Embracing Christianity requires strength and commitment. Once people accept Christ in their lives, they have to give up their former lives of sin and adhere to God's rules.
Unfortunately, not everybody finds this transition doable. One man wrote to world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham and said he must be the "worst Christian" alive. This is because every time he spends time with his old friends, he finds himself reverting back to his old ways. "I forget all about Jesus and end up following the crowd. How can I stop being so weak?" he asked.
Graham answered that God does not want His children to be spiritually weak and yield to temptation every time they face it. So for Christians who are having difficulty fuelling their faith, Graham advised them to look up the story of Peter in the New Testament.
"He was one of Jesus' closest followers, and yet when Jesus was arrested, to those who asked him, Peter denied that he was a disciple or even knew Jesus — not once, but three times," Graham wrote on his website. "And yet Peter later became one of the strongest and most courageous Christians the world has ever known."
Graham said after Peter realised what he had done, he repented of his sins and surrounded himself with other believers. Together, they strengthened each other and grew in their faith. As a result, Peter was able to witness for Christ and let others know how much Christ loves them.
"Like Peter, turn to Christ and ask for His forgiveness and help. Then leave your old friends behind; they'll only pull you down (perhaps deliberately)," he said. "In addition, get involved in a church where you'll hear God's Word and be surrounded by believers who can help you. Also, take your stand for Christ by telling others that you are now a follower of Jesus."
As for other temptations that might come one's way, Graham earlier said that both Christians and non-Christians face them all the time. However, the only difference is that Christ gives His followers strength to select the right rather than the wrong.
"It is not the temptations you have, but the decision you make about them that counts," he said.
