Quitting Smoking

[christinepro]

I am trying to quit smoking but I constantly cave in to my cravings. Does anyone have any success stories? I am so tired of letting my children, myself and more important, G_d down.

[BarbB]

I am trying to quit smoking but I constantly cave in to my cravings. Does anyone have any success stories? I am so tired of letting my children, myself and more important, G_d down.

I had to quit after I peeked at my chest x-rays and saw the diagnostician's verdict: emphysema. My DH and I smoked for one more week and I crammed about 3 cartons into that week. Then we quit. I tried to sneak on later on that first week, but nearly choked from coughing. Soooo....

I used the patch, before it was over-the-counter. DH apparently kept smoking a bit after I quit, but I never saw him. I transferred my obsessive behavior to sucking on fireballs! Now 10 years later I can actually say that I'm glad that I did so. I became allergic to the patch after a month, but in the meantime I became used to not playing with cigs. After repainting the house, cleaning the carpets and upholstery and draperies, I couldn't smell it anymore - smell is a trigger.

Anyway, it can be done. Every now and then I still want one, but I turn it over to God and he releases me from the immediate desire! You can do it also. I'd be glad to coach if you want!

[visionary]

I wanted to be baptised into my new found faith int he Lord. Bathtub didn't cut it. Found a congregation that does immersion, only one problem... I smoked. I was under the conviction to quit smoking and wanted to do that before I get baptised. I would cut way back but could stop those last few cigarettes. Especially hard first thing in the mornig, just after I ate, and when I sat down to relax. I was able to go all day without a cigarette and then when I thought about it, celebrated with a cigarette. It became an obsession with me. I would not go through the baptism until I had quit for good. I prayed about it and told the Lord of my committment to quit before baptism.

One night I had a dream, in it I was standing before the Lord. I am not worthy to look the Lord in the face so I stared at His chest. Pretty soon, I began to feel unworthy to even look at His chest so I look at His feet. You know what, it dawned on me, I am not even worthy to look at His fe4et, so I look at my own. Not good, there is cigarettes at my feet, and I can not be standing in front of the Lord with cigarettes at my feet so I kick them away. They re-appear. I kick at them again. They re-appear. I got so involved with the kicking and re-appearing that when the Lord said, "Would you like me to take them away?" I said a frustrated and resounding "YES" and with that woke myself up.

I have not smoked since. The next forty days were a nightmare, I would even hallucinate cigarettes between my fingers. Before the night of the dream, I had just purchased two cartons and there was only a couple of cigarettes taken out of the first pack. I had no physical cravings, just temptations. I knew where those came from and refused to give into them. I felt llike Yeshua did when He went out int the wilderness and was sorely tempted. I knew that if Yeshua could resist temptation, then I could too.

[CovenantRay]

I wanted to be baptised into my new found faith int he Lord. Bathtub didn't cut it. Found a congregation that does immersion, only one problem... I smoked. I was under the conviction to quit smoking and wanted to do that before I get baptised. I would cut way back but could stop those last few cigarettes. Especially hard first thing in the mornig, just after I ate, and when I sat down to relax. I was able to go all day without a cigarette and then when I thought about it, celebrated with a cigarette. It became an obsession with me. I would not go through the baptism until I had quit for good. I prayed about it and told the Lord of my committment to quit before baptism.

One night I had a dream, in it I was standing before the Lord. I am not worthy to look the Lord in the face so I stared at His chest. Pretty soon, I began to feel unworthy to even look at His chest so I look at His feet. You know what, it dawned on me, I am not even worthy to look at His fe4et, so I look at my own. Not good, there is cigarettes at my feet, and I can not be standing in front of the Lord with cigarettes at my feet so I kick them away. They re-appear. I kick at them again. They re-appear. I got so involved with the kicking and re-appearing that when the Lord said, "Would you like me to take them away?" I said a frustrated and resounding "YES" and with that woke myself up.

I have not smoked since. The next forty days were a nightmare, I would even hallucinate cigarettes between my fingers. Before the night of the dream, I had just purchased two cartons and there was only a couple of cigarettes taken out of the first pack. I had no physical cravings, just temptations. I knew where those came from and refused to give into them. I felt llike Yeshua did when He went out int the wilderness and was sorely tempted. I knew that if Yeshua could resist temptation, then I could too.

You've given me an added incentive to pray for my deliverance from cigarettes!

You're awesome,

CovenantRay :prayer:

[christinepro]

You people must be so happy to be done with cigarettes. Wow! great stregth and faith you must have.

[visionary]

Sorry, the credit all goes to the Lord... If it wasn't for His strength and what He did for me, I would be in your boots today smoking.

[Tishri1]

I am trying to quit smoking but I constantly cave in to my cravings. Does anyone have any success stories? I am so tired of letting my children, myself and more important, G_d down.try fasting for 3 days and then lots of vitamine C...clean ,your car, clothes, house, ect really good to get rid of the smell and stay away from friends who smoke for a month...worked for me 25 years ago:clap:

[jgonz]

One of my herb books 2nds what Tishri said~ Fasting (specifically juice fasts) are excellent for clearing out the body and helping to break the habit.

Also, the herbs Hops, Scullcap, Valerian, and Slippery Elm taken together will help kill the desire for tobacco. (They all come in capsules or liquid, and sometimes you can find them in a combination specifically for quitting smoking.)

I hope that helps! Herbs have helped me tremendously in a lot of areas I've had health issues in. :)

[tapero]

I just quit smoking 90 days ago approximately. I used the patch for 10 days, and I used the nicorette gum at the same time. The gum helped a lot. I pray for your sucess in this. May God take away your desire to smoke.

[BarbB]

Christine - you can do it with God's help! Nothing is impossible. I love Visionary's story! What a word picture! :hug:

And tapero - congratulations. :clap:

[Mary_Magdalene]

Awesome testamony, Vis. G-d is sooo good!

Right after I dedicated my life to the Lord, I knew I was not supposed to smoke. I immediately knew He wanted me to stop my addiction. But, being the flawed human i am :) it took me a few months. I was smoking marlboro regulars so I went down to "lights" then to "ultra lights". I also cut myself down to one on the way to work, one at lunch and then after work. I did not take any breaks during work anymore for a cig. And I was never one to light up first thing in the AM anyway.

I just weaned myself off. There was a few times i was under stress that i would go and buy a whole pack-smoke one and then throw the rest in the trash but eventually I quit altogether.

--newlamb talked about the smell. that is definately true. I have become one of those non-smokers that used to annoy me (i cant stand the smell now) my DH thinks im so funny cause even driving in the car-windows up-if we are in traffic i can smell a cig 10 cars away! It is so yucky to me now.

I just prayed for you! :prayer:

[Mary_Magdalene]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to visionary again."

:)

[myways]

Its strange. It's strange the way how physical things have such an influence on on our spiritual life.
I once heard a TV preacher tell a story how one day a man came up to him and said, "Pastor, I'd like you to pray for me that I could have more faith." Without another word the pastor bowed his head and prayed with the man saying, "Lord, I pray to you today that you would visit upon this man the greatest trial and tribulation of his life--" Whereupon, the man seeking prayer reared back, with eyes as big as saucers speaking loudly, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!" The preacher chuckled, and said, "How do you suppose God is going to give you more faith without giving you a reason to have more faith?"


The spiritual side:
Like the struggle to get more faith, so it is with the struggle put down cigarettes or any besetting sin. We need the suffering to cause in us perseverance which leads to character, i.e. moral strength. It is good moral strength that allows you stand up under temptation untill it subsides. And what is the foundation of our moral strength? Love. Consider what Jesus said, "No one has greater love than the man who is willing to die for [the person he loves]" In this statement, Jesus gives the example of greatest love: suffering the ultimate self denial--dying--for the one you love. So that's the extreme example of the kind of love that God shows to us and wants us to show Him and each other. Take the voice in your head, so to speak, that speaks and contends for the intrest and welfare of the Self, and deny it what it asks you for the sake of the intrest of your Father in heaven. This is the way we are to love God. Furthermore, it is the degree of suffering in our sacrifice which determines how happy the act makes God. He loves to see you suffer! It is in your suffering that you become most like Christ. O how He did suffer out of love for the Father! And O how the Father was pleased!

The physical side:
When we (myself included) try to quit smoking and finally give in to a craving it is for this psycological reason: There is only one reward scheme occuring in our minds. The temptation is smoking, and the reward is relief. As our cravings get stronger, we get closer to the threshold where our ability to hold out cracks and we can't help but go for the relief of the cigarette.

So, there are two solutions. The one we go for most naturally is "try harder," or, promise God and the kids that I won't fail again. Basically, it comes down to trying to make ourselves a better person. Which is not possible. We are fallen, evil, selfish, and weak monsters. And boy don't we let ourselves hear about it during the post mortem of a failed attempt to quit.
Second, is introduce a Biblical, real, and powerful reward scheme opposite of the one that causes us to fail into our mind. Here's where it gets good(or at least it starts to make sense.)

Christinepro,
You obviously have alot of guilt over the fact that you "let God and your kids down." And that's great! It shows that you actually love God and are grieved over your weakness. It is this love which will be your source of strength. [At this point I try to reference the dry lifeless platitudes that I droned on and on about under the heading 'the spiritual side'] Anyways, what I'm getting at is the second solution about the reward scheme. The essence of which is, when you reach the point where your cravings and sufferings and all that are the worst and you're about to give in, pause to consider how much pleasure it must give God to see what you have already endured. Now, if you are a Christian (and I know you are,) and if you truly love God the way that we determined God defines love in paragraph two, then this reflection on the pleasing of God should cause you to have a pleasure too. It is this pleasure, corresponding to the severity of your cravings, which is the reward in the new scheme. So, in a nutshell: cravings get bad...nic fit suffering increases...temptation to reward with relief arises...pray, "oh God, accept my suffering as a living sacrifice to You because Your Word says it pleases You the most and I love you and want to please you...reflect on how God must feel...receive the pleasure from sacrificial love...compare this reward to that of the reward of the relief of smoking...now make your new choice.
Let me tell you, to join with Christ in suffering to please the Father is a highly addictive masochism. This is because the reward is so great. It is to experience Agape Love. This is not to say that it will make things easier, No! on the contrary, it will make it harder than ever, because you will find yourself in situations that you never could have held out long enough to make it to before, but the difference will be that love will enable you to endure suffering producing perserverance and character that will make you able to overcome.

Believe me when I say that I will pray for you and that I will pray that the pain of enduring the cravings will seem absolutly bone crushing. For if your love for God fails then no big deal, you won't make it that far anyway. But if you truly love God, it'll be so fulfilling!
Also, if you have doubt about you're love for God, that's okay. He understands. Just pray to Him about it and search the Bible to remind yourself of all He's done for you. That is sure to make you love Him:bow:
And Please Please let me know how it goes?

Dave Davis

[Tishri1]

It wasn't that hard for me to quit(and I had a mom who smoked around me still....but I give ABBA all the glory for that....and the fasting helped alot;)

[christinepro]

It wasn't that hard for me to quit(and I had a mom who smoked around me still....but I give ABBA all the glory for that....and the fasting helped alot;) That's awesome!! I'll keep working on it. I'm so weak in this area. Thank you for all your wonderful testimonies and prayers. G_d bless you all.:bow:

[BrEnDiNo99]

i quit when i became one with the lord but today i had to help my cousin move and her and her friend constantly smoke, and i was around there smoking way too much it was really hard to get over especially when i was offered one, made my day really stressful but i quikly got over it after i read some of the bible :)

[christinepro]

Well, I'm on my fourth day without smokes!! I'm getting stronger every day. I have quit a temper though. With Yeshua's help I can do it.

[plum]

Well, I'm on my fourth day without smokes!! I'm getting stronger every day. I have quit a temper though. With Yeshua's help I can do it.
yes, you can do it! :hug: Gotta love that Yeshua is on your team and you have tons of amazing people who are cheering you on and praying for you to succeed! :prayer:

[Tishri1]

Well, I'm on my fourth day without smokes!! I'm getting stronger every day. I have quit a temper though. With Yeshua's help I can do it.:pray:Praying for you!

[Mary_Magdalene]

:prayer:

[christinepro]

Oops! Brendino was signed in. It was really me posting. HeHe.

Thank you everyone for all your prayers and help!! Today is my best day. It is so great! I could stand outside and talk to people,at work, who are having a cigarette and I don't need one. When I get a craving I pray! G_d could move mountains!

[Yusuphhai]

Congratulations you have got rid of it. But cravings rebound maybe will happen in the future. So you need constant provide from heaven in stead of it. In my case, after 3 years without cigarettes, now I still need one or two in one day. I don’t know clearly whether smoking is forbidden in Torah.:)

[christinepro]

Congratulations you have got rid of it. But cravings rebound maybe will happen in the future. So you need constant provide from heaven in stead of it. In my case, after 3 years without cigarettes, now I still need one or two in one day. I don’t know clearly whether smoking is forbidden in Torah.:) /That's good that you could keep it to a bare minimum. With me it's either none or 15 a day.

[stone]

It's been over a month now since i've purchased a pack of smokes. I started smokeing cigarettes when i was in the 7th grade. I was about 13. I remember when i started alot of people told me that it was addictive and that i would not be able to stop, i always said for a couple years after that, that i could quit anytime i want, i'm not addicted to cigarettes.

So now, 20 years later, here i am, thinking about how difficult it is to stop. The only time i've smoked is whenever i get around someone that is smokeing now. I've stayed away from people that smoke for over a week now and haven't smoked a cigarette in the time that i keep myself away from smokers.

One time while i was working on a house, smokeing a cigarette, i heard a woman's voice speak to me and say that it is a bad seed.

The l-rd is makeing me quit now. Something is wrong with them, it's like putting poison into my body and now i can feel it, it makes me sick. This started a couple of months ago. Yet, i'll still smoke them, knowing that i am going to be sick. It takes my energy, makes me feel weak, so i pray for strength and i receive it everytime. My faith is very strong, and i know that when i ask for father to help me with something like how i feel and my health that it will be done. Sometimes i feel like i'm playing with g-d, because i know that smokeing is bad, but i still do it, and i keep asking for strength, and i receive it, but then i smoke again.

When i stop smokeing for a couple of weeks my body is clean and i can feel it, then there i go, testing myself, thinking, can it really be the cigarettes doing this? i smoke them, wake up the next day, and bam! sick again and weak. I pray, am delivered and repeat.

How many times will i be forgiven and healed, i asked, i didn't hear any voice answer me, but a thought entered my mind, 70 times 7 or more if necessary.

I'm still fighting battles with satan, but i am gaining ground, one battle at a time.

My body is still unclean from over a week ago when i last smoked, and i pray for strength to let go of that poison. I've seen that there is something that has changed with them, i think that alot of people are going to get very sick soon from these things, a drastic change; i would suggest, if you smoke them, stop now, don't put another one in your mouth.

[BarbB]

stone, not only are they harder to quit after "cheating" but the bad effects on your healing lungs are magnified. Please stay quit so you don't hear the words "You have emphysema" like I did. I was tested in November and have only 35% capacity. Let me tell you, that's no fun. I pray for healing to 75% capacity so I can just push the vacuum. I'll add you to my prayer list. Let's get lots of supernatural help. If need be, use the patch until your skin rebels - just break the fiddling and hand to mouth habit which is a smoking trigger, btw.

God bless you! :hug:

[visionary]

------------------------------------------------------

Chlorotene
by Metagenics
60 Capsules
Rating:
100% Natural Beta-Carotene Complex with Chlorophyll

Our Price: $12.45 Retail Price: $13.89 More Information
SKU: CHLO-meta

Great stuff.. will help with the healing of the lung tissue. No instant cure but with constant use, improvements can be seen. All tissues of the body can be regenerated within seven years if given a proper chance....

http://organicpharmacy.org/manufacturer/Metagenics

[BarbB]

------------------------------------------------------

Chlorotene
by Metagenics
60 Capsules
Rating:
100% Natural Beta-Carotene Complex with Chlorophyll

Our Price: $12.45 Retail Price: $13.89 More Information
SKU: CHLO-meta

Great stuff.. will help with the healing of the lung tissue. No instant cure but with constant use, improvements can be seen. All tissues of the body can be regenerated within seven years if given a proper chance....

http://organicpharmacy.org/manufacturer/Metagenics

Thanks, vis, except there are studies showing that ex-smokers who take beta-carotine have a higher rate of lung cancer. On the whole, I'll live with the emphysema! :D

That was soooo sad this week when Dana Reeve died of lung cancer at 44. Our environment is becoming so toxic. :(

[visionary]

Dr. Stampfer reported the latest results from the ongoing Physicians' Health Study of more than 22,000 U.S. doctors that began in 1982. Many studies have linked foods rich in beta-carotene with a lower risk of lung and various other cancers.

http://www.healthissuesmonthly.com/betacarotine.html

The other major factor is that the studies that have shown possible risks used synthetic beta carotene, not natural. This is important because synthetic beta carotene has been shown to inhibit the uptake of other carotenoids (such as lycopene and cryptoxanthin) that are strongly associated with lower cancer risk.

http://www.healthplus.co.uk/pages/Editorial-Beta_Carotene_And_Smokers.htm

Researchers originally saw no meaningful difference between natural and synthetic beta-carotene. This view was questioned when the link between beta-carotene-containing foods (all natural) and lung cancer prevention2 was not duplicated in studies using synthetic pills.3 In smokers, synthetic beta-carotene has apparently caused an increased risk of lung cancer4 5 6 and disease of the blood vessels7 in double-blind research. Animal research has begun to identify the ways in which synthetic beta-carotene might cause damage to lungs, particularly when animals are exposed to cigarette smoke.8

http://www.drugstore.com/templates/hnotes/default.asp?catid=42757&aid=333840&aparam=OOrdwQMkd6o-eRdYPXcZyJ6TwPrDo4FrOg

[Tishri1]

praying for all of you trying to quit:prayer:

[BarbB]

Visionary - thank you so much for those synopses. WOW - I haven't eaten a cooked carrot in 10 years! I think I'll go shopping tonight! :hug:

[stone]

I guess it's been about a month now, and i'm guessing that these headache's are normal? feels like ive been wacked on the head with a 2 X 4!


ugh:sigh:

[BarbB]

I guess it's been about a month now, and i'm guessing that these headache's are normal? feels like ive been wacked on the head with a 2 X 4!


ugh:sigh:

Probably. My worst were the first week. But depending upon where you live, pollen season could be starting. The good news is that I've been without cigs for 10 years now and I rarely have a headache! :clap:

Praying for you brother. Be sure to get enough rest - you'll need more for a bit!