Only One Step Needed

Many of us have struggles in life. Sometimes all it takes is just a simple surrender of our life to Jesus and he can transform it without all the labor on our side. In this simple testimony, B R shares how Christ freed him from a life of addiction overnight.

I started smoking around the age of 16-17. Initially, it was on weekend nights when I went clubbing. However, when I arrived in Perth to study, as an overseas student, I took it up more, smoking almost 1-2 Marlboro red packets a day at one point. Cigarettes were cheap at that time where you could get 2 cartons of cigarettes from duty-free sources as well. My girlfriend at the time also used to get me some heavy content cigarettes from Indonesia. My smoking was accompanied by other bad habits like drinking etc. 

I was still attending church, but only so that I could tell my parents who were living overseas every week that I was attending church- and that I was still a Christian. You see, I was born into a Christian family and my parents were always serving/ leading in church ever since I could remember. They knew that through God everything was possible. They were insistent on my going to church while I was studying in Perth. By all accounts, I was a back-slided Christian. 

I started feeling a hole in my life; a loss that I couldn’t fill with smoking, drinking, and clubbing with friends. I wanted to come back to God and stop my bad habits especially my smoking, drinking, etc. 

The pastor in the church I was attending was very supportive. He noticed me every week attending church and sitting in the back corner. He encouraged me to attend a cell group. He prayed over my life at Sunday services claiming my life for God. He told me that I had the fingerprint of God on my life and that God wouldn’t let go of me no matter what I did or how far away from God I ran. I started attending cell group but was still not able to stop smoking, drinking, and other bad habits. 

I had been a musician when I was attending church while I was growing up. Now in church, there was a need for worship team musicians. 

My pastor asked me to play in the worship team. I told him that I didn’t feel correct in my life due to my sins. I didn’t want to hinder the spirit of God moving while being on the worship team. My pastor said not to worry about that. He said to just be available and to let God move but I told him that I wanted to stop smoking first.

However, I prayed about it and finally agreed to start playing in the worship team. I woke up one morning and stopped smoking altogether – without the use of nicotine gum, patches, etc. God helped me to go from being a heavy smoker to not smoking at all within one day!  

I have not smoked for about 20 years now and God has allowed me to serve Him and His people over the last few years in various ministries. 

About the writer:

BR is a respected professional working in a multinational company. Originally from Asia, he now lives in Perth, Western Australia. He is currently serving in the church worship team and still smoke-free.