I used to be a chain smoker, smoking one to two large packs a day. Each large pack contained twenty cigarettes. Sometimes, I could even smoke up to three large packs.
I enjoyed smoking to the point that I could recognize what brand someone was smoking just by inhaling the smoke. I smoked many tobacco variations—commercial packs, loose tobacco, cigars, and tobacco pipes. I would justify my smoking saying it was stress and for socializing.
The truth was that I enjoyed the different tastes. Smoking was such a habit I would get a bit fidgety if I didn’t have a cigarette in my hand. All the smoking was also draining my health and wallet. I tried to quit multiple times, but nothing I did worked.
One day, I followed my girlfriend (now wife) to a convention where Pastor Joseph Prince gave a sermon. In that sermon where Pastor Prince taught on the power of being righteousness-conscious, he said, “Those who want to quit their addiction can proclaim this: ‘I’m God’s righteousness in Christ’ every time they partake of their addiction.”
I did this for a whole week. Every time I lit up, I would say, “I’m God’s righteousness in Christ,” and continue to finish the cigarette. At the end of that week, I was still lighting up. One day, I took a puff and said, “I’m God’s righteousness in Christ.” But when I took a second puff, it tasted horrible! The third and next few puffs also tasted horrible.
The cigarettes weren’t spoiled; they just tasted horrible. The craving was also gone. The pack was new with nineteen sticks of cigarettes in it, and I just left it on the table and walked away.
It has been around nine years since I smoked. Sometimes I have thoughts of holding and smoking a cigarette, but every time I remember the taste that was in my mouth that day, the craving vanishes. Pastor Prince, thank you so much for sharing those words that day at that convention. It started a chain reaction for me to listen to and obey God’s instructions.
Victor Chia | Malaysia
