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Martyr
Member



Joined: 2012/6/10
Posts: 225
United States

 Smoking

Hello! For the past few months I have been under heavy conviction to quit smoking. I have been growing by leaps and bounds in my Spiritual Walk since my conversion two years ago and the need to quit has grown substantially. I just really seem to lack the strength, and the sad thing is I can't tell if its the physical addiction or, even worse, I still like the "image" of smoking...Autumn brings this out really bad.

I'm torn on the inside. This past week I decided to take a solo week long camping trip to be alone with God and away from the temptation of smoking...but the Lord closed that door! This makes me think that maybe it doesn't matter if I smoke, and yet I don't want to do it anymore, I don't want to look like the world.

My Friend and I, also a Child of God, made an agreement to quit together; but to my shame I have not held up my end of the bargain.

Could someone point towards a sermon to help me in this matter? And prayers are desperately needed. It's like I'm holding on to one last piece of the world and I'm having trouble letting.

Thank you all very much!


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Tyler

 2012/9/10 13:40Profile
neemia
Member



Joined: 2011/2/14
Posts: 17
North Carolina, USA

 Re: Smoking

If you really feel like quitting smoking, then know that it is God calling you to do so. God gives us His Holy Spirit so that it would guide us through the way.

I do not know a sermon right now that talks about smoking, but what I can advice you to do is, fast and pray. Take a day and just fast, pray, read the Bible, talk to God, and be happy. Some things cannot be done without fasting and praying.

God bless you, brother!


_________________
Vlad Stepanov

 2012/9/10 13:44Profile









 Re: Smoking

Hey brother,

Here is my story about smoking. I got saved at the age of 27 and by that time I was two packs a day, I liked smoking. Yet, after getting saved, I cam under conviction, just like yourself. It was not because I was being hounded by people to quit, because I was not. And in light of my previous addcitons that the Lord instantl;y delivered me from, I suppose it could have been rationalized that smoking was not that big a deal.

Yet, in my heart, I certainly did not like the idea of being a smoker. I tried to quit a couple of times but failed miserably. When I went to church or home-group, I would get in my car afterwards, and wait until I was out of sight and then light up. There was no question that I was ashamed of it and knew it to be a bad witness. And all the time the Lord was silent on the subject. One night, out of the blue, the Lord spoke to my heart.

He said " Frank, I want you to imagine tomorrow without a cigarrette." That was all He said. I began to picture the following day. From the moment I awoke, to breakfast, the ride to work, work, lunch, work, riding home, dinner, early evening, coffee, before bed. It was abundantly clear to me that not only was I an addict, but this addcition was a part of every part of my day. Then the Lord spoke to me agains and He said this " If you do not smoke again tonight, you will never smoke again."

I stayed up till 2am, I did not smoke, and I have never smoked since, that was 19 years ago. What it is brother, its clearly a decision. You make the decision and God will enable and honor that decision. It may be hard or it may not be ( I had zero withdrawels, an absolute miracle) but once the decision is made before God then we know there is no turning back. Thats how close you are to freedom from this brother and what you would probably never do in the flesh, you can now do in the Spirit. I look forward to hearing your testimony of victory in this and we shall praise the Lord Jesus together for it.............bro Frank

 2012/9/10 14:50
SkepticGuy
Member



Joined: 2012/8/8
Posts: 259


 Re:

bless u my friend. i know the struggle that goes along with quitting smoking. seems the lord has put the desire inside u to quit. he will not quit for u, but he will give u the strength to quit. move to ny where smokes r sumwhere around $10 a pack. that will help u quit!

now if christians would get the same desire about the food and amount of food they eat. there are more christians dying of heart disease and obesity then there are of lung cancer.

 2012/9/10 14:53Profile
Yeshuasboy
Member



Joined: 2006/6/10
Posts: 668
Northern Rockies, BC, Canada

 Re: Smoking

Jesus is your Salvation brother. That's beautiful that's beautiful that He is giving you convicting grace to quit. Keep beating your body & making it your slave, instead of being a slave to your body. Don't give up, no matter how many times you fall. Confess it to him always, & His Blood will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. He desires to make you cleansed brother, without spot nor wrinkle. Press on dear friend, & continue to fight the good fight of faith. Our old nature is our enemy - crucify it. Plead the precious promises of the Savior whom is Mighty to save. I see sparks of grace in your words; may God continue to fan them into a burning flame. Without Him, we can do nothing. May God give you victory, that you give Him all the glory.


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Richie

 2012/9/10 19:08Profile









 Re:

Taking Franks lead here, it's not quite the decision to stop smoking persay, rather when the time comes when God speaks will you heed to it?

If it was a clear cut decision on our part to stop a thing, we'd all be victorious, but it never is that way, it always comes when we seek Him regarding a particular habit and we may light up still but God is going to speak that is the guarantee that He has said in His word, "Call unto me and I will answer you".

But it's in Him speaking to us and for us to react in obedience or disobedience. Frank was desperate and wanted to stop smoking but he couldn't until the day God enabled Him the power to overcome through obedience. As He obeyed, God was working behind the scenes binding and loosening and setting the captive free.

Don't fall into the trap of doing this on your own. Since you and your friend are in agreement, seek God together and when the opporotunity arises for you to obey Him, don't buck against Him, obey and your deliverence will come. But if you don't seek Him or act casual towards it, then God will act casual towards it as well. It's only when we get so sick of it and we want God to intervene is when salvation comes on the scene.

 2012/9/10 19:39









 Re:

I agree wholeheartedly with Approved, with one caveat. I am not sure I would throw out the decision part altogether, although I do agree that nothing in your own strength is going to work ( although many people of the world quit smoking) I think it all goes hand in hand. For instance, if I had convinced myself that there was nothing wrong with cigarrettes then I am pretty sure I would have had to resist the Spirit within me. I dont believe the Holy Spirit allows His children to be ignorant when it comes to these issues. There is a part in us that has to reckon things to be so, that has to be diligent, that does have to be obedient. I am sure Approved and I are agreeing 100% and words may be getting in the road. So I guess in summation I am saying that the Spirit is always working in us and at some point it can bubble up into a clear direction which we then can ignore or we can be obedient and find freedom...........bro Frank

 2012/9/10 21:28
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: Smoking

Martyr, while you are grappling with a decision this may be of interest to you.

I had an uncle who smoked. One day he met the LORD, accepted him as LORD and Savior. In doing so, the LORD removed his desire for tobacco completely. He told me he has met others who struggle with this habit, trying to quit. He does not know why the LORD dealt with him in this way but not with others. In any case, he never had the desire for it since.

Wishing you God's enabling grace, power to quit.

ginnyrose


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Sandra Miller

 2012/9/10 21:41Profile









 Re:

I remember a brother who had died of lung cancer a few years ago due to smoking. (Not meant to scare you, just sharing a story).

This brother was a genuine believer, but he had this thing in his life, that, at one time sought God for deliverence but never got it. The reason why he did not get his deliverence is because he saw nothing wrong with smoking. To him it was more of it didn't 'look good' as a Christian. So he continued on smoking even when he learned he got lung cancer. God sent me to him as a young believer and I learned much about humility and the mercy of God through this brother. I overlooked his habit because of the settled peace that I saw in him which I lacked as a young believer at that time. He was confident in God and I marvelled at that. In the end, he died of the thing that he saw nothing wrong in. To him it wasn't a sin, but it marred his testimony. Everyone would say that he was a wise man, gifted in spiritual understanding and especially the ways of God, but this one thing nagged at people.

But don't let this habit mar your testimony. Make the decision to stop and allow God to work His work through you.

 2012/9/10 21:51









 Re:

I've often wondered that too Ginny. I see people instantly delivered at the 'Altar', and I point my finger at the person and at God at the same time with a question mark.

I think it has to do with our makeup. The majority of us who fall into this catagory no doubt need to have something strengthened in us that we may go further with God. I wished that my deliverence was instant too, but nooooooooooo, it has to go on and on and on. Even when I was so sick of it and prayed and sought and still nothing. When I gave up, THEN, God starts moving. He reminds me almost daily, "Your flesh will not glory in my presence".

I have found that those who are instantly delivered at the 'Altar' (wherever that altar is), slide right into ministry quickly. Those of us who struggle on, there seems to be a delay for us backward folk.

But to be honest, I haven't a clue why God does this for one person and another for another and so forth, I am only speculating.

It might have something to do with, and I am only guessing, that those who are more spiritual may be a strength to the weak. Or that those who have a feeble mind that they be an encouragment to them. Perhaps God wants them to be longsuffering, gentle, to show love to the unlovable. Again, all conjecture.

 2012/9/10 22:02





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