Step 2 - We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity

Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psa 18:3  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
Psa 18:4  The sorrows of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
Psa 18:5  The sorrows of sheol surrounded me: the snares of death confronted me.
Psa 18:6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

David proclaims the strength, protection and deliverance that comes from the Lord. When David was overcome with sorrow and fear, he called upon the Lord, and the Lord heard him in his distress and brought safety and deliverance. During the second step, we search for a power that can deliver us from the insanity of our addictive behaviors. This power needs to be something or someone on whom we can rely and in whom we can have confidence. David's witness in the Psalms as well as the experiences of many, many others as recorded in the Bible and throughout history attest to the faithfulness of the Lord in providing safety and deliverance from distress when we turn to Him in our sincere need. 

Psa 20:7  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psa 20:8  They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psa 27:13  I would have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa 27:14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psa 33:18  Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
Psa 33:19  To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psa 33:20  Our soul waits for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
Psa 33:21  For our hePsa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psa 33:22  Let your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in you.

Psa 46:1  [To the Chief Musician for the sons of Korah.  A song upon alamoth.] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psa 46:2  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Psa 71:1  In you, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Psa 71:2  Deliver me in your righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline your ear unto me, and save me.
Psa 71:3  Be my strong habitation, to which I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress.
Psa 71:4  Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business on great waters;
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
Psa 107:25  For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, who lifts up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they are quiet; so he brings them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
art shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

Psa 107:41  Yet sets he the poor on high from affliction, and makes their families like a flock.
Psa 107:42  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop its mouth.
Psa 107:43  Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Psa 121:1  [A song of ascents.] I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from which comes my help.
Psa 121:2  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Psa 121:3  He will not allow your foot to be moved: he that keeps you will not slumber.
Psa 121:4  Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psa 121:5  The LORD is your keeper: the LORD is your shade upon your right hand.
Psa 121:6  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve you from all evil: he shall preserve your soul.
Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psa 130:1  [A song of ascents.] Out of the depths have I cried unto you, O LORD.
Psa 130:2  Lord, hear my voice: let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3  If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4  But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared.
Psa 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6  My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Psa 130:7  Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption.
Psa 130:8  And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psa 139:1  [To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.] O LORD, you have searched me, and known me.
Psa 139:2  You know my downsitting and my uprising, you understand my thought afar off.
Psa 139:3  You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Psa 139:4  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, you know it altogether.
Psa 139:5  You have hedged me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me.
Psa 139:6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Psa 139:7  Where shall I go from your Spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psa 139:8  If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there.
Psa 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psa 139:10  Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psa 139:11  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hides not from you; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to you.
Psa 139:13  For you have formed my inward parts: you have covered me in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14  I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.
Psa 139:15  My frame was not hid from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Psa 139:16  Your eyes did see my substance, being yet unformed; and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Psa 139:17  How precious also are your thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with you.

Pro 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 2:6  For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7  He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a shield to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8  He keeps the paths of justice, and preserves the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9  Then shall you understand righteousness, and justice, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10  When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto your soul;
Pro 2:11  Discretion shall preserve you, understanding shall keep you:
Pro 2:12  To deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks perverse things;
Pro 2:13  Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14  Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15  Whose ways are crooked, and who are perverse in their paths:
Pro 2:16  To deliver you from the immoral woman, even from the seductress who flatters with her words;

Pro 15:16  Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with trouble.

Mat 9:12  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 
Mat 9:13  But go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. 
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

This is a promise that when we come to Jesus we will find rest. This is so much needed to save us from the insanity of our addiction that we admitted in step 1. We have carried the yoke of slavery of our addiction for a long time. Jesus promises a different type of a yoke, one that is light and easy, one in which we can find rest and peace. How blessed is such a promise from the one who does not lie. 

Mat 12:18  Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show justice to the Gentiles. 
Mat 12:19  He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 
Mat 12:20  A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he sends forth justice unto victory. 
Mat 12:21  And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. 

This is from a prophecy from the book of Isaiah about the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He showed Himself to be a Messiah of meekness and yet justice, gentleness and strength, victorious and trustworthy. He did not strive or cry out but went forth in quiet victory, bringing justice. He is someone in whom we can trust. In the second step of the 12 step program, that is what it is all about - someone whom we can trust to carry us out of our sin and the burdens of our addiction. And Jesus brings this deliverance in such an approachable way, not striving or crying out, but gently offering to us the victory through His grace and gentle ways. 

Mat 20:29  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 
Mat 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, you son of David. 
Mat 20:31  And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, you son of David. 
Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will you that I shall do unto you? 
Mat 20:33  They said unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 
Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. 

Mar 5:35  While he yet spoke, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain who said, Your daughter is dead: why trouble you the Teacher any further? 
Mar 5:36  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 

Mar 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. 
Mar 9:24  And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. 

Luk 11:5  And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 
Luk 11:6  For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 
Luk 11:7  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you. 
Luk 11:8  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give to him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 
Luk 11:9  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 
Luk 11:10  For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 
Luk 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 
Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 
Luk 11:13  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 

Luk 9:56  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. 

Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 
Joh 3:15  That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 
Joh 3:18  He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life. 
Joh 6:69  And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 
Joh 7:38  He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. 
Joh 7:39  (But this spoke he of the Spirit, whom they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 

Joh 8:12  Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
Joh 10:10  The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 
Joh 10:12  But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. 
Joh 10:13  The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep. 
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 
Joh 11:26  And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? 

Joh 14:6  Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. 
Joh 14:7  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him. 

Act 4:9  If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the crippled man, by what means he is made whole; 
Act 4:10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. 
Act 4:11  This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the head of the corner. 
Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved. 

Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. 

2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life: 
2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead: 
2Co 1:10  Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 
2Co 1:11  You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 

2Co 5:19  That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 
2Co 5:21  For he has made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Gal 1:3  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father: 
Gal 1:5  To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) 
Eph 2:6  And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 
Eph 2:8  For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Col 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 
Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 
Col 2:15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

Heb 2:14  Since then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 
Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the nature of Abraham. 
Heb 2:17  Therefore in all things he had to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted. 

This passage from Hebrews states how Christ took the form of human flesh and blood as He walked this earth. He did this out of compassion and love, to deliver us from a "lifetime subject to bondage". And the way that He could do this is that sin was not found in His life. We are not like that. From our first step, we know that sin has not only been in our lives, but it has taken control of our lives, making us powerless over the sin. Jesus had no sin in His life, even though He lived as a human being like us. Being a human being, He knows firsthand how trials and temptations can abound - "he is able to help them that are tempted". Being sinless, He can act as our high priest before God, reconciling us to God in spite of our sins. He is unique in the history of mankind, for no other man lived a sinless life before God. And we can be very thankful, because Christ Jesus didn't live such a life in order to condemn us or set Himself apart, but so that He could identify with us, make the perfect sacrifice and save us through His love. 

Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant. 
Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not allowed to continue by reason of death: 
Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 
Heb 7:25  Therefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. 
Heb 7:26  For such a high priest was befitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 
Heb 7:27  Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 
Heb 7:28  For the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated forevermore. 

Jam 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

1Jo 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me. 
Rev 3:21  To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 

Here the risen Christ gives a beautiful offer and promise as well as a challenge.He stands at the door of our heart and offers to come in and fellowship with us if we only open the door and invite Him in. The challenge is that we then overcome this world and its sin that we might sit with Him for eternity. And it is only through that fellowship with Christ that we will have the power and strength to ultimately overcome.