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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Many Christians who have been heavy smokers for years can readily empathize with the plight of anyone trying to quit smoking and can fully understand the struggle experienced by those who desire to...
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David Barnes
I smoked for 25 years and enjoyed it... but after coming to Jesus late in life (41), I realized that I needed to let this habit go. Not all at once, Jesus was working on more important things in my life, here and the hereafter. Before I left on my first youth trip as a driver, I confessed to God that I had to quit, not wanting to sneak out and smoke, knowing that was wrong. My youth pastor and youth committed to pray for me during this trip and I have never smoked since. That was over 17 years ago now. To summarize, admit that though you love to smoke, it is wrong, and ask God to take away the desire to smoke. Also intercessory prayers are needed so get others on board with what is happening...you, with God, can do this!
Win Alme
I smoked for many years, as much as 4 packs a day. I was a Christian. I prayed, I tried many times to give it up and my wife would beg me to start again because I was so grouchy. It seems that every time I tried, I smoked more. One night, as I was going to sleep, the prayer came out of my mouth, "Lord, please take these cigarettes, I can't handle it any more." I believe the Holy Spirit made that prayer for me. He put the words in my mouth. The next morning, I woke up, cleaned up, had breakfast, and realized that I hadn't had a smoke. I didn't even want one. Needless to say, I praised the Lord. From experience, the only way to give up smoking is to totally trust the Lord.
Cale prior
I too was addicted to smoking. It was only a month ago that I quit. I found nicotine replacement therapy helps but don't feel bad if you can't beat the habit right away on your first attempt. It took me four attempts over two years. I prayed and finally I was given the willpower to beat smoking and the cravings. Its not easy to quit but if you seek Jesus and pray and have faith that you're not alone while you continue to smoke you can beat it. I don't know if I've been any help but it worked for me. Good luck. God be with you.
Wale Odusanya
Different experiences has suggested goods ways of quitting smoking. One very effective way of quitting smoking is to understand the concept behind it. Though am yet to see the bible speak against smoking directly but I know any form of addiction is morally and spiritually wrong because it then becomes an idol in our lives that needs to be destroyed and the scriptures makes us understand anything that is of the flesh is enmity against God. So the question is what is that thing that makes you want to light it up? If we know smoking is a bad habit and as a result of being carnally minded, then we replace that bad habit with a good one. You might wonder what a good habit is! The scripture speaks that to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life. To quit smoking, you need to replace that habit with something more spiritually benefitting such as speaking in tongues, worshipping God, forsaking not the congregation of the brethrens, sharing the good news, helping others, tithing and sowing seeds, testifying, loving your neighbors and many little acts of random kindness. By the time you overwhelm yourself with these, you gradually becoming more spiritually minded and you will realize it's being years since you lit up a stick. The devil tries to use habits like that to hold christians down and make them think they less worthy and feel irrelevant in the house of God but that's a lie. As you yield yourself more to God's word and exercise yourself spiritually, you did find out that you can do all things in Christ, even quit smoking. And did be amazed how beautiful your life is. God's Word is God's saving power to all mankind and it can deliver you from anything. The scriptures makes me understand that the Word of God is sharper that two edged sword, piercing and dividing, pulling down strongholds in our lives With God, anything is possible.
obi chris
My personal experience thought me that the first thing you need to do is to sincerely surrender your llfe to Jesus Christ and make him your personal Lord and Savior. And as he comes in, he will help you clean-up your life.For his grace is always sufficient for us and his strenght is made manifest in our weakness.
David Banks
I smoked for many years. Tried many manmade options, but nothing worked until I finally saw I couldn't do it on my own. I had to have help from the only one that could truly help, Jesus! I got on my knees with my cigarettes in my hands, prayed for Jesus to take them from me, and he did. It's been nearly six months and if I ever get the urge I just remember who helped me quit and the urge leaves me.
Steven Scott
My mom was a smoker for MANY years. The Bible verse that helped her was: 1 Corinthians 6:19 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own" My mom didn't want her temple to be filled with smoke.
Cherie Mitchell
It took my dad 2 or 3 heart attacks to quit smoking. My mom, on the other hand, took longer to quit smoking. She started a lot younger, too. She was a Christian and tried to quit. One day she just looked at her cigarette and said, "This is the absolute last cigarette I'll ever smoke!" From then on, she never smoked again. That's what worked for her. Another thing you can do and it works very well is this: Find someone else who is having problems with smoking and is trying to quit, too. (In fact, you can find a couple of other people. It doesn't matter the number). Sometimes, God will lay on your heart a desire to pray for someone experiencing the same thing. Pray for that person. You might have to pray a few times. James 5:16 In that same verse it says to pray for one another that you might be healed. Galatians 6:7 says that we will reap what we sow. If you ask for God's intervention in the other person's life, you'll receive God's intervention in your life. If you pray for victory over the addiction for the other person, you, too, will receive victory. The Holy Spirit will move you to praying with more compassion toward that person with each prayer you offer up. I can't tell you how greatly this type of intercession has worked for me.
Lynn Willis
I smoked for 40 years. I tried to quit MANY times. I went as long as 9 months at one attempt, and then just like any addiction, a trigger sent me right back to where I was before those 9 months. It killed both my parents too. My mother died of lung cancer, she quit 5 years before this diagnosis; and my father died of COPD, the third bought of breathlessness taking him. One would think I would be as motivated to quit as anyone right? Well, I did TRY but kept on puffing. I've tried to quit 4 times in the past 2 years too. Used NRT (gum) which gave me TMJ pain so quit for 3 months then started again. How ridiculous! This addiction had a hold on me but I NEVER asked the Lord to take it from me. I held onto it for some strange reason. I asked Him to take my drug addiction, and He did! Praise the Lord. But with cigarette smoking I just didn't ASK Him for help. Then, I got a severe lung infection and didn't smoke for 3 days before my lungs just stopped working, and I ended up in hospital for 10 days with a diagnosis of COPD, nodes on my lungs and have to take 3 different puffers 2X day. Needless to say I don't have any desire to smoke now! But not just because of this event. And I know that the Lord had His hand in all of it too... because He was with me everyday I was in that hospital, holding my hand. When in distress I prayed and the Lord told me "I will never leave you" I was delivered from the fear factor! I started telling people I wasn't worried as I knew Jesus was going to heal me, and He will, or won't. Either way He will walk with me all the way! In hospital the Lord showed me so very clearly that every time I lit a cigarette, I was WILLFULLY sinning against Him. And every sin is an act of disobedience against God. A rebellious act, and when it is done consciously, willfully, it is WORSE. Satan wanted me to smoke and because I bought into the lies of it was pleasurable, I didn't drink or do anything else BUT smoke, I needed it and it wasn't ever going to harm ME, etc. I allowed the evil one to blind me to the fact that I was actively sinning in doing so. Let the Lord deliver you from this harmful act of rebellion and set you on a free road to better health and a closer relationship with your God! He tells us not to rely on our own understanding, and He tells us to trust in Him, and He tells us that when we are weak He is strong and made perfect in our imperfection. So let Him do what He wants in you and free you from your addiction to this insidious suicide. If you feed your addiction, your addiction eventually feeds on you. It is, after all, how the evil one works. Blessings, in HIM, Lynn
Adam Bullock
In my opinion its not smoking thats the problem, but what makes a person smoke. Smoking is just the symptom of dis-ease with ones relationship to God and self. Thats the area that needs to be healed, and with His power, victory is inevitable! Quitting smoking is one of the first signals that one is ready to begin the arduous journey of real love and honoring, forgiveness and healing. I find it helpful to think we 'breathe' God, its the most essential and fundamental element of that relationship. He breathes life into us. What do we do with that gift? Our anxiety sets up structures that give us over to our rebellion in the form of self medicating (alcohol, drugs, smoking, food, etc) we need to learn to rely on Him, as we do, we are 'tested' under pressure of the world, to see if we can handle more.
Eddie Campbell
I smoked for about 20 years. We know God will help us through trials. Also we know smoking adds a lot of chemicals in our body. I asked a wise pastor the same question: How to stop smoking? She reminded me of the scripture about fasting. Isaiah 58: tells us to take fasting seriously. Fasting can take out bad chemicals and draw us closer to God. I fasted for 3 days (with water and juice). Always check with your doctor first. Thank God I have been smoke free for 7&1/2 years. Don't be discouraged when satan tries to tempt you. That's when I'm encouraged because he wouldn't bother me if I was in his will.
Robert Marshall
The power to overcome addictions is in Christ alone, sincerity of heart and genuineness is what God asks of his Children. After years of trying on my own and struggling as a non believer I finally was brought to my knees by God whom not only transformed my life through spiritual rebirth, He removed my smoking addiction when I turned to him.
Ed Besselman
One of the best pieces of advice about quitting smoking is... Put your Bible on top of your pack of cigarettes. When you want to smoke, you have to pick up God's word before you light up. And remember... cigarette smoking won't send you to hell... BUT it will sure make you smell like you've been there.
John Smith
It seems a lot of us as Christians have an identity problem. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom 8:37). Jesus died for us so that we can be restored into the image He created us to be. I heard a preacher once say that every time you smoke a cigarette, speak the following over yourself: "Father, thank you for loving me. I have been released from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of your Son. This is not who I am. I am a new creation in Jesus who died for me and restored my right standing with you." I did that and I have now lost the craving to smoke. I also asked Jesus to fill all the empty spaces in my heart. Ask Him to fill all the emptiness that you are trying to fill with the wrong things. Ask Him to be your fix. I'm not sure if it is related but I've lost the craving for coffee as well. I used to have about 4 cups of coffee before 10am. We are His children and He wants to have an intimate relationship with each one of us. We weren't created for ourselves but for Him and others. We are created to shine. We are created to be one with Him and to let Him flow through us and touch people. When people look at us they must see Jesus in us without us having to preach a word. Be restored to whom you've been created to be!
Tommie B
I smoked for 47 years. Didn't want to quit. AT ALL. I enjoyed it. One morning I went out to have a smoke and it tasted awful. It was as if God said, "You're done." I still want a cigarette. It's been 2 months. God has spoken. Simple as that. He just said no more. Surely an answer to prayer from my family.
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