Hi tourist. I already believe you are sincere. Why else would you be here if you didn't care at all. The truth is God has already answered your prayer. The day Jesus died on the cross He took that nicotine and whatever else you are struggling with, with Him to the grave and He didn't raise from the dead with it, He came out of the grave without it. God impressed upon my heart about a week ago, that whatever I desire to receive from him, whatever answer to prayer or blessing it might be, I have to take it by faith only, because the blood of Jesus has settled it! He said that we cannot receive it any other way, not by hoping or exercise of our will, but by faith alone. It's easy to believe, but to live it out is a different thing. The beginning of walking out that victory will be to take control of your emotions through your thoughts. How do we do this? By the renewing of our minds, because the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, able to divide asunder between the soul and the spirit. It is able to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, you know that when you want to do something you already know is sinful, but you can't control it and just go ahead and do anyway. Those thoughts are the ones controlling our appetites and desires in our sinful flesh. Just because you have them doesn't mean that you are not saved, if you already came to Christ through repentance and faith, but we do fight a real battle with Satan in this area. It's the only place he has left in controlling Christians, in the hope that they might not do further damage to his' kingdom. The fact that you are a Christian is already terrorizing him to despair! Now he has to deal with someone who desires to serve God and wreak havoc to his' kingdom and the only way he can control the situation is if he can get you to fight the battle where he isn't fighting it. He gets us frustrated in fighting in the air in the emotional realm of our soul, which is exactly where we so regularly forfeit the battle against sin. The battle always happens and is won in the mind. To win therefore, you have to see yourself winning long before you ever get to the finish line and actually win it. Don't try to finish the finish line, when in truth you are actually 100 miles away from it. In truth, just like salvation, healing from addiction is only a breath away, but if we struggle to believe it, it might take some effort on our part to renew our minds and receive it by faith. Don't throw away your cigarettes, when you haven't yet broken your craving for it. Because if you do, desire is waiting at the door again, and waiting to entangle you again around the corner, and this time Satan will try to build a stronghold and desire for smoking stronger than what you had before. This is what it's like to try and live in victory in our own strength. We are literally trying to accomplish something that is impossible for man, yet all things are possible with God! Jesus has already crossed the finish line and won the victory for you. If you don't believe it, your actions may become pure by sheer willpower and desire to please God, but inside your heart you will be weak and have not received any grace to empower you to live a life in victory over sin. Religion teaches us incorrectly, that Jesus brings us to the start of the race, but then leaves us to run it all on our own, doing works and keeping laws that we are not empowered to do under the law, but are condemned by! With Jesus and by grace alone you can live a life in purity and holiness, with the joy of heartfelt surrender in your life to Christ and it will feel almost effortless! Without Jesus, the burden of sin is heavy, but with Him we can cast it off of us and live in victory!
