Your control of your God given freewill is (mostly) negatively influenced by the worldly people surrounding you. That’s not to say that you aren’t also a contributor in your own right. How long will we (you) hold on to what’s keeping you from being the person God wants you to be?

Busy airports require planes to stay in their holding patterns until cleared for landing. But, “De plane, Boss, can’t stay up forever.” And neither can/or should we. Don’t persist in holding your opponent. The more contact you have with him, the more apt you are to become him. 

Instead, become like the Him (Jesus Christ) that you were originally designed to be like. He created you like Himself (and His Father, Jehovah) so that you could emulate Him (Them). The closer you mirror Jesus’ walk, the more perfect, holy, and righteous you will become. And before God opens those “pearly gates” to you, He wants you to be “as good as you can get”. So, while you endure your Earthly existence, hold Jesus tightly enough so that no opponent can strip the football of salvation out of your grasp!

Notice the “VISITORS” are the winning team–because they’re saved! They know their permanent home isn’t here upon Earth. Yeah, we (Christians) might lose a few earthly battles, but we’ve previously aligned ourselves with the only One who guarantees victory beyond death. (I frequently use the “us” in Jesus’ name to represent the bond and purpose for which Jesus died for–to seek and save the lost).