1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19 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?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
~1 John 5:3
Quitting smoking is challenging but achievable with the right approach and support. Here’s the best advice for successfully quitting cigarettes:
1. Plan Ahead
- Set a Quit Date: Choose a date within the next 1–2 weeks to mentally prepare yourself.
- Know Your Triggers: Identify situations or emotions that make you want to smoke, such as stress, coffee, or social settings.
- Prepare Alternatives: Stock up on healthy snacks, sugar-free gum, or distractions like stress balls or puzzles to occupy your hands and mind.
2. Seek Support
- Tell Friends and Family: Inform them about your goal so they can encourage and hold you accountable.
- Join a Support Group: Many people benefit from connecting with others who are quitting. Look for local or online support groups.
- Counseling or Coaching: Professional guidance can provide personalized strategies and encouragement.
3. Focus on Your “Why”
- Write down reasons for quitting—health, family, saving money, etc.—and keep them visible.
- Visualize the benefits: improved breathing, taste, smell, and the reduced risk of disease.
4. Manage Withdrawal and Cravings
- Distract Yourself: Keep busy with activities like exercising, reading, or cooking.
- Deep Breathing: Practice slow, deep breaths to relax when cravings hit.
- Stay Hydrated and Eat Well: Drink water and opt for healthy snacks to curb nicotine cravings.
5. Learn from Setbacks
- Don’t Give Up: If you relapse, view it as a temporary setback, not a failure.
- Identify What Happened: Reflect on the trigger and adjust your plan.
- Stay Positive: Remember that many people try multiple times before quitting for good.
6. Avoid Triggers
- Avoid places, situations, or people associated with smoking during the initial phase.
- Replace habits like smoking after meals with a new routine, such as taking a walk or chewing gum.
The journey to quitting smoking is personal and may take time. Be patient with yourself, and remember, each day without smoking brings you closer to a healthier life.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/What-to-expect-when-you-quit-smoking
At 60 years of age, I am just now beginning to understand the profound power of the word “no.” I ashamed to admit I have been a self serving hedonist, with people-fixer tendencies, I’ve often defaulted to saying “yes” to my flesh. But more recently, I’ve realized a deep truth: saying “no” to both the good and the bad creates the space to say “yes” to His higher priority.
I am struck by how often Jesus used the word “no.” He said “no” to the demands of the crowd, retreating to quiet places to commune with His Father. He said “no” to Satan’s temptations, countering them with the truth and power of God’s Word. He said “no” to the spiritual games of the Pharisees, responding instead with wisdom and truth. The ultimate “no” comes in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus prayed:
“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. ” (Matthew 26:39).
Though the Father’s answer was “no,” that refusal became the greatest “yes” in history—our salvation. God said “no” to His only Son, that knew no sin, so that He could say “yes” to making him our High Priest who can atone for our sin. What an incredible plan of Salvation!
Today, I want to encourage you to embrace the power of “no.” Maybe you need to say “no” to someone who is a negative influence or who is taking advantage of you. Setting boundaries is not only wise but godly. Saying “no” to an unhealthy relationship gives you room to nurture the relationships that matter most.
Perhaps you need to say “no” to something that has become an idol in your life, monopolizing your time and attention. Right now, I am fasting, saying “no” to food so I can devote that time to prayer and drawing closer to Jesus. I am greatful for the Lord teaching me to resist the flesh and the time I’ve spent connecting with Jesus has been immeasurably rewarding.
Or maybe your “no” needs to be about reprioritizing where you spend your time. Saying “no” to less important commitments can free you to say “yes” to your highest priority: time with the Almighty through His Word.
God has equipped His people with the miraculous gift of “no.” Use it to reject evil, discouragement, misplaced priorities, and selfishness. In doing so, you open the door to God’s goodness, joy, and transformative power. Say “no” to what distracts and weighs you down so that you can say “yes” to God’s will for your life.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made!
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-matters-from-menninger/202111/the-power-of-saying-no
https://www.wikihow.life/Learn-How-to-Say-No-to-Yourself
Therapists often explore the concept of “behavioral payoff” to understand why people engage in certain behaviors, even those that might seem irrational or self-defeating. This concept operates on the principle that every behavior, no matter how problematic, serves a purpose for the individual—usually tied to either avoiding pain or gaining pleasure. By identifying the underlying payoff, therapists can help clients break free from maladaptive patterns and adopt healthier behaviors.
Avoiding Pain
Many behaviors, especially those linked to anxiety or avoidance, serve as mechanisms to escape discomfort, fear, or distress. For example:
- A person might smoke cigarettes to avoid the emotional discomfort of stress or anxiety. The nicotine offers temporary relief, creating a cycle where the individual relies on smoking to “escape” negative feelings.
- Someone might avoid difficult conversations or tasks to sidestep feelings of inadequacy, failure, or conflict.
Therapists help clients recognize this avoidance by gently exploring the emotions or situations they are trying to escape. They might ask, “What do you notice happening in your body or thoughts before you engage in this behavior?” This helps clients connect their actions to the underlying pain they’re avoiding.
Gaining Pleasure
On the flip side, people often repeat behaviors that provide a sense of satisfaction, joy, or relief, even if it’s short-lived. For instance:
- Smoking might be associated with pleasurable rituals, such as social bonding during smoke breaks or a sense of calm when taking that first puff.
- Compulsive shopping or overeating may provide an emotional high, a sense of control, or even a distraction from life’s stressors.
Therapists work with clients to identify these moments of perceived pleasure, asking reflective questions like, “What positive feeling or outcome do you associate with this behavior?” This helps clients uncover the reward they are unconsciously seeking.
How Therapists Use Behavioral Payoff to Foster Change
Once the therapist and client identify the payoff—whether avoiding pain, gaining pleasure, or both—the next steps involve reshaping those patterns. This process might include:
- Awareness: Helping clients see the behavior-payoff connection. For example, “You smoke because it provides a break from your stress, but is it solving the problem or just delaying it?”
- Substitution: Replacing the maladaptive behavior with healthier alternatives that address the same need. For instance, practicing mindfulness to manage stress instead of smoking.
- Reframing the Payoff: Therapists help clients understand the long-term costs of their behavior. For example, the temporary pleasure of smoking comes at the expense of long-term health and freedom from addiction.
By focusing on the behavioral payoff, therapists empower clients to make conscious, values-driven choices that align with their long-term well-being rather than short-term relief or gratification.
All behavior can be linked to two motivations: Fear and Pleasure
EXERCISES: Imaging a scenarios where you are 100% sure you could quite smoking
Smoking, like many addictive behaviors, can be understood as a form of idolatry because it often elevates a created thing above God in a person’s life. The Bible teaches that idolatry occurs whenever something other than God becomes the focus of our devotion, reliance, or satisfaction. In Colossians 3:5, Paul writes, “Therefore, put to death your members which are on earth—sexual immorality, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, Among whom you also once walked, when you were living in these things.”
While Paul is speaking broadly, the principle applies to anything that takes God’s rightful place in our lives, including substances like tobacco. Smoking, when it becomes an addiction, demands attention, time, and control, often overshadowing the role God is meant to have.
The first commandment explicitly warns against idolatry: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Smoking, in its addictive grip, can function as a “god” when people turn to it for comfort, stress relief, or satisfaction rather than seeking those things in their relationship with the Lord. Jesus calls His followers to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Addiction divides that love and loyalty, creating a conflict where tobacco begins to dominate decisions and emotions that should be directed toward serving and glorifying God.
Additionally, smoking defiles the body, which Scripture describes as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds believers in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Smoking harms the body, leading to sickness and shortening life, directly opposing God’s call to stewardship over the health and vitality He has given us. By damaging the body, smoking undermines the temple God has entrusted us to maintain for His glory.
Ultimately, idolatry is a matter of misplaced worship and allegiance. Romans 12:1 urges believers, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Smoking, when viewed as an act of dependency, takes what should be surrendered to God and offers it to a destructive substance instead. This behavior reveals a spiritual void where the reliance on God should be. Freedom from smoking, therefore, is not only a health decision but a spiritual act of repentance and renewal, turning away from idolatry and re-establishing God as the ultimate source of strength and satisfaction. Through prayer, accountability, and trust in God’s transformative power, believers can overcome the grip of smoking and honor God with their whole being.
Smoking addiction often stems from a deeper spiritual battle, where demonic influence plays a significant role in keeping individuals bound. Scripture shows that sin and uncrucified flesh opens doors to spiritual oppression. Jesus warned in John 8:34, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” emphasizing that repeated sinful habits, such as addiction, enslave the soul. Smoking, with its grip on the body and mind, aligns with the enemy’s work to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). When addiction controls a person, it often reflects a spiritual stronghold that requires the power of God to break.
Demonic influence thrives in areas of human weakness, including addiction, which dulls spiritual discernment and draws people away from our Creator. The Bible calls believers to remain alert, for the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Smoking addiction not only harms the physical body but also lulls individuals into spiritual complacency. The enemy uses addiction to distract and enslave, ensuring that the victim remains trapped in cycles of dependency and self-destruction. Without addressing the spiritual root of addiction, the battle remains superficial.
Jesus demonstrated His authority over demonic forces throughout His ministry, casting out spirits that oppressed and tormented people. In Mark 5:1–20, He delivered a man possessed by a legion of demons who exhibited self-destructive behavior. Smoking addiction, similarly, involves physical harm and a pattern of self-sabotage, revealing the influence of forces that seek to harm God’s creation. Deliverance requires believers to confront addiction as a spiritual issue and call on the authority of Christ to cast out any demonic presence that holds them captive. Jesus declared in Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.”
True freedom from smoking addiction comes only through the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Believers must confess and renounce any strongholds in their lives, repenting of behaviors that have given the enemy a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). They must seek deliverance through prayer, fasting, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, inviting God to fill every void that addiction once occupied. As they take up the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18), they stand firm against the spiritual forces that seek to enslave them. Smoking addiction is not merely a physical habit but a spiritual battle, and victory comes only when Christ’s power breaks every chain and restores freedom.
A powerful website with a corny name: https://demonbuster.com/smoking.html
“Pigs in the Parlor” is found on EVERY deliverance ministers bookshelf: https://kingdomtruther.com/pigs-in-the-parlor-frank-hammond/