You Can Overcome Your Nicotine Addiction With the Gift of Tongues
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
You’ve heard of many ways to deal with the spirit of addiction, but not this one! I’ll share how I overcame and it didn’t involve casting out a demon.
I used to be a chain-smoker. First thing in the morning, I’d find a nice sun spot and light one up.
I smoked when I was nervous; after a full meal; during my lunch break; and if I had a tough day, I’d light up two in a row. The spirit of addiction called me by name. It wasn’t just a pull, it was a craving that made me angry and unpleasant if I didn’t satisfy it.
When the Lord called me to ministry, I smoked a pack of Marlboro Menthols a day. I loved the Lord and knew I would have to quit one day, but I didn’t know how.
He didn't condemn me for having an addiction. And so, I made up my mind - I would stop when God asked me to stop. For a long time, He didn’t ask… until He did.
It was Sunday afternoon and I was in my 2001 Nissan Maxima, right outside my father’s house. Church was over and I popped by the corner store, using my last $5 on a pack of Marlboro Menthols. I cranked the window down and lit one up.
Finally, a moment of quiet. Every inhale calmed my spirit. I hadn’t gotten many puffs in, when I heard the Holy Spirit - like a good friend - knocking at my half-opened door, “If you don’t quit smoking now, this is how you will die.”
Silence.
Five minutes later, still puffing away, “But I can’t stop. You know me. My will is weak and I won’t stand.”
“I will help you.”
He didn’t have to say much. I knew that if I didn’t take His offer right now, the same measure of grace wouldn’t be there tomorrow. So, before I could change my mind, I crushed the box of Marlboros, and leapt off the spiritual cliff, “Okay.”
I have not smoked a cigarette since that day twelve years ago. However, my story isn’t about an immediate deliverance and how I lived happily ever after.
He said He would help me. He never said He would take away the nicotine addiction. Instead, He gave me the gift of tongues to help me face my bully.
Every time the spirit of addiction called my name, I would find a private space and speak in tongues until the temptation lifted. On day one, I spoke in tongues every 30 minutes. I promise you, many days and weeks after that, I thought every day would be the day I caved. However, the Holy Spirit always came through and gave me just enough grace to survive another temptation.
I had to fight, but as the days passed, it got easier. Until one day, the craving was gone. It took me just on three weeks to overcome the spirit of addiction.
Many get delivered by casting out a demon. Sometimes the Holy Spirit brings deliverance and the taste is just gone! For others like me, He teams up with them and we overcome together. He didn't cast out a demon. He didn’t take away the craving. He just had me fill it with Himself through the gift of tongues, until He displaced the spirit of addiction.
What is your addiction? Shopping? Food? Sex? You can break the chains of addiction today! Grab hold of the gift of tongues. Counseling someone with an addiction? When they have submitted to the Lord, equip them to resist the devil and he will flee.
Today the Lord stands before you with arms outstretched. He says to you, "I will help you."
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Chaifa Berry is a prophet in the NextGen Prophets team under Apostles Craig and Colette Toach of Toach Ministries International. She and her husband Nathan have trained fivefold ministry leaders for the last decade. She publishes daily prophetic words on the Prophetic Network Blog. She is the armor bearer to Apostle Craig Toach and is dedicated to raising the next generation of prophets.
