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Giving Up Smoking

Greetings from a 40 year old ex-smoker ( Glory to God). I had smoked cigarettes for 20 years until I was finally convicted by the holy spirit to give them up. Let me tell you, it was not easy to quit until I realized that I was shaming my Jesus rather than shaming the devil. It was the devil telling me that it was not a sin to smoke cigarettes. I had searched the bible and could not find one scripture that specifically stated that it was a sin to smoke. There are scriptures that specifically state that it is a sin to drink wine and to become drunk. So, because I couldn't find one that says it is definitely a sin to smoke cigarettes I thought it was just one of man's laws. You know the ones they use to ostrasize people or herd them into socio-economic groups.

Then there is the issue of spiritual idolatry and loving my habit more than I loved my temple. I used the excuse about obese people being more sinful that smokers. Look how they abuse their temples and they're dying from cancer even though they may not smoke cigarettes. I can remember times when I would purposely smoke the last cigarette in the pack before I went to bed so that I wouldn't have any the next morning. My intention was to start fresh and exercise some will power over this thing. I never smoked inside my house. I would stand in the garage and make my confessions to be victorious over my habit after smoking the last one in the pack. Then I would get out of my bed at 3:00 am and go the store for more cigarettes. I wouldn't even bother to put on street clothes. I would just pull a big sweatshirt on over my nightgown. It was almost like sleep walking. I don't have cancer and my breath doesn't stink. I used every excuse I could find to keep right on smoking because I couldn't find a compelling reason to quit.

That's when the light came on. The lord was convicting me to stop smoking because he said so, not because of all the reasons I was ignoring. The lord was asking me to do something out of obedience to him. That's the most compelling reason to do anything. Once I realized this it wasn't as hard to quit as the enemy had convinced me that it was. I really hope someone can benefit from my testimony. I've heard it said that you can't quit unless you REALLY want to. I trully believe that when God wants you to quit smoking he will let you know and it will be one of the easiet things you've ever had to do because God will be all the while working and willing in you to do it. Just be sure that you're in a position to hear the lord's voice. I had been victorious over drinking excessively and fornication for 2 years before the lord started convicting me about smoking. He's cleaning me up by degrees, but one thing I can say is that if you don't do what he tells you where one thing is concerned he will not let you grow past that thing. If I hadn't quit fornicating he wouldn't have worked in me to quit drinking. If I hadn't quit drinking he wouldn't have worked in me to quit smoking. You know what it is the lord has been whispering in your ear about. If you want to have victory in Christ over anything in your life you have to be obedient. I remember the first thing God asked me to do. It was more than 10 years ago. I finally did it about 3 years ago. That started a series of victories in my life. You may have to go back further than that, but you won't get anywhere until you do. Praise God for he is worthy to be praised. Joyce.Walker@trizetto.com

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