As seen in the two previous devotionals, peer pressure has an immense hold on not just children and the young people; it has influence on the adults also. This means, both the children, the young ones and the adults are overwhelmed by negative peer pressure. If people are convened together to narrate their life experiences from peer pressure, shocking truth will emerge on how much people have been dealt with by peer pressures. Peer pressure leaves scars on everyone, but the scar cannot be permanent except one allows it. Peer pressure can be resisted or stood against. Today’s devotional is on “dealing with peer pressure” as a Christian. We Christians must equip ourselves with knowledge and strategies to resist negative peer group’s pressures. Few steps to resist or stand up against peer pressures will be offered in the last two days’ devotional.
DEVELOPING NEW MINDSET: As Christians, we are not different from our LORD Jesus Christ. In His days, so much pressure was directed at Him ensuring He fail in His assignments. He resisted all the pressures and suffered in the flesh to win us salvation. In dealing with peer pressure, all Christians must first know that Christ suffered in the flesh to save them. Therefore, they are to arm themselves with same intention to suffer in their flesh, refusing to give in to anything appealing to satisfy their flesh. We as Christians must develop a new mindset once become Christians. The new mindset is to let us know that we are now “New creation”, therefore, all old worldly things which satisfy the flesh have passed away (2 Cor. 5: 17). Christians’ intention as new people by being different from the worldly persons is to please Jesus Christ with their characters and habits.
BEING ON YOUR GUARD: We Christians must know that refusing to do what peer group members want us do might attract sanction. This is always part of the prices to pay when standing up against peer pressures. If we are to stand up against peer pressures we must always be on our guard to be courageous to standing firm in faith and strong at taking positive decisions. We should be using 1 Corinthians 16: 13 that say: – “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (NIV). The most important thing to do as Christians when facing pressures is turning to the Bible to examine what God says concerning any situation we are passing through. This must include suggestions to do what our peer group members would want us do.
PRAYER:
Holy Spirit, I need your continual back up to standing in the faith which will strengthen me to stand up to peer pressure. Always call to my mind, scriptures concerning what I am passing through so as to use them appropriately in Jesus name.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch