Quitting Smoking

[bullet_tooth_tony]

On day three, so not over the illusive 72-hr hump yet...

Definitely ready to go nuts every once in a while but for the most part God has been good. I've found this time a lot more bearable than the others because I've really been covering it in prayer.

Any words of wisdom, scripture or prayer that would be helpful?

If you don't mind, I'll just remind myself of why I'm quitting...

-to avoid future health problems
-so I can play sports again
-cigarettes cost a lot
-to be a good example to the children in my life
-so I can be there for my future wife and family
-so I can potentially be involved in ministry, if that is still in the cards for me...

that way I read them every time I read through this thread. Just good to remind myself... to keep in perspective that the negatives of smoking far outweigh the positives!

[Sold Out]

'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' Phillipians 4:13

[turtledove]

Definitely ready to go nuts every once in a while but for the most part God has been good. I've found this time a lot more bearable than the others because I've really been covering it in prayer.

Any words of wisdom, scripture or prayer that would be helpful?

If you don't mind, I'll just remind myself of why I'm quitting...

-to avoid future health problems
-so I can play sports again
-cigarettes cost a lot
-to be a good example to the children in my life
-so I can be there for my future wife and family
-so I can potentially be involved in ministry, if that is still in the cards for me...

that way I read them every time I read through this thread. Just good to remind myself... to keep in perspective that the negatives of smoking far outweigh the positives!

Hi, tony, and welcome to the forum! You might like to go to our Introductions section where others can welcome you. :)

I especially appreciate that you are taking this to God and that, as you say, " Just good to remind myself...to keep in perspective that the negatives of smoking far outweight the positives!"

Stick with it no matter how you may get to feeling. Trust the Lord to get you through this. Picture yourself as you'll be in a few short months as a non-smoker especially since by then the smells will begin to leave your closets, your car, and your home.

I quit when I was in my early 30's..more years ago then I'll mention here--am a grandmother now so you can guess a long time. But I have not forgotten going through a difficult time and wanting to smoke for months after I quit. It did keep getting better and better though. I did have two relapses but they never lasted beyond one or two smokes and by then the cigarettes just tasted terrible. (I thank God for that). Your taste buds in time find many other wonderful things which now taste much better than ever when you smoke. And the things you'll be able to do without the limitations smoking brings are wonderful.

God did deliver me but it took cooperation on my part and the willingness to go through some uncomfortable withdrawal..not so much from the nicotine (although probably there also since I smoked almost twelve years) but also the habit of the addiction. Our bodies get used to smoking gradually and it takes time to get unused to it. So too, our daily activities include this habit..like we go "out" for a smoke, light up as we drink coffee, maybe when we talk on the phone, after meals, etc. All of that has to change.

My relapses were shortly after I quit. And when I quit it wasn't the first time as I had tried before without success. But since those first few months I have never gone back. It helped me to take up outdoor and other active things which had I remained smoking I could never have done. And I did so much more with my family: hiking, skating, sking, running, canoeing, etc. with great ease..I had energy I may have never had before. :cool: And I have lived so far a fairly long life since then. Other friends and relatives have suffered greatly from the long time effects of smoking: I don't need to elaborate on that and those I have seen go through months and even years suffering from diseases caused or linked to smoking just recently a good friend and ordained minister who died from lung and liver cancer.

God loves you and wants the very best for you. You can be set free..

I was...and am...:)

Sharing this scripture with you and also praying for you this morning. :pray:

"For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

[Realist1981]

People make a big deal about the first 72 hours because that's how long it takes to rid your body of the chemicals and to shake off the physical addiction.

The real battle begins after that time period i.e the Mental addiction. Good Luck and remember we are victorious through Christ over all our enemies

[thewgill]

Tony,

I'm right there with you, my brother. It's been four days and counting for me. I'll be praying for you, friend. You are not alone in your struggle.

[DaniHansen]

I'm praying for you.

Which may sound hypocritical as I too am still (again) a smoker.

But I believe in reaping what we sow, and if we want deliverance from something, then we ought to help others in their struggles as well. So I'm cheering you on! :)

[Sonia Smit]

Hi :D

KJV :
1 Corinthians 3
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

:hug:

[bullet_tooth_tony]

Thanks guys!

Had a rough go of things today but managed to stay on track (only by God's will, cause I was ready to scoop up any old roach off the ground... but didn't have a lighter... yes, it's pathetic i know but anyone who has struggled with an addiction will tell you that you can get pretty irrational sometimes :p)

Was dialoguing with God, asking why it was so hard, because honestly I felt it was pretty smooth sailing for the first week or so.

Was struck by his reply... and this is was a true God moment, he actually spoke to me, maybe not in the audible sense or through an angel like we see in the movies, but certainly did speak in a still small voice in my mind

He said "It's about obedience." You see, it's easy to accept God's goodness when it is bestowed on you when you don't work for it. It's an amazing gift, and I've always been better at receiving gifts than I have been at working through hard spots in my life. I tend to throw in the towel. But now I know God WANTS me to quit, and it's not just me. I could be a Christian and still smoke, yes, but he WANTS me to stop. He has something BETTER in store for me, and he wants me to trust him and obey him and go for it.

It was pretty cool, and quite encouraging. I went from the end of my rope to feeling very encouraged and reinvigorated! (In essence, it was just what the doctor ordered!)

Just wanted to share... pretty cool stuff... it's the closest I've felt to God in a while...

[turtledove]

Thanks guys!

Had a rough go of things today but managed to stay on track (only by God's will, cause I was ready to scoop up any old roach off the ground... but didn't have a lighter... yes, it's pathetic i know but anyone who has struggled with an addiction will tell you that you can get pretty irrational sometimes :p)

Was dialoguing with God, asking why it was so hard, because honestly I felt it was pretty smooth sailing for the first week or so.

Was struck by his reply... and this is was a true God moment, he actually spoke to me, maybe not in the audible sense or through an angel like we see in the movies, but certainly did speak in a still small voice in my mind

He said "It's about obedience." You see, it's easy to accept God's goodness when it is bestowed on you when you don't work for it. It's an amazing gift, and I've always been better at receiving gifts than I have been at working through hard spots in my life. I tend to throw in the towel. But now I know God WANTS me to quit, and it's not just me. I could be a Christian and still smoke, yes, but he WANTS me to stop. He has something BETTER in store for me, and he wants me to trust him and obey him and go for it.

It was pretty cool, and quite encouraging. I went from the end of my rope to feeling very encouraged and reinvigorated! (In essence, it was just what the doctor ordered!)

Just wanted to share... pretty cool stuff... it's the closest I've felt to God in a while...

As I mentioned in my post here before it doesn't necessarily get easier for a while (trust me, if you perservere, it will) and as someone else said once you get past the first part you are dealing with the mental habit of smoking.

Any old habit dies hard. You body and your mind resist. Keep taking it to the Lord. Sounds like you are doing well. And you are feeling closer to a God who cares.

Philippians 4:13 KJV (http://www.tnivbible.com/bible/passagesearch.php?passage_request=Philippians 4:13&kjv=yes)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Praying for you. :pray:

owl

[The Preacher]

Thanks guys!

Had a rough go of things today but managed to stay on track (only by God's will, cause I was ready to scoop up any old roach off the ground... but didn't have a lighter... yes, it's pathetic i know but anyone who has struggled with an addiction will tell you that you can get pretty irrational sometimes :p)

Was dialoguing with God, asking why it was so hard, because honestly I felt it was pretty smooth sailing for the first week or so.

Was struck by his reply... and this is was a true God moment, he actually spoke to me, maybe not in the audible sense or through an angel like we see in the movies, but certainly did speak in a still small voice in my mind

He said "It's about obedience." You see, it's easy to accept God's goodness when it is bestowed on you when you don't work for it. It's an amazing gift, and I've always been better at receiving gifts than I have been at working through hard spots in my life. I tend to throw in the towel. But now I know God WANTS me to quit, and it's not just me. I could be a Christian and still smoke, yes, but he WANTS me to stop. He has something BETTER in store for me, and he wants me to trust him and obey him and go for it.

It was pretty cool, and quite encouraging. I went from the end of my rope to feeling very encouraged and reinvigorated! (In essence, it was just what the doctor ordered!)

Just wanted to share... pretty cool stuff... it's the closest I've felt to God in a while...


I just want to encourage you to keep on going. I remember when I quit. For the first three days I wanted a cigarette more than I wanted food,air or water. Somehow I made it through by God's grace. It was still pretty bad for days 4 and 5 but then it began to taper down daily. In two weeks I was completely free.I did have a slight mental desire after meals for a couple of months but that wasn't hard to deal with. Stay on track!
You are not alone..many of us have given it up to please the Lord!

[winwun]

Do not relapse, whatever you do, because it will set you back, and you will just have to travel the same ground over again, and you don't want that, do you ?

It was hard enough to get through yesterday, and do you want to go through it again ?

Tomorrow will be a little easier, and the day after that, easier still, etc, etc.

Cold turkey is the only way to do it -- I have seen people try to do it a "little at a time", and it makes all the sense of cutting a dog's tail off an inch at a time -- poor doggie . . .

When I quit, I told my wife, "Honey, I'm going to be harder to live with than usual for the next two weeks or so, do you think you can stick with me and help me ?"

A tearful kiss and a hug was pretty good encouragement.

That was a bunch of years ago, and when I successfully quit the first time I tried it, and then heard that only four percent of persons are able to achieve it the first time they try, it made me feel good about my ability to do something hard, and so I tackled weight-loss and was successful in that also, and it was (is) about as hard as quitting smoking, and then I started an exercise regimen and am up to an hour and a half a day and I am nearing 80 years old, and am in better physical shape than when I was 50.

With each little achievement, give God his thanks, and shoot for the next mark -- you'll make it, and it will be worth all you go through to get there.

God is great -- hang in there

[thewgill]

Still praying for you, Tony. God is still working on you.

[bullet_tooth_tony]

How are YOU doing, my friend?

[thewgill]

How are YOU doing, my friend?

I still have one every three or four days, bumming from a friend. Haven't purchased a pack for nearly a month now.

I'm not there yet, but will be soon, Lord willing. It's hard to believe I would think about smoking every fifteen minutes and now I go days without missing one. It's all been possible with God.

A few more weeks and hopefully I'll officially be a quitter.

Take care, brother. Let's pray for each other.

[bullet_tooth_tony]

I still have one every three or four days, bumming from a friend. Haven't purchased a pack for nearly a month now.

I'm not there yet, but will be soon, Lord willing. It's hard to believe I would think about smoking every fifteen minutes and now I go days without missing one. It's all been possible with God.

A few more weeks and hopefully I'll officially be a quitter.

Take care, brother. Let's pray for each other.

That is progress! I think everyone's route to quitting is slightly different... the only thing that matters is that you get to your destination, not necessarily what route you take! Lord, in you, all things are possible. Give my brother the strength to overcome this addiction!

All the best. :)

[turtledove]

Hi tony, this is your thread..so let us know how you are doing again soon.

so we can keep encouraging you.

praying for you, brother,

your sister in Christ,

and a former smoker..

owl

[GFR1718]

Hello bullet proof tony , my name is gfr1718. Don't feel left out , I myself have been struggling with the smoking addiction I have been using the 21mg patch and the nicotrol inhaler during the week when I am at work I do fine and dandy , but during the weekend oops . sept 4th I have a lung sucker test I'll pray for you as well as myself:pray:

[livingwaters]

Here's one more for your list:

Your body is the temple of God..

You don't want to smother HIM with smoke....lol...just throwing in a little humor.;)

I was a 3-pack a day woman...I said, "Lord, you delivered me from all the other junk, so here...take this, too!" HE DID!!! I brought back cigarettes and got my money back, threw the open pack away, threw away all ashtrays, lighters, matches....DONE...almost 4 years....Praise YOUR mighty Name, Oh Lord. YOU are the Way, the Truth and the Life:pp:pp:pp:pp!

God bless and praise HIS Name always!:hug:

[mcnumps]

Tony, hang in there...I was a 2 pack a day smoker and had tried everything to quit...I finally just told the Lord, if you want me to quit, You're going to have to take it from me, cause I can't do it. You know what? He did. God bless and stay strong! :hug:

[Denny606]

I was at 2 to 2and1/2 packs a day and smoked for 31 years and although I knew I was destroying my health,I stubbornly held on to the habit,I believe that the Lord saw what I was doing to myself and gave me alittle taste of how bad it could be,I got to where i could not walk out to my dog kennels an feed an water them without getting deathly ill,I thought I was going to smother to death and would break out in a cold sweating. I lve alone so i had no one to call on But Him and he showed me it was time to quit and I haven't smoked for 11 months and don't even crave one any more, can breath again and food tastes better and resumed my normal activities.It is hard to quit but any thing worth achiving is worth suffering for, hang in there and I'll be praying

[Dravenhawk]

I want to encourage all you non-smokers :pp Even if you have only gone 15 seconds without a cigarette you are a non-smoker for 15 seconds and trust me we all have to start some place. I must have tried to quit at least 50+ times over. Sometimes I would make it a day or three or make a good solid run at it for 30+ days and then plant my face into the pavement, light up and hate myself and so the circle of the endless smokers struggle went on. I quit for all those good logical sensable reasons, health, expensive, dirty, etc... none of it could hold up to that "urge":B. One day the son of a girl I was dating picked up the habit and when I enquired he told me it was because of my example. It hit me like a ton of bricks the carnage I had left behind. It was no longer MY habit. The girl I was seeing picked up smoking cigs about a month after we were dating after having been cig free for 10 years. The girl I had been dating prior to her was a non-smoker but she too picked up the habit due to my influence. The Holy Spirit was holding me accountable for the trail of bodies I left in my smokey wake and brother this was not a fun awakening.

As I have posted elsewhere in this forum the way out is surrender... Unconditional surrender with out any "claw backs" Nicotine addiction is in my experience a vicious and wicked addiction that litterally will take an act of God to beat. Eph 6:12 sums it up best
Ephesians 6:12 (http://bibleforums.org/passage/?search=Ephesians+6:12&version=NIV)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

When I quit there was a battle constantlly going on in my mind. Satan works you bad when you are jonsin' hard. "I will only smoke one" boy did I ever fall for that one hook, line and sinker (emphasis on the hook) more times than I could count. Or the classic "will power" :rofl::rofl:When I was unconscionsly listening to Satans suggestions I had no power. Every time I tried to quit on my own power I fell dreadfully short. I only experienced success when I took it to the cross and laid bare my soul before Him who died as a sacrifice for me.

OK so listen up non-smoking peeps. Start by setting a quit date (I used April 1st) Pray in ernest and gather your church buddies to pray for you informing them of your quit date. The day before your quit date gather together ALL of your smoking gear make sure you thouroughly "clean house" search your car looking between seats under seats and floormats, every pocket, your fishin box, huntin jacket, purse, push down on the crevices of the couches and chairs make sure you go through every nook and cranny twice over making sure you are safe from any hidden "mines". Place all your cigs, lighters, ashtrays, pipes, and misc smoking gear in a pile and pray over it a prayer of surrender and repentance then tear up all your cigarettes and flush 'em down the toilet and pitch the rest in the rubbish can. Pour something really gross over it like the contents of the cat box to ensure there are no "claw backs" (no pun intended). Use the quitting aids that you feel comfortable with (the nicoderm patch worked for me) to get past that 72 hour mark. I also used a giant jug of water and a long straw and sucked on it constantly.

Being a pack and a half - two pack a day smoker at the time I quit. Know that the "urge" will come and it will come in the form of a sound if not "logical" reasoning that "you can handle just one" I mulled this over in my head and ended up busting many of quits. Here's the truth YOU CANT HANDLE IT!! no, not even one. So when I would get engaged in this argument I would begin to pray something like this "God I cannot handle it I need you to intercede for me I surrender my will unto you LORD.:giveup:" I also found out I had so much energy (mostly nervous energy) I felt like I was a gonna bust. I did a combination of prayer and very intense bursts of good ol fashoned cardio exercise. As time passed the cravings got weaker and weaker. Once you mark off a week you got the physical addiction part licked and the battle is in the mind. The surrender prayer worked miricals. Careful when you mark off that 30th day thats when I got cocky and fell for that "I can handle just one." trick again. Everytime you hear that line "I can handle just one" line it is coming from the pit of hell. I tell you the truth you cant handle just one pack, you can't handle just one cig, you cant handle just one drag. When I was a smoker the cigarettes smoked me and the only thing cigarettes do is make you smoke more cigarettes :o.

If anyone is curious as to how long I have been a non smoker is is exactly 15 years, 6 months, 1 week, 5 days, 22 hours, 34 minutes at the time of this posting -- not that I am counting :rofl:

Dravenhawk

[Gregg]

Prayers for all of you who will be gaining victory to glorify God. You are building a powerful testimony to use in your walk.

People know how hard it is to quit smoking. When they see you have stopped they are going to ask. Then who will get the credit?

It is important to remember what are the triggers (big and small) that bring on the desires to smoke. I would encourage you to share them with this board. Be totally honest, you never know when you will be helping a brother or sister along the way. It will also help you remember who is doing the healing for us.

God bless you and yours.

[LadyT]

I am a pack and half to two pack a day smoker and I have been praying to God to help me quit, and HE did.

I have no money to buy any, not exactly what I expected, but it is a good thing.

Last night I had my last cigarrette and today I am starting without them. It is ok, I got to wanting to smoke, but I just said to myself:

I am doing this for the LORD
I am doing this for my children
I am doing this for myself

I take a few deep breaths and then I am fine.

[Dravenhawk]

Glory be to God Lady T for your first step :pp. Everytime you find yourself wanting a cig pray to God and surrender your will unto Him and ask to draw His strength unto you. The first three days are madness Keep your focus on the gift of Gods grace and surrender to Him every time you want a "claw back" or simply to claw sombodys eyes out. I will pray for your victory tonight. Know your enemy and study how he will work you. Quitting smoking is spiritual warfare and it is fought in your head or "spirit" as Ephesians 6:12 outlines. Like a general planning a tactical assault study the enemys moves and know how to counter before he has a chance to cut you down in a moment of weakness. Genisis 3:1 - 6 shows you exactly how you will get worked

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

Remember you cannot make bargains with the devil "just one" is one million too many. I cannot stress enough that this is spiritual warfare with a cunning and vicious enemy. May the LORDS strenght be with you. Take money you would have spent on cigs and save it in an envelope and on Sunday place it in the offering plate at your favorite church. It is a physical way of affirming your commitment to Him through your surrender of your cigarette money (remember as a smoker you found the money to buy a pack even if it meant sacrificing in another area to do so).

Dravenhawk