23 Question 1

I realize that tobacco can cause a very strong addiction that is hard to break.  I am thankful for your desire to stop smoking.  As a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, we should be very concerned about what we put in our bodies.  We want to live healthy lives so that we might serve the Lord with the good health we get from a proper lifestyle.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  You belong to God.  As a Christian, you have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.   1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”  Since your body is now the very temple in which the Lord dwells, we want to make sure we are not putting things into our bodies that would dishonor the Lord or weaken us.

Your desire to stop smoking is the first step, now you need to follow through and keep your resolve to stop.  I think of one verse that you might want to memorize as you commit yourself to beat this addiction.  Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  This is a verse that can have great application to so many areas in our lives.  When we seek the Lord’s will, and then seek to do His will, we our able to do it by the power of Christ, Himself.  And with Christ, we can do all things because He gives us the strength.

Of course, you may want to talk to your doctor about using one of the smoking cessation products or programs that are available.  If there is something that he thinks would be a help to you, then follow your doctor’s advice and seek the Lord’s strength to be successful.  To use these helps is not a lack of faith.  It is simply using the methods that the Lord has allowed men to create as a help.  Of course, even with these helps, I encourage you to be in prayer every day, asking the Lord to help you each day as you overcome this addiction.  It may take time until the urge to smoke is gone, so continue to look to the Lord to help and guide you.

If you aren’t immediately successful, don’t be discouraged.  Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”  If you fail, don’t let that become a failure.  Even strong men and women fall at times.  If you fall, get back up again and keep going.  If you give in to the urge to smoke, don’t let that cause you to give up and go back to a life of continued smoking.  1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  Pray about this, asking the Lord to give you His strength to overcome this addiction.

I would encourage you to get rid of all cigarettes that you might have.  To keep them around would just make it easier to give into temptation.  Romans 13:14 says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”  To ‘put on’ the Lord Jesus Christ, is to seek to imitate Him with your life.  To ‘make not provision for the flesh’ means that we don’t think about ourselves and how we can please ourselves.  To keep cigarettes around would cause you to think about how easy it would be to just smoke one.  You would dwell on it as long as they are available.  So, get them out of your house to avoid that temptation.

I wish you success as you work to overcome this smoking addiction.  Cast this care upon the Lord; ask Him to give you the resolve and strength to put this behind you.  Each day, ask the Lord to keep you from smoking until the day arrives that you have no desire for it.  (23.1)