The enemy wants to silence the gospel. One of his favorite weapons he likes to deploy is intimidation through peer pressure. The apostle Paul gives the believer some encouragement to help overcome these adversities: Be strong in grace and be strong in Christ.
—2 Timothy 2:1 NKJV “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Silence the Believer
In the worlds eyes, those that follow Christ are looked down upon. The entertainment industry, governments, the workplaces and social gatherings are areas where it is common to find the believer belittled or silenced.
This may come in the form of intimidation tactics, making fun of their beliefs, creating bias rules and laws, and exclusion. In the era when freedom is believed to be a right, it is often the Christian that is denied the right to publicly acknowledge Christ. While we must obey the laws of the land, we should not let this peer pressure silence us.
Be Strong in Christ
It is a fact as believers we will come under attack. We must no be afraid of the mockery and teasing we will receive. To avoid being intimidated, the key is to be strong in Christ and grace. We are not alone on this battlefield. We belong to Christ and have been saved by the grace of God. No matter what attacks we face from the world, we can rest assured the world can never take away the new life we received from God.
Heavenly Perspective
In face of this immense peer pressure, it is imperative that we keep a heavenly perspective. It is important to remember we have a new home in heaven. We don’t belong to this world and should not conform to it. In essence we must keep our focus on the things above.
With our focus on Christ and heaven it becomes clear what is the source of our strength. We are to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Notice in our battles, it is not our strength that will get us through but the strength of Christ. We need to stay faithful to His Word. As we face the tribulations the world throws at us, we need to feed our faith upon God’s Word and constantly communicate with God in prayer.
My Grace is Sufficient
We become strong by the grace we received from Christ. God’s grace is sufficient for our works in Christ. By leaning on His Word, God is more than adequately able to provide the courage we need to proclaim the saving message of Christ.
—2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”
Strong in Christ, Strong in Grace
As the struggles and intimidation tactics against us increase, it is necessary to remain strong in our faith. In moments of weakness and fear when you feel like succumbing to the worlds terrorizing, remember to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Through prayer and faithful reflection on His Word, God will provide the encouragement and courage required. Remember Grace comes from God and Christ gave us that grace which enables us to be strong through Him. As you find yourself in unfriendly situations remain true to the Word and be courageous through Christ.