Smoking/addictions

I smoke, don't want to. Hate that I do. Started when I was 16 and now 48.

When on holiday or away for a weekend with my wife a few times when I went for a smoke I found myself with people who opened up via conversation. I have never manipulated the conversations but these opportunities have allowed me to talk about Jesus.

As as a result I have prayed for many many people with them, on their request and most times in the public view. Troubled people.

I am not ashamed of Christ yet am ashamed I smoke. On a side note I only I don't generally smoke around fellow believers, only those that know me and who I am. Those that I trust and those that have come to trust me.

BUT

I have been told I am going to hell. I smell like the place I'm going to, by some believers.

Told I didn't trust God, if I did I wouldn't smoke. So to hell I go.

ALSO

I would like to ask.

What about believers who struggle with addiction but can't overcome it, even though they cry out to God for healing?
Where are they going?

To heaven, of course. God can help them overcome any addiction.

But if they don't.

Im not talking here about those who don't give a hoot but those who do and really hate it.

i don't know how to word this so it won't sound like i'm bragging about my own sin....
so i'll just trust you'll hear what i'm trying to say.

at the time of my death, i expect there will be any number of things i haven't been fully sanctified in.
in fact, i'm certain of it.
i will, however, still trust in my God the Faithful One to fulfill His promise. (i hope! i trust! i hope i trust. )

idk, Bill, we keep on keeping on, right? we do our level best and let God be our Judge.
that's His job, anyway, and i don't think He appreciates it when we try to do His job for Him.

may the Lord help us all. especially me; i need Him!

You're not going to hell because you smoke Bill. I am an nicotine addict also. Lately, I have been praying for God to deliver me from this habit that is costly and will probably will eventually ruin my health. I started full time smoking when I was 18. I don't feel that you should feel ashamed for smoking either. God help both of us to quit and the many others as well.

I guess I'm having a brain freeze. What chapter/verse does it say, "Thou shalt not smoke?"

But...
I think it's foolish because it's bad for your health. You could leave your family at an early age due to cancer. Or if you smoke in the house you might give your wife or kids cancer.

I use to smoke, but I didn't find it difficult to quit. I'm sorry you're struggling with that. But don't give up if you believe it's something God wants you to quit. Have you asked the elders of your church to anoint you with oil and pray over you?

I think it's great how you've been used by God to spread the Gospel!

I have a food addiction and eat too much and hate that I continue to do it and I like you wonder what is my outcome if I don't stop?

I do know this that God loves us and will continue to work to help us become the overcomers that we desire to be. Maybe our thinking is too broad in that we look at the big picture of how hard it is going to be to stop and correct things. The withdraw symptoms and such. I was on a weight loss program one of many times and remember sitting on the couch holding the back of it trying to keep myself from going to the kitchen and eating something...

You could go an hour without a smoke right? I could go for an hour without eating.... Maybe we should start our day with a prayer that goes something like this... Lord help me to go this day without a cigarette, mine would be Lord help me to go a day only putting healthy things in my body, please help me today Lord and thank You for the victory of this day. Then as the temptation comes pray again give me Your strength Father to get through this moment.

Then tomorrow we start the day with the same prayer and continue to do that just for the 24 hour period we are living in again asking for help when the temptation comes. Even maybe be bold enough to praise God for taking the temptation away totally and believing He will do it.

Believe me I know it is hard.... but our God is a God of impossibilities.... and He can help us both.

I smoked as a teen but never was addicted, I think I got lucky with that. I have big time issues with food, although it's gotten better over the years. My biggest problem is diet soda. I know it's junk and I shouldn't drink it but I do anyway.

I don't have any wise words of God to give you, I know he love's you regardless of the smoking. Keep praying asking for help and don't be so hard on yourself. God bless.

I have an addictive personality that I either learned or inherited from my Mother. I have quite a few addictions that I try to deal with. The alcoholism, I am doing well with so far. I detest going to meetings every Thursday evening, but I suck it up and go anyways. Other than that, I've had issues in the past with street drugs, namely marijuana and certain hallucinogens.

Some days are a real battle.

The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector couldn't possibly be put more on display from those idiots if they tried. Be at peace and know you are justified.

*** smoking will not send you tok Hell--- it could send you to Heaven quicker--- I smoked and got off using nicotine gum...

If anyone would like motivation to quit smoking, come on over to Boone, Iowa and hang out with me and my Dad. You can watch him labor to breathe every single breath through plastic tubing that is supplying him 6 liters of oxygen per minute. Stay for the joyful noise of him coughing and hacking up very sticky, very discolored phlegm every few minutes.

demonic-bondage is pure HELL-on-this earth; we have been through many, many, hells and have been given,
by our Holy Saviour, the 'grace' to 'OVERCOME' them...do we feel 'special'? YES, we were given a choice,
and we chose, after many trials and errors, we choose to take the 'High-Road, only by the Grace of God...

Addiction is different for me depending on what they are addicted to. If they are addicted to illegal drugs, or to doing horrible things, then it is bad, but can be overcome if they do come to God and if they themselves want to be saved too.

Don't listen to these people who judge you just cos you smoke. Plenty of people smoke, a woman I had a thing with a couple of months ago, she smoked yet she was the most beautiful woman I know. Beautiful on the inside, and on the out.

Don't worry about your salvation at all. As long as you believe in Jesus and how he died on the cross for our sins, then you're fine. And as long as you try your best to live God's way.

A recommendation that I have seen suggested from a former smoker is to use polo mints to help you stop. According to him, the first 3 days were difficult but then it slowly got better. (I don't smoke myself, but the recommendation was in a book written by one of the guys I look up to who used to smoke).

The first step is wanting to quit. Not half-hearted, but a full commitment to quit no matter what. That is the hardest part of quitting an addiction. It's not easy. Nothing worthwhile is.