in the
heavenlies. That means you have the authority and power to do His will and to
stand against the enemy. The steps don’t set you free — Jesus sets you free,
and you will progressively experience that freedom as you respond to Him in
faith and repentance.

Successfully completing this renouncing process is not an end but
a continuation of your freedom process. Unless these issues are resolved,
however, the growth process will be stalled, and your Christian life will be stagnant.

Should anyone experience difficulties with the process or feel
they need more help in their freedom process, they should contact Freedom in Christ
Ministries at https://www.ficm.org/get-help/

 

“For by grace you
have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not
as a result of works, so that no one may boast” Ephesians 2: 8-9

If you have never received Christ, you can do
so right now. God knows

the thoughts and intentions of your heart, so
all you have to do is put our trust

in God alone. You can express your decision
in prayer as follows:

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross for
my sins. I acknowledge that I have sinned and that I
cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus came to give me
life, and by faith I now choose to receive You into my
life as my Lord and Savior. By the power of Your indwelling presence enable me to be the person You created me
to be. I pray that You would grant me repentance
leading to knowledge of the truth so that I can
experience my freedom in Christ and be transformed by the
renewing of my mind.

In Jesus’ precious
name I pray,  

Amen.

Preparation

Processing the Steps can play a major role in
your continuing process of discipleship. The purpose is to get your
firmly rooted in Christ. It doesn’t take long to establish your identity and freedom
in Christ, but there is no such thing as instant maturity. Renewing your mind and
conforming to the image of God is a lifelong process. May the Lord grace you
with His presence as you seek to do His will. Once you have experienced your
freedom in Christ, you can help others experience the joy of their salvation.

 

Begin the Steps with the following 
prayer and declaration:

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You are present in this room and my life. You alone are all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present, and I worship you alone. I declare my dependency on You, for apart from You I can do nothing. I choose to believe Your Word which teaches that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to the resurrected Christ, and being alive in Christ I have the authority to resist the devil as I submit to You. I ask that you fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me into all truth. I ask for Your complete protection and guidance as I seek to know You and do Your will.

In the wonderful name of Jesus, I pray. 

Amen

 

Declaration

In the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, 

I command Satan and all evil spirits to release their hold on me in order that I can be free to know and choose to do the will of God. As a child of God who is seated with Christ in the heavenly places, I declare that every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ in my presence be bound. Satan and all his demons cannot inflict any pain or in any way prevent God’s will from being done in my life today because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 Amen.

Review
of your life

Before going through the steps, review the following events of
your life to discern specific areas that need to be addressed:

 Family History

❏ Religious history of parents and grandparents  ❏ Home life from childhood through high school

❏ History of physical or emotional illness in the family ❏ Adoption, foster care, guardians

 Personal History

❏ Eating habits (bulimia, anorexia, compulsive eating)

❏ Addictions (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol)

❏ Prescription medications (what for?)

❏ Sleeping patterns, dreams, and nightmares

❏ Rape or any other sexual, physical, or emotional abuse

❏ Thought life (obsessive, blasphemous, condemning, and distracting
thoughts;  poor concentration; fantasy; suicidal thoughts; fearful; jealous;
confused; guilt  and shame)

❏ Mental interference during church, prayer, or Bible study

❏ Emotional life (anger, anxiety, depression, bitterness, and fear)

❏ Spiritual journey (salvation: when, how and assurance)

 

Step 1: Counterfeit vs. Real

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Please bring to my mind anything and  everything that I have done knowingly or
unknowingly that involves occult, cult, false religious teaching, or practices.
I want to experience Your freedom by renouncing any and all false
guidance.

In Jesus’ name I pray. 

 Amen-Christian Spiritual Checklist

(Check all in which you have participated.)

❏ Out-of-body experience  ❏ Ouija board ❏ Bloody Mary ❏ Occult games ❏ Magic Eight Ball

❏ Spells or curses ❏ Mental telepathy/control ❏ Automatic writing ❏ Trances  ❏ Spirit guides

❏ fortune-telling/divination ❏ Tarot cards ❏ Levitation ❏ witchcraft/wicca/sorcery ❏ Satanism

❏ Palm reading ❏ astrology/horoscopes ❏ Hypnosis ❏ Astral projection ❏ seances/mediums/channelers

❏ Black or white magic ❏ Blood pacts ❏ Fetishism/crystals/charms ❏ Sexual spirits 

❏ Martial arts (mysticism) ❏ Superstitions ❏ Mormonism (LDS) ❏ Jehovah’s Witness

❏ New Age (teachings, medicine) ❏ Masons ❏ Christian Science / Mind Science 

❏ Unification Church (Moonies) ❏ The Forum (EST) ❏ Church of Scientology ❏ Unitarianism /Universalism

❏ Silva Mind Control ❏ Transcendental Meditation (TM) ❏ Yoga  ❏ Hare Krishna  ❏ Bahaism

❏ Native American spirit worship  ❏ Islam ❏ Hinduism ❏ Buddhism (including Zen) ❏ Black Muslim

❏ Rosicrucianism ❏ False gods (money, sex, power, pleasure, certain people)

❏ Other (non-Christian religions; cults;  movies; music; books; video games; comics or fantasy games that glorify Satan, which precipitated nightmares or mental battles; and all other questionable spiritual experiences including spiritual visitations and nightmares)

 

Once you have completed your checklist, confess, and renounce
every false religious practice, belief, ceremony, vow, or pact in which you were
involved by praying the following prayer aloud :

 Lord Jesus, I confess that I have participated in:

{ specifically name every belief and involvement
related to  all that you have check above
},

and I renounce them all as counterfeits. I pray that You will fill
me with Your Holy Spirit so that I may be guided by You. Thank You that in
Christ I am forgiven.

 Amen

Satanic Worship

People who have been subjected to satanic ritual abuse (SRA) need
the help of someone who understands dissociative disorders and spiritual
warfare. If you have been involved in any form of satanic worship, say aloud the following
Special Renunciations. Read across the page, renouncing the first item regarding  “Kingdom of Darkness,” (in regular text) and then announcing the truth regarding the “Kingdom of Light.”(in bold text)  Continue down the page in this manner. Notice
that satanic worship is the antithesis of true worship.om
of Darkness Kingdom of Light

• I renounce ever signing my name over to Satan
  or  having my name signed over to Satan.
• I announce that my name is now written in the
  Lamb’s  book of life.
• I renounce any ceremony in which I have been
  wed to Satan.
• I announce that I am the bride of Christ.
• I renounce any and all covenants I made with Satan.
  
• I announce that I am under the new covenant
  with Christ.
• I renounce all satanic assignments for my
  life, including duties, marriage, and children.
• I announce and commit myself to know and do
  only the will of God and accept only His guidance.
• I renounce all spirit guides assigned to me.
• I accept only the leading of the Holy Spirit.
• I renounce ever giving my blood in the
  service of Satan.
• I trust only the blood of the Lord Jesus
  Christ.
• I renounce ever eating flesh or drinking
  blood for satanic worship.
• By faith I symbolically eat only the flesh
  and drink only the blood of Jesus in Holy Communion.
• I renounce any and all guardians and satanist
  parents who were assigned to me.
• I announce that God is my Father and the Holy
  Spirit is my guardian by whom I am sealed.  Li
• I renounce any baptism whereby I have been
  identified with Satan.
• I announce that I have been baptized into
  Christ Jesus.
• I renounce any and all sacrifices that were
  made on my behalf by which Satan may claim  ownership of me.
• I announce that only the sacrifice of Christ
  has any hold on me. I belong to Him. I have been purchased by the blood of the
  Lamb.  AMEN. 

Step 2: Deception vs. Truth

 We find the strength to walk in the light of honesty and
transparency before God and others when we know that God loves and accepts us just as we are.
We can face reality, acknowledge our sins and not try to hide. Begin this commitment to
truth by praying the following prayer aloud . Don’t let any opposing thoughts, such as This is a waste
of time or I wish I could believe this, but I can’t, keep you from
pressing forward. God will strengthen you as you rely on Him.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You are the truth and I desire to live by faith according to Your truth. The truth will set me free, but in many ways I have been deceived by the father of lies and the philosophies of this fallen world, and I have deceived myself. I choose to walk in the light, knowing that You love and accept me just as I am. As I consider areas of possible deception, I invite the Spirit of truth to guide me into all truth. Please protect me from all deception as You “search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” [Psalm 139:
23-24]

In the name of Jesus, I pray. 

Amen

Prayerfully consider the lists in the following three exercises,
using the prayer at the end of each exercise in order to confess any ways you have given
in to deception or wrongly defended yourself. You cannot instantly renew your mind,
but the process will never begin unless you acknowledge your mental strongholds or
defense mechanisms, which are sometimes called flesh patterns.

Ways you Can be Deceived by the World

❏ Believing that acquiring money and things will bring lasting
happiness (Matthew 13;22; 1 Timothy 6:10)

❏ Believing that excessive food and alcohol can relieve your stress
and make you happy (Proverbs 23: 19-21)

❏ Believing that an attractive body and personality will get you
what you need (Proverbs 31:30; 1 Peter 3:3-4)

❏ Believing that gratifying sexual lust will bring lasting
satisfaction (Ephesians 4:22; 1 Peter 2:11)

❏ Believing that you can sin and get away without any negative
consequences (Hebrews 3: 12-13)

❏ Believing that you need more than what God has given you in Christ
(2 Corinthians 11: 2-4, 13-15)

❏ Believing that you can do whatever you want and no one can touch
you (Proverbs 16:18; Obadiah 3; 1 Peter 5:5)

❏ Believing that unrighteous people who refuse to accept Christ go
to heaven anyway (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)

❏ Believing that you can associate with bad company and not become
corrupted (1 Corinthians 15: 33-34)

❏ Believing that you can read, see, or listen to anything and not be
corrupted (Proverbs 4: 23-27; Matthew 5:28)

❏ Believing that there are no consequences on Earth for your sin
(Galatians 6: 7-8)

❏ Believing that you must gain the approval of certain people in
order to be happy (Galatians 1: 10)

❏ Believing that you must measure up to certain standard in order to
feel good about yourself (Galatians 3: 2-3; 5:1)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, 

I confess that I have been deceived by [confess the items you checked above] . I thank You for
Your forgiveness, and I commit myself to believe only Your truth.

In Jesus’ name I pray 

Amen

Ways You Deceive Yourself

❏ _______Hearing God’s Word but not doing what it says
(James 1:22)

❏ Saying you have no sin (1 John 1:8)

❏ Thinking you are something you are really not (Galatians 6:3)

❏ Thinking you are wise in this worldly age (1 Corinthians 2: 18-19)

❏ Thinking you can be truly religious but not bridle your tongue
(James 1:26)

❏ Thinking that God is the source of your problems (Lamentations 3)

❏ Thinking you can live your life without the help of anyone else (1
Corinthians 12: 14-20)

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, 

I confess that I have deceived myself by [confess the items you checked above] . I thank
You for Your forgiveness, and I commit myself to believe only Your truth.

In Jesus’ name I pray 

Amen

 

Ways You wrongly Defend Yourself

❏ Denial of reality (conscious or unconscious)

❏ Fantasy (escaping the reality by daydreaming, TV, movies, music,
computer or video games, drugs, alcohol)

❏ Emotional insulation (withdrawing from people or keeping people at
a distance to avoid rejection)

❏ Regression (reverting back to less threatening times)

❏ Displaced anger (taking out frustrations on innocent people)

❏ Projection (attributing to another what you find unacceptable in
yourself)

❏ Rationalization (making excuses for your own poor behavior)

❏ Lying (protecting yourself through falsehoods)

❏ Blaming yourself (when you are not responsible) and others

❏ Hypocrisy (presenting a false image)

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

 I confess that I have wrongly defended myself by [confess the items you checked above] . Thank You
for Your forgiveness. I trust You to defend and protect me.

In Jesus’ name I pray 

Amen

Statements of Truth

1. I recognize that there is only one true and living God who
exists as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is worthy of all honor, praise,
and glory as the One who made all things and holds all things together. [Exodus 20:
2-3; Col 1: 16-17]

2. I recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Word who became
flesh and dwelt among us. I believe that He came to destroy the works of the
devil and that he disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public display
of them, having triumphed over them. [John 1: 1, 14; Col 2:15; 1 John 3:8]

3. I believe that God demonstrated His own love for me in that
while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I believe that He has delivered
me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to His kingdom, and in Him I
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [Rom 5:8; Col 1: 13-14]

4. I believe that I am now a child of God and that I am seated
with Christ in the heavenlies. I believe that I was saved by the grace of God
through faith and that it was a gift and not a result of any works on my part. [Eph 2: 6,8-9;
1 John 3: 1-3)

5. I choose to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His
might. I put no confidence in the flesh, for the weapons of warfare are not of
the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of strongholds. I put
on the full armor of God. I resolve to stand firm in my faith and resist the
evil one. [2 Cor 10:4; Eph 6: 10-20)

6. I believe that apart from Christ I can do nothing, so I declare
my complete  dependence on Him. I choose
to abide in Christ in order to bear much fruit and glorify my Father. I
announce to Satan that Jesus is my Lord. I reject any and all counterfeit gifts
or works of Satan in my life. [John 15: 5,8; 1 Cor 12:3]

7. I believe that the truth will set me free, and that Jesus is
the truth. If He sets me free, I will be freed indeed. I recognize that walking
in the light is the only path of true fellowship with God and man. Therefore, I
stand against all of Satan’s deceptions by taking every thought captive in
obedience to Christ. I declare that the Bible is the only authoritative
standard for truth and life. [John 8: 32,36; 14:6; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 2
Timothy 3: 15-17; 1 John 1: 3-7]

8. I choose to present my body to God as a living and holy
sacrifice and the members of my body as instruments of righteousness. I choose
to renew my mind by the living Word of God in order that I may prove that the
will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect. I put off the old self with its
evil practices and I put on the new self. I declare myself to be a new creation
in Christ. [Rom 6: 13; 12:1-2; 2 Cor 5:17;  Col 3: 9-10]

9. By faith, I choose to be filled with the Spirit so that I can
be guided into all truth. I choose to walk by the Spirit so that I will not
carry out the desires of the flesh. [John 16:13; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18]

10. I renounce all selfish goals and choose the ultimate goal of
love. I choose to obey the two greatest commandments; to love the Lord my God
with all my heart, soul,  mind and
strength and to love my neighbor as myself. [Matt 22: 37-39; 1 Tim
1:5]

11. I believe that the Lord Jesus has all authority in heaven and
on earth, and He is

the head over all rule and authority. I am complete in Him. I
believe that Satan

and his demons are subject to me in Christ since I am a member of
Christ’s body. Therefore, I obey the command to submit to God and resist the
devil, and I command Satan in the name of Jesus Christ to leave my presence. [Matt 28: 18;
Eph 1: 19-23; Col 2: 10; James 4:7]

 

Step 3: Bitterness vs.
Forgiveness

We are called to be merciful just as our heavenly Father is
merciful [Luke 6:36] and forgive others as we have been forgiven [Ephesians 4: 31-32].
Doing so sets us free from our past and doesn’t allow Satan to take advantage of us [2
Corinthians 2: 10-11].

Ask God to bring to your mind the people you need to forgive by
praying the following prayer aloud :

 Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank you for the riches of Your kindness, forbearance, and patience toward me, knowing that Your kindness has led me to repentance. I confess that I have not shown that same kindness and patience toward those who have hurt or offended me [Romans 24]. Instead, I have held on to my anger, bitterness, and resentment toward them. Please bring to my mind all the people I need to forgive in order that I may now do so.

 In Jesus name, I pray. 

Amen

Make a List

On a separate sheet of paper, list the names of people who come to
your mind. At this point don’t question whether you need to forgive them.
Often we hold things against ourselves as well, punishing ourselves for wrong choices
we’ve made in the past. Write ‘myself” at the bottom of your list if you need to
forgive yourself.

Forgiving yourself is accepting the truth that God has already
forgiven you in Christ. If God forgives you; you can forgive yourself!

Also write down “Thoughts Against God” at the bottom of your list.
Obviously, God has never done anything wrong, so He doesn’t need our
forgiveness; but we need to let go of our disappointments with our heavenly Father. People
often harbor angry thoughts against Him because He did not do what they wanted Him to
do. Those feelings of anger or resentment toward God need to be released.

Review what Forgiveness is

Before you begin working through the process of forgiving those on
your list, review what forgiveness is and what it is not. The critical points
are highlighted below.

Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who
want to forget all that has done to them will find they cannot do it. When God says He will remember our sins no
more, He is saying He will not use the past against us. Forgetting is a long-term by-product of
forgiveness, but it is never a means toward it. Don’t put off forgiving those who have hurt you,
hoping the pain will go away. After you choose to forgive someone, Christ will heal your
wounds. We don’t heal in order to forgive we forgive in order to heal.

Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of the will. God requires
you to forgive, so we know that it is something you can do. Some people hold onto their anger as a
means of protecting  themselves against further abuse, but all they are doing is
hurting themselves. Others want revenge. The Bible teaches “vengeance is mine, I will repay, says
the Lord” [Romans 12:19]. Let God deal with the person. Let him or her off the hook because
as long as you refuse to forgive someone, you are still hooked to that person. You are
still chained to your past, bound up in your bitterness. By forgiving, you let the other
person off your hook, but he or she is not off God’s hook. You must trust that God will deal with the
person justly and fairly, something you simply cannot do. But you don’t know how
much this person hurt me! No other human really knows another person’s pain, but Jesus does, and he
instructs us to forgive others for our sakes. Until you let go of your bitterness and
hate, the person is still hurting you.

Nobody can fix your past, but you can be free from it. What you
gain from forgiving is freedom from your past and from those who have abused you. To forgive is
to set the captives free and then realize you were the captive .

Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another
person sin. We are all living with the consequences of others’ sin. The only choice is to
do so either in the bondage of  bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness. But where is the
Justice? The cross makes forgiveness legally and morally right. Jesus died once for all our
sins. we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. He did that by taking on Himself the consequences
of our sins. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in him [2 Corinthians 5:21]. Do not wait for the other person to ask
for your forgiveness.

Remember Jesus did not wait for those who were crucifying him to
apologize before He forgave them. Even while they mocked and jeered at Him, He prayed, “Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” [ Luke 23:34.].

Forgive from your heart. Allow God to bring to
the surface the painful memories, and acknowledge how you feel toward those who have hurt you. If your forgiveness
doesn’t touch the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete. Too often
we are afraid of the pain, so we bury our emotions deep inside us. Let God bring them to the
surface so He can begin to heal those damaged emotions.

Forgiveness is choosing not to hold others sin against them
anymore. Bitter people commonly bring up past offenses with those who have hurt them.
They want the offenders to feel as bad as they do! But we must let go of the past and choose
to reject any thought of revenge. This doesn’t mean you continue to put up with the abuse.
God does not tolerate sin and neither should you. You will need to set up scriptural
boundaries that put a stop to further abuse. Take a stand against sin while continuing to exercise grace
and forgiveness toward those who hurt you. If you need help setting scriptural boundaries
to protect yourself from further abuse talk to a trusted friend, counselor, or pastor.

Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving. You will never
get there make the hard choice to forgive even if you don’t feel like it. Once you choose to
forgive, Satan will lose his hold on you, and God will heal your damaged emotions.

 Make the Choice

Start with the first person on your list and make the Choice to
forgive him or  her for every painful memory that comes to your mind. Stay with
that individual until you are sure you have dealt with all the remembered pain. Then
work your way down the list in the same way. As you begin forgiving people, God may
bring to your mind painful memories you’ve totally forgotten. Let Him do this even if
it hurts. God is surfacing those painful memories so you can face them once for all
time and let them go. Don’t excuse others’ behavior even if they are close to you.

Don’t say, “Lord please help me forgive”. He is already helping
you and will be withyou all the way through the process. Don’t say, “Lord I want to
forgive”, because that bypasses the hard choice we have to make. Say, “Lord I choose to
forgive these people and what they did to me”. For every painful memory that God
reveals for each person on your list pray this prayer aloud:

Lord Jesus, 

I choose to forgive [name the
person] for [what he or she did or failed to do] because it made me feel
[share the painful feelings, such as rejected, dirty, worthless, inferior]

After you have forgiven every person for every painful memory,
pray this prayer as well:

Lord Jesus, I choose not to hold on to my resentment. I relinquish my right to seek revenge, and I ask you to heal my damaged emotions. Thank you for setting me free from the bondage of my bitterness. I now ask you to bless those who have hurt me.

 In Jesus name I pray. 

Amen .

Acknowledging the Truth about
Your Father God

Before we came to Christ, thoughts were raised up in our minds
against the true knowledge of God [2 Corinthians 10:3-5]. Even as believers we have
harbored resentment toward God that will hinder our walk with Him. We
should have a healthy fear of God (awe of His Holiness, power & presence), but we
fear no punishment from Him. Romans 8:15 reads, “For you have not received the spirit of
slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as Sons by
which we cry out, ‘Abba Father!’”  The
following exercise will help renew your mind to a true knowledge of your  Heavenly Father. Read through the list:

I
Renounce the Lie that God is distant and disinterested.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is intimate and involved [Ps
139: 1-18]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is insensitive and uncaring.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is kind and compassionate [Ps 103:8-14]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is stern and demanding.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is accepting and filled
with joy and love. [Zeph 3:17; Rom 15:7]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is passive and cold.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is  warm and affectionate [Is 40:11; Hos 11; 3-4]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is absent or too busy for me.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is always with me and eager
to be with me [Jer 31:20; Ezek 34:11-16; Heb 13: 5]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is never satisfied with what I do; impatient or
angry.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is patient and slow to
anger [Exodus 34:6; 2 Peter 3:9]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is mean, cruel, or abusive.

 I Choose to Believe the Truth
that God is loving, gentle, and protective of me [Ps 18:2; Jer 31:3; Is 42:3]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is trying to take all the fun out of life.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is trustworthy, wanting to
give me a full life. He will his good, perfect, and acceptable for me [Lam 3:22-23;
Rom 12:1-2]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is controlling or manipulative.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is full of grace and mercy;
He gives me freedom to fail [ Heb 4: 15-16; Luke 15: 11-16]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is condemning and unforgiving.

 I Choose to Believe the Truth
that God is tenderhearted and forgiving; His heart and arms are always open
to me [Psalm 130:1-4; Luke 15:17-24]

I
Renounce the Lie that God is exacting, or perfectionist.

I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is committed to my growth
and proud of me as His beloved child [Rom 8:28-29; Heb 12: 5-11; 2 Cor 7:4 ]

I am the apple of His eye! [Deuteronomy 32:10]

Step 4: Rebellion vs.
Submission

Prayer

 Dear heavenly Father,

 You have said that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and insubordination is as iniquity and  idolatry [1 Samuel 15:23] . I know
that I have not always been submissive, but instead have rebelled in my heart against  You, and against those You have placed in authority over me, in attitude and in action. Please show me all the ways I have been rebellious. I choose now to adopt a submissive spirit and a servant’s heart.

 In Jesus’ name I pray 

Amen

 

From the list below, allow the Lord to show you any specific ways
you have been rebellious and us the prayer that follows to confess those sins He
brings to mind.

 ❏ Civil government, including traffic laws, tax laws, attitude
toward government officials [Romans 13: 1-7; 1 Timothy 2: 1-4; 1 Peter 2: 13-17]

❏ Parents, stepparents, or legal guardians [Ephesians 6: 1-3]

❏ Teachers, coaches, and school officials [Romans 13:1-4]

❏ Employers — past and present [1 Peter 2:18-23]

❏ Husband [1 Peter 3:1-4] or wife [Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:7]

( Note to Husbands: Ask the Lord if your lack of love for your
wife could be fostering a rebellious spirit within her. If so, confess that as
a violation of Ephesians 5:22-33)

❏ Church leaders [Hebrews 13:7]

❏ God [Daniel 9:5-9]

 

Prayer

 Lord Jesus, 

I confess that I have been rebellious toward [name or position] by [specifically
confess what you did or did not do] . Thank You for Your
forgiveness. I choose to be submissive and obedient to Your Word.

 In Jesus’ name I pray 

Amen

 

Step 5: Pride vs. Humility

Pride comes before a fall, but God gives grace to the humble [
James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:1-10]. Humility is confidence properly placed in God, and we are
instructed to “put no confidence in the flesh” [Philippians 3:3]. We are to be
“strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” [Ephesians 6:10]. Proverbs 3:5 urges us
to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding. 

Use the following prayer to ask God to show you where you may be
prideful.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

You have said that Pride goes before destruction and an arrogant spirit
before stumbling. I confess that I have focused on my own needs and desires and
not others’. I have not always denied myself, picked up my cross daily and
followed You. I have relied on my own strength and resources instead of resting
in Yours. I have placed my will before Yours and centered my life around myself
instead of You. I confess my pride and selfishness and pray that all  ground gained in my life by the enemies of
the Lord Jesus Christ would be canceled. I choose to rely upon the Holy
Spirit’s power and guidance so that I will do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit. But with humility of mind, I choose to regard others as more important
than myself. I acknowledge You as my Lord and I confess that apart from You I
can do nothing of lasting significance.  
Please examine my heart and show me the specific ways I have lived my
life in Pride.  In the gentle and humble
name of Jesus, I pray.  

Amen

 

To the list below and use the prayer following to confess any
sense of pride the Lord brings to mind.

❏ Having a stronger desire to do my will than God’s will

❏ leaning too much on my own understanding and experience rather
than seeking God’s guidance through prayer and his word

❏ relying on my own strength and resources instead of depending on
the power of the Holy Spirit

❏ being more concerned about controlling others than in developing self-control

❏ being too busy doing seemingly important and selfish things rather
than seeking and doing God’s will

❏ having a tendency to think that I have no needs

❏ finding it hard to admit when I am wrong

❏ being more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing God

❏ being overly concerned about getting the credit I feel I deserve

❏ thinking I am more humble, spiritual, religious, or devoted than
others

❏ being driven to obtain recognition by attaining degrees, titles,
and positions

❏ often feeling that my needs are more important than another
person’s needs

❏ considering myself better than others because of my academic,
artistic or athletic abilities and accomplishments

❏ having feelings of inferiority appearing as false humility

❏ not waiting on God

❏ other ways I have thought more highly of myself than I should

For each of the above areas that has been true in your life, pray aloud :

Prayer

 Lord Jesus,

 I agree I have been proud by [name each item
you checked above] . Thank You for Your forgiveness. I choose to humble myself before You and others.I choose to place all my confidence in You and not to put confidence in my flesh.

 In Jesus’ name I pray. 

Amen

Step 6: Bondage vs. Freedom

We resist the devil by rejecting his lies. We must walk in the
truth and put on the full armor of God [Ephesians 6:10-20] Sin that has become a
habit often may require help from a trusted brother or sister in Christ. [James
5:16] Remember, confession is not just saying “I’m sorry.” It is openly
admitting, “I did it.” Whether you need help from other people or just the accountability
of walking in the light before God, pray the following prayer aloud :

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You have told me to put on the Lord Jesus
Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. I confess
that I have given in to fleshly lusts that wage war against my soul. I thank
You that in Christ my sins are already forgiven, but I have broken Your holy
law and I have allowed sin to wage war in my body. I come to You now to confess
and renounce these sins of the flesh so that I might be cleansed and set free
from the bondage of sin. Please reveal to my mind all the sins of the flesh I
have committed and the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit.

 In Jesus’ holy name I pray. 

Amen

 The following list contains many sins of the flesh, but a
prayerful examination of Mark 7:2-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4: 25-31 and other
scripture passages will help you to be even more thorough. Look over the list below
and the scriptures listed, and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind the sins you
need to confess. He may reveal others to you as well. For each one the Lord shows you,
pray a prayer of confession from your heart. There is a sample prayer following the
list.

 ( NOTE: sexual sins, eating disorders, substance
abuse, abortion, suicidal tendencies and perfectionism will be dealt with later in this step. Further
counseling may be necessary to find complete healing and freedom in these and other
areas.)

 ❏ Stealing ❏ Quarreling/fighting  ❏ Jealousy/envy  ❏ Complaining/criticism ❏ Sarcasm ❏ Lustful actions

❏ Gossip/slander ❏ Swearing ❏ Apathy/laziness  ❏ Lying ❏ Hatred ❏ Anger ❏ Lustful thoughts

❏ Drunkenness ❏ Cheating ❏ Procrastinating ❏ Greed/materialism  ❏ Others:_________

Prayer