King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
Testimony: God Took Away The Smoking Addiction
Daniel's testimony "God Took Away The Smoking Addiction" on 1/27/2014, 11:51am...
As a kid I was kind of raised Catholic. I say kind of because we weren't full fledged. Most of the time my parents sent my older sister and me to church on our bikes. I grew up with a Dad who drank and smoked. He had a really hard life as a kid. I think he drank and smoked to stay distant so he didn't have to deal with us. I know he loved us but he was busy trying to drown out his demons. Anyway, I hated his drinking but the smoking, not so much. I kind of liked the smell of when he would light up.
To make a really long story short, I tried to be like him. I tried to smoke at age 8 or 9. Then I tried again in High School. I had a friend who told me I would be cool if I smoked. I had desires anyway from being around dad's smoking. This kid was cool so I did. I tried really hard to smoke this time and succeeded.
I smoked seriously (a pack a day) starting at about 18 years old in the military. So now advance to August 13, 2012 (44 years old). I was running out of money due to unemployment. I was wondering how I would get cigarettes. I was actually tired of smoking. I was actually thinking what if I had never smoked. Over the years people have asked me stop. I almost hated that because I believed the lie that I actually did like smoking. So on this day I am sitting outside enjoying the beautiful morning God blessed me with. I was looking at the partial pack of cigarettes I had left.
I thought about it for about 20 minutes and decided I would ask God to help me quit smoking. I figured, what have I got to lose? I actually believed that it was all up to me and my own power which led to the realization that I would NEVER stop. Anyway, I decided to ask God. I didn't really pray (traditionally) I just decided to talk to God like he was sitting on the porch with me.
Here's what I said (prayed): God, I really want to quit smoking deep down in my heart.I never really chose to smoke on my own. My Dad smoked which caused me to think it was okay and my friend told me a lie that I believed. It was never my choice, I was born into it. Those other times I didn't really want to quit.
God, if I try to quit on my own power and my own strength and my own will I WILL FAIL! If You God have anything to do with my quitting smoking I won't even have a single desire. I won't think about cigarettes, I won't want cigarettes and when I walk by people smoking they could blow the smoke right in my face and the desire to smoke will just NOT be there. In fact, if you have anything to do with this I won't have an urge, desire or excuse that could ever cause me to smoke ever again.
God, there is nothing more powerful than You and I trust you. If you don't take away this smoking I guess I will just be smoking tomorrow. I trust that you want me to stop smoking and that you will do this, You will take away all smoking as if I never smoked. You will do this and even take away any damage done by smoking.
After praying I thought maybe? We'll see... I really wasn't sure. I was sure that I was going to trust Him though. So later that night, at 10:30 pm I smoked my last cigarette in the pack. I went to bed afterward. I thought I will just deal with it tomorrow.
I woke up the next morning. I had no desire to smoke. I thought man, if the urge comes then I need to be ready, just deny it! Guess what? Not a single urge! Almost no thoughts at all that first day and really since then. God really took away the urge, the desire to smoke. It has now been just over 17 months. If you knew me before and the way I smoked you would seriously be astonished! Everyone! I mean everyone, say's they could not believe I quit smoking. They said, anyone but me! I said, ALL Praise and Glory be to God the most High! Hallelujah! Thank you God!
Every time I think of how God did this for me, how Jesus stood in the fiery furnace with me I'm in shock. There was no effort at all on my end, just my faith and believe me it was tiny like a mustard seed. Even if you think you can't believe, take what tiny little faith you have for the seemingly impossible, put it in God's hands and trust Him! He will deliver you! Amen!