Peer Pressure

This may not seem to be an adult subject but bear with me for a few minutes.

First let's define Peer Pressure, second show how adults can bend to Peer Pressure, and third let's look at what God's word says about Peer Pressure.

Defining Peer Pressure (from Dealing With Peer Pressure at Kids Health)
Peers influence your life, even if you don't realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It's only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system, or someone on the soccer team taught you a cool trick with the ball. You might admire a friend who is always a good sport and try to be more like him or her. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day. Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them, your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to with him. Another great site for teens about battling Peer Pressure is No Cussing Club.

Peer Pressure is not only a problem for teens but also for adults. Just look at any major sporting event. People paint their hair, their faces or in some cases with men their chest with the color of their favorite team. More seriously people steal, cheat or get involved in immoral relationships because of peer pressure. People joins groups, churches or clubs because of peer pressure. People even vote for their elected officials because of peer pressure.

Let's look at what God has to say about giving in to Peer Pressure. In Romans 12 Paul tells us the following: 2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Earlier in Romans 8 Paul tells us what we are to be comformed to: 29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;"

Our sermon today at Vineyard Church was on James 1: 19-27 and I want to share verse 27 with you. "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

I once heard someone say that he could tell exactly where your heart is by looking at your checkbook and calendar. By where you spend your money and where you send your time he could tell what your priorities in life are.

I think I could tell who puts peer pressure on you by looking at the sites you visit and the emails you send. The question for you and for me is are you being pressured by others or by the Holy Spirit?

If you are being pressured to do things that do not bring glory to God then I encourage you to change who your friends are. When that peer pressure is coming from within lean on this verse: 2 Timothy 1: 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

The pressure coming from within is sometimes the hardest to battle because it is based on wounds that we have received and we are pressured to medicate them when we hurt. God promises to comfort us through His Holy Spirit if we will just lean on Him (John 14: 16-18 and John16: 7-12).