Peer Pressure in the Christian Teen Scene

January 27, 2009 by WebPastor
Filed under Bible Teachings, Christian Articles

Teen Scene Question: I recently became a Christian, but I’m having second thoughts. I’m afraid I’ll miss out on a lot of fun during my teenage years. Can’t I wait until later to live for Christ?

A speaker once related a dream he’d had. The location was hell, and the demons were trying to think of ways to stop people from accepting Christ.

Each demon brought an idea to Satan and was told to try it. The ideas included the typical one people think are responsible for turning others away: drugs, sexual temptations, intellectualism, money, fame, status, and so on.

All of these strategies were tried, but they were not very effective.

Finally, one demon suggested a plan that surprised everyone. “Let’s tell people that believing the Bible and following Christ are the right things to do; and to tell them that being a committed believer was the only way to live life. But,” he concluded, “tell them to do it -tomorrow!”

That has become Satan’s strategy-and for many people tomorrow never comes!

This delaying tactic works like Novocain. It numbs people and keeps them from turning to the truth when they hear it.

We are creatures of habit. We have learned almost everything-reading, writing, math, speech-by doing the same thing over and over again. Our thoughts about God are the same way. Believing we can play now and get committed later fulfills Satan’s strategy.

Thought patterns become habits; habits become beliefs; beliefs become actions; and actions determine our eternity!

You may very well be afraid you will miss out on all the fun, but those “good times” do not last. Most of what world pursues is shallow and meaningless (though sometimes “fun” for a time).

Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8 makes it vibrantly clear that to live life to the fullest, we must follow God-not in fear that He wants to take away our fun and excitement, but in faith that He wants to make our lives into something wonderful.

Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9).