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Dear Father-God, creator of heaven and earth, author of light, goodness, mercy and justice. I come to You exhausted, defeated and full of pain. I am a prisoner of my own foolishness, selfishness and disobedience to Your precious Word.
Father, I have defiled my body which is the temple of Your Holy Spirit. I am now wearing the graveclothes of death woven by my own hands one cigarette, one pack, one carton at a time. I have exchanged my beauty for ashes, my health for sickness, my freedom for chains.
Father, I have tried to quit and throw off this filthy habit. I have tried to do this in my own strength and each time I have failed. And each time I have fallen deeper and deeper into the pit of my addiction. I have not only violated my own body You so lovingly created for me, but have also created a cloud of filth for others to breathe. Debts have gone unpaid to satisfy this endless craving for another cigarette. Your sweet, gentle, loving voice has been drowned out by the clamoring voice of my addiction. Self and self-indulgence have been on the throne of my life while my imprisoned soul is weeping for freedom.
Father, I have rationalized for years that smoking was a trivial sin and would not separate us. How wrong I was. How I have deceived myself. Your Word says that “The wages of sin is death”. There are no trivial sins. I have had to learn the hard way that “The wages of sin is death” and does separate us from You. And Father, by my example I have led many others down the road to death and destruction. Do not lay these many children of my foul habit to my account, but be merciful to them and me.
Father, have mercy upon me. Your Word says that Your mercy is greater than Your judgment. Send Your laborers, Your ministering angels and Your Holy Spirit to unwrap the graveclothes of my addiction. Lazarus could not loosen his own graveclothes and neither can I. I need Your help to live and be free.
I confess my sin, my selfishness and disobedience to You now. I ask You to forgive me and to heal me. I bring my petitions to Your Throne of Grace in the name of Your Son Jesus. You have said that the Blood of Your Son Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness. And that if we confess our sins, You will cleanse us. Father, cleanse me, heal me, set me free from this filthy, selfish habit; and I will praise Your name forever with these lips and lungs that have served Satan and self.
Father, I thank You for hearing my prayer and setting me free.
Amen
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